The training of human resources and its impact on the organizational performance of Spanish family businesses: absorptive capacity as strategy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51302/rtss.2014.2878Keywords:
training, absorptive capacity, intellectual capital, knowledge, family businessAbstract
The training of human resources continues to focus the interest of academics, entrepreneurs and professionals, although it is necessary to analyze it beyond its classical or traditional content. Numerous research papers have studied the effect that training has on organizational performance. Moreover, in recent years academic interest has grown considerably regarding the absorptive dynamic capability, and as such, studying the effect it has on organizational learning, knowledge sharing, innovation, capacity building and performance of the company has greatly increased.
However, there are very few studies which link together training, absorptive capacity and organizational performance. Investigations of this manner can make interesting contributions to the field of absorptive capacity and the development of a new approach to more effective human resources training based on absorptive capacity as strategy («absorptive capacity-based view of training»). Indeed, the aim of this work is to create an approach whereby one can determine whether the connection between training and performance in Spanish family businesses is moderated by absorptive capacity. As a tangential question, we try to find out if training plans provide for specific training for the descendants; this issue could affect succession in the family business.
To this end, we propose the case study method, as an exploratory way, in three large Spanish family businesses from three different sectors of activity.
Downloads
References
Amat, J. [1998]: La continuidad de la empresa familiar, Barcelona: Gestión 2000.
Aramburu, N. [2000]: Un estudio del aprendizaje organizativo desde la perspectiva del cambio: implicaciones estratégicas y organizativas, tesis doctoral, San Sebastián: Universidad de Deusto.
Araujo, A.; Barrutia, J.; Hoyos, J.; Landeta, J. e Ibáñez, P. [2006]: «Comportamiento de las empresas respecto a la formación continua de sus directivos», Cuadernos de Gestión, vol. 6, núm. 1, págs. 83-98.
Aronoff, C. y Baskin, M. [1998]: «Preparing your children to "drive" the business», Nation's Business, vol. 86, núm. 1, págs. 60-61.
Ausubel, D. [1963]: The psychology of meaningful verbal learning: An introduction to school learning, New York: Grune & Stratton.
Brettel, M.; Greve, G. y Flatten, T. [2011]: «Giving up linearity: Absorptive capacity and performance», Journal of Managerial Issues, vol. 23, núm. 2, págs. 164-189.
Bryan, J. [2006]: «Training and performance in small firms», International Small Business Journal, vol. 24, núm. 6, págs. 635-660.
Bueno, E.; Jericó, P. y Salmador, M. [2000]: «Gestión del conocimiento y capital intelectual: Análisis de experiencias en la empresa española», Perspectivas sobre dirección del conocimiento y capital intelectual, págs. 92-104.
Castañeda, D. y Fernández, M. [2007]: «Validación de una escala de niveles y condiciones de aprendizaje organizacional», Universitas Psychologica, vol. 6, núm. 2, págs. 245-254.
Chetty, S. [1996]: «The Case study method for research in small –and medium– sized firms», International Small Business Journal, vol. 15, núm. 1, págs. 73-85.
Cohen, W. y Levinthal, D. [1989]: «Innovation and learning: the two faces of R&D», The Economic Journal, vol. 99, núm. 397, págs. 569-596.
— [1990]: «Absorptive capacity: a new perspective on learning and innovation», Administrative Science Quarterly, vol. 35, núm. 1, págs. 128-152.
De la Calle, M. C., y Ortiz de Urbina, M. [2007]: «Los modelos de capital intelectual en las empresas españolas: una aplicación práctica», Revista Interdisciplinar Entelequia, núm. 3, págs. 185-201.
Eisenhardt, K. [1989]: «Building theories from case study research», Academy of Management Review, vol. 14, núm. 4, págs. 532-550.
Ellis, H. [1965]: The transfer of learning, New York: Macmillan.
Estes, W. [1970]: Learning theory and mental development, New York: Academic Press.
Euroforum [1998]: Medición del capital intelectual. Modelo Intelect, Madrid: I. U. Euroforum Escorial.
European Foundation for the Improvement of Living, y Conditions, W. [2011]: «Preparing for the upswing: training and qualification during the crisis», Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
Flatten, T.; Brettel, M.; Engelen, A. y Greve, G. [2009]: «A measure of absorptive capacity: Development and validation», Academy of Management Proceedings, vol. 2009, núm. 1, págs. 1-6.
Flatten, T.; Engelen, A.; Zahra, S. y Brettel, M. [2011]: «A measure of absorptive capacity: Scale development and validation», European Management Journal, vol. 29, núm. 2, págs. 98-116.
Gersick, K.; Davis, J.; McCollom-Hampton, M. y Lansberg, I. [1997]: «Generation to Generation: Life cycles of the family business», Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Grant, R. [1991]: «The resource-based theory of competitive advantage: implications for strategic formulation», California Management Review, vol. 33, núm. 3, págs. 114-135.
Huber, G. P. [1991]: «Organizational learning: the contributing processes and the literatures», Organization Science, vol. 2, núm. 1, págs. 88-115.
