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This paper examines investment responses to emission taxes and the role of tax incidence in passing on tax burdens. Using private firms from Spain and the introduction of an emission tax in 2013 in the Autonomous Community Valenciana, we show that investments decline in response to the emission tax. Importantly, this investment decline does not depend on the level of pollution but on economic factors related to tax incidence. Investments in firms operating in highly competitive markets, firms with low pricing power, and firms with low financial flexibility are the most affected by environmental taxes. We generalize the investment findings using the introduction of carbon taxes in France and Ireland in a stacked difference-in-differences design. Overall, our results indicate that emission taxes affect not only polluters but also other firms and stakeholders such as suppliers, customers, and consumers depending on the relative elasticities of supply and demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using panel data for Spanish firms, this paper examines the role of firms' regional knowledge environment for commitment to innovation of innovation active firms. The empirical results show that a stronger regional knowledge environment increases the likelihood that an innovator engages continuously in R&D as opposed to occasionally. This positive relationship with the regional knowledge environment is robust and significant in manufacturing and specifically for small firms and for technology-intensive firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for eco-products due to the exigency of friendly and environmental production could affect the employment of the firms. This paper tests whether product and process eco-innovations boost employment in Spain differentiating by the environmental goals (material and energy efficiency and environment responsiveness), by the level of qualification of the workers, and by the dirtiness of the industries. We apply a Green Harrison model, using the Technological Innovation Panel (PITEC) for Spain from 2008 to 2016. Results show a positive relationship between all types of product eco-innovations and employment, while the influence of process eco-innovations on employment depends on the environmental goals, the level of skills, and the industry. Specifically, distinguishing by industry there is a labour-saving effect in clean industries and a labour-friendly effect for low-skilled employment in dirty industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to determine which configuration of green innovation capabilities (GICs) and organisational dimensions (ODs) leads to achieving green product innovation (GPI). We used data collected through the European Manufacturing Survey (EMS) from manufacturing firms in Spain and Croatia considered to be innovators. After conducting a cluster analysis, we identified a group of firms that still develop conventional product innovations (CPIs) and three groups of firms at different stages of GPI development. The four clusters were characterised using different variables, or determinants of GPI, associated with seven GICs and five ODs that favour GPI. According to the findings, all the GICs and ODs under analysis have a positive impact on GPI development, which results in the consolidation of a framework that organisations could use to manage green innovation. By empirically showing the relevance of applying these constructs, this study makes contributions to the Resource‐Based Theory (RBT), along with its extension to GICs, and points to the need to associate them with the ODs to achieve GPI towards the challenge of sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper analyzes the effects on local suppliers of the adoption of a modular platform, taking into account different supply-chain relations. Design/methodology/approach: The authors' research follows an interpretive case study methodology based on a theoretical approach that seeks to validate the approach while making conclusions about the case study. Findings: The traditional pyramidal structure of automotive supply chains has been altered by the consolidation of a much more complex structure, mostly in spatial and geographical terms. The authors find a strong hierarchy resulting from the reinforced market power of the carmaker under study and the respective fragile structural positioning of logistics companies and pre-assemblers. The increased versatility of the assembly plant, considered a consequence of its transition to modular platforms, finds a counterpart in the necessary re-configuration of certain supply relationships. Originality/value: The main contribution of the paper is to connect the defining elements of supply-chain relations with those technical and organizational changes associated with the transition to modular platforms, as well as to analyze changes in the pyramidal structure of the supply chain, from both a spatial and relational perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Dimensión Empresarial is the property of Universidad Autonoma del Caribe, Departamento del Atlantico and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the impacts and predictability of financial, accounting-based, and industrial factors (as well as corporate venturing) on survival-based success of newly incorporated firms in Spain. Design/methodology: Logistic regression is used for comparing the differences of factors in the prediction of future success after different time periods since the studying years (age 1, age 2, and age 3 respectively) in manufacturing and distributive sectors. Findings: Differences in predictability are observed between manufacturing and distributive sectors: it is obvious in distributive sector (rather than manufacturing sector) that liquidity, bank credit, trade credit, and concentration are positively related to success while entry rate is negatively related to success. In spite of that, some factors still show strong predictability in both two sectors. Firm size and profitability are the strongest positive factors, which are followed by corporate venturing and the growth of industrial operating revenues with positive and generally negative relationships to success separately. Besides, for some factors and variables frequently showing statistical significance, their impacts in the same age tend to be relatively stable. Practical implications: The findings of this paper can help to identify the predictability of different factors on the success of newly incorporated firms and catch the differences between manufacturing and distributive sectors. Originality/value: This paper enriches the empirical study of new firm success in Spain in depression and stagnant environment (because the observed years here are from 2009 to 2014); besides, the findings also contribute to the specific prediction study of manufacturing and distributive sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzes the