Person:
Zouaghi, Ferdaous

Last Name

Zouaghi

First Name

Ferdaous

person.page.departamento

Gestión de Empresas

ORCID

0000-0003-1317-1135

person.page.upna

810777

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 17

Open Access
Geographical and cognitive proximity effects on innovation performance: which types of proximity for which types of innovation?
(Wiley, 2024) García Martínez, Marian; Zouaghi, Ferdaous; Sánchez García, Mercedes; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
The purpose of the paper is to explore the multi-dimensional and intersecting nature of proximity to drive innovation performance. Applying a multidimensional proximity framework, the study provides a deeper understanding of the importance of substitution and overlap mechanisms in the relation between geographical and cognitive proximity dimensions in innovation performance. The paper further analyses the moderation effect of organisational innovation in this relationship. Multivariate analysis proves the interaction effects between geographical and cognitive proximity, where cognitive proximity both substitutes and complements geographical proximity. However, external knowledge search for innovation along proximity dimensions differs depending on the type of innovation. Our findings corroborate the proximity paradox caused by lock-in effects with the optimal level of proximity influenced by the interdependencies between proximity dimensions. This inverse U-shaped relationship is flatter for firms that have adopted organisational innovation. External knowledge linkages should be tailored to the favourable characteristic of proximity to enhance firm innovation performance.
Open Access
Diversity is strategy: the effect of R&D team diversity on innovative performance
(Wiley, 2017) García Martínez, Marian; Zouaghi, Ferdaous; García Marco, María Teresa; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Diversity in the workplace has attracted significant interest in organisations that want to attract and retain talented employees. Breakthrough innovation requires a wider knowledge base, and organisations increasingly rely on multidisciplinary R&D teams to identify scientific developments that bridge gaps and reduce time to market. However, research on the performance implications of R&D team diversity remains limited and the empirical evidence inconsistent. This paper investigates the impact of surface and deep‐level diversity on R&D teams’ innovative performance and how diversity dimensions interact to drive innovation. We find supportive evidence that R&D team characteristics influence innovation outcomes, confirming our hypothesising that diversity is a valuable strategy for an organisation to pursue as it provides greater cognitive ability. Each diversity facet however has its own distinct effects depending on the novelty of innovation and industry. Yet, diversity is not solely positive and excessive heterogeneity could be detrimental to R&D team performance. Our findings suggest that high diversity in gender or skills in cognitively diverse teams might be negative attributes to take into consideration. Senior managers and organisations should therefore consider the appropriate mix of capabilities to benefit from creativity in diverse R&D teams and avoid possible conflict and distrust associated with diversity.
Open Access
Aprovechando la diversidad en los equipos de I+D para incrementar el desempeño innovador
(Ministerio de Industria, Comercio y Turismo, 2021) García Marco, María Teresa; Zouaghi, Ferdaous; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa
En este estudio se analiza el efecto de la diversidad en los equipos de I+D sobre el desempeño innovador tanto de forma individual como cuando interaccionan varias dimensiones de diversidad. Con una base de datos de empresas españolas nuestros resultados muestran que en general la diversidad de los equipos favorece el desempeño innovador. Sin embargo, cuando dos o más dimensiones de diversidad interaccionan conjuntamente dentro de los equipos de I+D el efecto sobre el desempeño innovador, aunque positivo, es menor que cuando solo existe un tipo de diversidad. Los resultados sugieren que un exceso de diversidad conduce a una fragmentación de los equipos de I+D en subgrupos homogéneos (faultlines) que pueden generar conflicto y desconfianza entre los miembros de los equipos de I+D y por lo tanto aminorar el desempeño innovador.
Open Access
Did the global financial crisis impact firms' innovation performance? The role of internal and external knowledge capabilities in high and low tech industries
(Elsevier, 2018) Zouaghi, Ferdaous; Sánchez García, Mercedes; García Martínez, Marian; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
