Purpose The study aims to examine the relationship between international entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) and international performance (IP) of internationalized small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Slovak Republic. Given the scarcity of empirical research on the managerial dimensions influencing this relationship, the study also aims to investigate the moderating effect of dynamic managerial capabilities (DMCs) as a higher-order variable and its components in the IEO-IP nexus. The theoretical framework is grounded in the resource-based view and capability-based view, which posit that firm-specific resources and capabilities are critical sources of competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected via a questionnaire survey administered to 145 internationalized SMEs in the service and industrial sectors. The analysis used a robust statistical method, structural equation modelling through partial least squares, which is suitable for modeling complex relationships and managing smaller sample sizes. Findings The results reveal that IEO is directly associated with the IP of SMEs. Moreover, DMCs, as a multidimensional construct, exert a statistically significant moderating effect on the IEO-IP relationship. Regarding the specific components of DMCs, social capital and managerial cognition significantly reinforce the connection between IEO and international performance, while human capital does not exhibit a significant effect. Originality/value The study’s theoretical contribution lies in validating the role of DMCs as a complex construct in augmenting international performance in conjunction with IEO. It also identifies the differential effects of the three DMCs components in the IEO-IP framework, offering nuanced insights into their moderating roles. The research underscores the importance of strategic business orientation and DMCs for SMEs operating in the global market. Finally, managerial implications and directions for future research are proposed.
Purpose Severe disruptions in supply chains caused by events such as pandemics, energy crises and geopolitical tensions place significant pressure on supply chains related to societal vital sectors and functions. The purpose of this paper is to enhance the understanding of the complexity of building resilience in the supply chains that support societal vital sectors and functions. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents a process model grounded in current research, incorporating insights gained through engagement with resources from the former Danish Critical Supply Agency (now Danish Resilience Agency) and representatives from various critically important societal vital sectors. Findings Based on process theory, this paper presents a four-phase process model to ensure supply chain resilience (SCRES) in societal vital sectors and functions: map the supply chains for societal vital functions under the societal vital sectors, assess the probability and consequences of incidents for societal vital functions, identify vulnerabilities for societal vital functions and conduct risk assessments and develop action plans for risk mitigation and capability building. Research limitations/implications This paper is based on societal vital sectors in Denmark, which may have a different structure and legislation compared with other countries. Practical implications This paper proposes a pragmatically structured approach to ensuring SCRES in societal vital sectors and functions, which involves significant complexity. Social implications By mapping supply chains, assessing risks and identifying vulnerabilities, the model helps societies better prepare for potential disruptions. Originality/value This paper introduces segmentation theory to segment societal vital sectors and functions to guide employees to focus their work on what is most critical. Furthermore, a supply chain perspective is applied in the analysis of societal vital sectors and functions.
Purpose Influencer marketing is becoming increasingly important in consumer decisions, especially in the fast fashion industry, an industry traditionally characterised by high price sensitivity. This study aims to explore the influence of influencer marketing on consumers’ purchase intentions using an extended version of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Instead of treating price and trust as separate factors, the study conceptualises attitude formation as a relational process in which trust acts as a key driver of evaluation. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative methodology was adopted, using an online questionnaire (n = 226), and the data were analysed through partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings The results reveal that attitude, based on trust and perceived behaviour control, is a determinant of purchase intention, while price and subjective norms have no direct effect. Trust in influencers emerges as a determinant of attitude, appearing more influential than price in shaping consumer evaluations in the fast-fashion context. Research limitations/implications The current study has relied on a small sample and targeted only one segment of the audience, and its results may not generalise to the broader audience. A large sample of consumers and influencers would help provide a comprehensive view of influencer marketing results. Practical implications Brands should adopt influencer recommendations more naturally and directly for consumers. The results reveal that, rather than a transactional approach, a more relational and emotional approach should be adopted to strengthen the consumer’s connection with the brand. Originality/value This research applies SEM to investigate the roles of trust and attitude in shaping purchase intentions for fast fashion, extending prior research that has traditionally emphasised that price is the principal contributor to purchase intentions. This research aims to close the gap in the TPB by considering trust and price as predictors of attitude. The study indicates that trust appears to have a stronger influence than price in shaping purchase intentions through attitude, making an original contribution to the theory by qualifying the classical asymmetric emphasis on price’s impact. The research examines the ethics of influencer marketing, including greenwashing, overconsumption and the need for authenticity in brands’ influencer marketing.