financial relations of non-financial private sector firms in Spain based on the financial instability hypothesis developed by Hyman Philip Minsky. We suppose that in the private sector of the Spanish economy after the 2008–2013 crisis there was an increase in the number of firms characterized by the hedge regime of financing. We test this hypothesis using the 2011–2017 data for 163 Spanish private non-financial companies from Thomson Reuters. Three indices were constructed according to three methodologies that distinguish firms as hedge, speculative and Ponzi, in order to determine the degree of financial fragility of the private sector of the Spanish economy. The results showed that the economy of Spain in 2011–2017 was in the process of escaping from financial fragility. This occurred despite austerity policies. Such policies diminish economic activity, in general, and the flow of business profits in particular. It makes it difficult to escape from a fragile financial position. Nevertheless, in the case of Spain, the negative consequences of austerity policies were offset by other government measures, tourism and export diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of the empirical study conducted in 68 Spanish private firms which are immersed in the implementation process of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) excellence model, according to the Excellence in Management Club (the official representative and partner of EFQM in Spain which is a non-profit making organisation with the aim of being the reference and meeting point for organisations on their way towards excellence). The objective of this paper is to explore the main barriers of Total Quality Management implementation through the EFQM excellence model in Spanish private firms. The methodology consists of a descriptive analysis and factor analysis in order to determine the importance and the structure of these barriers. Finally, cluster firms and these groups are analysed to establish their profile by cluster analysis. The results show that the most important barriers are those related to the lack of time and the lack of physical and financial resources. The structure of barriers in these firms is made up of three groups: behavioural and cultural barriers, organisational barriers, and resource barriers. Cluster analysis reveals that there are three different firm profiles: highly hampered firms, moderately hampered firms, and firms hampered mainly by lack of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empirical evidence shows that large firms are generally more efficient than small and medium-sized firms. Empirical tests have evaluated cost efficiency while assuming homogeneity among firms and mainly examined the size-efficiency relationship in a hypothetical average firm. However, in practice, firms have different resources for multiple reasons and are therefore heterogeneous. This paper uses the concept of profit efficiency to study size-efficiency relationships in individual firms while assuming heterogeneity among firms. For this purpose and in contrast to the traditional approach, we estimate a stochastic frontier model with random coefficients using Bayesian techniques to assess the differences in profit efficiency between small and large firms in the manufacturing industry in Spain. The results show that the relationship between efficiency and size heavily depends on the internal properties and characteristics of the firm and environment in which it operates and that there is heterogeneity among firms; ignoring such heterogeneity can lead to an overestimation of inefficiency of 4.92 percentage points. We also discuss the implications of these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper examines how differences in the family involvement in a family business can influence its level of indebtedness. Assuming the influence of family is not the same for all family firms, we consider each company as a combination of the family involvement in three dimensions of the business: ownership, management and governance structure. Design/methodology/approach: Using the partial least squares technique allows us to address the heterogeneity of family firms through an integral concept of family involvement in business that jointly considers the level of family participation in the ownership, management and governance structure of each firm. Findings: Our results demonstrate that the level of family involvement in a family firm, considering the heterogeneity existing within the family business group, directly influences its level of indebtedness. In addition, we find that family involvement in ownership and governance structures individually considered are positively related to the level of indebtedness of the family business. Originality/value: Our findings prove that some indebtedness patterns, which previous literature has described as common to all Spanish family businesses, may actually be valid only for specific family firms with a particular level of family involvement. In addition, the way of measuring family business heterogeneity through our integral concept of family involvement can be replicated by other authors because of the manageability of the items, thus contributing to an increased understanding of the effects of family involvement in firms' development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper we use a panel of manufacturing firms in Spain to examine the extent to which they use internal and external sources of information (customers, suppliers, competitors, consultants and universities) to generate product and process innovation. Our results show that, although internal sources are influential, external sources of information are key to achieve innovation performance. These results are in line with the open innovation literature because they show that firms that are opening up their innovation process and that use different information sources have a greater capacity to generate innovations. We also find that the importance of external sources of information varies depending on the type of innovation (product or process) considered. To generate process innovation, firms mainly rely on suppliers while, to generate product innovation, the main contribution is from customers. The potential simultaneity between product and process innovation is also taken into consideration. We find that the generation of both types of innovation is not independent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to carry out empirical testing of the relationship between corporate image and corporate satisfaction among business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce organizations who possess codes of conduct and study their effects on sales volume. The aim is to measure impacts of both corporate image as well as measure corporate satisfaction on online sales volume increases. In addition, the authors have added to the study the product-type dimension as a moderate variable.Design/methodology/approach