Alessia Sammarra

Heterogeneity and Specificity of Inter-Firm Knowledge Flows in Innovation Networks

Literature on innovation networks reveals little of to what extent different types of knowledge are exchanged and combined by collaborating firms to foster innovation. Based on field research in the aerospace industrial cluster of Rome, this study investigates the exchange of technological, market and managerial knowledge. Using social network analysis, the paper shows that the three types of knowledge are unevenly distributed and exchanged, thus revealing that the process of exchange is knowledge-specific. Further, it is found that in most collaborative relationships, partners exchange technological knowledge together with market and managerial knowledge, emphasizing the complex nature of the innovation process which requires access to and recombination of diverse knowledge. This phenomenon concerns not only large companies, but also small-to-medium enterprises. The reconsideration of the relative salience of the three types of knowledge has remarkable managerial and theoretical implications, which are developed in terms of propositions offered for further research. Copyright (c) Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2008.

Evolution and relocation in fashion-led Italian districts: evidence from two case-studies

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the debate about how, in advanced countries, industrial districts specialised in traditional manufacturing industries evolve as a consequence of new challenges linked to the globalization process. Using a multiple case study design, the study examines the evolution of two fashion-led Italian districts: the Montebelluna sportswear system and the Vibrata-Tordino-Vomano clothing district. Our findings reveal that cluster firms’ ability to shift from manufacturing to other activities providing higher returns along the global value chain is key to understanding the effect of globalization and relocation processes on the clusters long-term competitiveness. As illustrated in this study, weak learning districts are the most threatened while innovative districts are able to enact a selective process of relocation, substituting outplaced activities with more valuable ones and attracting inward investments.

Managing Long Distance and Localized Learning in the Emilia Romagna Life Science Cluster

Abstract The paper provides some empirical evidence of the effectiveness of the “open innovation” model in the life science cluster of Emilia Romagna (a region of Italy), comparing the network of R&D collaborative activities in public research organizations (PROs) and the network linked to R&D collaborative activities in private firms. By presenting the main results of a field research in the life science sector in Emilia Romagna, we are contributing to the recent debate focused on the crises of the old “closed innovation” model and the rise of the “open innovation” model. Our survey consists of both primary data deriving from face-to-face interviews with researchers and entrepreneurs, and secondary data extracted from the Internet, the PubMed database, and from the European Patent Office. Our work is based on the analysis of a representative sample of 30 research groups in PROs, 2173 scientific articles published by the interviewed scientists, and a representative sample of 78 private firms.

The Biomedical Valley: structural, relational and cognitive aspects

This study furnishes empirical evidence from the biomedical district of Mirandola (Italy) with the aim of offering two distinct contributions to the literature on industrial districts. The first objective is to challenge the stereotyped model of Italian industrial districts whose claimed distinctive features are to be specialized in traditional sectors of the Italian economy, to be relatively self-contained and close productive systems, and to be mainly composed of small and medium size enterprises. The Biomedical Valley contradicts this model, being a successful example of a recent, high-tech, high-wages, and open district led by some medium sized companies, some of which have been acquired by large European and American multinationals. The district emerged in 1963, triggered by a true Schumpeterian entrepreneur, who created the “first firm” of the district, from which many others (the most important) generated through spin-off processes.

Social Identity and Identification Processes: Enriching Theoretical Tools to Study Industrial Districts

Becattini’s (1979, 1989, 1990) “simple” redefinition of the research object from “industry” to “district,” that is, from a product/market-based definition to a territory-based one, allowed for an enlargement of the scope of economic analysis which has shown complex interactions between social and economic aspects of regional studies, and specifically of industrial districts, in the realm of industry studies. In order to explain such a complexity and its evolutionary character, many scientific disciplines entered the field, with their theoretical tools and empirical methodologies. In a sort of “snowball effect,” sociologists, management scholars, geographers and historians developed researches or suggested ideas and hypotheses concerning IDs, besides heterodox industrial economists. Consequently, specialists in the field had to progressively take into account the new perspectives and studies which were emerging in an unending body of literature. Therefore it is with caution and understanding possible negative reactions of some readers, that we propose other theoretical tools. They belong to a rather different discipline from the ones “traditionally” employed in these studies, especially when carried on by industrial economists, heterodox or orthodox as they could be. The discipline is social psychology (Jones, 1998), and the theoretical tools are derived from Social Identity Theory (SIT), and partially already developed in the field of management studies under the heading of organisational identity and identification processes.

