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IT-based strategy, capabilities, and practices: crowdsourcing implementation in market-oriented firms

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Abstract

In this paper, the resource-based view is used to analyze the implementation of crowdsourcing as an IT-based practice. The study examines strategic positioning regarding market orientation and the role of two capabilities: transformational leadership and organizational learning capability, in the implementation of crowdsourcing. An empirical study of Spanish telecommunications and biotechnology companies confirms the moderating effect of these capabilities on the relationship between market orientation and crowdsourcing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Business Administration, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain

    Carlos Devece & Daniel Palacios-Marqués

  2. IUDESCOOP and Business Administration Department “JJ Renau Piqueras”, Universitat de València Estudi General, Campus dels Tarongers, 46022, Valencia, Spain

    D. Enrique Ribeiro-Soriano

Authors
  1. Carlos Devece
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  2. Daniel Palacios-Marqués
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  3. D. Enrique Ribeiro-Soriano
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Correspondence to Carlos Devece.

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Appendix: Measurement scales

Appendix: Measurement scales

Item

Market orientation (Deshpandé and Farley 1998)

MO1

Our business objectives are driven primarily by customer satisfaction

MO2

We constantly monitor our level of commitment and orientation to serving customer needs

MO3

Our strategy for competitive advantage is based upon our understanding of customer needs

MO4

We measure customer satisfaction systematically and frequently

MO5

We are more customer-focused than our competitor(s)

MO6

We poll end users at least once a year to assess the quality of our products and services

MO7

Data on customer satisfaction are disseminated at all levels in this business unit on a regular basis

Item

Crowdsourcing (Xu et al. 2015)

CS1

The organization has introduced platforms to develop ideas about new products or services

CS2

Users can freely express their ideas about the introduction of new innovations in the firm

CS3

The firm considers that a group of users can develop new ideas about new products or services or improve existing ones

CS4

There are financial and non-financial incentives to develop the best ideas

CS5

The firm has evaluation systems to assess the effectiveness of ideas

CS6

There are knowledge transfer systems to disseminate the best ideas

CS7

The firm uses virtual communities to develop new products or services

CS8

New ideas consider the stakeholders of the firm

Item

Transformational leadership (Bass 1999)

TL1

The leader encourages me to perform more than I am expected to

TL2

The leader increases my motivation to achieve individual and organizational goals

TL3

The leader encourages me to think more creatively and be more innovative

TL4

The leader sets challenging standards for all tasks given to me

TL5

The leader gets me to rethink ideas that I had never questioned before

Item

Organizational learning capability (Chiva et al. 2007)

 

Experimentation

V1

People here receive support and encouragement when presenting new ideas

V2

Initiative often receives a favorable response here, so people feel encouraged to generate new ideas

 

Risk taking

V3

People are encouraged to take risks in this organization

V4

People here often venture into unknown territory

 

Interaction with the external environment

V5

It is part of the work of all staff to collect, bring back, and report information about what is going on outside the company

V6

There are systems and procedures for receiving, collating and sharing information from outside the company

V7

People are encouraged to interact with the environment: competitors, customers, technological institutes, universities, suppliers etc.

 

Dialogue

V8

Employees are encouraged to communicate

V9

There is a free and open communication within my work group

V10

Managers facilitate communication

V11

Cross-functional teamwork is a common practice here

 

Participative decision-making

V12

Managers in this organization frequently involve employees in important decisions

V13

Policies are significantly influenced by the view of employees

V14

People feel involved in main company decisions

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Devece, C., Palacios-Marqués, D. & Ribeiro-Soriano, D.E. IT-based strategy, capabilities, and practices: crowdsourcing implementation in market-oriented firms. Rev Manag Sci 15, 15–32 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-019-00369-w

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