A structural model is developed and empirically tested through survey data obtained from 127 Spanish companies adhering to a code of conduct.Findings The results indicate that adhering to a code of conduct has a positive impact on the increase in sales volumes. The paper identified the main reasons for adhering to a code of conduct, such as offering greater trust to potential consumers as well as improving the firm’s image, prestige and increasing quality and security.Research limitations/implications Further variables must be identified that would help to determine the impact on organizations adhering to codes of conduct.Practical implications This paper highlights how B2C e-commerce codes of conduct help managers achieve better conditions for competiveness. The findings show how adhering to a code of conduct has a positive impact on increased sales volumes. The results indicate that the reasons for adhering to a code of conduct are the following: it offers greater trust to potential consumers, as well as improves the firm’s image and prestige, and increases purchase quality and security.Originality/value This paper contributes to the enrichment of knowledge concerning B2C e-commerce codes of conduct developed a pioneering study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses how management (organisational and marketing) innovations influence non-R&D technological innovators’ performance. Drawing on Community of Innovation Survey data to examine 5878 non-R&D Spanish firms, results indicate that the joint introduction of management innovations with technological innovations improves technological innovative performance thanks to the creation of complex innovation capabilities. Thus, the joint adoption of management and technological innovations in tandem is linked to a premium effect on performance based on complementarities. Non-R&D technological innovators heavily use organisational and marketing activities in order to compensate for their lack of engagement in R&D activities. This is the first paper that brings the management innovation literature into the non-R&D technological innovators debate, using a resource-based view framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to enrich the explanation of the interplay between internal and external – or district shared – exploration and exploitation capabilities as antecedents of a firm’s radical and incremental innovation. Previous studies do not differentiate between exploration and exploitation in district shared capabilities and how they interact with internal capabilities.Design/methodology/approach The paper uses hierarchical regression analysis to test the quadratic and moderating effects in a sample of 1,019 Spanish firms.Findings Results show an increasingly positive effect on radical innovation of exploration capabilities, enhanced by shared capabilities in exploration. In the case of incremental innovation, the study finds evidence of an increasingly positive influence of exploitation capabilities and a concave relationship of exploration capabilities. Moreover, shared exploitation capabilities weaken the effect of internal exploitation capabilities and also have a direct effect on incremental innovation. Therefore, the two capabilities are interchangeable in the effect they have on incremental innovation.Practical implications Depending on the firm’s innovation strategy, intra-district firms should develop specific capabilities and/or concentrate on adopting the shared capabilities in the destination.Originality/value The study furthers the understanding of the relationship between exploration and radical innovation, and between exploitation and incremental innovation, which is more complex than previously depicted. The study also differentiates between exploration and exploitation in shared capabilities, enriching understanding of the competitiveness of district firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effectiveness of Science and Technology Parks (STPs) as instruments of innovation policy has generated thriving debate among academics, practitioners and policy makers. A gap in the existing literature on STPs is that research mostly does not consider STPs' heterogeneity. The present paper aims at filling this gap, analysing the influence of different STP characteristics on their tenants' performance. Using data on 849 firms and 25 STPs from the 2009 Community Innovation Survey for Spain and a survey of STP managers respectively and after controlling for a wide set of firms characteristics, we find that: (i) firms located in very new or longer established STPs show better innovative performance; (ii) the size of the STP and its management company positively affects the innovative performance of tenants while services provision has no effect on firms' achieving better results; and (iii) firms in less technologically developed regions benefit more from location in an STP. Theoretical, policy and managerial contributions of our research are discussed in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyse the determinants of survival in entrepreneurship in Spain. For this purpose, a Cox proportional hazard model is estimated, using information from the Continuous Working Life Sample. The results show that opportunity entrepreneurs have a higher probability of continuing their entrepreneurial activity than entrepreneurs motivated by other reasons. Moreover, women show a higher survival rate than men. In addition, a high educational level positively influences survival, whilst previous work experience increases the risk of not surviving. Finally, age, with a nonlinear influence, increases probability of survival but at a decreasing rate. The implications of these results are that it should not be encouraged entrepreneurship indiscriminately, and authorities should promote entrepreneurial training and help entrepreneurship of people under 30 and over 45-50 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to contribute to the limited existing research on the subject of SME access to international procurement by analysing whether the dynamic capabilities of learning and knowledge management would allow SMEs to overcome the internal and external barriers of the international public procurement market. By means of CAQDAS software and in-depth interviews with management-level executives responsible for international procurement, the authors analysed the barriers faced by Spanish firms in the public procurement market, and studied the dynamic capabilities developed to overcome those barriers. Results show that SMEs develop dynamic learning and knowledge management skills and that these are embodied in knowledge acquisition and transformation capabilities. The authors provide SMEs with ideas not only about the learning and knowledge capabilities required in the international public procurement market, but also about the key barriers they may find. Moreover, suggestions for public administration are also provided. The value of the paper is twofold, on one hand, the paper tackles the problems of the market barriers in international public procurement from the perspective of how SMEs can overcome them. On the other, it is the first time that research integrates these two areas of analysis i.e. international public procurement and barriers overcome by dynamic capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: While the born global (BG) phenomenon has been well established in the literature, studies on accelerated internationalization of firms in the service sector have been scarce, particularly for the specific case of knowledge-intensive services (KIS). The purpose of this paper is to explore which competitive characteristics differentiate KIS BGs from other KIS firms in the context of a peripheral region. