Do perceptions of work conditions prompt employees to adopt entrepreneurial behaviors? Does well-... more Do perceptions of work conditions prompt employees to adopt entrepreneurial behaviors? Does well-being play a role in this relationship? This paper proposes an integrated model of the associations between perceptions of work conditions (job resources and job demands) and the dimensions of entrepreneurial behaviors (innovative behavior, proactive behavior, and risk-taking behavior). Following the job demands-resources model, we also explore whether employees' well-being (work engagement and emotional exhaustion) mediates the association between work conditions and employees' behavior. Survey data of 257 R&D employees from the chemical sector in Spain were analyzed. The research concludes that different work conditions correlate with the dimensions of entrepreneurial behavior of employees (EBE) in different ways. Job demands are associated with innovative work behavior. Feelings of engagement are related to the dimensions of EBE and play a mediating role between job resources ...
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a deeper insight into the organizational factors ... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a deeper insight into the organizational factors and personal motivations of intrapreneurs that may foster intrapreneurial behaviors of employees in a new technology-based firm (NTBF). Design/methodology/approach The paper takes a qualitative approach to explore organizational and individual antecedents of employees’ intrapreneurial behavior. A single case study was conducted on the basis of semi-structured interviews with the founders and top managers of the firm and with intrapreneurial employees. Findings Results show that intrapreneurial projects may arise in firms whose top managers support corporate entrepreneurship (CE) in a non-active manner. Intrapreneurial behaviors of employees can emerge despite the lack of time and limited resources available for undertaking projects. Moreover, work discretion and mutual confidence and the quality of the relationship between employees and top managers are the most valued factors for intrap...
Previous contributions have reported contradictory findings about the effects of quality manageme... more Previous contributions have reported contradictory findings about the effects of quality management (QM) on innovation performance. The purpose of this paper is to critically appraise methodological issues in the literature concerning the link between QM and innovation performance, in order to reveal possible differences in the research design which may explain the heterogeneity of the findings. Through a content analysis of peer-reviewed journal articles on this topic from 1994 to 2016, the authors compare the research designs used, and identify the most prevalent practices in conducting survey-based research. In addition, cross-tabulations are used to analyse the relationships between methodological issues and type of findings. The main findings can be summarised as follows: some papers report incomplete information about methodological issues; they focus on the organisational level of analysis and see higher managers as common informants; there is a lack of research which combines surveys with other methods, as well as of longitudinal designs; and the findings obtained may be conditioned by the way QM and innovation performance were measured. The characteristics revealed in this analysis provide a platform to assist scholars in developing future stances in this and similar fields of research.
International Journal of Operations & Production Management
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address potential effects of the control element in quali... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address potential effects of the control element in quality management. First, behavioural theories on how elements of performance management can affect organisational performance are examined. Second, theoretical models on how perceptions of work conditions may impact well-being and performance are considered. Direct and indirect pathways from performance management to productivity/quality are inferred. Design/methodology/approach Matched employee-workplace data from an economy-wide survey in Britain and two-level structural equation models are used to test the hypothesised associations. Findings The use of practices in workplaces is inconsistent with a unified performance management approach. Distinct outcomes are expected from separate components in performance management and some may be contingent on workplace size. For example, within quality planning, strategy dissemination is positively associated with workplace productivity; targets ar...
International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse the level of corporate social responsibility (CSR)... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse the level of corporate social responsibility (CSR) development, in accordance with the dimensions of Maonet al.’s (2010) model, which could be achieved when organisations adopt the EFQM model, as well as how the EFQM model can foster this CSR development.Design/methodology/approachThe research method chosen was a qualitative methodology involving multiple case studies. The empirical research relies on an in-depth study of four cases of organisations recognised by the EFQM model in Spain.FindingsThe findings show that, although a higher commitment to the EFQM model implies a greater level of CSR development, with the knowledge and attitudinal dimensions more developed than others, organisations still have to make CSR an internalised management ideology.Research limitations/implicationsThe very nature of the process of EFQM assessment does not ensure uniformity in all aspects of management. Limitations that are inherent to case studies: f...
International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management
Purpose Although the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model has been ... more Purpose Although the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model has been widely adopted throughout Europe, a thorough examination of the factors that contribute to the internalisation of the model (i.e. a substantive adoption) has been neglected in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to present a model that analyses the drivers of the real internalisation of the EFQM excellence model, with a focus on the role of motives for adoption, and appraisal and compensation systems. Design/methodology/approach An empirical study was carried out based on a sample of Spanish organisations that had been awarded EFQM recognition. Structural equation models, cluster analysis and ANOVA were used to examine the research questions. Findings Internal motives concerning the creation of a participative style are the main driver of internalisation. Moreover, having an appraisal system-oriented towards the development of employees helps the substantive adoption of the EFQM...
