IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/intman/v30y2024i6s107542532400084x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Organizational creativity: A microfoundation of the international business competence and performance link

Author

Listed:
  • Vasconcellos, Sílvio Luís De
  • Parente, Ronaldo Couto
  • Schotter, Andreas P.J.
  • Garrido, Ivan Lapuente
  • Gonçalo, Cláudio Reis

Abstract

We investigate the role of organizational creativity as a microfoundation underlying international business competence (IBC) and its impact on international performance in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Based on recent studies emphasizing the importance of creativity as an antecedent of valuable capabilities, we develop a model showing how organizational creativity manifests itself in diverse nuances in the connection between individual and organizational levels. We test our model with data from SMEs using established scales for organizational creativity and IBC. Our results demonstrate the role of organizational creativity as a nuanced, significant driver for developing IBC and that fostering a creative organizational environment that facilitates transforming individual creativity into an organizational resource leads to superior international performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Vasconcellos, Sílvio Luís De & Parente, Ronaldo Couto & Schotter, Andreas P.J. & Garrido, Ivan Lapuente & Gonçalo, Cláudio Reis, 2024. "Organizational creativity: A microfoundation of the international business competence and performance link," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(6).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:intman:v:30:y:2024:i:6:s107542532400084x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intman.2024.101203
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S107542532400084X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.intman.2024.101203?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Teppo Felin & Nicolai J. Foss & Koen H. Heimeriks & Tammy L. Madsen, 2012. "Microfoundations of Routines and Capabilities: Individuals, Processes, and Structure," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(8), pages 1351-1374, December.
    2. de Vasconcellos, Silvio Luis & Garrido, Ivan Lapuente & Parente, Ronaldo Couto, 2019. "Organizational creativity as a crucial resource for building international business competence," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 438-449.
    3. Bousinakis, Dimitrios & Halkos, George, 2021. "Creativity as the hidden development factor for organizations and employees," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 645-659.
    4. Klaus E Meyer & Arjen Witteloostuijn & Sjoerd Beugelsdijk, 2017. "What’s in a p? Reassessing best practices for conducting and reporting hypothesis-testing research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(5), pages 535-551, July.
    5. Paul D. Ellis, 2010. "Is Market Orientation Affected by the Size and Diversity of Customer Networks?," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 50(3), pages 325-345, June.
    6. Grazia D. Santangelo & Anupama Phene, 2022. "Knowledge sourcing by the multinational enterprise: An individual creativity-based model," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(3), pages 434-448, April.
    7. Sílvio Luís Vasconcellos & José Carlos Silva Freitas & Fabio Miguel Junges, 2021. "Digital Capabilities: Bridging the Gap Between Creativity and Performance," Springer Books, in: Seung Ho Park & Maria Alejandra Gonzalez-Perez & Dinorá Eliete Floriani (ed.), The Palgrave Handbook of Corporate Sustainability in the Digital Era, edition 1, chapter 0, pages 411-427, Springer.
    8. S Tamer Cavusgil & Gary Knight, 2015. "The born global firm: An entrepreneurial and capabilities perspective on early and rapid internationalization," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 46(1), pages 3-16, January.
    9. Williams, Christopher & Du, Juana & Zhang, Hongzhong, 2020. "International orientation of Chinese internet SMEs: Direct and indirect effects of foreign and indigenous social networking site use," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(3).
    10. Ingemar Dierickx & Karel Cool, 1989. "Asset Stock Accumulation and Sustainability of Competitive Advantage," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 35(12), pages 1504-1511, December.
    11. Elaine Mosakowski, 1998. "Entrepreneurial Resources, Organizational Choices, and Competitive Outcomes," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 9(6), pages 625-643, December.
    12. El-Kassar, Abdul-Nasser & Dagher, Grace K. & Lythreatis, Sophie & Azakir, Mohamad, 2022. "Antecedents and consequences of knowledge hiding: The roles of HR practices, organizational support for creativity, creativity, innovative work behavior, and task performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 1-10.
    13. Yasemin Y. Kor & Joseph T. Mahoney & Steven C. Michael, 2007. "Resources, Capabilities and Entrepreneurial Perceptions," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(7), pages 1187-1212, November.
    14. Czinkota, Michael & Khan, Zaheer & Knight, Gary, 2021. "International business and the migrant-owned enterprise," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 657-669.
