Purpose: Nowadays, the phenomenon of increased competition between firms and their need to respond effectively to rapidly changing operational conditions, as well as to personnel requirements, has escalated the necessity to identify those factors that affect employee performance (EP). The purpose of this paper is to examine the interrelations between firm/environment-related factors (training culture, management support, environmental dynamism and organizational climate), job-related factors (job environment, job autonomy, job communication) and employee-related factors (intrinsic motivation, skill flexibility, skill level, proactivity, adaptability, commitment) and their impact on EP.Design/methodology/approach: A new research model that examines the relationships between these factors and EP is proposed utilizing the structural equation modeling approach.Findings: The results indicate that job environment and management support have the strongest impacts (direct and indirect) on job performance, while adaptability and intrinsic motivation directly affect job performance.Research limitations/implications: A potential limitation of this research is that it is not focused only on one business sector (i.e. the sample is heterogeneous).Originality/value: In this study, firm/environmental-related factors, job-related factors, employee-related factors and EP are incorporated in a single model using data from small- and medium-sized enterprises. Overall, the final model can explain 27 percent of EP variance (first-level analysis) and 42 percent of EP variance (second-level analysis).

Purpose: Nowadays, innovation appears as one of the main driving forces of organisational success. Despite the above fact, its impact on the propensity of an organisation to develop and sustain a competitive advantage has not yet received sufficient empirical investigation. The purpose of this paper is to enhance the existing empirical literature by focusing on the antecedents of innovation and its impact on competitive advantage. It proposes a newly developed conceptual framework that adopts a three-step approach, highlighting areas that have rarely been simultaneously examined before.Design/methodology/approach: The examination of the proposed conceptual framework was performed with the use of a newly developed structured questionnaire that was distributed to a group of Greek manufacturing companies. The questionnaire has been successfully completed by chief executive officers (CEOs) from 189 different companies. CEOs were used as key respondents due to their knowledge and experience. The reliability and the validity of the questionnaire were thoroughly examined. Empirical data were analysed using the structural equation modelling technique. The study is empirical (based on primary data), explanatory (examines cause and effect relationships), deductive (tests research hypotheses) and quantitative (includes the analysis of quantitative data collected with the use of a structured questionnaire).Findings: Results indicate that knowledge management, intellectual capital, organisational capabilities and organisational culture have significant direct and indirect effects on innovation, underlining the importance of their simultaneous enhancement. Finally, the positive effect of innovation on the creation of competitive advantages is empirically validated, bridging the gap in the relevant literature and offering avenues for additional future research.Originality/value: The causal relationship between innovation and competitive advantage, despite its significant theoretical support, has not been empirically validated. The present paper aspires to bridge this gap, investigating the impact of innovation on the development of competitive advantages. Moreover, the present study adopts a multidimensional approach that has never been explored in the existing innovation literature, making the examination of the proposed conceptual framework an interesting research topic.

3D printing technology redesigns the production chain and contributes to the production of customised products, or products with specific characteristics. The evolution of this production technology and its various applications improve our daily life and lead to important changes in economic and social level. The aim of this dissertation is to examine the attitude of people towards 3D printing technological innovation and their intention to use it at their workplace. A new conceptual model has been designed and empirically tested using primary data collected using a structured questionnaire. The sample consists of 258 respondents from a number of European countries. The findings highlight the importance of perceived usefulness, output usability, compatibility and attitude towards understanding respondents’ intention to use 3D printing technology.

Purpose: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a concept with increasing importance for global and local organisations. Despite its importance, there is still lack in the understanding of its complete role, within and outside organisational boundaries. The purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically test a conceptual framework (research model) that examines the antecedents (drivers) and the effects of CSR implementation. Design/methodology/approach: The proposed conceptual framework was tested, using a newly developed structured questionnaire, in a sample of 80 large private Greek organisations. Key respondents were the executive managers of these organisations. The reliability and the validity of the questionnaire were thoroughly examined, while research hypotheses were tested using the “Structural Equation Modelling” technique. Findings: Research findings suggest that three factors (“CSR awareness”, “relevant cost of CSR”, “appropriateness of CSR strategies”) have a direct effect on CSR implementation, while one factor (“knowledge of CSR”) has an indirect effect, through “CSR awareness”. On the other hand, CSR implementation seems to have a positive effect on “employee commitment”, “customer satisfaction” and “company reputation”. It should be underlined that these results reflect the opinions expressed by the top management of the companies that participated in the study. Originality/value: The present study proposes an original, three-dimensional, conceptual framework that examines both the antecedents and the effects of ERP implementation. Such a multidimensional approach has randomly been attempted in the existing literature. Second, the present study examines the subject of CSR in an economy under crisis. This approach is rather unique among previous empirical studies of the same field. Third, the results of the present study may be generalised in other countries with similar economic realities and characteristics (e.g. Cyprus, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Ireland). Finally, the study offers specific managerial implications to business executives.

Rapid technological and scientific developments in the robotics field have led to the expansion of the use of service robots in domestic environments. The purpose of the study reported in this paper is to identify the factors that determine people’s psychology, attitude, and intention to use a social robotic system. A new conceptual framework is developed and empirically tested, using data from 347 people, performing Structural Equation Modeling analysis. The proposed framework incorporates various factors related to hedonic attitudes, utilitarian attitudes, normative beliefs, control beliefs, and personality traits. The results reveal predominantly the positive impact of normative beliefs and utilitarian and hedonic attitudes but, also, the negative impact of control beliefs on people’s intention to use social robot systems. Consequently, it is concluded that future clients are not only influenced by society’s general attitudes, perceptions, and prejudices towards technology but, also, by the functional benefits of social robots.