Abstract
This paper develops an integrative research model to assess the effect of different factors on social web knowledge sharing and its effect on innovation performance in manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In addition, this study analyzes whether social web knowledge sharing may be a mediator in the relationship between human resource (HR) practices and innovation performance. The proposed research model and its associated hypotheses were tested by using partial least squares structural equation modeling on a dataset of manufacturing SMEs. This study contributes to research seeking to understand the factors affecting social web knowledge sharing by demonstrating that technological and organizational factors have greater impact than environmental factors on social web knowledge sharing. It also contributes to research by exploring the indirect effects of the social influence of HR practices on organizational innovation performance by offering evidence on the mediating effect of social web knowledge sharing in the relationship between HR practices and organizational innovation performance in manufacturing SMEs.
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Appendix: measures
Appendix: measures
Information systems integration |
Extent to which internal enterprise information systems and databases are integrated (1–5) |
Extent to which enterprise information systems and databases are integrated to that of business partners (clients, suppliers…) (1–5) |
Commitment-based HR practices |
Our selection system focuses on the potential of the candidate to learn and grow (1–5) |
Internal candidates are considered over external candidates for job openings (1–5) |
Selection processes are formalized and rigorous (1–5) |
Our company provides career path opportunities (1–5) |
Our company support employees willing to take further training (1–5) |
Promotion is based on objective criteria (seniority, objectives) (1–5) |
Performance appraisals are used to plan skill development and training (1–5) |
Job rotation is used to expand the skills of employees and team building (1–5) |
Horizontal competition |
Threat of existing rivals (1–5) |
Threat of substitute products (1–5) |
Threat of new entrants (1–5) |
Social web knowledge sharing |
Extent to which the employees participate in organizational electronic discussion forums (1–5) |
Extent to which social web technologies are used for building collective knowledge (1–5) |
Extent to which the employees upload information on organizational social networks or wikis (1–5) |
Innovation performance |
The number of new or improved products (good or service) launched to the market over the last 3 years is above the average of your industry (1–5) |
The number of new or improved processes over the last 3 years is above the average of your industry (1–5) |
The number of new or improved management practices over the last 3 years is above the average of your industry (1–5) |
The number of new or improved marketing methods over the last three years is above the average of your industry (1–5) |
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Soto-Acosta, P., Popa, S. & Palacios-Marqués, D. Social web knowledge sharing and innovation performance in knowledge-intensive manufacturing SMEs. J Technol Transf 42, 425–440 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-016-9498-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-016-9498-z