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical focus of this study comprehends primary survey data from 250 Spanish KIS firms (Andalusia) that have been internationalized and analyzed through ordinal and ordinary least squares regressions. The authors address the "born-global effect" on five features of interest, namely, entry mode, technological capabilities, qualification of staff, external resources and quality of services. Findings: Results suggest that KIS BGs in Andalusia perceive exports as a more relevant form of internationalization than its non-BG peers. Also, KIS BGs in Andalusia present higher levels of technological intensity. Differences in terms of staff qualification, access to extramural R&D resources and the quality of services could not be identified. Research limitations/implications: The main limitation of this research concerns its cross-sectional character, thus hindering the evaluation of developmental trajectories taking place in the cohort under scrutiny. Such an approach would allow a better comprehension of the competitiveness dynamics in internationalized KIS firms. Also, because this assessment is geographically restricted to Andalusia, Spain, the authors recommend caution in establishing direct comparisons and appropriation of results for other regional/national contexts. Practical implications: Recommendations for public policy include establishing the necessary infrastructures to encourage the technological development of KIS companies and provide support – through export promotion agencies, for instance – for early approximation with foreign markets. Taking into account the contributions of KIS firms for the development of a peripheral economy, this involves the need to establish instruments that provide strategic information to internationalize, as well as lines of funding for these companies. Originality/value: Empirical evidence on KIS BGs is needed to fully grasp its differences to other internationalized service firms. The analysis within this specific domain represents an advance in the literature on this subject. Also, the context of peripheral regions – considering their economic differences to core areas – has been understudied. The elaboration and application of the survey have allowed the authors to have access to primary in-depth data and, therefore, to build a better understanding of KIS BGs in Andalusia, Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to study how Spanish firms implement and integrate the different management systems by a comparison of Spanish firms located in Spain and Spanish firms in Czech Republic. Two empirical studies were conducted in the aforementioned two countries. A questionnaire was sent to firms in both countries that comply with a specific requirement: that they had implanted at least two management systems (no matter which ones) to carry out the integration. This research will determine the contents of the integration plan, the integration methodology, the resources (human resources and procedures) involved in the different management systems as well as the main benefits and difficulties found during the integration process. This paper is one of the first studies where the location of Spanish firms is used as a differentiating factor to compare the Integrated Management System within two European countries, in this case, Spain and Czech Republic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Estudios Gerenciales is the property of Universidad ICESI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

From a corporate governance point of view, this paper addresses the question of how corporate ownership and board characteristics influence firm value for a sample of Ibero-American companies. Specifically, we analyse indexed non-financial companies from Chile and Spain for the period 2007 – 2016, using the GMM panel data technique. Our research is novel in considering a two-country approach, with one emerging and one developed country, and in analysing how corporate ownership and board characteristics, in addition to contextual variables, determine firm value. Our results assess the efficiency of corporate governance mechanisms. Although findings are intriguing regarding ownership concentration, they confirm the benefits of a good board of directors. This type of board is characterised by a large size, sufficiently independent directors, and a balance in terms of gender diversity. We provide several policy recommendations from our main findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carefully examining the site map of a firm with a well-developed website can provide both patterns about its corporate strategy– considering all the elements that surround the organization – and a primary source for benchmarking. Our paper's aim is to use this technique: (a) to highlight the key strategic management issues which affect the top large Spanish firms; and (b) to show trends identified amongst such companies during the last ten years. Our methodology consists of a content analysis focused on websites of the Ibex35 companies listed on the Spanish Stock Market. It includes drawing a comparison with these same websites as two photos with a difference of ten years. Rather than carrying out a breakdown of the businesses developed by each corporation, the appropriate approach is the assessment of their respective corporate principles, as this would allow for a better identification of the underlying managerial, organisational and strategic realities of these organisations. The results evidence the high usefulness of this technique when it comes to detecting the most significant strategic management issues faced by the leading large Spanish firms, as well as their evolution over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the communication carried out by IBEX35 companies in crisis situations in order to determine the mechanisms that try to favour dialogue between organisations and their stakeholders. The sample is made up of the tweets that include the word covid and that have been issued by the 27 IBEX 35 companies that had verified corporate profiles on the Twitter social platform during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. Taking into