Testing the contribution of multi-skilled employees to the financial performance of high-tech organizations

Exploring quality management practices and high tech firm performance

“…Furthermore, the effects of the some QM practices such as top management commitment to quality, training, and employee relations on financial performance of high technology firms may be indirect. Hoyt and Matuszek (2001) did not find any statistical support for the direct relation of a multi-skilled workforce to high tech firms' financial performance, but they pointed out that an organization may acquire other benefits such as increasing organizational commitment and reducing turnover that may result in increased financial performance.…”

“…Because of the focus on low cost, high quality, and fast technology development in high technology firms, integration between product design and manufacturing is essential. Integration can be achieved by using interdisciplinary teams and training employees in multiple skills (Harpaz & Meshoulam, 1997;Hoyt & Matuszek, 2001;Jassawalla & Sashittal, 1998;Mohrman & Von Glinow, 1990;Powell, 1993).…”

“…Because we did not have the data on R&D expenditures of firms in the sample, SIC codes were used to identify the high technology firms in this study. Based on the literature (Bruton & Wan, 1994;Harpaz & Meshoulam, 1997;Hoyt & Matuszek, 2001;Lee & Shim, 1995;Liao & Cheung, 2002;Lynn, Schnaars, & Skov, 1999;Maryland Career & Workforce Information, 2002;McGee & Dowling, 1995;PriceWaterhouseCoopers, 2000;Rausch, 1998;Smith & Zahrly, 1993;The Chemical Industry, 2002;Wang, Lee, & Huang, 2003;Watanabe, Kishioka, & Nagamatsu, 2004;Wilbon, 2002), the following SIC codes emerged as industries in which high technology firms operate: 28, 346, 35, 36, 37, 38 (see Table 2 for the definition of industries). Thus, the firms with these SIC codes comprised the sample of high technology firms; the firms with other SIC codes in the sample were eliminated.…”

“…Powell (1993) suggests that firm specific skills and resources such as quality management (QM) explain performance variance among high technology firms more than low technology firms. Some studies have explored specific QM techniques such as a multi-skilled workforce in a high tech context (Hoyt & Matuszek, 2001) or quality improvement efforts in a single high tech company (Sohal & Lu, 1998). However, empirical research has not specifically explored the relationship between the broad bundle of QM practices and performance across a range of high tech industries.…”

Effect of technological intensity on the relationships among Six Sigma design, electronic-business, and competitive advantage: A dynamic capabilities model study

“…Some research for high-tech industries reveals significant relationships between innovation and executive compensation (Balkin et al, 2000). Another study of high-tech organizations in the automotive, electronic instrumentation, and semiconductor industries shows the additional benefits of a multi-skilled workforce does not justify the costs of multi-skill training (Hoyt & Matuszek, 2001). Research on the aerospace, electronic components, and telecommunications industries demonstrates environmental and organizational factors are different for the success of incremental innovation than for the advancement of radical innovation (DeTienne & Koberg, 2002;Koberg, DeTienne, & Heppard, 2003).…”