International Journal of Innovation Science

Tello-Gamarra, Jorge; Fitz-Oliveira, Mônica

2021 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-09-2020-0136

The purpose of this paper is to identify the main theoretical bases from the past and the present, as well as to determine the future perspectives for technological capability research.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve this, the study used the bibliometric method, which is based on two research strategies, co-citation analysis and bibliographical coupling analysis with database Scopus and software VOS viewer.FindingsThe main result was the identification of the theoretical bases from the past: absorptive capacity, innovation and core competence; as well as the current bases: innovation capability, firm performance and knowledge transfer. The future perspectives of technological capability are guided by keyword coupling, generating three theoretical perspectives: business development, sustainability and future technologies.Originality/valueThere are no studies in the literature that analyze the theoretical bases of technological capability, identifying common aspects and different approaches. Thus, this study is of original nature and the research method, composed of bibliometric analyzes and the coupling of emerging keywords, which are a part of the future perspectives, which permitted the authors to achieve the proposed goal.

Zhao, Jie

2021 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-07-2020-0096

This paper aims to provide policy suggestions for enterprises to carry out dual innovation.Design/methodology/approachThis paper studies the practical examples of dual innovation and the development cases of dual innovation of typical Chinese enterprises.FindingsThis paper demonstrates the mutually promoting relationship between dual innovation and sustainable development of enterprises and puts forward suggestions on how to effectively develop dual innovation in terms of corporate governance, resource access, market orientation and business model.Originality/valueThe research results of this paper are helpful for enterprises to better carry out dual innovation, so as to achieve sustainable development.

Arshi, Tahseen Anwer; Rao, Venkoba; Viswanath, Sumithra; Begum, Vazeerjan

2021 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-08-2020-0111

The study aims to develop measures for innovation effectiveness impacting organizational performance outcomes. Substantial evidence suggests that measuring innovation effectiveness (IE) continues to be challenging because of the use of different measures across innovation’s broad spectrum. The purpose of this study is to overcome it by examining multiple drivers of IE in emerging market economies (EMEs) and predicting their impact on financial and nonfinancial performance outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThrough a two-wave panel design, firms from India, Oman and the United Arab Emirates participated in the study with a time lapse of 12 months (T1n = 417, T2n = 403). Four cross-lagged competing models are tested for autoregressive, causal, reversed and reciprocal effects using structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsThe findings show that the synergistic effect of multiple innovation characteristics, such as innovation degree, cost, frequency and speed determines its endogenous effectiveness. The exogenous effectiveness of innovation is further established through its impact on financial and nonfinancial performance outcomes. Furthermore, readiness for innovation (RFI) is a critical factor that moderates the relationship between drivers and IE.Practical implicationsThe study’s findings could inform practitioners in emerging market economies about the appropriate measures of IE. It will guide managerial decisions on making an investment, evaluation, accountability and strategic choices related to innovation.Originality/valueIt is one of the first studies that use a time-based lens to examine IE in EMEs. It posits that given the innovation’s complexity, IE needs to be measured at multiple levels. The study explains how evolutionary dynamics in different sociocultural contexts can bring a new perspective into theory of diffusion of innovation. The moderating role of RFI brings new insights into the IE process and emphasizes its importance in objective-driven and performance-focused innovation efforts.

