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This paper aims to identify potential explanatory variables of the entrepreneurial orientation and innovation capacity (EO-IC) of family enterprises (FEs) through a comparative study of family businesses in Spain and Latin America. The innovation literature reports a paradigm shift whereby the dynamic boost provided by corporate governance and productivity is playing an increasing role as a driver of EO-IC and sustainable competitive advantage. This issue acquires particular relevance in the case of family firms, where entrepreneurial and innovation capacities are characteristically hampered by socio-emotional and risk-aversion factors. We construct a panel of data on 182 large family enterprises (1,820 observations) domiciled in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Spain, drawing on the Thomson Onebanker and ORBIS databases for the period 2008-2018. The results reveal the emergence of new explanatory variables for the structure of the family-firm EO-IC framework, some related to productivity; others more basically to corporate governance. They also show that, in Latin America, the use of business efficiency (productivity) factors in the planning and potentiation of EO-IC by family firms is hampered by the institutional (legal, regulatory, labour and educational) environment, where traditional factors such as firm size and ownership concentration are more relevant. In the Spanish case, however, the evidence points to a transition from traditional inputs towards business efficiency and productivity- related factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research study aims at developing a knowledge management system to enhance Jordanian Banks Performance. The authors developed the system by examining three variables: knowledge processes, knowledge perspectives and balanced scorecard. The research sample included all 327 bank employees (directors, general directors, deputies, assistant managers & chairpersons) working in six commercial and Islamic-commercial Jordanian banks, from which 193 completed the study questionnaire. AMOS software was used to treat and organize the collected data. Path analysis proved that the optimal study model excludes the process of knowledge diagnose from knowledge processes, and considers organizational culture perspective as the best moderating variable through which the system can be applied in Jordanian banks. There is a difference in the effect level of the knowledge management system to enhance performance in the Jordanian commercial and Islamic banks. The obtained results indicate that there is a strong relationship between information technology, knowledge management and high business values. Banks managements were not keen to share knowledge with universities and research centres. They depended on existing knowledge, developed knowledge by experiments, or borrowed it from other financial institutions. This study confirmed that knowledge management practice contributes to increasing efficacy and experience, contributing in turn in enhancing human capital in knowledge-intensive business service in Spain. Knowledge management use in Jordan banks increased employee's satisfaction toward using operating business and the quality of knowledge obtained. As a result, banking services and trust in banks increased. Based on the research results, it is recommended that banks managements develop, equip, and update banks systems, recruit professional employees and to seek experts and researcher's assistance in this regard. Banks managements should adopt models that replace diagnosis from the knowledge processes with organizational culture. Besides, management should develop banking knowledge and pay attention to other knowledge management processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies within the innovation systems perspective have not paid enough attention to the role that Vocational Training (VT) centres and technical workers can play in innovation processes. In this paper we review the recent international literature on the issue and present an exploratory case study carried out in the Northern Spanish region of Navarre, which has a high level of both industrial activity and VT education. The study is based on quantitative and qualitative evidence from industrial SMEs and VT agents. The different types of relationships between VT centres and SMEs are analysed: formal education, in-company work training, hiring of graduates, continuous training, and innovation-related services. Results show that firms have a highly positive perception of VT centres' more 'traditional' missions (graduate education and employability), but more advanced and innovation- related missions have a limited reach right now. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation is widely recognised as an appropriate 'tool' to gain competitiveness and it is often defined as an idea, process, service, product, etc., that is characterised as being new and commercially accepted. The description of the innovation process as a sequence of tasks is not new; but there is still no easy way to materialise these processes in the industry. Various authors have defined modelling as the most appropriate way to achieve this purpose. This paper compiles and summarises all of the most relevant models published during the last three decades. It also identifies their key factors, which are included in a questionnaire that will be used amongst relevant industrial firms in the Basque country in order to characterise a new innovation model. The originality of this work will be the joint development and validation of a new innovation model, suited to actual needs, flexible and customised to industrial companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bibliographical review on patents as a source of information for innovation in competitive environments, as well as a description of the advantages and limitations of their use as a source of information. The possible applications in the technical, scientific, commercial and legal fields are identified and classified. It refers to the work of the librarian related to the patents because its treatment requires knowledge of the profession. It is concluded that patents should be considered invaluable source of relevant information for competitiveness in organizations. However, their use has not been promoted accurately in developing countries like ours. This tendency should be corrected in order to make use of this resource for the development and innovation of our region. It covers the material published from 1977 until September, 2009, of Latin America and Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we analyze whether innovation in companies is related to the introduction of new forms of labour organization and personnel policies that imply more participative human resource management. At the same time, we will tackle the relations between firms' innovative capacities and the managements' promotion of values oriented towards higher participation, commitment and autonomy of workers. The empirical analysis is based on a survey carried out in companies of more than 30 workers. The results obtained after applying different techniques of analysis indicate that the innovative organizations do attribute greater importance to values that promote workers' participation, initiative and autonomy. However, the same results also demonstrate that these companies have progressed little in the implementation of organizational modifications and mechanisms needed to be able to put these values into practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interview with Cristina Garmendia, head of Ministry of Science and Innovation in Spain, is presented. When asked about why the ministry puts so much emphasis on innovation, she answers that they want to strengthen the chain of knowledge in universities and research bodies to benefit the society. She talks about how the ministry tackles the problem on low investment from private sector. She also comments on the controversy about the decision to move universities from the education ministry.