Jamie D. Collins

Knowledge management enterprise and RFID systems

Purpose - – The purpose of this study is to explore the investment of supply chain technology-to-performance path relationship through the lens of the resource-based view (RBV) as illuminated by the organizational learning literature. Design/methodology/approach - – This study surveyed top-level managers who are registered members of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. Findings - – Using factor analysis and OLS regression on 300+ supply chain professionals, this study confirms that investments in both enterprise- and radio frequency identification (RFID)-specific knowledge management (KM) tools yield substantial benefits to the firm’s knowledge management system (KMS) which is the dependent path to higher supply chain performance. Research limitations/implications - – This sample was taken with supply chain professionals who are more likely to value supply chain investments as part of their responsibility. Practical implications - – The authors believe that the empirical study on supply chain investment from a resource-based perspective will contribute to the ongoing RBV theoretical discussions while providing insights for practitioners in the realm of supply chain investment. Originality/value - – Every investment in supply technology should be driven by an understanding of the inextricably inter-connectedness of knowledge management capabilities and the firm’s ability to effectively implement its corporate strategies. By emphasizing the inter-connection between knowledge management and supply chain technology investments, firms improve their potential for developing a competitive advantage.

Human resource management executive presence in top management

Purpose This study aims to draw upon research from strategic human resource management (HRM) and strategic management to examine how HRM demands influence the likelihood that chief executive officers (CEOs) will staff top management with a human resource (HR) executive. Design/methodology/approach The theory and hypotheses developed in this study are tested on a sample of US initial public offering firms from the calendar year 2007, using logistic regression. Findings The results of hypothesis tests suggest that HR executive presence in top management is positively related to the HRM demands faced by a CEO stemming from product/service innovation strategies, the number of HRs employed by the firm and CEO’s financial orientation. Research limitations/implications The results of this study may not generalize to other settings. This study does not simultaneously consider the role of other structural forms which may increase or reduce the degree of HRM demands faced by the CEO. This study extends prior research on executive job demands by expanding the understanding of factors which give rise to HRM sources of executive job demands. Study results suggest that CEOs with financial orientations are more likely to staff their top management teams with an HR executive, which suggests that in the face of executive job demands stemming from a particular functional area, CEOs delegate responsibility for that function to another member of top management. This finding suggests that CEOs can, and in fact do, recognize the limitations engendered by their experiences and that when confronted with a specific type of executive job demand that does not align with their expertise, they take steps to address their individual limitations by appointing others that are more capable of addressing the particular source of executive job demand. Practical implications Study results suggest that product/service innovation strategies, CEO’s financial background and the number of HRs employed by the firm increase the likelihood of HR functional representation in top management. Originality/value The theory and results of this study extend the focus of extant research on factors giving rise to HRM’s functional representation in top management. Although prior research has emphasized the role of ownership characteristics and risk preferences in the adoption of this structural form, this study examines the role of CEO HRM demands. This approach allows for the integration of the upper echelons theory with the strategic HRM literature and provides an empirical examination of CEO job demands arising from the HRM function.

Home Country Institutions as Predictors of FDI in India

This study focuses on home country institutions as sources of variation in the level of foreign investment into India. Our findings support the idea that institutional voids found in India are less of a deterrent to investments from home countries with high levels of institutional development than from home countries with similar institutional voids. Overall, foreign investments in India are found to be significantly related to the strength of institutions within home countries. The levels of both approved and realized foreign direct investment (FDI) are strongly influenced by economic factors and home country regulative institutions, and weakly influenced by home country cognitive institutions. When considered separately, the cognitive institutions and regulative institutions within a given home country each significantly influence the level of approved/realized FDI into India. However, when considered jointly, only the strength of regulative institutions is predictive of FDI inflows.

Leader gender and firm investment in innovation

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of business leader gender on the pursuit of innovation opportunities. Extant research suggests that leader gender represents an important characteristic that shapes firm behavior in various ways. The authors build upon this research by relating business leader gender, perceptions of environmental munificence and distributive justice to firm investment in innovation.,This study examines the survey responses of 469 business leaders in India. These individuals were primarily responsible for their firms. Their responses to survey questions were analyzed using ordinary least squares regression.,The results of this study suggest that female-led firms exhibit less investment in innovation than male-led firms. Results also suggest that female business leaders perceive less environmental munificence as well as distributive justice. Finally, study results suggest that the effect of gender on firm investment in innovation is mediated by perceptions of distributive justice.,This study provides an empirical link between business leader gender and firm investment in innovation. In doing so, it acknowledges and provides insight into the gendered nature of the initiation of innovation processes and leadership. Finally, the finding that business leader perceptions of distributive justice mediate the relationship between business leader gender and investment in innovation extends current understanding of the mechanisms underlying the lower investment in innovation rates exhibited by female-led firms.

The role of top managers in determining investment in innovation: The case of small and medium-sized enterprises in India

This article examines the role of top managers in shaping the innovation investment actions of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in India. Survey responses from 477 top managers of Indian SMEs suggest that investment in innovation is influenced by top manager perceptions of innovation opportunity attractiveness, as well as ability to appropriate innovation investment value. Specifically, the results indicate an inverted U-shaped relationship between top manager entrepreneurial orientation and firm investment in innovation. They also suggest that top manager perceptions of environmental munificence, firm resource management capabilities, and organizational controls are positively related to firm investment in innovation.

Academic Major Decidedness: A Study of First-Generation and Non-First Generation Undergraduate Business Students

The authors investigate how job-related beliefs, professors, and families influence major decidedness for undergraduate business students. When students are decided about their major, they can focus on studies, have clearer direction, and reduce the time and number of classes necessary to complete their degree. By understanding how business students decide their academic major, universities can better direct recruitment, guidance, and retention resources. Using survey data from 410 undergraduates, the authors link job-related beliefs to major decidedness and show when students are optimistic about career potential, job structure, and the people orientedness of the profession associated with their major they will be more decided about their major. The findings also confirm the effects of professors and families on academic major decidedness. The results offered herein represent a call to action suggesting professors should spend time with undecided students, so they can better coach the students as they decide their major. Additionally, business schools should direct resources to educate family members, so they can help students decide their major. Lastly, when examining differences between first-generation and non-first generation students, the authors found professors and family members were more influential to the first-generation population. Hence, first-generation students are more receptive to guidance about their academic major.