Regions on course for the Fourth Industrial Revolution: the role of a strong indigenous T-KIBS sector

Vaillant, Yancy; Lafuente, Esteban; Horváth, Krisztina; Vendrell‐Herrero, Ferran

doi:10.1080/00343404.2021.1899157

Cited by 23 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 90 publications

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“…As for sector-based factors, only companies categorised in the knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) sector demonstrated relatively greater competitive efficiency compared to those from other industries. Similar findings associating KIBS with an increase in competitive efficiency and innovative capability development are found in Lafuente et al (2018) and from a territorial perspective in Vaillant et al (2021).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 81%

“…But other drivers of competitiveness, such as human capital based, strategic, or even market-oriented competencies, are also 'essentials' that firms must master in order to optimise their competitive potential . The driver that should optimally be prioritised given distinct resource limitations and contrasting capability frontiers is likely to differ from firm to firm (Lafuente et al, 2021). Benchmarking of the best performers to encourage similar capability-building across different institutionally-bonded international economies, or uniformly among firms that are part of the same economy, may be inadequate for the optimal competency configuration of less endowed and potentially poorer performers.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pulling from the front or pushing from behind: how competency prioritisation should differ to optimise firm competitiveness

Lafuente

Vaillant

2021

EBR

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Purpose This study aims to contrast the disparities in optimal competitiveness configurations across international economies. Additionally, we analyse the competitive efficiency across firms of different performance endowments to identify distinctions and determine whether standardised or customised competitiveness configurations are optimal. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a multilevel regression model to confirm country-specific effects followed by a non-parametric “Benefit-of-the-Doubt” (BoD) method to conduct an international comparison of the competitive efficiency of top- and poor-performing firms across eight European and Latin American economies. Findings Not only are national ecosystems significant differentiators of competitive efficiency, but contras firm-level characteristics also explain these differences. It is found that more recent start-ups tend to experience significantly greater competitive efficiency. However, by separating the top-performing firms from the poor performers in each economy, it is found that the configurational outputs that potentially contribute most to competitive efficiency are not necessarily the same; while “technology” is a key factor for driving the competitive efficiency of top-performing firms, “market” drivers are most essential for improving the competitive potential of poor performers. Originality/value The configurational outputs that potentially contribute most to competitive efficiency are not necessarily universal.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 81%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Pulling from the front or pushing from behind: how competency prioritisation should differ to optimise firm competitiveness

Lafuente

Vaillant

2021

EBR

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“…These results support H2a and show that T-KIBS and technological innovation are positively related for micro firms that build machine tools. Thus, this finding suggests that T-KIBS boost technological innovation (Bustinza et al, 2019(Bustinza et al, & 2021Ciriaci et al, 2015;García-Quevedo et al, 2013;Vaillant et al, 2021). In other words, the micro firms that build machine tools hired T-KIBS to improve their products and processes, and increase their knowledge (CECIMO, 2011;European Commission, 2012).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Knowledge intensive business services (KIBS) are becoming a prominent way to create and implement both technological and non-technological innovations in manufacturing firms (Amara, Landry, & Doloreux, 2009;Rizzi, Campanini, & Costa, 2012). More recent studies explore differences across KIBS sectors (Rodríguez, Doloreux, & Shearmur, 2017;Vaillant, Lafuente, Horváth, & Vendrell-Herrero, 2021), concluding that KIBS have different effects on manufacturing firms' innovation; it is especially argued that T-KIBS are more important than other categories of KIBS. Thus, within this research stream, our contribution lies in understanding whether KIBS can influence the innovation outcomes of micro firms that build machine tools, which raises the following research questions: Do KIBS have a positive effect on innovation outcomes in micro firms that build machine tools?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The empirical analysis uses the Mann-Whitney U Test and is based on a sample of 40 micro firms that build machine tools in the Basque Country and in Emilia-Romagna that are highly representative of a mature and concentrated industry in their respective countries (AFM, 2015;UCIMU, 2013;Rizzi et al, 2012;Valdaliso, 2020). The results indicate that T-KIBS are mainly related to technological innovation -product and process innovation (García-Quevedo, Mas-Verdú, & Montolio, 2013;Vaillant et al, 2021) -while P-KIBS, C-KIBS and T-KIBS are related to non-technological innovation -organizational and marketing innovation (Alvisi, 2012;Amara et al, 2009;Zhou & Wang, 2020), this latter category to a lesser extent. In any case, T-KIBS are key to boosting the innovation capacity of the micro firms in both regions, with the firms from Emilia-Romagna being more prone to internationalization than those from the Basque Country.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Innovation in Micro Firms Builders of Machine Tool? Effects of T-KIBS on technological and non-technological innovations

