Ignacio Gil-Pechuan

Integrating transaction cost economics and the resource-based view in services and innovation

This study examines the complementary nature of Williamsons transaction cost theory and that of the resource-based view in the integration or externalisation of activities, with particular reference to services. Assessing comparative costs, idiosyncratic demands and core competences form the criteria for make or buy decisions, although the analysis of services endows idiosyncratic demands with particular relevance when internalisation of services does neither contribute cost advantages nor others related to the core competences of the firm. In addition to these make or buy questions, this study considers the front/back model in cases where the firm manages services internally.

How to create information management capabilities through web 2.0

Over the last two decades investment in information technologies (IT) has been sufficiently high to be considered economically relevant. However, it has not been easy to prove that there are positive effects of these investments on organisational performance. This study questions the validity of directly relating web 2.0 initiatives to firm performance without taking into consideration other complementary assets such as managerial skills in IT, organisational restructuring and a culture of change. If these factors are not present, IT may not in fact produce any benefits whatsoever. The authors approach this problem using the resource-based view and propose the construct information management capability as a measure to gather the integration of the various co-specialised and complementary capabilities, whether technological or human and organisational, necessary in order to obtain competitive advantages in information use. A scale is created to measure this construct, the reliability and validity of which are demonstrated.

Leakage, entrepreneurship, and satisfaction in hospitality

Tourism is a very important tool for economic development. However, its economic effects are mainly conditioned by the level of leakage. This work defines leakage, provides an original evaluation of the entrepreneurial environment in showing that it is the one with the lowest level of leakage, and creates a new framework. It also measures leakage in an innovative way using a quantitative approach. In addition, the paper explores and shows how leakage can affect critical business factors, such as customer and employee satisfaction. The empirical study uses structural equations and data from hotels in the Valencian Region (Spain) to show how important leakage is in making businesses more competitive. The results confirm the new model and are of interest for company managers and public organizations.

The Economic Sustainability of Tourism Growth through Leakage Calculation

The development and growth of tourism depend on its sustainability over time and on its benefits for destinations as a whole. However, calculating sustainability is not an easy task. This article focuses on the economic sustainability of tourism growth and, after an exhaustive review of the literature, proposes a quantitative mathematical model to measure it by analysing and calculating leakage in the hotel sector. Leakage analyses the amount of revenue generated by tourists that does not remain in the destination economy. Through a sample of 204 interviews with managers, this study validates the model created and calculates leakage in a mass tourism destination (the Valencian Region in Spain). The paper opens new areas of research in sustainability literature and will be of value to tourism planners and governments in their efforts to implement appropriate tourism development policies.

The Effect of Learning-Based Distinctive Competencies on Firm Performance: A Study of Spanish Hospitality Firms

In spite of the importance of knowledge assets, few empirical studies have examined how knowledge is generated in organizations and the effect of knowledge management on learning-based competencies. This research studies the effect of introducing knowledge management programs in the development of learning-based distinctive competencies as these factors relate to a firm’s performance. Based on responses from managers at 193 Spanish hospitality firms, the study concludes that the introduction of knowledge management principles and practices promotes creation of learning-based distinctive competencies, which, in conjunction with a knowledge management approach, has a positive causal relationship with firm performance. Learning-based distinctive competencies are essential to this model of organizational success, because the direct relationship between knowledge management and firm performance is not significant. It is worth noting that applying knowledge management practices weighs more heavily in the balance than does adoption of principles. Those practices are orientation towards the development, transfer, and protection of knowledge; continuous learning; an understanding of the organization as a global system; development of an innovative culture; an approach based on people; and competence development and management based on competencies.

Advances in crowdsourcing

Foreword.- Chapter 1 From Crowdsourcing to Use of Masscapital.- Chapter 2 Recruiting Individuals to a Crowdsourcing Community.- Chapter 3 Crowdsourcing Fundamentals.- Chapter 4 Crowdsourcing and the Evolution of a Business Ecosystem.- Chapter 5 From Leakage to Crowdsourcing.- Chapter 6 Crowdsourcing: A New Way to Citzen Empowerment.- Chapter 7 Crowdsourcing in Higher Education.- Chapter 8 Crowdsourcing with University Students.- Chapter 9 Humanizing Internal Crowdsourcing Best Practices.- Chapter 10 Using Crowdsourcing to Overcome Barriers to Women Entrepreneurship.- Chapter 11 Gamification for Crowdsourcing Marketing Practices.- Chapter 12 Crowdsourcing: An Application for Promotional Marketing.- Chapter 13 Advances in Crowdsourcing: Surveys, Social Media and Geospatial Analysis.

Strategies in e-business

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (ebrary, viewed October 11, 2013).

Antecedents, behaviour and consequences of the use of social technologies in young people in the Autonomous Community of Valencia: Creation of a global model of behaviour amongst teenagers in the use of participative social technologies

The most of all Spanish (Valencia) online youths ages 12–17 are using online social networking sites (by internet and mobile technology), according to a new local survey of teenagers conducted by Valencia University, Fepad & Polytechnic University of Valencia.

Improving Hotel Industry Processes Through Crowdsourcing Techniques

Innovation plays a critical role in the competitiveness of tourism organisations, especially in an environment which has changed radically as a result of advances in information and communication technologies, which are deeply transforming the tourism industry. Firms are being forced to create new business models and original techniques across their value chains in order to meet these new challenges, improve their results and in some cases, simply survive. One of the newest and most relevant activities being used by organisations is crowdsourcing, an activity defined as taking a specific task and outsourcing it to a large group of people via the internet, through an open call. This technique is particularly popular in marketing and although its development in other company areas is also relevant, few studies, especially in tourism literature, have researched its use for other purposes, such as improving the different processes in the value chain. In this paper, we delve into the concept of crowdsourcing as an element of a new business model. In this vein and after close examination of the previous literature, we analyse relevant examples of crowdsourcing in different firms so as to study and implement it to improve different processes in the hotel industry’s value chain. The results show that crowdsourcing techniques can be used throughout firms, as they are useful in improving the diverse activities of hotels.

From Leakage to Crowdsourcing: A Model for Enhancing the Participation of Local Firms

Tourism is a critical part of the economy of any country. This is essentially because in addition to being the world’s largest industry, tourism also has an important multiplier effect on other industries. However, not all tourism revenue remains in the local region, and for this reason, the concept of leakage becomes critical. Leakage studies the amount of revenue generated by tourists which does not stay in the destination country. This phenomenon occurs especially in developing countries, where lower local industrial development increases dependence on foreign countries. Therefore, the second part of the paper highlights the need to implement new business models in order to minimise leakage. For many authors, the best way to reduce the impact of leakage on the economy of different companies in a region is by enhancing linkages between local companies. The main concept in this case is to achieve the participation of the community. In this vein, one of the most important activities being used by firms is crowdsourcing, an activity defined as taking a specific task and outsourcing it to a large group of people via the Internet through an open call. This study delves into the concept of crowdsourcing presented as a technique for reducing leakage with the aim not only of increasing the satisfaction of employees and customers but also building a new business model that empowers local economies by improving their entrepreneurial environment and helps hotels to improve their profitability.