Social Network Analysis: A New Perspective for the Post-Fordist Organization

Recently, Social Network Analysis (SNA) has emerged has one of the most innovative fields of management research and it is growlingly popular in the business community as well. We claim that one of the reasons for this success is the fact that SNA supports the Post-Fordist model of organization: a relational point of view is actually coherent with the development of teamwork-based, flexible, decentralized, and customer-oriented structures. By analyzing the uses of SNA in management consulting services, we were able to compare and identify the gaps between SNA management research and practice, and to what extent are both supporting a Post-Fordist model of managing and organizing.

Enhancing Knowledge Sharing in Age-Diverse Organizations: The Role of HRM Practices

Building on these insights, this chapter looks at the role of the human resource management (HRM) system as a key facilitator of effective knowledge sharing in age-diverse organizations. To this end, the chapter focuses on HR planning, training and development, performance appraisal, and reward systems, each of which can be used to develop the motivations, norms, and accountability structures that encourage employees of different ages to bridge their differences and integrate their unique perspectives and knowledge. This chapter suggests ways of tailoring HRM practices to unlock the benefits of age diversity, which may help organizations exploit and capitalize on the knowledge-based resources held by their younger and older employees.

A Conceptual Framework of Age Diversity Climate

The age diversity climate construct is gaining greater attention in the organizational literature due to the demographic changes in the workplace. While the few existing studies on age diversity climate (ADC) are rather encouraging, this construct is still at an early stage of conceptual and operational development. This chapter helps to advance this field of research by analyzing the conceptual issues stemming from the theoretical definition and empirical measurement of the ADC construct. We first review and compare ADC with other age-focused climate concepts, highlighting overlapping and diverging factors regarding their conceptual framework and operationalization. Subsequently, we consider several open issues related to the operationalization of ADC, including the level of analysis, the choice of referent, and the dimensions of analysis. We conclude the chapter by outlining possibilities for future research on ADC.

Age Diversity in the Workplace: An Organizational Perspective

Population ageing, coupled with economic uncertainty and a shifting workforce structure, has directed the attention of public and organizational policy makers toward the potential contribution of older workers and skilled migrants in meeting labor supply shortages in ageing populations. This chapter presents labor supply and demand scenarios for 10 OECD countries and examines trends in the labor force participation of older workers against the backdrop of changes to the nature of work in an era of globalization, casualization, and, increasingly, automation. Brief analysis of each country’s situation and policy responses indicates that China, Japan, and Korea stand out as being at particular risk of being unable to maintain growth without undertaking drastic action, although their areas of focus need to differ. A limitation of the study is that GDP projections used in labor demand analysis were based on historical rates and represented past potential and a long-run average of historic economic output. Future research might also undertake comparative analysis of case studies addressing different potential solutions to workforce ageing. A key implication of the study is that there is a need to take a blended approach to public policy regarding older workers in a changing labor market. Age Diversity in the Workplace: An Organizational Perspective Advanced Series in Management, Volume 17, 3 34 Copyright r 2017 by Emerald Publishing Limited All rights of reproduction in any form reserved ISSN: 1877-6361/doi:10.1108/S1877-636120170000017002 The views expressed in this chapter are the views of the authors, not Ernst & Young. This chapter provides general information, does not constitute advice, and should not be relied on as such. Professional advice should be sought prior to any action being taken in reliance on any of the information. Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. Where migration has historically been a source of labor supplementation, this may become a less viable avenue over the near future. Future shortfalls in labor imply that economies will increasingly need to diversify their sources of workers in order to maintain economic growth. For public policy makers the challenge will be to overcome public antipathy to migration and longer working lives.

The effect of e-mail use and adoption on organisational participation: The case of a public administration

Improving organizational participation is becoming more and more important as organizations are trying to shift from a bureaucratic model based on work specialization and division of labor towards knowledge-intensive organizations built on competence sharing and team working. The aim of this paper is to investigate participation in decision making mediated by e-mail (e-PDM) among organizational members that are in similar hierarchical positions. The conceptual background of the study integrates the organizational theories on PDM and the computer-mediated communication (CMC) literature. Data analysis, based on an empirical research conducted in an Italian governmental agency, investigates the factors that affect the adoption of horizontal e-PDM in the workplace and to what extent this is mediated by the interplay between technology and social context. Our results suggest that social structuration of technology and social processes in organizations do have an impact on e-mail use for participative purposes, and that, along with group characteristics, leadership plays a major role in enabling work group members to increase horizontal e-PDM.