Narentheren Kaliappen

Innovation strategies and performance: are they truly linked?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test the linkage between innovation strategies (process innovation and service innovation) and organizational performance in the context of Malaysia hotel industry. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 475 sets of questionnaires administrated through mail to all three star and above rating hotel managers in Malaysia, and only 24 percent of it, which is 114 were usable. Regression was utilized to test the link of innovation strategies and performance. Findings – The results showed that hotels in Malaysia used process innovation and service innovation as their functional-level strategy. Specifically, both process innovation and service innovation strategies positively linked with performance. But, the paired sample t-test result indicated that process innovation has slightly greater effect on performance than service innovation. In addition, this study found that hotel size significantly affected the performance. Research limitations/implications – This study is...

Market Orientation Practices and Effects on Organizational Performance: Empirical Insight From Malaysian Hotel Industry

Today’s organizations need market orientation practices to strive and generate superior performance and competitive advantage in the modern turbulent marketplace. Thus, this research inspects the respective links between the dimensions of (a) competitor orientation and (b) customer orientation and performance in the context of hotels in Malaysia. Data were gathered through self-administrated mail questionnaires directed to the top- and middle-level managers of three- to five-star-rated hotels in Malaysia. The findings indicated that hotels in Malaysia practiced competitor orientation and customer orientation as their core marketing strategy. Specifically, both competitor orientation and customer orientation positively linked to organizational performance. Few studies have investigated the practices and effects of market orientation on performance in the Malaysian hotel setting. Therefore, this study provided new insights into the understanding of market orientation practices in the hotel industry, particularly in Malaysia. In addition, the significance of this study, potential limitations, and future examination directions are highlighted.

New Tools for Measuring Global Academic Performance

The study is on performance measurement in academia. It aims at developing and validating the measurement scale for the performance of higher institutions. The items were developed based on the extant literature. Data were collected via an online survey in which a questionnaire link was sent to 269 vice chancellors/presidents of the sampled universities. A total of 133 responses were retrieved at the end of the data collection period. This study used proportionate random sampling for sample selection. The goodness of measures was checked via field experts, academicians, and data analysis with SPSS. Overall, the alpha coefficient was .974. The outcome of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) exposed all factors loaded more than 0.50. The results revealed that the instrument was reliable and valid. Hence, the instrument developed was suitable to be used in examining the performance of higher institutions.

Competitive strategies, market orientation types and innovation strategies: finding the strategic fit

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the strategic fit of competitive strategies, market orientation types and innovation strategies. Design/methodology/approach The paper is prepared by reviewing the relevant literatures on competitive strategies, market orientation types and innovation strategies as well as comparing and contrasting the common characteristics to attain fit. Findings The paper presents the criteria for distinguishing the different types of competitive strategies, market orientations and innovation strategies, along with a framework that fits a particular type of competitive strategy, market orientation and innovation strategy. Practical implications The paper provides an action framework based on characteristics of the competitive strategies (business strategy) along with the benefits of adopting a particular market orientation type and innovation strategy (functional strategies). This will facilitate the managers to execute appropriate competitive strategy that could well align with appropriate market orientation and innovation strategy. Originality/value This brief paper presents an original framework, with significant practical applications in a concise manner. The framework will provide a guide to the hotel top management in shaping and fitting an appropriate competitive strategies, market orientation types and innovation strategies.

Causal effect of differentiation strategy on organisational performance: the mediating effects of customer orientation and service innovation

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating effects of customer orientation and service innovation on causal link of differentiation strategy and organisational performance. Thus, an empirical study was conducted on 60 three- to five-star rated hotels in Malaysia to achieve the objective of this study. The findings show that differentiation strategy has a causal link on customer orientation and service innovation. Importantly, this study found that customer orientation and service innovation mediated the causal link of differentiation strategy and organisational performance. This is the first study that identifies mediating effects of customer orientation and service innovation on differentiation and performance nexus in Malaysian hotel industry. Finally, practical and theoretical implications are highlighted.