Francisco Javier Lloréns Montes

Learning during the quality management process: Antecedents and effects in service firms

Purpose – The goal of this research is to provide a model of how service firms respond to their environment by developing both different quality management (QM) practices and organizational learning.Design/methodology/approach – We review the different contributions to the study of the relationship between organizational learning and quality. Based on prior research, we propose a series of hypotheses concerning the influence in service firms of QM practices on organizational learning and the influence of the degree of implementation of the practices. Finally, we tested these hypotheses empirically using a sample of 127 service firms operating in the European Union.Findings – The results of the investigation reveal first, a strong relationship exists among organizational learning and QM practices. Second, we verified that the relations between different QM practices and between QM practices and organizational learning are stronger in service firms with a high degree of implementation of these practices. Fi...

An analysis of the relationship between quality and perceived innovation: “the case of financial firms”

Many organizations are adopting quality and innovation as practices that allow them to achieve competitive advantage owing to an increase in competitiveness. The goal of this paper is to examine whether quality can be regarded as a resource that sets up the necessary bases for implementing innovations in organizations. First, the concepts of quality and innovation are determined, so that we can analyse how they relate to each other. Later on, the different contributions existing that deal with the relationship between quality and innovation are revised. In the second part of the research, we formulate and verify some hypotheses, which are empirically tested using a sample of bank employees in several financial entities. Results allow us to establish that quality relates to innovation both directly and indirectly, in the latter case through employees’ satisfaction.

Dynamic capabilities, human resources and operating routines: A new product development approach

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explain the outcomes and role of dynamic capabilities (DCs). To explain the outcomes, the authors study the relationship between new product development (NPD) (an example of DCs) and metaflexibility. To explain the role of DCs, the authors study how human resources and operating routines moderate the role of DCs in achieving adaptation in the firm. Design/methodology/approach – Using data from 200 managers of Spanish firms, the authors apply regression analysis to test the moderating role of human resources and operating routines in the relationship between NPD and metaflexibility. Findings – The results demonstrate that highly qualified and committed workers enhance the effectiveness of NPD, while high frequency in repetition of operating routines significantly damages such effectiveness. Research limitations/implications – This study is limited to analysing a unique DC (NPD), but future research could explore contributions on other consolidated DCs (e.g. allianc...

Towards strategic flexibility: social networks, climate and uncertainty

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study how the size of social networks and the strength of their ties can help CEOs acquire understanding and information from external sources to enable their firms to achieve greater strategic flexibility and the moderating role of organizational climate and uncertainty. Design/methodology/approach – The hypotheses were tested using the data provided by 203 managers of medium-sized and large Spanish firms using regression analysis. Findings – The paper shows that firms have higher levels of strategic flexibility when their CEOs’ social networks are larger. Furthermore, CEOs have more incentives to use strong social-networking ties to develop strategic flexibility when there exists a positive organizational climate and a high degree of environmental uncertainty. Practical implications – An understanding of these issues offers opportunities to assist CEOs embarking on a new strategic option or to become more effective in building and utilizing their networking acti...

The moderating effect of slack resources on the relation between quality management and organisational learning

Recent literature in the field of strategic management suggests that firms must learn to combine internal competencies and resources in order to achieve competitive advantages. This paper examines how firms employ slack resources to enhance the relationship between quality management (QM) and organisational learning to obtain sustainable competitive advantages. The findings use empirical data gathered from 202 quality managers to support the hypotheses that: (1) there is a strong connection between organisational learning and QM; and (2) the relation between organisational learning and QM is moderated by slack resources.

Open innovation in supply networks: an expectation disconfirmation theory perspective

Purpose This study aims to use expectation disconfirmation theory (EDT) to investigate how an organization’s satisfaction with its supply network’s behavior influences its intention to open innovation with that network. This paper proposes that an organization’s orientation to open innovation is influenced by confirmation of previously held expectations of trust and commitment and level of perceived procedural justice in its open innovation partner. This paper also examines the effect of this orientation on the organization’s supply chain competence. Design/methodology/approach Using data from a survey of 286 European firms, the study proposes and evaluates a structural equation model. Findings The results show that a positive disconfirmation of trust (where perceived trust exceeds expectations) plays a crucial role in shaping organizations’ intentions to continue open innovation with their supply networks. These results show that disconfirmation is a good predictor of overall satisfaction with open innovation. This paper also confirms the positive effect of orientation to open innovation on supply chain competence. Finally, this paper obtained evidence for the positive effect of supply chain competence on firm performance. Originality/value This study shows the importance of managing expectations in open innovation under the EDT. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no previous research has analyzed the consistency between the trust and commitment an organization expects from its open innovation partner and the trust and commitment it ultimately perceives as a factor explaining its degree of orientation to open innovation. Therefore, this research contributes to a better understanding of open innovation enablers and also its consequences.

