Innovation focus and middle‐up‐down management model: Empirical evidence

Abstract

Purpose

This research aims to measure the extent manufacturing companies from the Basque region (Spain), which place a greater emphasis on innovation, have adapted their management context in accordance with the middle‐up‐down management model put forward by Nonaka and Takeuchi and Nonaka et al. The study explores whether the degree of adoption of the aforementioned model is influenced by contingency factors such as company size or technological level.

Design/methodology/approach

An ad hoc questionnaire was addressed to the chief executive officers of the companies. Structural equation modelling based on partial least squares was used to test the main hypotheses of the research.

Findings

Firms which develop a higher organizational learning capacity put a greater emphasis on innovation. Additionally, the innovation focus of companies is positively related to the implementation of management systems which are more in accordance with the middle‐up‐down management model, and the degree of adoption of the aforementioned model is not influenced by company size or technological level.

Originality/value

The approach taken in the research serves the purpose of linking extremely abstract concepts from the middle‐up‐down model with specific elements from the management context. It also contributes to the development of empirical research in the domain of organizational learning, aimed at clarifying the relationship between organizational learning capacity and innovation orientation. The research contributes towards a better understanding of the degree of adoption of such a model in the Basque region, paving the way for future comparative studies which might take other regions of the world into consideration.

Citation

Sáenz, J., Aramburu, N. and Rivera, O. (2007), "Innovation focus and middle‐up‐down management model: Empirical evidence", Management Research News, Vol. 30 No. 11, pp. 785-802. https://doi.org/10.1108/01409170710832232