Person:
Rubio Andrés, María De Las Mercedes

First Name

María De Las Mercedes

Last Name

Rubio Andrés

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/81046

Affiliation

Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Faculty / Institute

Comercio y Turismo

Department

Organización de Empresas

Area

Organización de Empresas

Identifiers

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Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 12

Creating Financial and Social Value by Improving Employee Well-Being: A PLS-SEM Application in SMEs
(Mathematics, 2022) Rubio Andrés, María De Las Mercedes; Ramos González, María Del Mar; Gutiérrez Broncano, Santiago; Sastre Castillo, Miguel Ángel
In the business world, the improvement of employee well-being in organizations is important, as there is empirical evidence that it brings social value and economic benefits to organizations. To advance in this line of research, we considered SMEs as the object of study due to their importance in Spanish businesses and the scarcity of empirical studies on the subject. We use the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyse the measurement models and the structural model. Our research focuses on the importance of influential variables on well-being, but also considers how they affect financial performance. In the model that we present, there is a direct effect between the latent variables HPWS, well-being, reputation and financial performance, which represents how human resource management based on good practice in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) positively affects well-being by creating a good reputation and generating more business wealth. Our findings confirm the direct relationships proposed in the model, as well as the relevance of well-being and reputation as mediating variables.
Exploring sustainability, good governance, and social responsibility in small and medium enterprises
(Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 2019) Rubio Andrés, María De Las Mercedes; Ramos González, María Del Mar; Sastre Castillo, Miguel Ángel; Danvila Del Valle, Ignacio
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) need to create shared value in order to compete in a global environment. Reputation is the result of the good work carried out by SMEs with regard to their main stakeholders, given their condition as a small‐ or medium‐sized enterprise. Rather than drawing on conventional financial performance, we propose an innovative sustainability model using shared value creation as the main endogenous variable. The results obtained are based on the opinions of the 261 owners–managers consulted. The method used is partial least squares, and conclusions show that good governance in SMEs must be reflected in good responsibility practices so as to generate reputation, which in turn has a positive effect on shared value. This leads to an effective level of commitment for SMEs, such that their codes of good governance and reports must be consistent with their responsibility towards stakeholders in order to achieve shared value.
Project number: 423
El Pasaporte para el Empleo: una nueva herramienta de habilidades y competencias para la empleabilidad e inserción laboral de los estudiantes de la UCM
(2023) Babinger, Frank; García Gómez, María Concepción; Martínez Navarro, María Gema; Rubio Andrés, María De Las Mercedes; Dorado Pérez, María Dolores; Orta Cano, Virginia; Sánchez Arcediano, Sandra; Rodríguez Casanova, Miguel; Martínez Navarro, María Gema
El objetivo general fue la puesta en marcha del Pasaporte para el Empleo de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid para unificar las actividades de empleabilidad que, hasta ahora, se organizaban de manera individual. De esta manera se pretende conseguir una mayor cohesión interna de todas las actividades, fomentando la empleabilidad del estudiantado ante el mercado laboral.
Driving innovation management to create shared value and sustainable growth
(Review of Managerial Science, 2022) Rubio Andrés, María De Las Mercedes; Ramos González, María Del Mar; Sastre Castillo, Miguel Ángel
Creating shared value (CSV) is an opportunity for sustainable growth for small and medium-sized enterprises that entails jointly achieving both social and business value. Currently there are few practical approaches that underpin the importance of CSV and that explore which variables have a positive impact on SMEs. Our paper seeks to shed light on this issue by proposing a measuring and governance model to assess the benefts of CSV in SMEs, using a sample of Spanish SMEs for the empirical analysis, and PLS-SEM as the analysis technique. We frst highlight innovation management as a key variable for CSV. It is essential to take innovative strategic decisions to identify which initiatives generate shared value. Our fndings confrm that innovative business management helps cultural transformation processes to be implemented with high shared value, which is a source of opportunities in a global economy and, consequently, lead to sustainable growth. Secondly, we aim to highlight how innovative frms enhance their reputation, which in turn has an impact on the creation of social and business value. We also fnd that if SMEs emphasise social value, they boost the creation of business value, with their role as mediators proving to be vital. We present a strategic management model based on variables such as innovation management, social value and reputation, due to their impact on business value.
Effects of socially responsible human resource management (SR-HRM) on innovation and reputation in entrepreneurial SMEs