Purpose This study aims to investigate how novelty in virtual reality (VR) tourism experiences influences users’ intentions to reuse VR applications for the same destination (i.e. same destination VR reuse intention), with travel inspiration serving as a mediating mechanism. As the tourism industry increasingly embraces immersive technologies, understanding the psychological processes that influence repeated VR engagement becomes crucial for destination management. Design/methodology/approach The research uses a quantitative approach to examine the relationships between novelty, inspiration and VR reuse intentions. The study conceptualises inspiration as a complete episode encompassing both “inspiration-by” (being inspired by the VR experience) and “inspiration-to” (being motivated towards future action). Findings Results demonstrate that novelty in VR experiences significantly increases the same destination VR reuse intention. This relationship is partially mediated by travel inspiration. The findings confirm that novelty is directly associated with reuse intention and indirectly influences it through inspiration. Originality/value These findings advance existing knowledge on digital tourism experiences and provide practical insights for managers. The study emphasises the importance of designing novel VR experiences that inspire users, ultimately fostering VR reuse intention and repeated engagement in the pre-travel decision-making process.
Purpose This study aims to analyze the evolution, trends and future directions of research at the intersection of servitization and sustainability. It seeks to clarify whether servitization contributes to sustainability outcomes and under which conditions this relationship holds. Design/methodology/approach The research adopts a bibliometric and science mapping approach, analyzing publications on servitization and sustainability from the Web of Science database between 2007 and 2025. It combines performance analysis and co-word analysis to identify key themes, research clusters and their evolution over time. Findings The analysis identifies two distinct phases in the evolution of the field. The initial period is characterized by the development of foundational theoretical frameworks and the establishment of key relationships among concepts such as product, design, reverse logistics and transition. In contrast, the second period reflects a shift toward a more applied and practice-oriented focus, where emerging sustainability research increasingly emphasizes implementation processes, impact assessment and the role of servitization in driving sustainable outcomes. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study provides the first comprehensive quantitative examination of the intersection between servitization and sustainability through the use of advanced bibliometric and science mapping techniques. Furthermore, it represents the most extensive and in-depth analysis of the field to date, offering a systematic and longitudinal perspective on its intellectual structure and development.
Purpose This review study aims to synthesize research on artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled startups to explain how ethical practices shape investor decision-making and venture outcomes. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines was conducted using Web of Science and Scopus databases. Seventy-two peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2025 were analyzed through thematic content analysis. Findings The synthesis indicates that ethical integration enhances legitimacy, trust and investor confidence. Ethical certifications help reduce information asymmetry and act as credible signals of venture quality, while governance mechanisms strengthen perceptions of reliability and long-term sustainability. Originality/value The review integrates fragmented research across AI-enabled entrepreneurship, ethics and investor behavior, offering a unified framework and research agenda for responsible AI-enabled venture development.
Purpose This study aims to examine how alliance management capabilities (AMC) influence export performance (EP) by activating internal capability configurations based on knowledge sharing (KS) and technological capabilities (TC), and how contextual ambidexterity moderates these relationships. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on theories of dynamic capabilities and knowledge management, this study tests a moderated mediation model using survey data from 262 Portuguese exporting firms. Structural equation modeling and multigroup analysis are used to assess direct, indirect and moderating effects. Findings The results show that AMC is positively associated with EP both directly and indirectly through KS and TC. TC emerges as the most proximal predictor of EP, while KS is positively associated with TC, supporting a sequential mechanism of capability building. The findings further reveal that contextual ambidexterity moderates the AMC–EP relationship, with differences in the strength of capability pathways across ambidexterity levels, highlighting the contingent nature of alliance value creation. Research limitations/implications This study relies on cross-sectional, self-reported data from a single country. Future research could adopt longitudinal and multi-informant designs, alternative operationalizations of ambidexterity and objective indicators of EP. Practical implications The findings suggest that managers should complement alliance investments with internal knowledge-sharing routines and TC development, particularly in ambidextrous organizational contexts. Originality/value This study advances alliance and international business research by demonstrating how AMC operates through internal capability configurations rather than isolated mechanisms. By integrating KS, TC and contextual ambidexterity into a single framework, this paper helps explain some of the mixed evidence reported in prior studies on AMC–EP relationships and offers a more nuanced explanation of how firms translate alliance capabilities into export success.
