Narrow Results

This paper will setup a trade model to explore the impact of the diversity of talent distribution and the technology difference on the pattern of trade (POT) and income inequality of an economy. We find that not only the diversity effect but also the technology effect can matter for the pattern of POT. We demonstrate that, in the free-trade equilibrium, if the technology effect dominates the diversity effect then the country with a more (less) diverse distribution of talent may export the goods produced by a technology with supermodularity (submodularity). In addition, we prove that the relative technology difference will affect income inequality. If the technological advance for the submodular sector S is better than for the supermodular sector C, then income inequality would increase.

The particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is simple to implement and converges quickly, but it easily falls into a local optimum; on the one hand, it lacks the ability to balance global exploration and local exploitation of the population, and on the other hand, the population lacks diversity. To solve these problems, this paper proposes an improved adaptive inertia weight particle swarm optimization (AIWPSO) algorithm. The AIWPSO algorithm includes two strategies: (1) An inertia weight adjustment method based on the optimal fitness value of individual particles is proposed, so that different particles have different inertia weights. This method increases the diversity of inertia weights and is conducive to balancing the capabilities of global exploration and local exploitation. (2) A mutation threshold is used to determine which particles need to be mutated. This method compensates for the inaccuracy of random mutation, effectively increasing the diversity of the population. To evaluate the performance of the proposed AIWPSO algorithm, benchmark functions are used for testing. The results show that AIWPSO achieves satisfactory results compared with those of other PSO algorithms. This outcome shows that the AIWPSO algorithm is conducive to balancing the abilities of the global exploration and local exploitation of the population, while increasing the diversity of the population, thereby significantly improving the optimization ability of the PSO algorithm.

By linking theoretical perspectives on human resource diversity to the distinction between knowledge exploration and exploitation, this paper contributes to the growing research literature on diversity and innovation by following up on the original argument by March [1991] that different dimensions of organizational learning depend on different inputs and processes. Empirically, the paper draws on a unique dataset constructed by merging Norwegian employer–employee register data for 2004–2008 with Community Innovation Survey (CIS) data covering the years 2008–2010. Bivariate probit regressions with controls for innovation strategy find patenting propensities more responsive to the diversity of experience-based knowledge accumulated in firms, than the propensities to improve production processes or introduce new products onto the market. The latter depends foremost on firms’ investments in innovation, and responds positively to human resource diversity only when the financial commitment of firms to development work is limited.

Past research has shown that foundational innovations is often contingent upon access to technologies whose influence/application exceeds the territory of that technology’s definition (technology-application diversity) and sourcing innovation outside a firm’s focal industry (sourcing diversity). However, going outside one’s focal industry can be expensive, complicated, and distracting, possibly leading to mixed results. We theorise that while technology-application diversity enhances foundational innovations, sourcing diversity impedes it. In addition, we argue that sourcing diversity negatively moderates the relationship between technology-application diversity and foundational innovation. Finally, we argue that high technology-application diversity and low sourcing diversity will have the strongest relationship with foundational innovation. To test our assertions, we studied patent filings between 1996 and 2009 from the IT industry from the S&P 500 database. The empirical evidence supported our claims. Findings recommend that to maximise chances of foundational innovation, firms must combine high instances of technologies whose application transcend their definitions with the minimum possible contacts outside their focal industry. Thus, there is an optimum combination of sourcing diversity and technology-application diversity with which foundational innovation is maximised. We close the paper by summarising the key conclusions, conferring implications for theory and practice, and proposing avenues for future research.

This study investigates the strategic orchestration of New Product Development (NPD) teams, focusing on how age diversity influences their innovation capabilities within the competitive landscape of firms. As firms encounter an evolving demographic landscape, the role of team composition, particularly age diversity, becomes critical in tuning innovation and market alignment. This paper synthesises the disparate findings from the innovation management literature on the impact of age diversity, employing dual theoretical perspectives: information/decision-making and similarity/categorisation. The former suggests that age diversity brings diverse knowledge that boosts innovation, while the latter indicates it might hinder social cohesion and team performance. Addressing the gaps in existing research, this study explores tenure diversity and team familiarity as moderators in the age diversity–performance relationship. It hypothesises that tenure diversity can enhance knowledge exchange and innovation but may complicate social interactions, whereas high team familiarity might restrict new idea generation by homogenising knowledge. Empirical analysis conducted on a dataset of 21,370 observations from Japanese sake breweries reveals that tenure diversity and team familiarity are critical in moderating the effects of age diversity on NPD outcomes. These findings enrich the NPD literature by highlighting the importance of demographic diversity and provide new insights into managing age-related dynamics in team settings. The study underscores the need for managerial strategies that leverage demographic diversity to enhance NPD effectiveness.

When managed properly, diversity can increase creativity and innovation performance, but it can also lead to processes losses due to task conflicts. To that respect, it is argued that diversity should be consciously managed, respectively, as any new product/process/ service development resources or efforts in order to find the right balance between different diversity sources. Thus, the main objective of this study is to develop a conceptual framework for managing diversity in open innovation processes. First, diversity as a research paradigm is introduced. Second, a framework for managing diversity including cultural, organisational, user-driven, cross-functional and disciplinary/cross-industry dimensions is presented. Finally, managing diversity with the help of portfolio management strategy is discussed.

This chapter answers a key question on how to engage employees globally using gamification. The chapter sets out an agenda of the requirement of global engagement for organizational productivity. The idea is to create a global engagement framework and propose guidelines for executing it. This chapter also provides primary real-world vignettes to give instances of real-life gamification usage for engaging stakeholders. These vignettes may be used as best practices by other organizations. The challenges listed may help organizations take precautionary measures and prevent a potential loss of revenue.