José Emilio Navas-López

Recent contributions to firm environmental policy claim that the link between environmental management systems (EMS) and firm performance still remains unanswered. From a natural‐resource‐based view (NRBV), the effective implementation of EMS inside the firm requires complementary organizational capabilities and resources to deploy proactive environmental strategies. In this research, we develop an empirical model using an improved measurement of EMS, which considers not only ISO 14001/EMAS certification but also its maturity (time elapsed since certification or verification), and propose an indirect effect on firm financial performance through the mediating role of green corporate image. Empirical results tested in a sample of Spanish manufacturing firms offer new insights into the NRBV and EMS literature debates. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment

Purpose: – The aim of the paper is to identify the different directions of external knowledge search and to investigate their individual effect on performance at the firm level. Design/methodology/approach: – The empirical study is based on survey data gathered from two distinct informants of 248 large- and medium-sized high-tech manufacturing Spanish firms. In dealing with concerns on simultaneity and reverse causality, perceived time-lags among dependent and independent variables were introduced. Quantitative methods based on questionnaire answers were used. Findings: – Findings reveal six distinct external search patterns and indicate that, while market sources such as customers and competitors are positively associated with performance, knowledge acquired from general information sources, other firms beyond the core business and patents and databases have no significant effect. Moreover, knowledge obtained from science and technology organizations and from suppliers displays an inversed U-shaped effect on firm performance. Research limitations/implications: – Conclusions can only be generalized to high-tech manufacturing firms from developed countries and, although well-established methodological procedures were followed, the nature of the study remains cross-sectional. Yet, an important implication emerges from this work: more openness to external knowledge is not always better. It is necessary to carefully evaluate the potential gains and pains of each type of partner and source. Practical implications: – This research provides guidance to managers about how to shape their companies’ inter-organizational networks, i.e. the specific external agents on which they should focus, as well as the efforts they should devote to each of these key partners. Originality/value: – By considering distinct directions of external knowledge search instead of a single dimension, the paper contributes to shed some more light to the mixed results reported by the scarce empirical studies that have investigated the effect of openness towards external knowledge on performance at the firm level.

Knowledge Management Research &Practice (KMRP) provides an outlet for high quality, peer reviewed articles on all aspects of managing knowledge, organisational learning, intellectual capital and knowledge economics. This includes not just those focused on the organisational level, but all levels from that of the individual to that of the nation or profession. KMRP is an official journal of the OR Society

Knowledge Management Research &Practice (KMRP) provides an outlet for high quality, peer reviewed articles on all aspects of managing knowledge, organisational learning, intellectual capital and knowledge economics. This includes not just those focused on the organisational level, but all levels from that of the individual to that of the nation or profession. KMRP is an official journal of the OR Society

Knowledge Management Research &Practice (KMRP) provides an outlet for high quality, peer reviewed articles on all aspects of managing knowledge, organisational learning, intellectual capital and knowledge economics. This includes not just those focused on the organisational level, but all levels from that of the individual to that of the nation or profession. KMRP is an official journal of the OR Society