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the level of corporate social responsibility (CSR) develo... more The purpose of this paper is to analyse the level of corporate social responsibility (CSR) development, in accordance with the dimensions of Maon et al.’s (2010) model, which could be achieved when organisations adopt the EFQM model, as well as how the EFQM model can foster this CSR development.
International Journal of Operations & Production Management
Purpose By contrasting a contingency with a universal approach to business excellence models (BEM... more Purpose By contrasting a contingency with a universal approach to business excellence models (BEMs), the purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of size on the use of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model by organizations that were officially “Recognized for Excellence” in Spain. It considers the potential differences between large organizations and SMEs on the level of adoption of EFQM criteria and on the impact that enablers-criteria may have on key performance measures. Design/methodology/approach This study uses actual sub-criteria and criteria scores attained by organizations in their assessment for EFQM recognition. Scores of a population of 216 organizations are analyzed via analysis of variance, factor and structural equations models. Findings Although there are some criteria in the EFQM model that appear to be universally adopted irrespective of size, the empirical analyses indicate that size may shape the adoption of other criteria and the ...
El Modelo EFQM de Excelencia es ampliamente utilizado en Europa para gestionar las organizaciones... more El Modelo EFQM de Excelencia es ampliamente utilizado en Europa para gestionar las organizaciones, habiendo extendido el campo de la Gestión de la Calidad hasta alcanzar aspectos estratégicos. A la par, la sociedad está solicitando a todo tipo de organizaciones más información y responsabilidades sobre su desempeño Social y Medio Ambiental sin que por eso se descuiden los resultados Económicos, y todo ello con comportamientos Éticos. Estamos ante lo que se conoce como RSC. Cada organización opta por un grado de compromiso o seguimiento diferente de los principios que sirven como base para lograr la excelencia sostenida en una organización, lo que tiene su reflejo, en el Modelo EFQM de Excelencia, en su reconocimiento mediante distintos niveles de desempeño. Este desarrollo evolutivo también se puede encontrar en la implantación de la RSC en las organizaciones, dentro del cual Maon et al. (2010) han identificado 7 etapas. El presente trabajo propone que existe una relación directa en...
International Journal of Production Economics, 2015
This paper investigates whether there is a specific approach to the adoption of best management p... more This paper investigates whether there is a specific approach to the adoption of best management practices embedded in the EFQM Excellence Model, which characterizes leading "Recognized for Excellence" organizations in Spain. In addition, it studies which practices within EFQM's enablers predict high performance. In contrast to most previous research that used surveys of managers' perceptions, this study uses the actual criteria and sub-criteria scores attained by organizations in their assessment for EFQM recognition. Scores of a population of 216 organizations, which were assessed in the period from March 2011 to March 2013, are analyzed via ANOVA, factor and regression analyses. The findings show that Spanish organizations adopt the best practices encompassing the EFQM model in a similar fashion: organizations on average follow parallel trends in the scores received per criterion, and there are no significant differences in the importance attributed to enablers. Either role models are being followed, or most organizations know what is expected by the assessors and try to fulfil these expectations. Consequently, an imitative process disseminates and legitimizes the EFQM model in Spain. In addition, it is found that the People criterion makes a difference in attaining high performance, thus emphasizing the relative importance of the softer dimension in Quality Management. This study contributes to the management literature on best practices, by highlighting a consistent trend in the use of the EFQM model, and also provides insights to managers on how to better allocate resources within Business Excellence Models.
The generalisation of temporary contracts in Spain as a practice designed to bring about labour f... more The generalisation of temporary contracts in Spain as a practice designed to bring about labour flexibility has generated lively debate over whether they have positive or negative effects on labour productivity. According to some theoretical arguments and empirical studies, these contracts have both positive and negative effects. In this study we reconcile these two apparently opposing points of view by suggesting that there is an inverted U-shaped curve between temporary contracts and labour productivity. We find that the use of temporary contracts has a positive effect on labour productivity, but their overuse is negative. Human resources professionals should note that the higher is the use; the lower is the usefulness of temporary contracts
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the degree to which employees’ proactive behavior... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the degree to which employees’ proactive behavior contributes to innovation performance in firms operating in high-technology sectors. Despite the benefits of these behaviors for individuals and organizations, few studies have analyzed the contextual conditions that enable firms to capture their value in order to improve innovation performance. Drawing on the interactionist perspective, the authors also examine the extent to which informal and formal controls, such as perceived support for innovation and innovation process formalization, can facilitate the contribution of proactive behaviors to improve innovation performance (product and process innovation). Design/methodology/approach Based on an empirical study with a sample of 173 firms operating in chemical and information technology service sectors, hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the relationship between employees’ proactive behavior and innovation performance, ...