consideration the dialogic principles established by Kent and Taylor (1998), which were adapted by Rybalko and Seltzer (2010) for Twitter, an adaptation was made to establish indicators to apply to the conversation established on the platform. To analyse the differences in interaction, the t-test for independent samples and the one-factor ANOVA were used. The results show that companies maintain an interest in engaging with their audiences but continue to deal with topics that are not of interest to users, which makes it difficult for a dialogue or conversation to take place between companies and stakeholders. The article shows that the resources most used by companies in crisis situations are the call to action and dialogue, either by asking their users questions or suggesting the desired interaction. While directly asking users for their opinions does not generate more dialogue, the results show that soliciting attitudes, such as commenting, sharing an image or liking an image, does increase interaction. This implies that there is low interest on the part of audiences to join a real conversation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates which factors are more effective when taking advantage of benefits perceived by firms in their collaborations with public research organizations (PROs). The empirical study is based on a survey of firms that have collaborated with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the largest PRO in Spain. We performed an ordinal probit regression, where the dependent variables reflect the importance of benefits from the interaction. We add to previous literature by considering benefits beyond innovation results and by studying the firm's absorptive capacity and knowledge search strategy as determinants of such benefits. Our results show that firms need to have a certain level of absorptive capacity to take advantage of the collaboration with PROs, but that R&D is not the only antecedent that must be considered. Prior collaborative experience with PROs appears as an important factor to exploit these interactions, in particular as a way to develop internal capabilities and obtain long-term benefits. The study also outlined the firm's external search strategy as a relevant factor in determining the benefits obtained from interactions with PROs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In February 1888, the workforce at the British-owned Rio Tinto mines went on strike seeking better wages and conditions. As part of their struggle, the miners joined an alliance of local landowners and communities to oppose the company's open-air calcination operations. These threw vast quantities of poisonous sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere, severely damaging the health of workers and local communities. This paper suggests the strike, the first such environmental action in Spain, was an example of broad-based political resistance to the application of free market ideology to the process of industrialization. It builds on Karl Polanyi's theory that the unconstrained operation of free markets in the fields of land, labour and finance, advocated by radical economic liberalism, results in existential threats to the social fabric of nations. This leads groups with widely different interests to unite and press for state intervention to curtail the freedom of markets, in the wider interest of society's survival. The Rio Tinto strike which ended with the massacre of a defenceless crowd of protesters and strikers, provides a good example of Polanyi's proposition, as well as illuminating a tragic and often over-looked event in the history of environmental studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper has as its aim to analyse multinational enterprises' location decisions from the perspective of the knowledge-based firm in an attempt to answer the following questions: Are innovative MNEs more likely to be located in areas with a higher degree of agglomeration? Who benefits to a greater extent − in terms of innovation − from geographical proximity with other agents: national or foreign enterprises? What role does absorptive capacity play in the relationship between agglomeration and innovation? According to this research work, agglomeration differently influences the innovation of MNE subsidiaries – through knowledge spillovers – depending on the types of agglomerated companies. The analysis performed with a sample of firms located in Spain includes local and foreign companies and uses data from a survey conducted by the National Statistics Institute (INE for its Spanish initials) in 2016. The results show that the agglomeration of similar enterprises favours innovation amongst foreign firms, as opposed to local ones, which absorb both positive and negative effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management & Innovation is the property of Wyzsza Szkola Biznesu-National Louis University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The main purpose of this paper is to analyse the association between open inbound knowledge strategies and the performance of eco‐innovative firms in the food and beverage industry. We propose a mixed framework based on the eco‐innovation literature and the open innovation approach. We consider the characteristics in a traditional sector based upon a resource‐based perspective. Three types of firms are distinguished in terms of their sales growth in the Spanish food industry from the least to the most successful eco‐innovators. Using multinomial logistic regression models, it is shown that the diversity of collaborators (breadth of external sources of knowledge) and joint adoption of product and process eco‐innovations are positively associated with the probability of achieving high sales growth. Moreover, we find an inverted U‐shaped relationship between the breadth of the external search and firm performance, but only for the group of the most successful firms. Moreover, operational flexibility, knowledge‐based capabilities and company size are also positively related to the group of successful eco‐innovators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although environmental innovation studies have traditionally focused on manufacturing firms, the distinctive features of eco‐innovation activities carried out by service firms require special attention. Using the Spanish Commumity Innovation Survey (CIS), this paper determines which are the main drivers of undertaking eco‐innovation and investigates the similarities and differences between service and manufacturing firms within the five sub‐groups of services (supplier dominated, scale intensive physical networks, scale intensive information networks, science‐based, and others). The results confirm that the main eco‐innovation triggers are similar—technological push factor orientation (internal R&D and persistence) and firm size—while the impact of market pull factors and public environmental legislation differ within the services sub‐groups. In addition, we