This paper examines the role exerted by internal innovation efforts and external knowledge assets as dynamic capabilities to overcome adverse economic conditions. Additionally, we examine the differential impacts of the financial crisis in high and low-tech industries. Using panel data of manufacturing firms in Spain for the period 2006–2013, our results show that maintaining strong internal and external knowledge capabilities enables firms to mitigate the effects of the financial crisis. Findings emphasize the value of human capital, by enabling internal capabilities, as a coping mechanisms in low-tech sectors during the financial downturn. Similarly, open innovation allows firms to minimise the resources limitations and risk surrounding innovation, particularly during the financial crisis. This study provides valuable insights to managers aiming to develop strong internal knowledge bases to remain competitive under uncertain financial conditions.
Open Access
The influence of CSR orientation on innovative performance: is the effect conditioned to the implementation of organizational practices?
(Springer, 2023) Anzola Román, Paula; García Marco, María Teresa; Zouaghi, Ferdaous; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Previous research has examined the relationship between CSR and innovation and has suggested that the former might positively affect the latter; however, the impact of CSR on innovation success needs further attention. This study aims to develop a deeper understanding of how environmental and social CSR are related to innovation performance and whether the implementation of organizational practices might moderate this relationship. The results are based on an unbalanced panel of 14,313 observations of 3713 firms covering 2011–2015. Using random-effects probit models and the estimation of average marginal effects (AMEs), this paper contributes to the literature on CSR by explaining how CSR dimensions affect innovation success differently and by addressing how this effect is influenced by organizational innovation. The results show that while environmental CSR orientation proves beneficial for the generation of process innovation, social CSR orientation contributes to the generation of both kinds of technological innovations only when internal organizational practices are implemented. This study provides valuable insights for managers aiming to implement a CSR perspective in their strategies to support the pursuit of innovation.
Open Access
The link between R&D team diversity and innovative performance: a mediated moderation model
(Elsevier, 2020) Zouaghi, Ferdaous; García Marco, María Teresa; García Martínez, Marian; Enpresen Kudeaketa; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE; Gestión de Empresas
This paper examines how diversity dimensions, namely gender, skills and education, in R&D teams interact to drive innovation. Our research supports the hypothesis that surface-level diversity might negatively affect R&D team performance when interacting with deep-level diversity. Further, the study considers the mediating effect of social capital to extract value from diverse R&D teams. Social capital favours social interaction by developing harmonious interpersonal relationships among diverse team members. Research hypotheses were tested using the Spanish Technological Innovation Panel (PITEC) for the period 2008-2015. Our mediated-moderation model suggests that high diversity in education or skills in gender diverse teams might adversely affect innovation performance, although the mediating role of R&D social capital diminishes this outcome. This study provides valuable insights for managers aiming to benefit from diversity in R&D teams while minimizing the conflict and mistrust associated with excessive diversity.
Open Access
Combined effects of ozone and freeze-drying on the shelf-life of Broiler chicken meat
(Elsevier, 2016) Cantalejo Díez, María Jesús; Zouaghi, Ferdaous; Pérez Arnedo, María Irache; Tecnología de Alimentos; Elikagaien Teknologia
The effects of ozone on the shelf-life extension of freeze-dried chicken meat fillets stored at 21 ± 1 C were investigated. The samples were exposed to gaseous ozone with three ozone concentrations of 0.4, 0.6 and 0.72 ppm during 10, 30, 60 and 120 min. The shelf-life of the ozonated freeze-dried chicken meat samples was determined using both microbiological and sensory analyses during 8 months of storage. Ozone and lyophilisation (Combined treatments) were shown to be valid in retarding the growth of most microbial groups from the first month of storage. High microbial counts were found in frozen meat from month 6 onwards, with total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (TAMB) counts above 7 log cfu/g and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts above 5 log cfu/g, whereas decreases of 6.8 and 4.77 log cfu/g for TAMB and LAB counts were reported in combined treated samples when compared with untreated meat (frozen meat). Also, 3.26 and 1.41-log reductions were observed with respect to non-ozonated freeze-dried meat (trt-0). Regarding sensory characteristics, the combined use of ozone and lyophilisation would be useful in extending the shelf-life of raw chicken breast meat up to 8 months, whilst the samples treated only with lyophilisation showed a 4 month shelf-life.
