The challenge of integrating innovation and quality management practice

The U-shaped impact of export quality on firms' innovation output: Empirical evidence from China

Ensuring product quality plays a pivotal role in the successful execution of new product development and serves as a cornerstone for fostering innovation within enterprises. In this study, we investigate the impact of export quality at the firm level on innovation outcomes, utilizing data from Chinese publicly listed companies and customs data spanning the period from 2010 to 2015. Our analysis uncovers a notable U-shaped relationship between export quality and innovation output in Chinese manufacturing enterprises, particularly with respect to invention patents and utility model patents. Subsequent exploration of heterogeneity reveals that this U-shaped relationship is consistent for non-state-owned enterprises, firms operating in high-technology sectors, young firms, firms exporting to high-income countries, firms situated in the eastern region, and firms engaged in processing trade. Additionally, we find a positively significant effect of Chinese manufacturing export quality on the innovation output of firms exclusively involved in general trade. This paper's key contribution lies in identifying the U-shaped influence of export quality on firms' innovation output and its applicability. The findings suggest that Chinese manufacturing enterprises need to improve the quality of their export products on a long-term and sustained basis. A series of quality standards for the dynamic development of different industries should be formulated, and actively safeguard the innovation needs of these enterprises, thereby enhancing the value chain position of Chinese manufacturing enterprises.

Innovation Management Systems and Standards: A Systematic Literature Review and Guidance for Future Research

In order to establish an innovation culture, a set of organizational procedures and practices called “Innovation Management”, which may differ among companies, should be followed. At the enterprise level, systematic innovation management becomes more complicated. A number of works covering various aspects of this subject have been published. However, a systematic synthesis of all of these contributions is still lacking in management literature. In this review, we aim to analyze and classify the main contributions published on the topic of innovation management systems/standards in management literature, seeking to discover the gaps which still remain in the literature, and to outline future avenues of research in this domain. More than 70 articles in Innovation Management Systems/Standards (IMS/St) studies published in peer-reviewed journals during 2006–2020 are reviewed and analyzed systematically by searching the science databases ScienceDirect, Scopus and Emerald, etc., and using Google Scholar and Mendeley Elsevier to identify related terms. A complete and accurate view of the latest literature on IMS/St is provided, which identifies the main topics developed in the management literature on IMS/St, as well as significant gaps, and demonstrates the low maturity level of the current state of the field. This paper contributes theoretically to the development of literature on IMS/St and provides a clear understanding of the state of the field during the period 2006–2020, shedding light on the research needed in the future in this field of study. From a managerial perspective, it can help companies to better understand the implications of IMS/St, and to harvest the best benefits from the implementation of IMS/St. Our study also answers these three important questions: 1. What are the main topics developed in the management literature on IMS/St so far? 2. Are innovation management standards mature from a practical point of view? 3. What are the main research gaps in management literature, and how could future avenues of research be shaped?

MANAGEMENT INNOVATION, DRIVERS AND OUTCOMES: THE MODERATING ROLE OF ORGANISATIONAL SIZE

This article proposes a conceptual model to analyse the role of quality orientation and collaborations in firms’ management innovation, and also the impact of management innovation to product, process and marketing innovation. Moreover, the analysis considers organisational size as a key moderating factor in order to investigate whether the relationships among the model factors vary between small and medium size firms. To achieve these objectives an empirical survey was conducted among 429 firms. The structural relationships among the latent factors were determined through SEM. The findings show that the probability of success increases when firms use quality orientation and collaboration to support management innovation efforts. In addition, the findings suggest that management innovation positively affects product, process and marketing innovation while the organisational size acts as a moderator in the relationships among quality orientation, collaborations, management innovation, — product, process and marketing innovation, respectively.

Aligning organizational culture and operations strategy to improve innovation outcomes

Purpose

Innovation is a key factor in assessing organizational success. The purpose of this paper is to examine how the organizational culture and operations strategy impact organizational innovation. It explores the influence of various combinations of organizational cultures and operations strategies on a firm’s ability to innovate both in process and product.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model is developed which attempts to explain how the reciprocal and dynamic interactive relationship between organizational culture and operations strategy and innovation is structured. In total, 233 valid questionnaires were collected from 17 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Taiwan. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate the direction and strengths of the relationships and develop a comprehensive picture to illustrate the drivers of successful innovation.

Findings

The analysis and conclusions confirm the suitability of Culture–Strategy–Innovation Model and the detailed results demonstrate that a combination of innovative organizational culture and flexibility-oriented operations strategy has the strongest influence on a firm’s innovation process thereby improving their innovative organizational outcomes.

Practical implications

Although based on Taiwanese manufacturing industries these results provide useful insights for manufacturing industries in general. In alternative contexts, the combination of different dimensions of culture and strategy can be expected to cause different levels of success in innovation. This study provides robust evidence to explain the organizational climate needed to guide the innovative and flexibility considerations needed for SMEs in the manufacturing industry.

Originality/value

This is an empirical study which specifically investigates the activities of SMEs in the metal/plastic manufacturing industry in Taiwan and in particular examines organizational culture, operations strategies and innovation. The research model proposed and confirmed offers a new multi-dimensional structure of culture and strategy linked with their various related dynamic interrelationships and the drivers that impact organizational innovation.

Agencies, it’s time to innovate!

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the phenomenon of innovation in the current Swedish governmental administration system. More specifically, the paper explores the current understanding within the system of what innovation is, as well as why and how it should be achieved. Innovation is currently at the top of many agendas worldwide: not only in the private sector but also when it comes to increasing quality, efficiency and effectiveness in public administration. In Sweden, this is reflected in the recent call from the Government for innovation in public management. However, innovation has not traditionally occurred to any significant extent on the strategic level of Swedish public management. Furthermore, governmental administration is a complex system in need of coordination and alignment for this new call to be effectively realized in practice.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper has been based on a qualitative approach with a case consisting of three embedded units: the Government itself, a ministry and a Government agency. The data have been collected from documents and interviews.

Findings

– This paper shows that there is currently a notable disparity when it comes to how aspects of innovation are understood at different levels within the Swedish governmental administration system. Furthermore, the recent business development to increase the standardization of work processes is perceived as having created poorer preconditions for working with innovations.

Practical implications

– The results highlight critical areas of disparity and possibilities for improvement toward a shared understanding and aligned innovation actions within the system.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes knowledge about the current understanding of innovation in the Swedish governmental administration system.