Template-type: ReDif-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Narula R. 
Author-Name: Martinez-Noya A. 
Author-Name: Ashok M. 
Author-workplace-name: UNU-MERIT
Title: End-user collaboration for process innovation in services: The role of internal resources
Abstract: This paper focuses on how to improve process innovation in service  sectors. To do so, we analyse how the interplay of external knowledge  sources specifically, the intensity of end-user collaboration and the  breadth of external collaboration and the firms internal resources  impact process innovation at the firm level. Survey data from 166  Information Technology Services firms provide the empirical data, which  is tested using the partial least squares structural equation model. Our  results demonstrate that benefits from collaboration are not automatic,  as the firms commitment of internal resources fully mediates the impact  of the intensity of end-user collaboration and breadth of external  collaboration on process innovation. Thus, internal resources become  critical to make effective use of the knowledge residing both internally  and externally, and key managerial practices that enable a firm to  extract benefits from external collaboration are identified.     Keywords end-user collaboration; external knowledge sources; internal  resources; process innovation; service industry
Keywords: IT Management; Management of Technological Innovation and R&D; 
Classification-JEL: M15; O32; .
Series:  Working Papers
Creation-Date: 2014
Number: 019
File-URL: http://pub.maastrichtuniversity.nl/bf058016-b552-40e4-b54d-f3974e51ef2e
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 323615
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2014019