Purpose This study aims to evaluate the role of green intellectual capital in achieving triple bottom line (TBL) efficiencies through the lens of business model innovation (BMI) based on the resource-based view, stakeholders and ecological modernization theories. Design/methodology/approach Data were compiled through structured questionnaires-based survey from the top management among the production based small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and analyzed through partial least square structure equation modeling to find results. Findings This study exposed that green structural capital, green relational capital and BMI demonstrate positive impacts on the economics, environmental and social (TBL) efficiencies among the production SMEs. The study uncovered that green human capital has positive impacts on the economic and environmental efficiencies but unexpectedly negative impacts on social efficiencies. The results also revealed that education and experience have positive impacts on TBL efficiencies. Practical implications The findings document exciting implications for practitioners and regulators to initiate more sustainable business strategies for achieving TBL efficiencies. Particularly, prioritizing the green relational and green structural capital are the inclusive strategies to achieve TBL efficiencies. Originality/value Although the world literature has widely investigated GIC, BMI and TBL efficiencies in various settings, this is a comprehensive study in the lens of resource-based view, stakeholders and ecological modernization theories.
Purpose This study aims to integrate the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework with the dynamic capability theory to address three research questions. First, do the dynamic capability and TOE framework have a positive effect on the digital transformation of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)? Second, does digital transformation have a positive effect on the economic sustainability and social sustainability of MSMEs? Third, does digital transformation mediate the relationship between the TOE framework and sustainability, and does digital transformation mediate the relationship between dynamic capability and sustainability?Design/methodology/approach This study uses a quantitative, cross-sectional research design using an online survey. To obtain a suitable sample, this study used a purposive sampling method. The final sample used for analysis consisted of 202 respondents. Data analysis was conducted using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM).Findings Compatibility, relative advantage, sensing capability, and seizing capability have significant positive effects on digital transformation. Digital transformation significantly mediates the relationship between relative advantage, compatibility, sensing capability, and seizing capability with economic sustainability and social sustainability.Practical implications MSME owners should prioritise developing sensing and seizing capabilities through simple, practical routines such as monitoring market trends via social media, collecting customers' feedback and flexibly reallocating limited resources to digital transformation initiatives. They should favour technologies that offer clear relative advantages and strong compatibility with current workflows. The government must redesign its support programmes away from fragmented, one-off basic training towards sustained, capability-building interventions and connect directly to MSMEs' daily digital practices, thereby enabling government assistance to exert a meaningful influence.Originality/value First, it applies the integrated TOE framework and dynamic capability theory to Indonesian MSMEs, a developing-country context that remains under-represented in digital transformation research. Second, it empirically reveals a conditional dimensionality within the TOE framework, which only the technology dimension directly drives digital transformations, whereas organisational and environmental factors are contingent, exerting influence only when channelled through sensing and seizing capabilities. Third, it uncovers a transforming capability lag. Fourth, it demonstrates that digital transformation fully mediates the relationships between these significant antecedents and both economic and social sustainability, firmly positioning it as the central operational mechanism linking internal strengths to sustainability outcomes.
Purpose Multibusiness firms face increasing pressure to act cohesively across diverse business units in complex and volatile environments. This study aims to investigate how strategic orientations and organizational structure jointly influence firm performance. It integrates the extended resource-based view with behavioral theory and systematically compares four perspectives of strategic fit: covariation, moderation, mediation and profile deviation. Design/methodology/approach Based on data from 253 multibusiness firms, this study uses structural equation modeling and regression analyses to test competing fit models. Strategic coalignment, conceptualized here as strategic orientation coalignment, is modeled as a higher-order construct composed of entrepreneurial, market, learning and innovation orientations. Organizational structure is operationalized through coordination, formalization and centralization. Findings Strategic orientation coalignment is positively associated with firm performance, supporting fit as covariation. It fully mediates the coordination–performance relationship, while formalization and centralization show partial mediation. In contrast, moderation effects are not supported. Profile deviation analysis reveals a characteristic structural-strategic configuration among top-performing firms. Firms that closely match this empirically derived ideal profile achieve significantly higher performance than those that deviate from it. Originality/value This study contributes to strategic management and organization design research by clarifying how structure affects performance indirectly through strategic orientation coalignment. It introduces strategic orientation coalignment as a firm-level capability and demonstrates the value of testing competing theoretical models within a single empirical setting.
