1,721,292 research outputs found
From wine production/consumption to wine exports/imports – An exploratory analysis about the competitive structure of the wine industry
No full textThe global wine industry seems to be characterized by some rigidity, at least in the major components of the business, that is, production, consumption, exports, and imports. This study aims to understand which kind of entrepreneurial paradigm is prevalent in this sector. The results of the investigation, at the descriptive and inferential level, demonstrate the expected rigidity, thus supporting the use of the structure-conduct-performance entrepreneurial paradigm as the reference. In this respect, as emerged from a subsequent positioning analysis of major/minor external/internal competitiveness (adopting innovative parameters, namely EPVOL—Exportation Power in Volume, EPVAL—Exportation Power in Value, IPVOL—Importation Power in Volume, and IPVAL—Importation Power in Value), collective marketing initiatives at the business and/or territorial level seem particularly profitable
Towards a Framework of Students Co-Creation Behaviour in Higher Education Institutions
No full textThe aim of the paper is to identify a matrix framework of students value co-creation in higher education, through the development of an innovative model able to understand the role of technology to facilitate students co-creation behavior. This study presents a systematic literature review methodology, to provide the analysis of the phenomenon of co-creation in Higher Education Institutions. The paper explores the drivers of students involvement and identifies two different categories able to activate the students co-creation behaviors: the community involvement, and the exploitation of the interactive technology. The resulting framework is useful to broaden the literature on value co-creation and can be used to guide practitioners on the administration in higher education. The research presents both contributions to the conceptualization of the student co-creation behavior as a double construct, and the changes in the scenario of University co-creation
Reinterpreting competitive strategies in turbulent scenarios
No full textThe unpredictable evolution of the economic and business environment, also with reference to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, has continuously been forcing entrepreneurs, managers and professionals to deal with innovative paradigms, approaches and solutions to satisfy customers and differentiate themselves from their competitors. In this ferment, the impact of the technological system (with the Internet of Things, for example) and the social system (with consumerism, for example) has been tremendous and long-standing, requiring, respectively, major focus on intangible assets (servitization through digitalization) and sustainable assets (responsibility and commitment). Consequently, business strategies, ever more oriented to shared values, must take into huge consideration structures, behaviours, resources and knowledge emerging from the economic, human, and territorial milieu
A Three-Stage Model of Exporting: New Insights into SMEs’ Internationalization Performance Relationship
Full text linkThe article presents the results of an empirical analysis on the relationship between exporting and profitability in a sample of 1,231 manufacturing SMEs. A sigmoid relationship between the degree of internationalization, measured by Export Sales Ratio (ESR), and the profitability of the firms (measured by Return on Sales, ROS) is hypothesized. The results indicate that exporting can be beneficial to SMEs, but only in the second stage of the process, when a certain degree of international commitment is achieved. In the first and in the third stage, when the incidence of sales internationalization is respectively lower and higher, the incremental costs of exporting exceed the related benefits, determining a declining performance. This research contributes to existent literature by deepening the internationalization and performance (I&P) relationship within a context of exporting small and medium enterprises
Enterprise social network for knowledge sharing in MNCs: examining the role of knowledge contributors and knowledge seekers for cross-country collaboration
No full textOnline social networking within a large enterprise, known as enterprise social networking (ESN), is a critical requirement for social relationships and business-related informal discussions among its employees. ESN is important for multinational companies (MNCs) where employees work in
different time zones in geographically dispersed locations in multiple continents. The MNCs use the ESN for their knowledge management and transfer activities among different subsidiaries in different countries or continents as a part of their strategic internationalization initiatives. ESN is
developed by MNCs using enterprise social software for business or commercial knowledge management purposes and cross-country collaborations among their subsidiaries. ESN helps cross-country collaboration in MNCs to organize their internal communication (across different countries) and business discussions in an international environment. ESN is used mainly by two groups of employees in the MNCs: knowledge contributors and knowledge seekers. Both groups are essential for overall knowledge management strategy for creation, dissemination, and consumption of knowledge across countries. In this context, the purpose of this study is to examine the role of knowledge contributors and knowledge seekers in the MNCs using ESN for cross country collaboration
The Role of External Embeddedness and Knowledge Management as Antecedents of Ambidexterity and Performances in Italian SMEs
No full textSourcing and leveraging knowledge from an external network is only half the battle for firms that would become more successful. In fact, the mere access and acquisition of the knowledge itself through embedded ties does not secure to perform exploration and exploitation activities, and consequently, to achieve better performance because knowledge has to be managed. Firms' knowledge management (KM) orientation may help in the process of knowledge acquisition, sharing, and transfer, consequently, improving firms' ambidexterity and competitiveness. Thus, this paper proposes that the KM plays a key role in determining the outcomes of firm's external embeddedness, i.e., the characteristics and ties of the external network, on the ambidexterity and performances of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). An empirical analysis has been developed by using structural equations modeling with data collected from CEOs in 119 Italian SMEs in the ceramic tile industry. Findings show that the KM plays a significant role in mediating the effects of the external embeddedness on the firm's ambidexterity that in turn enhances the performances of Italian SMEs in our sample. Based on our results, implications for academics and managers and future line of research are proposed
Sustainability disclosure through virtual community: the case of the wine sector
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this paper is to observe how the motivational engagement system of the consumers should be established so that communities of practice became a driver to reducing the informative asymmetries of sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: The paper proposes a conceptual framework called connection, discussion and influence (CDI), along which the motivational dimensions to disclose sustainability can be formed. The framework has been tested on 200 firms in the Italian wine industry. A correlation analysis proved to be suitable for identifying groups of representative variables representing the engagement motivations that characterize participation in sustainability-oriented virtual communities. Findings: The findings of this paper suggest that the pro-social behavior represented by the exchange of knowledge oriented toward sustainability is enhanced by the engagement of online community members. This happens when the online community is structured so as to activate a virtuous circle between CDI. Research limitations/implications: The main limitation of this study is the interviewees do not actually participate in a virtual community, but have only been asked if they would be potentially interested in participating in one, and about the importance they give to specific motivations. Practical implications: The paper provides important reflections for companies operating in the wine industry that have been called to intervene in the disclosure of sustainability. Originality/value: The virtuous circle described here is the main contribution of the paper, as it can serve as a driver for managers of virtual communities that choose to disclose their idea of sustainability to reduce informative asymmetries and to engage consumers
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