(International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 2021) Ramos González, María Del Mar; Rubio Andrés, María De Las Mercedes; Sastre Castillo, Miguel Ángel
This work focuses on the importance of responsible human resource management, and its link to innovation and reputation, which are deemed to be relevant intangible assets for all firms, although particularly for entrepreneurial SMEs, and which are of particular interest since they have remained relatively unexplored despite their key role in the business fabric. Specifically, we present an explanatory model comprising three variables; the latent independent variable is socially responsible human resource management (SR-HRM), and the corresponding endogenous variables are reputation and innovation. In order to empirically validate the conceptual model developed, we design a survey which has been answered by a representative sample of entrepreneurs of their own firms. Using partial least squares (PLS), we analyse both the measuring model as well as the structural model. Results prove satisfactory and allow us to confirm the direct positive and significant relation between socially responsible human resource management and reputation, as well as the causal relation when innovation acts as a mediating variable.
Building Corporate Reputation through Sustainable Entrepreneurship: The Mediating Effect of Ethical Behavior
(Sustainability, 2017) Ramos González, María Del Mar; Rubio Andrés, María De Las Mercedes; Sastre Castillo, Miguel Ángel
This article investigates how a management approach based on sustainable entrepreneurship can positively affect corporate reputation. The analysis showed that this effect is enhanced by the mediating effect of good governance based on ethical behavior. The empirical study was conducted using data for 104 large Spanish firms defined as sustainable by the Corporate Reputation Business Monitor (MERCO) ranking.
Stakeholder pressure and innovation capacity of SMEs in the COVID-19 pandemic: Mediating and multigroup analysis
(Technological Forecasting & Social Change, 2023) Rubio Andrés, María De Las Mercedes; Ramos González, María Del Mar; Sastre Castillo, Miguel Ángel; Gutiérrez Broncano, Santiago
During environmental crises, it has always been particularly interesting to investigate how companies, specifically small- and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs), find solutions to survive and learn how to act in adverse situations. We conducted our study during the current coronavirus pandemic to analyse how stakeholder pressure affects both the innovation capabilities of SMEs and their firm performance. On the one hand, we examine whether the market and financial performance are better in the presence of less stakeholder pressure. On the other hand, we analyse whether SMEs implement internal mechanisms that enhance their innovation capacity to solve external problems caused by greater stakeholder pressure, which in turn affects firm performance. Our main findings show that during the pandemic, stakeholder pressure is related to the innovative capacity of SMEs; therefore, the higher the pressure, the more important the innovative response of SMEs. However, with higher pressure, the company's performance would be directly reduced in the short term, as the conditions set would be more unfavourable. Innovation capacity also plays a mediating role in preventing poor business performance because of increased stakeholder pressure. Owing to the importance of the chief executive officer (CEO) in SMEs, we test, through multigroup analysis, the differences based on the CEO's educational level. For example, commitment to innovation in SMEs may be more important for managers with higher education. Finally, our findings show how managers can learn to face new challenges in unfavourable environments.
Can hybrid strategy improve SME performance? The role of innovation and adaptive capacity
(European Journal of Innovation Management, 2024) Gutiérrez Broncano, Santiago; Linuesa Langreo, Jorge; Rubio Andrés, María De Las Mercedes; Sastre Castillo, Miguel Ángel
Purpose – This article focusses on the hybrid strategy, a simultaneous combination of cost leadership and differentiation strategy. The study aims to examine the impact of hybrid strategy on firm performance through its anticipated positive effects on process and product innovation. In addition, we study the moderating role of adaptive capacity in the direct relationships of hybrid strategy with process and product innovation. Design/methodology/approach – Structural equation modelling was used to analyse 1,842 Spanish firms with fewer than 250 employees. We randomly selected small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in Spain from the Spanish Central Business Directory (2021) database. The overall sample design was based on stratified sampling. Findings – We found that hybrid strategy is positively related to firm performance and to process and product innovation. Additionally, in firms implementing hybrid strategies, process innovation fostered firm performance. Finally, adaptive capacity strengthened the relationships of hybrid strategy with process and product innovation. This sheds light on how and when hybrid strategy is most effective in fostering SME performance. Practical implications – We highlight that SMEs need to establish strategies that use diverse resources and capabilities and not just generate competitive advantage using one strategy (cost leadership or differentiation strategy). This requires an agile and flexible systems and structures. Originality/value – Our research provides novel results by proposing the adoption of hybrid strategies instead of pure strategies (cost leadership and differentiation strategy) as a way for SMEs to survive during crises. Unlike “stuck in the middle” strategies, our study demonstrates the importance of hybrid strategies in a comprehensive model that links them to innovation and firm performance, with adaptive capacity being a determining factor.
