Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-gtxcr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T05:44:46.769Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The relationship between innovation and performance in special nonprofit firms: Social and cooperative agrifood firms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2016

Hsing Hung Chen ,
Amy H I Lee  and
Jack Chen
Hsing Hung Chen
Affiliation:
School of Business, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau
Amy H I Lee*
Affiliation:
Department of Technology Management, Chung Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
Jack Chen
Affiliation:
Department of Research and Development, Poktech Corporation Limited, Shanghai, China
*
Corresponding author: amylee@chu.edu.tw
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Firms are continually trying to identify innovation sources in order to improve organizational performance, but the identification of such origins is a complex and poorly understood issue, particularly as far as nonprofit firms are concerned. The social and cooperative agrifood arrangement has become one of the main and newest types of nonprofit organization in China since the implementation of the law related to specialized cooperatives, on July 1, 2007. In this research, a conceptual model is proposed to show that the characteristics of innovative sources can determine a firm’s absorptive capacity, which in turn can impact its performance. Therefore, absorptive capacity can be expected to enable the mediation of the relationships of innovative sources with the performance of firms. By means of theoretical analysis and practical investigation, this paper provides an assessment of the use of innovation sources and finds critical factors that may foster competitive and sustainable advantages.

Keywords

competitive and sustainable advantagesstrategic organizational performancessocial and cooperative agrifood firmsinnovation sources
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 23 , Issue 4 , July 2017 , pp. 587 - 602
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abecassis-Moedas, C., & Mahmoud-Jouini, S. B. (2008). Absorptive capacity and source-recipient complementality in designing new products: An empirically derived framework. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 25, 473–490.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arbuckle, J. L. (2007). AMOS 16.0 user’s guide. Spring House, PA: AMOS Development Corp.Google Scholar
Bryant, A., & Koksarova, J. (2010). Transforming a nonprofit work environment for creativity. Nonprofit Management & Leadership, 21(1), 77–92.Google Scholar
Castro, G. M. (2015). Knowledge management and innovation in knowledge-based and high-tech industrial markets: The role of openness and absorptive capacity. Industrial Marketing Management, 47, 143–146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chinanews. (2015). Current news related to the development of special nonprofit firms: Social and cooperative agrifood firms in China. Retrieved from http://www.chinanews.com/df/2015/01-21/6991903.shtml.Google Scholar
Cohen, W. M., & Levinthal, D. A. (1990). Absorptive capacity: A new perspective on learning and innovation. Administrative Science Quarterly, 35(1), 128–152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Emden, Z., Calantone, R. J., & Droge, C. (2006). Collaborating for new product development: Selecting the partner with maximum potential to create value. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 23, 330–341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fernanda, R. (2014). The use of archives as a means of organization, representation and retrieval of information. Knowledge Organization, 41(4), 319–326.Google Scholar
Filippetti, A., & Archibugi, D. (2011). Innovation in times of crisis: National systems of innovation, structure, and demand. Research Policy, 40, 179–192.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fornell, C., & Larker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(February), 39–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fredette, C., & Bradshaw, P. (2012). Social capital and nonprofit governance effectiveness. Nonprofit Management & Leadership, 22(4), 391–409.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Freeman, R. E. (1999). Divergent stakeholder theory. Academy of Management Review, 24, 233–236.Google Scholar
Gallie, D. (2007). Employment regimes and the quality of work. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gatignon, H., & Xuereb, J. M. (1997). Strategic orientation of the firm and new product performance. Journal of Marketing Research, 34(1), 77–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
George, G., Zahra, S. A., Wheatley, K. K., & Khan, R. (2001). The effects of alliance portfolio characteristics and absorptive capacity on performance: A study of biotechnology firms. Journal of High Technology Management Research, 12, 205–226.Google Scholar
Gholizadeh, H., Bonyadi Naeini, A., & Moini, A. (2015). Proposing a model for absorption capacity of technology. International Journal of Engineering & Technology, 4(1), 113–124.Google Scholar
Greenwood, R., & Hinings, C. R. (2006). Understanding radical organizational change: Bringing together the old and the new institutionalism. Academy of Management Review, 21(4), 1022–1054.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guzman, I., & Arcas, N. (2008). The usefulness of accounting information in the measurement of technical efficiency in agricultural cooperatives. Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, 79(1), 107–131.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hienerth, C., & Lettl, C. (2015). Exploring new peer communities enable lead user innovations to become standard equipment in the industry. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 28(S1), 175–195.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hill, C. W. L., & Jones, G. R. (2007). Strategic management: An integrated approach. USA: Houghton Mifflin.Google Scholar
Huang, K.-F., Lin, K. H., Wua, L. Y., & Yu, P. H. (2015). Absorptive capacity and autonomous R&D climate roles in firm innovation. Journal of Business Research, 68, 87–94.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
International Cooperative Alliance. (2010). Current news related to the development of special nonprofit firms: Social and cooperative agrifood firms in international countries. Retrieved from http://www.ica.coop/coop/index.html.Google Scholar