Luna¹,

Moya-Fernández

Ferreira³

et al. 2022

RBGN

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Purpose -This study aims to evaluate the effects of KIBS on innovation outcomes in micro firms that build machine tools according to the categories of KIBS. Theoretical framework -This article not only contributes to the theory on the innovation process by reinforcing the arguments that micro firms can achieve innovations, but also to the idea that KIBS have a positive influence on technological and non-technological innovation in manufacturing firms. Design/methodology/ approach -To achieve the objective of the study, the Mann-Whitney U Test was used as the analysis technique. A survey was carried out to collect data from 40 micro firms that build machine tools located in the Basque Country (Spain) and Emilia-Romagna (Italy). Findings -The results suggest that KIBS have positive effects on innovations in manufacturing firms. However, there are differences according to the categories of KIBS. For instance, T-KIBS favour technological innovation, while P-KIBS and C-KIBS affect non-technological innovation. In addition, ICT services also have a positive relationship with non-technological innovation. We conclude by highlighting the importance of T-KIBS to confront the challenges of Industry 4.0 and the need for further research to determine the role of KIBS in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Practical & social implications of the research -Micro firms need to enhance their absorptive capacity by increasing ICT and R&D investments, to confront the challenges of Industry 4.0, and given the fact that industry is beginning to incorporate more and more codified sciencebased knowledge. Perhaps hiring T-KIBS would be an appropriate decision for micro firms. Originality/value -This study contributes to the advancement of research involving different category of KIBS and their effects on manufacturing firms' innovation, especially in micro firms that build machine tools.

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Evaluating the Effects of Information Sources on Innovation Outcomes: Are There Differences between KIBS and Manufacturing Firms from a Latin America Country?

Moya-Fernández

Luna

2023

J Knowl Econ

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The aim of this paper is analysing the relationships between sources (internal/external) of information and innovation outcomes (product, service and process) in Peruvian companies. Furthermore, we explore differences and similarities in these relationships when comparing manufacturing firms and knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) firms. This study presents evidence based on the application of a logit model to a sample of 1141 Peruvian companies, comprising 830 manufacturing firms and 311 KIBS firms. Despite the fact that Peruvian companies do not tend to turn to external sources of information or invest in internal R&D activities, we find positive relationships between sources of information and innovation outcomes in both manufacturing firms and KIBS firms—predominantly process innovation in both cases, followed by product (goods) innovation for manufacturing firms and service innovation for KIBS. Our findings indicate that not all external sources of information have positive effects on product, service and process innovation. Thus, managers should consider proper management of the company’s external relations in order to take advantage of these relationships. Moreover, policymakers should promote interrelationships between the actors in the innovation system (e.g., companies, research centres, universities, etc.) thereby generating opportunities for innovation. This paper provides evidence that the configuration of sources of information (especially internal R&D) plays a significant role in innovation outcomes in both manufacturing firms and KIBS firms, specifically in the context of Latin American countries.

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Regions on course for the Fourth Industrial Revolution: the role of a strong indigenous T-KIBS sector

Cited by 23 publications

References 90 publications

Pulling from the front or pushing from behind: how competency prioritisation should differ to optimise firm competitiveness

Pulling from the front or pushing from behind: how competency prioritisation should differ to optimise firm competitiveness

Innovation in Micro Firms Builders of Machine Tool? Effects of T-KIBS on technological and non-technological innovations

Evaluating the Effects of Information Sources on Innovation Outcomes: Are There Differences between KIBS and Manufacturing Firms from a Latin America Country?

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