Never Too Late to Learn: How Education Helps Female Entrepreneurs at Overcoming Barriers in the Digital Economy
(Sustainability, 2021) Molina-López, Manuel; Tejeiro Koller, Manuel; Rubio Andrés, María De Las Mercedes; González-Pérez, Susana
The study of Entrepreneurship Framework Conditions (EFC) has found that training and education have, among other things, a positive effect on overcoming barriers when starting your own firm. Our research can be placed in this line, but with an added specificity, since it is focused firstly on women and secondly on the digital economy. Thus, we have studied the situation of women entrepreneurs in the digital economy in Spain, asking them about their personal traits, the characteristics of their ventures and the barriers they encountered. We have studied the effect of EFCs on overcoming barriers to entrepreneurship, with a special focus on training and entrepreneurship education. In addition, the effect of self-efficacy perception (the conviction of having the necessary skills to start a business) on overcoming barriers to entrepreneurship has been factored in. After the implementation of a Structural Equation Model (SEM), we show that training helps female entrepreneurs in the digital economy to overcome barriers to entrepreneurship, especially after the mediation of their self-efficacy perception, which is increased by specific entrepreneurial training. We can conclude that policy recommendations to counteract the gender gap in entrepreneurship with specific training should be promoted, specifically in such a strategic sector as the digital economy.
Sustainability oriented innovation and organizational values: a cluster analysis
(The Journal of Technology Transfer, 2023) Rubio Andrés, María De Las Mercedes; Abril Barrie, María Del Carmen
Purpose: Sustainability is an important priority for CEOs according to a recent Mckinsey (2021) survey. However, despite growing pressure from capital investors, employees and consumers, few organizations are satisfied with the sustainability objectives achieved beyond objectives related to economic savings. The sustainability challenge is even more difficult for organizations when dealing with designing their innovation portfolio strategies since the markets´ demands and competitors´ strategies may contradict organizations’ sustainability objectives and thus jeopardize their continuity. Some researchers argue that a commitment to sustainability in organizations is not so much a matter of managerial practice but rather is rooted in organizational values (Globocnik et al., 2020). Therefore, this research aims to explore what types of organizational values more effectively promote sustainability-oriented innovation in organizations. Using as a conceptual framework the competing values theory (Quinn & Rohrbaugh, 1983), and adding one dimension, risk aversion, we empirically define some clusters of business typologies from which we derive patterns of value profiles. We show how these clusters’ patterns of values relate to the success of a firm’s sustainability-oriented innovation. Methodology: To make sense of our literature review and ensure managerial relevance, we surveyed 128 senior managers from different industries and countries to understand how their perceived organizational values may impact their firms’ sustainability-oriented innovation success. As a result, we group the studied organizations into four clusters according to the informed organizational values, and we assess how the different clusters are more or less prone to succeed with a sustainability-oriented innovation strategy. Findings: Our results show that not all organizational values contribute equally to the success of sustainability-oriented innovation in the market. As a theoretical contribution, we advance current knowledge about how organizational values may impact sustainability-oriented innovation success by providing a framework to measure and follow up on the evolution of necessary organizational values to embrace sustainability-oriented innovation within an organization. From a managerial perspective, we advance knowledge on how organizational values should evolve and change to efficiently deliver more sustainability-oriented innovation. In addition, we describe specific values that organizations should measure and track and otherwise establish as an important first step toward implementing sustainability-oriented innovation within them. Originality: Our research provides original results by expanding current knowledge on organizational values to better understand which values more efficiently promote competitive sustainability-oriented innovation in organizations. We expand the four organizational cultural archetypes of organizational values to develop a more flexible and actionable framework of five dimensions by adding an important dimension to the model, risk aversion. Together, these dimensions generate new insights through a cluster analysis of organizational differences and inform priorities and courses of actions to undertake. Research limitations and implications: This research is based on self-report surveys and is therefore exposed to the expected limitations of the survey research methodology.