Open innovation and quality management: the moderating role of interorganisational IT infrastructure and complementary learning styles

AbstractThis study seeks to explain the influence of quality management on the relationship between open innovation and performance. We propose that, to contribute to open innovation performance, an organisation’s commitment to quality improvement must rely on the combination of its own resources and capabilities and its open innovation partners’ resources and capabilities. Specifically, we examine the moderating role of an interorganisational IT infrastructure and the complementarity of learning styles among an organisation committed to quality improvement and its supply network. Using data from 270 managers of European firms, our results show that the negative effects of quality management on open innovation performance can be overcome by complementing the organisation’s learning style with that of its open innovation partner, particularly, its supply network, and, most importantly, obtaining information technologies compatible with those of its supply network members.Abstract This study seeks to explain the influence of quality management on the relationship between open innovation and performance. We propose that, to contribute to open innovation performance, an organisation’s commitment to quality improvement must rely on the combination of its own resources and capabilities and its open innovation partners’ resources and capabilities. Specifically, we examine the moderating role of an interorganisational IT infrastructure and the complementarity of learning styles among an organisation committed to quality improvement and its supply network. Using data from 270 managers of European firms, our results show that the negative effects of quality management on open innovation performance can be overcome by complementing the organisation’s learning style with that of its open innovation partner, particularly, its supply network, and, most importantly, obtaining information technologies compatible with those of its supply network members.

Supply chain flexibility in dynamic environments: The enabling role of operational absorptive capacity and organisational learning

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship between environmental dynamism and supply chain flexibility (SCF) and to evaluate if two dynamic capabilities, i.e. operational absorptive capacity (OAC) and organisational learning (OL), are necessary competences for firms to develop such a responsive supply chain strategy as flexibility. Design/methodology/approach Hypothesised relationships are tested with survey data from 302 Spanish manufacturing firms using structural equations modelling. Findings Environmental dynamism is positively associated with both OAC and OL, and both dynamic capabilities enable SCF. The authors also find that the relationship between environmental dynamism and SCF is partially mediated by both dynamic capabilities. Research limitations/implications The study contributes to the literature, for example, by determining when it is advantageous to develop SCF, by specifying what capabilities a firm needs to develop to align SCF with the environment, and by opening the black box that is the relationship between the environment and SCF. Practical implications Managers should develop SCF via OAC and OL when they detect a high degree of environmental dynamism. Knowing when this is necessary relies on a good understanding of the environment. OAC is found to be a stronger enabler of SCF than OL. The findings provide managers with an insight into why some firms are able to develop more effective responses to dynamic environments than others. Originality/value This study is one of only a limited number of studies that adopt a dynamic capabilities approach to supply chain management. Prior literature has shown that dynamic capabilities can aid in developing strategic, structural, and operational flexibility. The authors extend this literature by showing that OAC and OL have an effect on SCF.

Flexibilidad estratégica en entornos hipercompetitivos: una visión basada en los recursos financieros de la Empresa

RESUMEN El propósito de esta investigación consiste en desarrollar una aproximación analítica que considere cómo los determinantes y antecedentes de la flexibilidad estratégica, específicamente las dotaciones de recursos finanacieros, condicionan el cambio estratégico deseado en las organizaciones y su desempeño organizacional. También analizamos la problemática que sugiere la medición de la flexibilidad estratégica en términos de ajuste. Para ello, este estudio realiza un amplio examen de carácter transnacional, en el marco de la Unión Europeas empleando datos de 417 empresas. Los resultados muestran que las dotaciones de recursos financieros y la flexibilidad estratégica puede ser un factor crítico dentro del proceso de cambio estratégico, lo que le puede llevar a influir el deseo de abordar un cambio estratégico o en el más específico ajuste estratégico.

Examining desorptive capacity in supply chains: the role of organizational ambidexterity

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explain how a buying organization’s desorptive capacity relative to its supply network enhances the organization’s supply chain competence. The research also analyzes the contingent role of the balanced and combined dimensions of ambidexterity in this relationship. Design/methodology/approach Empirical results are obtained through analysis of survey data from a sample of 270 European firms. Hierarchical regression analysis is used to test the hypotheses. Findings The results confirm, first, the positive and significant relationship between the buying organization’s desorptive capacity and supply chain competence; and, second, the key moderating role of organizational ambidexterity, especially in its combined dimension, in this relationship. Practical implications The study suggests that desorptive capacity is key to the organization’s contribution to supply chain competitiveness. The authors also provide practitioners with better understanding of the extent to which they should attempt to balance exploration and exploitation or/and to maximize both simultaneously when seeking greater benefit from desorptive capacity. Originality/value This study extends desorptive capacity research to supply chain management. It responds to calls in the desorptive capacity literature for deeper understanding of the benefits of desorptive capacity and of the role organizational ambidexterity plays in the success of desorptive capacity. By analyzing the independent effects of the combined and balanced dimensions of ambidexterity, the authors advance conceptual and operational understanding of the role of ambidexterity needed in the literature.