find a high degree of heterogeneity within service firms. In contrast to traditional service firms, those in the groups involving R&D activities, information networks, and scale‐intensive physical networks exhibit intensive eco‐innovation performance and show a high level of green indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos de Contabilidad is the property of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract This paper investigates the incentives and inhibiting factors of eco-innovation capacities in the firm. Firms materialize the objectives of eco-innovation from a reactive attitude to external pressures, to a more proactive attitude that implies the voluntary incorporation of eco-innovation activities. This variability in the behaviour of companies with respect to the level of eco-innovation development has been a motivator for the research. However, despite the importance of this research question, this has been approached in a dispersed way from multiple approaches. From a dynamic capabilities perspective, we assume that the innovation capacity of the firm encourages eco-innovations. Our paper is focused on the process of eco-innovation, identifying the elements that facilitate or hinder the eco-innovation in the firm. We study the Spanish case, using a panel from the Spanish Innovation Survey, with a sample of 5461 Spanish firms. The results highlight that the complexity of the eco-innovation process negatively affects the decision to develop eco-innovations. However, our results suggest that institutions and organizations of the Spanish environment are making efforts to compensate these obstacles and provide incentives to develop eco-innovations. Highlights • We model investigates the incentives and inhibiting factors of eco-innovation. • Our focus is on the process of eco-innovation from dynamic capabilities perspective. • The complexity of the eco-innovation process negatively affects to develop eco-innovations. • Results show that the experience facilitates the development of future eco-innovations. • The institutions provide incentives to develop eco-innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the main determinants influencing environmental innovators (i.e. firms developing or adopting environmental innovations) in Spain with respect to non-environmental innovators. Similarly to other contributions in the literature, our results show that Spanish environmental innovators respond to regulatory stimulus in the form of demand-pull and technology-push instruments. They have a high internal technological capability and combine internal and external information sources, mostly in cooperation with knowledge institutions. Environmental innovators are more concentrated in mature, traditionally highly polluting sectors, but new firms are not more environmentally innovative than incumbents. Most importantly, in contrast to other environmental innovation studies, mostly carried out in a German context, we have not found evidence of a market pull from either the domestic or international markets. Furthermore, cost savings are not found to be a distinctive driver for environmental innovators. These differential results are possibly related to the special features of Spain regarding its national innovation system and the degree of stringency of environmental regulation and environmental consciousness of its consumers. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examine a sample of 2000 Spanish industrial firms over the period 2001-2010 to analyse whether the self-selection hypothesis explains the relationship between innovation and the export activity of the company. In addition, we analyse how productivity moderates that relationship. The results indicate that the hypothesis does explain the effect of product and process innovations: Overseas foreign markets select those companies that have previously secured product or process innovations, while investment in research and development (R&D) does not increase the propensity for companies to export. On the other hand, the productivity of the company intensifies this effect. These results are robust in the face of fixed effects, different specifications of export activity and endogeneity, the last of which suggests possible effects of learning by exporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the channels through which Spanish regional export promotion offices (REPOs) abroad affect bilateral exports. Using transaction data per product over the period 1995-2011, we decompose the total impact of REPOs on exports value into three margins: number of products, number of firm transactions per product and average value per transaction. We find that the export-enhancing effect of REPOs takes place mainly through an increase in the first two margins. Moreover, we also find that the pro-trade effect of REPOs is larger for more differentiated products, for non-EU destinations and is increasing with the age of the offices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a relatively unknown market for partial control or corporate influence in Spanish listed firms, where the control transaction size is below the legal threshold that triggers a mandatory tender offer, as this kind of deal looks for exercising some degree of control, but not a full control. The goal of this paper is to go further in its empirical analysis by exploring its distinguishing features, using as the criterion to define its transactions obtaining a seat in the board of directors. We find that these deals are mainly located in the segment of the market of large trades where the rules for private negotiations are easier to implement; the size of the block is relatively large and it is negotiated as a whole block. Besides, the most common buyer has no previous stake in the firm. We find no evidence that the buyers pay, in median, for a seat on the board of directors, but the variability of the premiums for those blocks is higher and shows that buyers that had no control position in the target firm pay more for being among largest shareholders (partial control) and less for not being among them (influence). