Exploratory learning and new product performance: The moderating role of cognitive skills and environmental uncertainty

Modelling the value of external networks for knowledge realisation, innovation, organisational development and efficiency in SMEs

“…There are many reports in the management literature pointing out the value of multi-skilling (also known as 'T-shaped' or 'A-shaped' skills, for further explanations see e.g., Katz, 2004;Tsai and Huang, 2008) in adding innovation and thus potential value to organisations (e.g., Hitt et al, 2001; and more recently Østergaard et al, 2011). More recently, MCMC modelling has largely confirmed that professionals that are innovators by virtue of multi-skilling have the potential to add value to SME-sized organisations (e.g.…”

“…The value of active external networks -when combined with clear open internal information gatekeeping -appears to be around the same value as the innovation arising from multi-skilling itself. Previous studies were largely case-based (e.g., Hitt et al, 2001;Katz, 2004;Tsai and Huang, 2008;Østergaard et al, 2011) and thus have been unable to differentiate between these two factors because multi-skilling probably implies a larger and more diverse network for the individual involved anyway. The value of 'just-in-time' knowledge is so great that it may even be able to compensate for non-innovative management, always providing that the internal information gatekeeping is open to change.…”

“…The 'innovators only' score represents the situation where half of all individuals in middle management are innovators, often exhibiting multi-skilling ('T-shaped' or 'A-shaped' skills, for further explanations see e.g., Katz, 2004;Tsai and Huang, 2008;Mellor 2011bMellor , 2014b. This value was taken rather serendipitously and largely because the lowest value of scale parameter obtained to date was using 100% of individuals being innovators (Mellor, 2014b) and this was regarded as being so seldom in practice as to be highly unrepresentative.…”

The use of knowledge assets: modelling the potential effect of adding innovators to low-innovation and high-innovation SMEs

“…Values of 3.0 and over indicate a correlation that, for practical purposes, is so weak that it can be ignored. Those with a multi-specialised background [possessing 'T-shaped' or 'A-shaped' skills (Tsai and Huang, 2008;Mellor, 2005)] are likely to be highly qualified and thus may be assumed to work in middle management. Accordingly the second dimension (value) in knowledge valley can be converted from company annual turnover to salary, and a 'knowledge trail' (Mellor, 2011) spanning a reasonably wide band of middle management salary inserted ( Figure 6A).…”

“…This view has been expanded upon to include 'a-shaped skills', multi specialists possessing dual deep (often technical) skills and an accessible overview of this subject can be found in, e.g., Yang et al (2008). The role of multi specialists in particular, has recently re-surfaced and has been the subject of much debate starting with Katz (2004) who said; "research studies … indicate that the broader the range of skills and abilities … the more likely it is that that person will … become a more effective and successful contributing member of the organisation …" and there is increasing evidence connecting multi-skilling (also variously described as T-shaped or A-shaped skills) with increased innovations as contrasted with the number and level of innovations created by people with a single specialisation (Tsai and Huang, 2008). Mellor, (2005Mellor, ( , 2011 speculated that the amount of communication between two individuals needed to create 'mutual inspiration' or another innovative outcome is subject to transaction costs (Williamson and Masten, 1999) but that in the multi-skilled, such transaction costs are negligible (Mellor, 2005).…”