Do perceptions of work conditions prompt employees to adopt entrepreneurial behaviors? Does well-... more Do perceptions of work conditions prompt employees to adopt entrepreneurial behaviors? Does well-being play a role in this relationship? This paper proposes an integrated model of the associations between perceptions of work conditions (job resources and job demands) and the dimensions of entrepreneurial behaviors (innovative behavior, proactive behavior, and risk-taking behavior). Following the job demands-resources model, we also explore whether employees' well-being (work engagement and emotional exhaustion) mediates the association between work conditions and employees' behavior. Survey data of 257 R&D employees from the chemical sector in Spain were analyzed. The research concludes that different work conditions correlate with the dimensions of entrepreneurial behavior of employees (EBE) in different ways. Job demands are associated with innovative work behavior. Feelings of engagement are related to the dimensions of EBE and play a mediating role between job resources ...
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a deeper insight into the organizational factors ... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a deeper insight into the organizational factors and personal motivations of intrapreneurs that may foster intrapreneurial behaviors of employees in a new technology-based firm (NTBF). Design/methodology/approach The paper takes a qualitative approach to explore organizational and individual antecedents of employees’ intrapreneurial behavior. A single case study was conducted on the basis of semi-structured interviews with the founders and top managers of the firm and with intrapreneurial employees. Findings Results show that intrapreneurial projects may arise in firms whose top managers support corporate entrepreneurship (CE) in a non-active manner. Intrapreneurial behaviors of employees can emerge despite the lack of time and limited resources available for undertaking projects. Moreover, work discretion and mutual confidence and the quality of the relationship between employees and top managers are the most valued factors for intrap...
Previous contributions have reported contradictory findings about the effects of quality manageme... more Previous contributions have reported contradictory findings about the effects of quality management (QM) on innovation performance. The purpose of this paper is to critically appraise methodological issues in the literature concerning the link between QM and innovation performance, in order to reveal possible differences in the research design which may explain the heterogeneity of the findings. Through a content analysis of peer-reviewed journal articles on this topic from 1994 to 2016, the authors compare the research designs used, and identify the most prevalent practices in conducting survey-based research. In addition, cross-tabulations are used to analyse the relationships between methodological issues and type of findings. The main findings can be summarised as follows: some papers report incomplete information about methodological issues; they focus on the organisational level of analysis and see higher managers as common informants; there is a lack of research which combines surveys with other methods, as well as of longitudinal designs; and the findings obtained may be conditioned by the way QM and innovation performance were measured. The characteristics revealed in this analysis provide a platform to assist scholars in developing future stances in this and similar fields of research.
International Journal of Operations & Production Management
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address potential effects of the control element in quali... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address potential effects of the control element in quality management. First, behavioural theories on how elements of performance management can affect organisational performance are examined. Second, theoretical models on how perceptions of work conditions may impact well-being and performance are considered. Direct and indirect pathways from performance management to productivity/quality are inferred. Design/methodology/approach Matched employee-workplace data from an economy-wide survey in Britain and two-level structural equation models are used to test the hypothesised associations. Findings The use of practices in workplaces is inconsistent with a unified performance management approach. Distinct outcomes are expected from separate components in performance management and some may be contingent on workplace size. For example, within quality planning, strategy dissemination is positively associated with workplace productivity; targets ar...
International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse the level of corporate social responsibility (CSR)... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse the level of corporate social responsibility (CSR) development, in accordance with the dimensions of Maonet al.’s (2010) model, which could be achieved when organisations adopt the EFQM model, as well as how the EFQM model can foster this CSR development.Design/methodology/approachThe research method chosen was a qualitative methodology involving multiple case studies. The empirical research relies on an in-depth study of four cases of organisations recognised by the EFQM model in Spain.FindingsThe findings show that, although a higher commitment to the EFQM model implies a greater level of CSR development, with the knowledge and attitudinal dimensions more developed than others, organisations still have to make CSR an internalised management ideology.Research limitations/implicationsThe very nature of the process of EFQM assessment does not ensure uniformity in all aspects of management. Limitations that are inherent to case studies: f...
International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management
Purpose Although the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model has been ... more Purpose Although the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model has been widely adopted throughout Europe, a thorough examination of the factors that contribute to the internalisation of the model (i.e. a substantive adoption) has been neglected in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to present a model that analyses the drivers of the real internalisation of the EFQM excellence model, with a focus on the role of motives for adoption, and appraisal and compensation systems. Design/methodology/approach An empirical study was carried out based on a sample of Spanish organisations that had been awarded EFQM recognition. Structural equation models, cluster analysis and ANOVA were used to examine the research questions. Findings Internal motives concerning the creation of a participative style are the main driver of internalisation. Moreover, having an appraisal system-oriented towards the development of employees helps the substantive adoption of the EFQM...