    15. Villar, Cristina & Alegre, Joaquín & Pla-Barber, José, 2014. "Exploring the role of knowledge management practices on exports: A dynamic capabilities view," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 38-44.
    16. Kwaku Atuahene-Gima & Anthony Ko, 2001. "An Empirical Investigation of the Effect of Market Orientation and Entrepreneurship Orientation Alignment on Product Innovation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(1), pages 54-74, February.
    17. Thomas Hutzschenreuter & Torben Pedersen & Henk W Volberda, 2007. "The role of path dependency and managerial intentionality: a perspective on international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(7), pages 1055-1068, December.
    18. Keep, Ewart & Mayhew, Ken, 1999. "The Assessment: Knowledge, Skills, and Competitiveness," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, Spring.
    19. Ingemar Dierickx & Karel Cool, 1989. "Asset Stock Accumulation and the Sustainability of Competitive Advantage: Reply," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 35(12), pages 1514-1514, December.
    20. Günter K Stahl & Martha L Maznevski & Andreas Voigt & Karsten Jonsen, 2010. "Unraveling the effects of cultural diversity in teams: A meta-analysis of research on multicultural work groups," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(4), pages 690-709, May.
    21. Raluca Mogos Descotes & Björn Walliser, 2013. "Foreign market-related knowledge absorption and the international financial performance of SMEs," Post-Print hal-01369462, HAL.
    22. Richard A. Bettis, 2012. "The search for asterisks: Compromised statistical tests and flawed theories," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(1), pages 108-113, January.
    23. Jasjit Singh & Lee Fleming, 2010. "Lone Inventors as Sources of Breakthroughs: Myth or Reality?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 56(1), pages 41-56, January.
    24. Musteen, Martina & Francis, John & Datta, Deepak K., 2010. "The influence of international networks on internationalization speed and performance: A study of Czech SMEs," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 197-205, July.
    25. Liu,Yu & Peng,Mike W. & Wei,Zuobao & Xu,Jian & Xu,L. Colin, 2021. "Organizational Resources, Country Institutions, and National Culture behind Firm Survival and Growth during COVID-19," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9633, The World Bank.
    26. Jan-Erik Vahlne & Roger Schweizer, 2022. "Human behavior and judgment: A critical nano-foundation for the Uppsala model and international business studies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(7), pages 1549-1555, September.
    27. Bernardo Mueller, 2019. "The building blocks of creativity and new ideas," RAUSP Management Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 54(2), pages 242-246, March.
    28. Maurizio Zollo & Sidney G. Winter, 2002. "Deliberate Learning and the Evolution of Dynamic Capabilities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 13(3), pages 339-351, June.
    29. Mika Gabrielsson & Peter Gabrielsson & Pavlos Dimitratos, 2014. "International Entrepreneurial Culture and Growth of International New Ventures," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 54(4), pages 445-471, August.
    30. Gary A Knight & Daekwan Kim, 2009. "International business competence and the contemporary firm," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 40(2), pages 255-273, February.
    31. Dimitratos, Pavlos & Amorós, José Ernesto & Etchebarne, María Soledad & Felzensztein, Christian, 2014. "Micro-multinational or not? International entrepreneurship, networking and learning effects," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(5), pages 908-915.
    32. Xinshu Zhao & John G. Lynch & Qimei Chen, 2010. "Reconsidering Baron and Kenny: Myths and Truths about Mediation Analysis," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 37(2), pages 197-206, August.
    33. Luis Dib & Angela Rocha & Jorge Silva, 2010. "The internationalization process of Brazilian software firms and the born global phenomenon: Examining firm, network, and entrepreneur variables," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 8(3), pages 233-253, September.
    34. Volery, Thierry & Tarabashkina, Liudmila, 2021. "The impact of organisational support, employee creativity and work centrality on innovative work behaviour," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 295-303.
    35. Elaine Mosakowski, 1997. "Strategy Making Under Causal Ambiguity: Conceptual Issues and Empirical Evidence," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 8(4), pages 414-442, August.
