Pablo Cabanelas

Fighting Against the Economic Crisis: Innovation in B-to-B Markets Through Co-creation

The special characteristics of industrial markets favour customer involvement in product development. Besides the influence in the development process, its participation fosters opportunities for managers in terms of innovation, value co-creation and customer retention. Based on the social exchange theory and resource-based view, the present research discusses a theoretical model that can promote dynamic capabilities and increase customer retention through value co-creation. The special characteristics of industrial markets favour customer involvement in product development. Besides the direct influence in the development process, participation increases the opportunities open to managers in terms of value co-creation and customer retention.

The governance of regional research networks: lessons from Spain

ABSTRACT The governance of regional research networks: lessons from Spain. Regional Studies. This paper studies in depth the governance factors that influence performance in research networks promoted by regional policy-makers. Analysis of an original dataset, made up of 11 public research networks in Galicia (Spain), demonstrates that governance factors and performance are positively related. Strong ties – those with frequent and varied cooperative interactions – tend to prevail over weak ties, and networks with clearly defined structures and roles are also especially resilient. Companion-based trust has a significant and positive influence on performance. The implications suggest that when policy-makers decide to promote research networks, they should assess not only technical capabilities but also governance issues.

The impact of modular platforms on automobile manufacturing networks

Abstract This paper explores the impact on automobile manufacturing networks of adopting modular platforms to replace the standard platforms used to date. Analysis of European manufacturers’ production networks shows that the use of modular architecture improves coordination by increasing manufacturing mobility and thriftiness ability. The changes resulting from this new modular approach also allow manufacturing capacity to be reorganised and overcapacity to be partially eliminated. From the point of view of production systems, the adaptation of manufacturing processes and facilities to this new architecture should aim to increase flexibility by integrating production around a single platform, allowing for different dimensions and for a larger number of models to be produced in a single plant.