Ish, D., Tyrner, B., & Fulton, M. (2006). International seminar on legislation for farmer co-operatives in China: A Canadian perspective (pp. 1–16). Saskatoon, Canada: Centre for the Study of Co-operatives, University of Saskatchewan. Retrieved from http://www.usaskstudies.coop/pdf-files/Legislation FarmerCoopsChina.pdf.Google Scholar
Jaskyte, K. (2014). Boards of directors and innovation in nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 22(4), 439–459.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, T. M., Felps, W., & Bigley, G. A. (2013). Ethical theory and stakeholder-related decisions: The role of stakeholder culture. Academy of Management Review, 32(1), 137–155.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kim, C. W., & Mauborgne, R. (1997). Value innovation: The strategic logic of high growth. Harvard Business Review, January–February, 102–115.Google ScholarPubMed
Kim, L. (1998). Crisis construction and organizational learning: Capability building in catching-up at Hyundai Motor. Organization Science, 9, 506–521.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leana, C. R., & Pil, F. K. (2006). Social capital and organizational performance: Evidence from urban public schools. Organization Science, 17(3), 353–366.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lybbert, T. J., & Sumner, D. A. (2012). Agricultural technologies for climate change in developing countries: Policy options for innovation and technology diffusion. Food Policy, 37, 114–123.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maclndoe, H., & Barman, E. (2014). How organizational stakeholders shape performance measurement in nonprofits: Exploring a multidimensional measure. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 39(3), 416–431.Google Scholar
McAdam, M., McAdam, R., Dunn, A., & McCall, C. (2015). Regional horizontal networks within the SME agri-food sector: An innovation and social network perspective. Regional Studies, 52(8), 1–14.Google Scholar
Meyer, J. W., & Rowan, B. (1977). Institutionalized organizations: formal structure as myth and ceremony. America Journal of Sociology, 83, 340–363.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nair, N., & Bhatnagar, D. (2015). Understanding workplace deviant behavior in nonprofit organizations. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 21(3), 289–309.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Narver, J. C., & Slater, S. F. (1990). The effect of a market orientation on business profitability. Journal of Marketing, 54(4), 20–35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
NFPL. (2009). The international center for not-for-profit law, FAQ: What is the difference between non-profit and not-for-profit? Retrieved from http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh/wikipedia, 2009.Google Scholar
Nunnally, J. C. (1978). Psychometric theory. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Olson, E. M., Slater, S. F., & Hult, T. M. (2005). The performance implications of fit among business strategy, marketing organization structure and strategic behavior. Journal of Marketing, 69, 49–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
O’Sullian, A., & Sheffrin, S. M. (2003). Economics: Principles in action. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
Pavia, T. M. (1991). The early stages of new product development in entrepreneurial high-tech firms. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 8(1), 18–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ritala, P., & Hurmelinna-Laukkanen, P. (2013). Incremental and radical innovation in cooperation – The role of absorptive capacity and appropriability. Journal of Product Innovation management, 30(1), 154–169.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robbins, S. P., & DeCenzo, D. A. (2007). Fundamentals of management: Essential concepts and applications. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
SFC. (2007). The law of specialized farmers cooperatives (SFC) in China, The Department of Agriculture, China.Google Scholar
Spear, S., & Bowen, H.K. (1999). Decoding the DNA of the Toyota production system. Harvard Business Review, September–October, 97–106.Google Scholar
Spithoven, A., Frantzen, D., & Clarysse, B. (2010). Heterogeneous firm-level effects of knowledge exchanges on product innovation: Differences between dynamic and lagging product innovation. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 27, 362–381.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Streiner, D. L. (2003). Being inconsistent about consistency: When coefficient alpha does and doesn't matter. Journal of Personality Assessment, 80(3), 217–222.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tangpong, C., & Pesek, J. G. (2007). Shareholder value ideology, reciprocity and decision making in moral dilemmas. Journal of Managerial Issues, 19(3), 379–396.Google Scholar
Troy, L. C., Szymanski, D. M., & Varadarajan, R. P. (2001). Generating new product ideas: An initial investigation of the role of market information and organizational characteristics. Academy of Marketing Science, 29(1), 89–101.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zahra, S. A., & George, G. (2000). Absorptive capacity: A review and conceptualization. Best Paper Proceedings of the Academy of Management National Meeting, Toronto.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zahra, S. A., & Hayton, J. C. (2008). The effect of international venturing on firm performance: The moderating influence of absorptive capacity. Journal of Business Venturing, 23, 195–220.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhang, H. I. (2010). Summarized experiences after the execution of the law of specialized farmers cooperatives. Journal of Agriculture Foods, 23, 61–66. (in Chinese version).Google Scholar
Zhang, J., Baden-Fuller, C., & Nangematin, V. (2013). Technological knowledge base, R&D organization structure and alliance formation: Evidence from the biopharmaceutical industry. Research Policy, 36, 515–528.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhao, K. Y., & Wu, S. N. (2014). The network pattern of journal knowledge transfer in library and information science in China. Knowledge Organization, 41(4), 276–287.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zilber, T. B. (2002). Institutionalization as interplay between actions, meaning, and actors: The case of a rape crisis center in Israel. Academy of Management Journal, 45, 234–254.CrossRefGoogle Scholar