Open Access
What drives firm profitability? A multilevel approach to the Spanish agri-food sector
(Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), 2017) Zouaghi, Ferdaous; Sánchez García, Mercedes; Hirsch, Stefan; Enpresen Kudeaketa; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE; Gestión de Empresas
Strategic management research has demonstrated the importance of firm- and industry structure as drivers of firm profitability. However, less is known about how firms´ geographical locations affect profitability. Applying a multi-level approach of hierarchical linear modeling we estimated firm-, industry-, and region-specific effects on profitability of 3,273 agri-food firms operating in different Spanish districts over the time span 2006-2013. The results reveal the dominance of firm-specific effects which contribute up to 48.8% to variance in firm profitability while the contribution of industry effects (0.8-4.2%), geographical location (0.1-1.8%), and year effects (0.1-2.5%) is rather small. Moreover, firm size, risk, and innovative activity turn out as significant profit drivers at the firm level. Although firm-effects outweigh industry- and region-specific factors, the results indicate that industry concentration as well as regional education and unemployment influence profitability. In addition, proximity to technological institutes as well as the degree of urbanization of the region in which a firm operates can be drivers of profitability. Hence, despite the superiority of firm effects the results indicate that agri-food managers should also consider possible advantages from location-based resources in order to ensure competitiveness.
Open Access
Casting a wide net for innovation: mediating effect of R&D human and social capital to unlock the value from alliance portfolio diversity
(Wiley, 2019) García Martínez, Marian; Zouaghi, Ferdaous; Sánchez García, Mercedes; Enpresen Kudeaketa; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE; Gestión de Empresas; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
This paper examines the performance effects associated with different alliance portfolio configurations in terms of geographical location and partner type. Based on these distinctions, the authors hypothesize that more diverse alliance portfolios enable firms to gain and exploit innovation opportunities. Additionally, the mediating effects of R&D human and social capital on the R&D alliance portfolio diversity-innovation performance relationship are explored. The authors reason that the absorptive capacity of R&D intellectual capital determines a firm's potential gains from highly diverse alliance portfolios. From panel data of manufacturing firms in Spain for the period 2008-2013, the results confirm the inverted U-shaped relationship between alliance portfolio diversity and firm innovation performance, implying that both insufficient and excessive alliance portfolio diversity may be detrimental to firm innovativeness. Additionally, R&D human and social capital partially mediates the R&D alliance diversity-innovation performance relationship, emphasizing the importance of internal capabilities to leverage the benefits of highly diverse alliance portfolios. These findings add a dynamic dimension to the conceptualization of alliance portfolios and how firms create value by balancing explorative and exploitative alliances.
Open Access
Study of modified atmosphere packaging on the quality of ozonated freeze-dried chicken meat
(Elsevier, 2016) Zouaghi, Ferdaous; Cantalejo Díez, María Jesús; Tecnología de Alimentos; Elikagaien Teknologia; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) conditions on the physicochemical and sensory properties of ozonated freeze-dried chicken meat stored at 21 ± 1 °C for 28 days. To this end, 14 MAP treatments were performed to obtain the most suitable packaging atmosphere.High concentrations of O2in MAP promoted loss of redness and increased the pH values. Moreover, when the concentration of CO2in MAP was more than 40%, high values of textural parameters and low scores of sensory hardness and chewiness were achieved. The 20%CO2/80%N2 gas combination was found to be the most effective treatment for best maintaining the physicochemical and sensory quality of ozonated dried chicken samples similar to that of raw meat.