    36. Gao, Yang & Zhao, Xin & Xu, Xiaobo & Ma, Fei, 2021. "A study on the cross level transformation from individual creativity to organizational creativity," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    37. Nicolai J. Foss & Torben Pedersen, 2019. "Microfoundations in international management research: The case of knowledge sharing in multinational corporations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(9), pages 1594-1621, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. de Vasconcellos, Silvio Luis & Garrido, Ivan Lapuente & Parente, Ronaldo Couto, 2019. "Organizational creativity as a crucial resource for building international business competence," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 438-449.
    2. Gabrieli Marques Camillo & Sílvio Luís de Vasconcellos & Mohamed Amal & Ronaldo Couto Parente, 2025. "Bridging creativity and international business competence through digital capabilities," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Oliveira, Luis & Johanson, Martin, 2021. "Trust and firm internationalization: Dark-side effects on internationalization speed and how to alleviate them," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 1-12.
    4. Hazhir Rahmandad & Nelson Repenning, 2016. "Capability erosion dynamics," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(4), pages 649-672, April.
    5. Quan Anh Nguyen & Gillian Sullivan Mort, 0. "Conceptualising organisational-level and microfoundational capabilities: an integrated view of born-globals’ internationalisation," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-23.
    6. Purkayastha, Anish & Karna, Amit & Sharma, Sunil & Bhadra, Dhiman, 2024. "Role of resource investment management and strategic resource deployment capabilities in internationalization-performance relationship," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(2).
    7. Nadia Zahoor & Yong Kyu Lew, 2022. "Sustaining superior international performance: Strategic orientations and dynamic capability of environmentally concerned small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 1002-1017, March.
    8. Nave, Edgar & Ferreira, João J. & Carneiro, Jorge, 2024. "International entrepreneurial orientation and early internationalisation of SMEs: Does international networking orientation with competitors and non-competitors make a difference?," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(4).
    9. Pinho, José Carlos & Prange, Christiane, 2016. "The effect of social networks and dynamic internationalization capabilities on international performance," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 391-403.
    10. Asimakopoulos, Grigorios & Revilla, Antonio & Rodríguez, Alicia, 2023. "International R&D sourcing, innovation and firm age: The advantage of ‘born-international sourcers’," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    11. Jain, Naveen Kumar & Celo, Sokol & Kumar, Vikas, 2019. "Internationalization speed, resources and performance: Evidence from Indian software industry," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 26-37.
    12. Mohamed Mansouri & Cheklekbire Malainine & Hayat Souti & Ikram Cadimi, 2022. "Dynamic capabilities, competitiveness and performance of small and medium-sized enterprises: a systematic literature review [Capacités dynamiques, compétitivité et performance des petites et moyenn," Post-Print hal-03794567, HAL.
    13. Strobl, Andreas & Bauer, Florian & Degischer, Daniel, 2022. "Contextualizing deliberate learning from acquisitions: The role of organizational and target contexts," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 194-207.
    14. Heechun Kim & Jie Wu & Douglas A. Schuler & Robert E. Hoskisson, 2020. "Chinese multinationals’ fast internationalization: Financial performance advantage in one region, disadvantage in another," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(7), pages 1076-1106, September.
    15. D’Angelo, Alfredo & Ganotakis, Panagiotis & Love, James H., 2020. "Learning by exporting under fast, short-term changes: The moderating role of absorptive capacity and foreign collaborative agreements," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(3).
    16. Quan Anh Nguyen & Gillian Sullivan Mort, 2021. "Conceptualising organisational-level and microfoundational capabilities: an integrated view of born-globals’ internationalisation," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 1781-1803, December.
    17. Castellaneta, Francesco & Conti, Raffaele, 2017. "How does acquisition experience create value? Evidence from a regulatory change affecting the information environment," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 60-68.
    18. Maldea, Radu-Andrei, 2023. "Winning when Going Global – On the Role of Heritage and Strategic Moves for Internationalization Endeavors of Start-ups," Junior Management Science (JUMS), Junior Management Science e. V., vol. 8(2), pages 532-568.
    19. Zhang, Yucheng & Hou, Zhongwei & Yang, Feifei & Yang, Miles M. & Wang, Zhiling, 2021. "Discovering the evolution of resource-based theory: Science mapping based on bibliometric analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 500-516.
    20. Pandza, Krsto & Ellwood, Paul, 2013. "Strategic and ethical foundations for responsible innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(5), pages 1112-1125.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:intman:v:30:y:2024:i:6:s107542532400084x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/601266/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.