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that influence the success of internal communication in Spanish companies, specifically the importance of the channels used, activities conducted through ISM and the role played by the communication professional.Design/methodology/approach The model employed argues that to obtain success in internal communication, three factors are considered necessary: first, communication professionals must participate in strategic decisions; second, they have to use together social media channel and classical channel to communicate with employees; and finally they must choose which activities they carry out during the use of social media. These elements are developed in the literature review. To research practices of internal digital communications and level of success of internal communication across types of organizations, a quantitative survey between professionals from Spanish companies was conducted.Findings The results revealed that the hierarchical level, participation in the strategic decision process and dedication of the communication practitioner, alongside with the use of face-to-face and online communication channels, and the perceived importance of communication activities conducted through social media platforms are the key factors that influence the quality of internal communication. However, no significant relationship between the level of success and the use of social media channels was found.Research limitations/implications The current study has several limitations that should be noted and addressed in future research. The main limitation lies in the fact that the dependent variable – success in communication – is entirely based on communication professionals’ perceptions. Replication studies can be conducted to cross-validate the results obtained from this study using business outcome metrics to measure the communication effectiveness. A further limitation is related to the sampling procedure. Obtaining a representative sample of communications professionals in Spanish companies poses a number of limitations due to the impossibility of having accurate data on the total population.Practical implications The findings of the current study provide important implications for public relations professionals on what (i.e. the content) and how to (i.e. the channels) communicate within an organization. In general, internal communicators should move from historical roles as information producers and distributors to advisory roles in strategic decision making. Additionally, the implementation and use of ISM should be carefully revaluated. Communication practitioners should examine and address the difficulties involved in choosing the correct channels, devoting the necessary time to their adequate management, analyzing employees’ feedback and improving the engagement.Originality/value The study shows that internal communication practices in Spanish companies are changing. The model used in this research can be applied in an individual organization to evaluate what factors improve the communication of its employees and carry out additional research in other countries or types of organizations to identity new challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the territorial effects of the LEADER approach in Southern Europe, by analysing the region of Andalusia (Spain). Our research has revealed that, in many cases, projects were concentrated in the most dynamic, most populated areas, with a well-established business network with the financial and organizational capacity required to access European funding. In these areas, the economic leadership of the most dynamic municipalities has been reinforced at the expense of more depressed areas with little social capital and few businesses. These programmes have not, therefore, helped to mitigate territorial imbalances. In a minority of rural areas, however, this trend was not observed, which shows that although territorial inequality is a widespread problem in the practice of neo-endogenous rural development, it does not affect all areas to the same degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the variation of recruitment strategies in Spanish firms, with special emphasis on the Internet. Using data from the Spanish Labour Trends Survey for the period 2001–2011, we study the factors influencing the decision to use online recruitment and explore the differences between Internet and eight traditional recruitment channels. Our results show that the adoption of the Internet monotonically increases over the sample period, when Internet becomes more universal and even in periods with excess of applicants. Large firms operating in information-intensive activities, and located in regions more developed and with better infrastructures are more likely to search for new employees online. We also find that Internet and traditional recruitment methods follow different patterns, especially when using personal referrals and public employment services. Our results suggest the presence of network externalities derived from the increase number of compatible online job seekers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper aims to shed light on the relationship between the entrepreneurial behaviour of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) and their commitment to sustainable development (SD). In order to analyse the determinants of SD engagement at the organisational level, we draw on the resource‐based view of the firm and examine specifically the effects of entrepreneurial orientation and internationalisation, using survey data from Spanish and Mexican SMEs. Our results reveal that entrepreneurial orientation is positively associated with SD engagement, particularly regarding the environment, human resources, and community involvement. However, we could only observe a positive effect of SME internationalisation on SD engagement in Mexican but not in Spanish firms, suggesting that this effect is context‐dependent and related to institutional pressures. We discuss the implications of these findings for scholars and practitioners. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Ibero-Americana de Estratégia (RIAE) is the property of Revista Ibero-Americana de Estrategia/UNINOVE and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of this paper is to explore whether collaborating with public research organizations (PROs) contributes to strengthening the innovation culture of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). We examine to what extent their innovation culture is reinforced by collaborations with research organizations and investigate the type of organizational strategies that enhance this effect of collaboration. The empirical study is based on a survey of firms that collaborate with the largest Spanish PRO, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). Our results indicate that SMEs differ greatly in their capacity to strengthen their innovation culture through collaboration with research organizations. We show also that firms with formal innovation plans that develop internal and external search strategies are more likely to improve their innovation culture as a result of collaboration with PROs. These findings provide managers with new insights into how to strengthen their firms' innovation culture through collaboration with research organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies and characterizes a corporate network based on Argentinian-Spanish business (Catalan mainly) that was built around a dozen companies all located in Buenos Aires, in the first half of 20th century. Studying the board of directors of the company Providencia Compañía Argentina de Seguros, it finds meeting points in which different groups are involved and it analyzes what corporate strategies they applied. It also determines whether any political compromise