Gyedu, Samuel; Tang, Heng; Ntarmah, Albert Henry; Manu, Emmanuel Kwaku

2021 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-10-2020-0189

This study has dealt with the gap in the literature, by probing the influence of innovation capability on business performance. This paper aims to test the moderation role of technological turbulence (TT) and market turbulence (MT) on the relationship between innovation capability (IC) and business performance (BP).Design/methodology/approachThe study used a quantitative survey and a sample size of 579 departmental heads. Branch managers and permanent staff from the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Western Region in the Ghana telecommunication sector. The obtained data was analysed through the STATA 15.0 and AMOS statistical software package.FindingsThe empirical results from multiple linear regressions revealed that product/service innovation, process innovation, marketing innovation and administrative innovation had positive effects on business performance. The outcome of the moderation analysis further shown that technological turbulence positively moderates the relationship that existed between the various constructs of innovation capability and business performance indicating that technological turbulence significantly strengthens the relationship between these variables. On the contrary, market turbulence significantly weakens the relationship between the various innovation capability constructs and business performance.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough this research has made significant contributions to both theory and practice, there are certainly some limitations and future research directions that need to be considered to appropriately position the study findings. Firstly, because of the limited sample size (579), further testing of these constructs needs to be carried out in future research using alternative data. Related to this, it would be prudent if the instruments and models developed in this research were tested in different industry contexts. Also, because the Ghana telecommunication sector is made up of foreign companies, comparative research could be conducted to compare the IC and performance of Ghana and the other countries where these companies operate. Indeed, analyses of IC and BP associated with the same companies in different countries may prove to be very beneficial in the global context. Secondly, this research used only TT and MT to test the moderating effect of ET on the association of IC with BP. Future research can include competition intensity which may change or confirm the outcome of these studies. Thirdly, only qualitative data were used for the measurement of IC and the level of BP. Therefore, future research could use quantitative or both qualitative and quantitative data to confirm if there will be significant differences in the results obtained.Practical implicationsLiterature has examined the moderation effect of ET on different variables and relationships in different organizational settings. This study has tried to analyse the moderating effect of ET on the relationship of IC with BP. The outcomes of this study are similar to the previous research studies mentioned above, however, limited studies have been conducted on IC and its relationship with BP in the context of ET especially in the most vibrant sector of Ghana’s economy. These findings are very innovative and contribute enormously to literature and knowledge by indicating which moderating ET positively and significantly strengthens and the type which weakens the existing relationship between IC and BP within the Ghanaian telecommunication sector which no researcher has conducted. These findings will go a long way by aiding the players in this sector to tauten their IC wings to achieve resilient performance around the globe.Social implicationsThis will also contribute to the growth of Ghana’s economy as sources of revenue and employment. Additionally, the results obtained from this study will prompt managers to make more informed and effective decisions regarding innovation activities and the environments in which they operate.Originality/valueThis paper adds knowledge and literature to the existing ones. It is a new development in the research field of Ghana. This is the first journal this study has been submitted.

Saqib, Natasha; Satar, Mir Shahid

2021 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-05-2020-0072

Emerging markets are witnessing rapid changes in their economy owing to the ongoing liberalization and globalization. India, as one of the emerging markets in south Asia, is also experiencing a dramatic change in its business ecosystem. This poses huge opportunities to the companies, both start-ups and established ones. In this direction, the business model innovation offers a strategic renewal mechanism. The study aims to explore the practices of an online transport network company (OLA) creating a distinctive place for itself in Indian taxi service sector.Design/methodology/approachMethodologically, an exploratory case study of an India-based online transport company (OLA) business model innovation is reported.FindingsThis paper reveals that OLA has been able to gain competitive advantage in the Indian emerging market by developing an innovative business model with its distinctive features of personalised customer service, asset sharing, usage-based pricing, collaborative ecosystem, agile and adaptive organising and successful expansion strategies.Research limitations/implicationsThis study adds to current knowledge concerning the theoretical foundations and antecedents of business model innovation as a competitive advantage. The paper is explorative in nature because the analysis is mostly based on literature review. Furthermore, in consideration of the analysis of business model of a single company, further research is required to generalize the results.Practical implicationsThe understanding of the intricacies of business model innovation can be of great concern to existing and prospective managers and entrepreneurs of emerging markets.Originality/valueThe paper discusses the features of innovative business models and how firms can make their business models more relevant to the competitive markets. As such, the study is hopeful to aid practitioners engaged in the pursuit of beating the competition with innovation driven business models.

