Ignacio Danvila del Valle

Human capital and sustainable competitive advantage: an analysis of the relationship between training and performance

This article analyses the importance of training as a creator of human capital, which enables a company to obtain competitive advantages that are sustainable in the long-term that result in greater profitability. The study is based on the general theoretical framework of resource and capacity theory. The study not only analyses the impact of the influence of training on performance; it also attempts to analyse the nature of such a relationship in greater depth. This being the case, an attempt has been made to measure explanatory capacity from two different perspectives: the universalistic approach and the contingent approach. At the outset, two hypotheses are formulated that attempt to quantify the relationship from a universalistic perspective to later, in two more hypotheses, incorporate the potential moderating effect of the strategy into the model, in order to verify whether or not this strategy improves the explanatory power of our model of analysis.

The effects of training on performance in service companies: A data panel study

Purpose - The aim of this paper is to determine whether the effort invested by service companies in employee training has an impact on their economic performance. Design/methodology/approach - The study centres on an intensive labor sector, where the perception of service quality depends on who renders this service. To overcome the habitual problems of transversal studies, the time effect has been considered by measuring data over a period of nine years, to give panel data treatment with fixed effects. Findings - The prepared models give clear empirical support to the hypothesis that training activities are a positive influence on company performance. Research limitations/implications - The results obtained contribute empirical evidence about a relationship that, hitherto, has not been satisfactorily demonstrated. However, there may be some limitations related to the use of a training indicator based on effort and not on results obtained, with low representation of what happens in the smaller companies that lack structured training policies, or with no differentiation between generic or more specific training. Practical implications - The results obtained can contribute towards increased manager awareness that training should be treated as an investment and not considered as an expense. Originality/value - The main contributions can be resumed in three points: a training measurement has been used, based on three dimensions, which presumes to be an improvement on the more frequent method of measuring this variable. A consistent methodology was used that previously was not applied in the analysis of this relationship, and clear empirical evidence has been obtained concerning a relationship that, frequently, is mentioned with theoretical arguments, but which needs more empirical evidence.

Inteligencia Emocional: una revisión del concepto y líneas de investigación

The ability to perceive, appreciate and express emotions, their own and others, reflected in the concept of emotional intelligence has a high impact on personal and professional achievements, therefore, has become a topic that has captured the attention of scholars as professionals in human resource consulting and business management. In this article a thorough review of this concept and outlines interesting research lines related to this issue.

Problemas y propuestas de medición de la formación en la empresa

This article is an approach of the methodology in measuring training efforts and is based on three dimensions: training courses given, number of classes attended and annual investment efforts in employee training. This research has been validated by carrying out an empirical study on samples of private security companies developing its work in Spain. We consider that this work is a contribution to find a solution to current company problems at the moment of measuring training as an element of generating human capital and it really is a main element for companies development.

Entrepreneurship and Family Business: Does the Organization Culture Affect to Firm Performance?

Family businesses are well known due to their entrepreneurial character and the founder’s influence, or dependence on him. These features lead them to develop specific organizational cultures. The organizational culture, if it is coherent with its family character in the structure of the ownership and the degree of professional management, will produce a specific kind of company. Consequently, it should be highly efficient and, therefore, reach good financial performance. Family owned companies with clan or adhocracy cultures are proposed as efficient organizational configurations. On the other side, those utilizing market or hierarchical organizational cultures will take the opposite direction.

Is emotional intelligence the panacea for a better job performance? A study on low-skilled back office jobs

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI), organizational affective commitment (AC), and performance at low-skilled back office positions. Design/methodology/approach In all, 397 participants in low-skilled back office positions from a service company completed a questionnaire assessing EI, AC, and performance. The authors used multiple regression models for testing whether higher levels of EI and AC predicted better performance. Additionally, they tested to see whether EI and AC were positively related. Findings The results showed that workers in low-skilled back office positions with higher EI and AC had better performance. In this sense, intrapersonal skills and mood management were the dimensions of EI with the highest predictive power. Also, EI and AC were positively related, with intrapersonal skills and adaptability being the dimensions of EI most closely associated with AC. Finally, the predictive power on performance was increased when EI and AC were considered simultaneously. Originality/value Traditionally, the involvement of EI and other personal dimensions in increasing organizational commitment and better work performance has been studied in high-skilled and executive positions, as well as in front office low-skilled positions. However, there is little empirical evidence regarding the simultaneous influence of EI and AC on performance in low-skilled back office positions. This gap prompted this research, which suggests that the investment of organizational resources is mandatory for improving EI and, hence, organizational commitment and work performance in these employees.

Orientaciones competitivas culturales en la empresa familiar

This paper analyses the make-up of strategic cultural resources in the family business to establish important declarations which can define better the differences and similarities between family and non family businesses. The tool used here is the culture valuation tool proposed by Cameron and Quinn (1999) which identifies four types of cultural, competitive foci (market, hierarchy, clan and adhocracy). The organizational culture varies according to the nature of the business in terms of the degree of family ownership and management. Specifically, the clan and adhocracy culture are what best characterize the culture of family owned and managed businesses, while it is the market culture which best characterizes nonfamily businesses. Professionalized family businesses show no cultural differences with respect to family owned and managed firms.