Jansen, J.; Van den Bosch, F. y Volberda, H. [2003]: «Managing potential and realized absorptive capacity: Antecedents and consequences», Copenhagen: DRUID Summer Conference 2003.
— [2005]: «Managing potential and realized absorptive capacity: How do organizational antecedents matter?», Academy of Management Journal, vol. 48, núm. 6, págs. 999-1.015.
Kogut, B. y Zander, U. [1992]: «Knowledge of the firm, combinative capabilities and the replication of technology», Organization Science, vol. 3, núm. 3, págs. 383-397.
Lane, P.; Koka, B. y Pathak, S. [2002]: «A thematic analysis and critical assessment of absorptive capacity research», Academy of Management Proceedings, vol. 2002, núm. 1, págs. M1-M6.
— [2006]: «The reification of absorptive capacity: A critical review and rejuvenation of the construct», Academy of Management Review, vol. 31, núm. 4, págs. 833-863.
Lane, P. y Lubatkin, M. [1998]: «Relative absorptive capacity and interorganizational learning», Strategic Management Journal, vol. 19, núm. 5, págs. 461-477.
Lane, P.; Salk, J. y Lyles, M. [2001]: «Absorptive capacity, learning, and performance in international joint ventures», Strategic Management Journal, vol. 22, núm. 12, págs. 1.139-1.161.
Lichtenthaler, U. [2009]: «Absorptive capacity, environmental turbulence, and the complementarity of organizational learning processes», Academy of Management Journal, vol. 52, núm. 4, págs. 822-846.
Longenecker, J. y Schoen, J. [1978]: «Management succession in the family business», Journal of Small Business Management, vol. 16, núm. 3, págs. 1-6.
Martínez, I. y Ruiz, J. [2002]: «Los procesos de creación del conocimiento: El aprendizaje y la espiral de conversión del conocimiento», Alicante: XVI Congreso Nacional AEDEM.
Navas, J. y Ortiz de Urbina, M. [2001]: «Gestión del conocimiento y capital intelectual: algunos aspectos conceptuales», Cuadernos Aragoneses de Economía, vol. 11, núm. 1, págs. 35-48.
Nevado, D. y López, V. [2002]: «Indicadores del capital intelectual: el caso de entidades de crédito», Partida Doble, núm. 132, págs. 58-69.
Rodrigo, B. y Cegarra, J. [2002]: «Clasificación dinámica de la relación de la empresa con el entorno», Cuadernos de Economía Murciana, núm. 15, págs. 35-44.
— [2003]: «Orientadores del aprendizaje relacional», Cuadernos de Administración, vol. 16, núm. 26, págs. 79-97.
Roos, J.; Roos, G.; Dragonetti, N. y Edvinsson, L. [1997]: Intellectual capital: Navigating in the new business landscape, Houndmills, Basingtoke: Macmillan Business.
Saint-Onge, H. [1996]: «Tacit knowledge: the key to the strategic alignment of intellectual capital», Strategy & Leadershyp, vol. 24, núm. 2, págs. 10-14.
Salinero, M. [2006]: La formación como fuente de ventaja competitiva. Análisis de las empresas de Castilla-La Mancha, tesis doctoral, Toledo: Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha.
Stavrou, E. [1999]: «Succession in family businesses: Exploring the effects of demographic factors on offspring intentions to join and take over the business», Journal of Small Business Management, vol. 37, núm. 3, págs. 43-61.
Taubman, P. y Wales, T. [1973]: «Higher education, mental ability, and screening», Journal of Political Economy, vol. 81, núm. 1, págs. 28-55.
Teece, D.; Pisano, G. y Shuen, A. [1997]: «Dynamic capabilities and strategic management», Strategic Management Journal, vol. 18, núm. 7, págs. 509-533.
Todorova, G. y Durisin, B. [2007]: «Absorptive capacity: valuing a reconceptualization SE - academy of management review», Academy of Management Review, vol. 32, núm. 3, págs. 774-786.
Tu, Q.; Vonderembse, M.; Ragu-Nathan, T. S. y Sharkey, T. [2006]: «Absorptive capacity: Enhancing the assimilation of time-based manufacturing practices», Journal of Operations Management, vol. 24, núm. 5, págs. 692-710.
Van den Bosch, F.; Volberda, H. y de Boer, M. [1999]: «Coevolution of firm absorptive capacity and knowledge environment: organizational forms and combinative capabilities», Organization Science, vol. 10, núm. 5, págs. 551-568.
Ward, J. y Sorenson, L. [1988]: «Turning children into managers», Nation's Business, vol. 76, núm. 8, págs. 49-50.
Yahya, S. y Goh, W.-K. [2002]: «Managing human resources toward achieving knowledge management», Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 6, núm. 5, págs. 457-468.
Yin, R. [1994]: Case Study research: design and methods, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Zahra, S. y George, G. [2002]: «Absorptive capacity: a review, reconceptualization and extension», Academy of Management Review, vol. 27, núm. 2, págs. 185-203.
