Operational capabilities’ typology: an evolution from operational practices

• Ano de defesa: 2016
• Autor(a) principal: Scarpin, Márcia Regina Santiago
• Orientador(a): Brito, Luiz Artur Ledur
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Palavras-chave em Inglês: Operational capabilities; Operational performance; Operational practices; Typology
• Link de acesso: https://hdl.handle.net/10438/16609

Operational capabilities are characterized as an internal resource of the firm and source of competitive advantage. However, the literature of operations management provides inadequate constitutive definitions of operational capabilities, does not cover the relativization to different contexts, has limited empirical grounding, and does not adequately explores the more extensive empirical literature on operational practices. When practices are operationalized in the internal environment of the firm, they can be incorporated as organizational routines, and through the pre-existing tacit knowledge of production, become operational capabilities, thus creating barriers to imitation. But, a few scholars have explored operational practices as an antecedent of operational capabilities. Based on this review, we investigated about nature of operational capability; the relationship between operational practices and operational capabilities; types of operational capabilities characterized in the firm’s internal environment; and the impact of the operational capabilities on operational performance. Therefore, we conduct a mixed methods research. In qualitative stage, we conducted case studies in four firms, two multinational American firms operating in Brazil and two local Brazilian firms. We collected data through semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions, based on our theoretical review of operational practices and operational capabilities. The interviews were conducted face-to-face. In total, 73 interviews were performed in four different firms (21 - first case, 18 - second case, 18 - third case, 16 – fourth case). All interviews were recorded and transcribed literally in NVivo software. In quantitative stage, the sample was composed of 206 firms. The questionnaire creation involved an extensive review of the literature and also the use of the results of the analysis of the qualitative phase data. Q-sort was performed. Pre-test was administered to production managers. Measures were conducted to reduce Common Method Variance. A total of ten scales were used: 1) Continuous Improvement; 2) Information Management; 3) Learning; 4) Customer Support; 5) Innovation; 6) Operational Efficiency; 7) Flexibility; 8) Customization; 9) Supply Management; and 10) Operational Performance. We use Confirmatory Factor Analysis to conducted reliability, content, convergent, and discriminant validity. The data were analyzed using regressions. Our main results were: First, relate the operational practices as an antecedent of operational capabilities. Second, the creation of a typology divided into two constructs. The first construct is called Standalone Capabilities. This group consists of zero order capabilities such as Customer Support, Innovation, Operational Efficiency, Flexibility, Customization, and Supply Management. These capabilities aim to improve operational processes of the firm. They have a direct relationship with operational performance. Second construct is called Across-the-Board Capabilities. It is composed of first order capabilities such as Learning, Continuous Improvement, and Information Management. These capabilities are considered dynamic and they have the role to reconfigure Standalone Capabilities.