was acquired by the members of the network, both in Spain and Argentina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the logistic model, this article investigates the influence of financial factors on gaining profits for new firms in the Spanish food industry. Specifically, the firms founded separately during the crisis period and during the postcrisis period are observed for their first three years. The findings suggest that indebtedness (for both periods), previous profitability (for the postcrisis period) and accounts payable (for the crisis period) were most frequently statistically significant in the logistic model. Hence, for new firms, controlling debt burden, accumulating internally generated funds and using payables to establish business relationships can help to gain profits. Firm size and asset rotation were significant in the first year (especially during the postcrisis period), with a positive relationship to profits. Given that the food industry is highly competitive, enlarging firm size to reach efficiencies of scale and using a low-price strategy with high asset rotation to obtain market share are effective marketing strategies for new firms. This article contributes to the empirical studies about the financial effects on new firms' profits in the food industry; it can also help potential entrepreneurs make better decisions about starting new businesses and help to manage new firms better in different macroeconomic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent literature documents a secular increase in the sales-weighted average markup in the United States, a phenomenon that was driven by large and productive firms at the top of the profit distribution. Using rich administrative balance-sheet data, this paper documents the behaviour of markups in Spain before, during, and in the aftermath of the Great Recession. We show that markups rose during the financial crisis. Unlike in the U.S., these dynamics were driven by small and unproductive firms following an increase in their average costs due to a high and increasing share of fixed costs, especially overhead labour expenses. Despite the rise in markups, profit rates fell, especially amongst smaller firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Actualidad Jurídica (1578-956X) is the property of Dykinson SL and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Using data for all exporters, we show that it is a small group of firms that dominate exports in Spain. For example, in 2015 the top 200 firms were responsible for half of Spanish exports. This concentration has not changed substantially over the 1997-2015 period. The dominance of a few firms, a phenomenon denoted as granularity, also defines the specialization of Spanish exports. If top exporters disappeared, Spain would lose its revealed comparative advantage in 60% of industries, which account for 45% of all Spanish exports. Finally, granularity explains around one-third of the growth in Spanish exports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the reasons why firms engage in operating leases and examines the potential impact of a change in the related accounting rules. We focus on the accounting advantage of offbalance financing, which does not affect the typical accounting-based covenants especially important in bank-oriented countries. However, we also consider other economically based arguments. Using manually collected operating lease data for Spanish listed firms, we use the constructive capitalization method to measure as-if liabilities. The results confirm that not only size and industry affect the decision but that firms closer to breaching their covenants are also more inclined to choose operating leases. Consequently, it is argued that such firms will be more affected by the accounting change; indeed, the inclusion of liabilities in the balance sheet might tighten financial covenants in loan agreements as evidenced in the paper. Not surprisingly, firms are strongly opposed to the accounting change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine wage differences between part- and full-time workers distinguishing by gender by using a large Spanish matched employer-employee data set and an econometric decomposition that permits to decompose wage differences by quantiles of the wage distribution.Design/methodology/approach The research is based on cross-section matched employer-employee microdata from a large representative survey (the Encuesta de Estructura Salarial) which is carried out with a harmonised methodology common to all European Union member countries and that has been designed specifically to provide reliable evidence about characteristics of the wage distribution such us wage differentials associated with the type of working time. From a methodological point of view, the econometric decomposition technique proposed recently by Fortin et al. (2011) to decompose wage differences between part-time and full-time workers by quantiles of the wage distribution is applied. This methodology has the advantage over similar techniques that provides a detailed decomposition of wage differentials and has not been used before to examine the wage impact of part-time jobs.Findings The results show that the significant raw wage gap that part-time workers experience in Spain differs substantially along the wage distribution. In the case of part-time females, the wage disadvantage is mostly explained by their relative endowments of characteristics (and particularly by their lower endowments of human capital and their segregation into low-wage sectors) but a significant wage penalty still persists, increasing along the wage distribution. In the case of males the wage disadvantage is only found in the lower part of the distribution and it is due both to their worst endowments of characteristics and a significant wage penalty.Research limitations/implications The evidence for Spain shows that the part-time work tends to affect differently to the wages of males and females, with a higher part-time penalty for males, as predicted by the “flexibility stigma” hypothesis, and penalising low-qualified men in the lower part of the wage distribution and high-qualified women in the upper part of the distribution the most.Originality/value The analysis contributes to the literature by examining wage differences along the wage distribution for both genders using econometric decomposition methods, an aspect that to the authors’ knowledge has been examined only scarcely in the international literature with non-conclusive evidence and has not been examined in previous studies for the Spanish case. In this vein, Spain is a particularly interesting analysis case from an international perspective of the wage consequences of part-time jobs, given that in contrast with most other advanced countries a majority of part-time employment in this country is involuntary and this phenomenon is especially affecting disadvantaged groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]