Programa del congreso

- Objective: This study examines the impact of competition intensity on business model innovation, analysing the mediating role of strategic innovation readiness and comparing the relationships in European family and non-family Small and Medium Sized Enterprises.

- Theoretical background: Drawing on the socioemotional wealth perspective and the familiness concept, we propose and verify that the impact of competition intensity on BMI is stronger in non-family than in family SMEs.

- Methodology: Using a sample of European SMEs, we employ structural equation modelling with partial least squares (SEM-PLS) to test our hypotheses.

- Results/ Implications: this research reveals that competition intensity has a positive and significant impact on BMI, with strategic innovation readiness mediating these relationships, being it stronger in non-family than in family firms. These findings highlight the distinct ways in which family and non-family SMEs respond to competitive pressures in terms of BMI.

- Objectives: This study analyses the relationship between Strategic Innovation Readiness (SIR), Business Model Innovation (BMI), and firm performance within European SMEs, comparing family and non-family firms.

- Theoretical background: Driven by the Organizational Readiness for Change Theory and the Resource-Based View (RBV), we propose and verify that Strategic Innovation Readiness acts as a driver of BMI. Furthermore, drawing on the Socioemotional Wealth (SEW) approach and the "do more with less" innovation perspective, we consider the relationship between Strategic Innovation Readiness, BMI and firm performance to be stronger in family than in non-family firms.

- Methodology: Structural equation modelling with partial least squares (SEM-PLS) is used to test and verify the hypotheses proposed. For this purpose, a sample of 417 SMEs is analysed.

- Results/ Implications: The results provide empirical evidence that SIR acts as a direct driver of BMI, and that BMI serves as a partial mediator between SIR and firm performance. The findings reveal that these relationships are stronger in family firms compared to non-family firms, supporting the view that family firms, driven by socioemotional wealth considerations and a "do more with less" approach, may be more effective at leveraging innovation inputs for successful BMI.

This paper examines the complexities of digitalization, focusing on the distinct organizational goals (both economic and non-economic) of family-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Using the Behavioral Agency Model (BAM) as our theoretical foundation, we analyze the distinct relationship between growth strategies, specifically product diversification and international expansion, and the influence of family ownership on the adoption of digital manufacturing technologies. We hypothesize that digitalization in family-owned SMEs is positively linked to higher levels of product diversification and export activities. Our analysis, which examines a panel dataset of family SMEs from 2002 to 2019, supports our hypotheses.

The pursuit of firm radical innovation is crucial for establishing a sustainable competitive advantage, particularly in the hospitality industry where technological adoption, such as service robots, is becoming increasingly prevalent. In this industry, radical innovation is pivotal for hotels to attain leadership, and the extent to which communication freely flows within the hotel can be key for that purpose. Drawing on the Upper Echelons theory we argue that the servant leadership practiced at the top, with its emphasis on serving, community building and emotional healing could engender such flow of internal information, especially in family-owned hotels where, according to a Socio-Emotional Wealth Theory, there is a strong interest for building ties for and between all involved in the firm. The empirical analysis conducted on 176 hotels in the Canary and Balearic Islands using Partial Least Squares (PLS), confirms that CEO servant leadership fosters radical innovation by positively impacting the flow of internal communication. Notably, this mediated effect is more pronounced in family-owned hotels, highlighting the suitability of adopting a servant leadership style in family businesses to enhance the flow of internal communication and consequently the achievement of radical innovation.