Thapa, Nischal; Shah, Puspa

2021 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-07-2020-0108

This study aims to identify and examine the antecedents of attitude toward entrepreneurial behaviors (ATEB) of firms. Additionally, this study also identifies and examines the antecedents of innovativeness and proactiveness. Furthermore, this study explains how factors within and outside the organization affect ATEB, innovativeness and proactiveness.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses the attention-based view (ABV) and examines the effects of long-term focus and industry clockspeed on attitude toward firms’ entrepreneurial behaviors (EB). This study measures ATEB by analyzing the top management team’s words in the earnings conference calls. It applies the two-stage least squares regression with fixed effects and instrumental variables to conduct the empirical analysis.FindingsThe results indicate that the direct effects of long-term focus and industry clockspeed on ATEB are not significant. However, the moderating effect of industry clockspeed on the relationship between long-term focus and EB is significant and positive. The results indicate that firms that are operating in fast clockspeed industries exhibiting long-term focus exhibit EB. Furthermore, the results also indicate that long-term focus and industry clockspeed collectively affect innovativeness and proactiveness.Practical implicationsThis research helps firms to develop entrepreneurial behavior operating under various task environment conditions.Originality/valueThis study applies the ABV of the firm and contributes to the area of firm-level EB, while prior studies have not implemented this perspective in investigating firm-level EB. Past studies have not applied the ABV of the firm to study EB, innovativeness and proactiveness either independently or collectively.

Kant, Nikhil

2021 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-07-2020-0094

This paper aims to offer exploratory remarks by discussing whether blockchain can help organizations attain sustained competitive advantage in view of its increased applications and untapped potential. Organizations are yet to test its utilization as an intangible strategic resource at a time when organizational strategic landscapes – rapidly changing in a globally networked digitally empowered world – require them to enhance capability of combining resources for meeting stakeholders’ expectations.Design/methodology/approachBlockchain as an emerging technology draws frequent industry announcements and specialists’ posts on daily basis in media, and there exist inadequacies with respect to the availability of relevant studies in the extant literature on the subject of blockchain, which itself is in infancy. Keeping in view the limitations associated with the traditional understandings of scholarship underscoring, thereby that research and knowledge discovery have been restricting the progress across disciplines on account of which knowledge domains fail to make a meaningful effect; research design of the paper comprises the scholarship of integration method, which might appear to be less systematic but was more emergent in comparison to a traditional methodology of systematic literature review, and suitable for conducting this study.FindingsFindings of this study suggest that blockchain with huge popularity as a technological innovation has huge potentialities and promises to be a strategic intangible resource for organizations helpful in attaining sustained advantage. However, the findings also suggest several cautionary remarks.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper offers exploratory remarks by discussing blockchain in the context of its consideration as a significant intangible strategic resource helpful in attaining sustained competitive advantage, emphasizing the need for continuous attention and revision with its increased applications. It attempts to assess the untapped potential of blockchain incorporating ample scholarly value in this era of fourth industrial revolution. The findings offer greater significance for different stakeholders including researchers and policymakers. However, this paper limits itself by throwing light on the strategic aspects only while attempting to touch upon only those aspects of blockchain that were perceived to be helpful in understanding it as a resource of sustained competitive advantage.Originality/valueThis paper presents originality and value by offering exploratory remarks that can be immensely useful given the scarcity of literature on the novel blockchain with respect to its consideration as a strategic resource. This paper attempts to provide much needed underpinnings to the notion whether blockchain can help organizations attain and sustain competitive advantage.

Asgari, Amir; Khorsandi Taskoh, Ali; Ghiasi Nodooshan, Saeed

2021 International Journal of Innovation Science

doi: 10.1108/ijis-10-2020-0193

This paper aims to introduce a conceptual model for the shaping of the innovation district under the anchor approach by extracting the specifications of the fourth-generation university.Design/methodology/approachThis study selected 550 resources and reduced them to 190 to achieve the most appropriate resources. This study used a meta-synthesis analysis approach using a text-mining method due to the multidisciplinary and voluminous nature of contents.FindingsThe results first reveal the shaping process and the components of innovation districts, which are: innovational urban infrastructures, knowledge economy and competitiveness and academic development. Second, this study also shows the specifications of a fourth-generation university to shape innovation districts.Practical implicationsThis study also informs the policymakers and researchers internationally about the implementation requirements of a fourth-generation university and the shaping mechanisms of an innovation district.Originality/valueThis paper is pioneer about two concepts, first, it shows the shaping process of an innovation district, providing a large-scale insight about the components and second, this illustrates for the first time the specifications of a fourth-generation University practically as an anchor institute to shape innovation district.