Title: Flexibility, fit and innovative capacity: an empirical examination

Authors: Antonio J. Verdu-Jover, Javier F. Llorens-Montes, Víctor J. Garcia-Morales

Addresses: Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Juridicas, Dpto. Estudios Economicos y Financieros, Miguel Hernandez University, Avda. de la Universidad, s/n 03202 Elche-Alicante, Spain. ' Facultad de Ciencias Economicas y Empresariales, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n 18071 Granada, Spain. ' Facultad de Ciencias Economicas y Empresariales, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n 18071 Granada, Spain

Abstract: Flexibility is an organisation|s ability to adapt to substantial and uncertain changes in the environment that requires quick reactions and which has a significant impact on performance. For many firms, creating new products, ideas or processes is a central path by which they adapt and sometimes even transform themselves in changing environments. This document takes an in-depth trans-national look into the framework of the European Union, on the effects flexibility has on firms| innovative capacity. Three different levels are analysed: strategic, structural, and operational flexibility. The objectives were tackled using data from 417 European firms. The results show that a good fit between real flexibility and that required by the environment has a positive impact on the level of innovativeness and on a company|s innovative capacity.

Keywords: innovation; innovative capacity; flexibility; fit; adaptation; competencies; dynamic capability; European Union.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2005.006348

International Journal of Technology Management, 2005 Vol.30 No.1/2, pp.131 - 146

Published online: 23 Feb 2005 *

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