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the level of corporate social responsibility (CSR) develo... more The purpose of this paper is to analyse the level of corporate social responsibility (CSR) development, in accordance with the dimensions of Maon et al.’s (2010) model, which could be achieved when organisations adopt the EFQM model, as well as how the EFQM model can foster this CSR development.
International Journal of Operations & Production Management
Purpose By contrasting a contingency with a universal approach to business excellence models (BEM... more Purpose By contrasting a contingency with a universal approach to business excellence models (BEMs), the purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of size on the use of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model by organizations that were officially “Recognized for Excellence” in Spain. It considers the potential differences between large organizations and SMEs on the level of adoption of EFQM criteria and on the impact that enablers-criteria may have on key performance measures. Design/methodology/approach This study uses actual sub-criteria and criteria scores attained by organizations in their assessment for EFQM recognition. Scores of a population of 216 organizations are analyzed via analysis of variance, factor and structural equations models. Findings Although there are some criteria in the EFQM model that appear to be universally adopted irrespective of size, the empirical analyses indicate that size may shape the adoption of other criteria and the ...
El Modelo EFQM de Excelencia es ampliamente utilizado en Europa para gestionar las organizaciones... more El Modelo EFQM de Excelencia es ampliamente utilizado en Europa para gestionar las organizaciones, habiendo extendido el campo de la Gestión de la Calidad hasta alcanzar aspectos estratégicos. A la par, la sociedad está solicitando a todo tipo de organizaciones más información y responsabilidades sobre su desempeño Social y Medio Ambiental sin que por eso se descuiden los resultados Económicos, y todo ello con comportamientos Éticos. Estamos ante lo que se conoce como RSC. Cada organización opta por un grado de compromiso o seguimiento diferente de los principios que sirven como base para lograr la excelencia sostenida en una organización, lo que tiene su reflejo, en el Modelo EFQM de Excelencia, en su reconocimiento mediante distintos niveles de desempeño. Este desarrollo evolutivo también se puede encontrar en la implantación de la RSC en las organizaciones, dentro del cual Maon et al. (2010) han identificado 7 etapas. El presente trabajo propone que existe una relación directa en...
International Journal of Production Economics, 2015
This paper investigates whether there is a specific approach to the adoption of best management p... more This paper investigates whether there is a specific approach to the adoption of best management practices embedded in the EFQM Excellence Model, which characterizes leading "Recognized for Excellence" organizations in Spain. In addition, it studies which practices within EFQM's enablers predict high performance. In contrast to most previous research that used surveys of managers' perceptions, this study uses the actual criteria and sub-criteria scores attained by organizations in their assessment for EFQM recognition. Scores of a population of 216 organizations, which were assessed in the period from March 2011 to March 2013, are analyzed via ANOVA, factor and regression analyses. The findings show that Spanish organizations adopt the best practices encompassing the EFQM model in a similar fashion: organizations on average follow parallel trends in the scores received per criterion, and there are no significant differences in the importance attributed to enablers. Either role models are being followed, or most organizations know what is expected by the assessors and try to fulfil these expectations. Consequently, an imitative process disseminates and legitimizes the EFQM model in Spain. In addition, it is found that the People criterion makes a difference in attaining high performance, thus emphasizing the relative importance of the softer dimension in Quality Management. This study contributes to the management literature on best practices, by highlighting a consistent trend in the use of the EFQM model, and also provides insights to managers on how to better allocate resources within Business Excellence Models.
The generalisation of temporary contracts in Spain as a practice designed to bring about labour f... more The generalisation of temporary contracts in Spain as a practice designed to bring about labour flexibility has generated lively debate over whether they have positive or negative effects on labour productivity. According to some theoretical arguments and empirical studies, these contracts have both positive and negative effects. In this study we reconcile these two apparently opposing points of view by suggesting that there is an inverted U-shaped curve between temporary contracts and labour productivity. We find that the use of temporary contracts has a positive effect on labour productivity, but their overuse is negative. Human resources professionals should note that the higher is the use; the lower is the usefulness of temporary contracts
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the degree to which employees’ proactive behavior... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the degree to which employees’ proactive behavior contributes to innovation performance in firms operating in high-technology sectors. Despite the benefits of these behaviors for individuals and organizations, few studies have analyzed the contextual conditions that enable firms to capture their value in order to improve innovation performance. Drawing on the interactionist perspective, the authors also examine the extent to which informal and formal controls, such as perceived support for innovation and innovation process formalization, can facilitate the contribution of proactive behaviors to improve innovation performance (product and process innovation). Design/methodology/approach Based on an empirical study with a sample of 173 firms operating in chemical and information technology service sectors, hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the relationship between employees’ proactive behavior and innovation performance, ...
Uploads
Papers by Ana Escrig