Purpose This study aims to navigate key determinants and investigate pathways through which firm capabilities and digital innovation drive firm performance via the mediating role of management practices and the moderating role of social capital. Design/methodology/approach This study extracted relevant articles from the Scopus database, and a meta-analytic structural equation modelling (MASEM) approach was used to analyse data. Findings Management practices were identified as a significant mediator determining the relationship between digital innovation and firm performance. Furthermore, green innovation, one of the components of social capital, was the leading determinant that drives the relationship between firm capabilities and firm performance. Research limitations/implications This study has adopted two independent variables (i.e. firm capabilities and digital innovation), one mediator (i.e. management practices) and one moderator (i.e. social capital), using a meta-analysis approach. Researchers and scholars might consider including other variables and approaches for future studies. Practical implications This study offers actionable guidance for managers and practitioners seeking to augment firm performance through investment in digital innovation and strengthen their existing management practices. Originality/value This study contributes to the body of knowledge on the relationships among firm capabilities and digital innovation, driving firm performance through the mediating role of management practices and the moderating role of social capital. This study has developed an analytical model, and theoretical perspectives were presented by integrating three renowned theories, i.e. the resource-based view (RBV) theory, the dynamic capabilities theory and the institutional theory.
Purpose This study aims to develop a typology that enables a structured description of the diverse actions (tactics) and business justifications (strategies) intended to downgrade a company's own products and services.Design/methodology/approach The Design Science Research approach was applied to develop a typology of strategic downgrading tactics. The information required for this purpose was collected from focus groups made up of 43 experienced managers and analyzed using the content analysis technique and the Gioia methodology.Findings Five business tactics for downgrading products and services were identified: frugalism, planned obsolescence, degradation, destruction and inconclusion. The typology that was developed describes these tactics in 12 dimensions, with six explaining operational differences and six characterizing their strategic relevance to the business.Practical implications The developed typology adds another perspective to the dominant mindset that focuses on continuously improving and perfecting products and services. For practitioners, it highlights the importance of design professionals considering downgrading tactics in the context of the company's creative tactics. For academics, it facilitates the understanding and dissemination of downgrading tactics, as well as the concept of zemblanity.Originality/value The developed construct is innovative because it integrates and at the same time discusses tactics that had been previously only addressed in isolation. It also describes business tactics hitherto disregarded in the literature on product and service design.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the the relationship between dynamic capabilities (DCs) and digital transformation (DT) in business models (BMs) to answer the following research question: "How do dynamic capabilities relate to the digital transformation of organizations' business models?" Design/methodology/approach This research was based on a narrative literature review of BMs, DT and DCs, which culminated in the proposal of a framework to integrate these concepts within organizations through a theoretical approach, establishing integrative theoretical premises. The construction of the framework was inductive, guided by the research problem and the literature review, and supported by ATLAS ti software. Findings Through the literature review, a theoretical model was developed, including the identification of the stages of DT, the DCs (detection, apprehension and transformation), the components of the main elements of BMs and the two macro relationships linked to the phenomenon under study. Originality/value The unique contribution of this study lies in integrating the DCs of detection, apprehension and transformation with DT. This integration aligns them with the current stage of the organization's DT.
Purpose The digitalization through technology with contemporary indicators of sales performance has become crucial in B2B sales and there is an interesting research opening in the need to specifically include this issue when studying sales performancés indicators. The purpose of this study is therefore to frame B2B sales digitalization through technology by means of contemporary indicators of sales performance in services firms. Design/methodology/approach Based on a questionnaire survey and deductive approach, a total of 389 questionnaires out of 732 were returned targeting Norwegian service companies, generating a response rate of 53.1%. Multivariate analysis based on an exploratory factor analysis has been done. The factor analysis consists of 39 items with three items per dimension. The principal component method is applied to reveal the pattern in the factor solution. An orthogonal approach (Varimax rotation) is applied to rotate the factor solution. Findings Reports an extended framework of salesforce performance indicators based on contemporary indicators, such as skill, motivation, role perception, aptitude, organizational and environmental issues and adding digitalization through technology, which has acquired a high relevance recently. Research limitations/implications Reveals the importance of the digitalization era and technology as a key indicator and broadens the validity and reliability of findings reported in previous studies and demonstrates their relevance and applicability to services firms that have rarely been assessed in terms of sales force performance indicators. Provides opportunities for future studies. Practical implications The research offers firms guidance on nontechnological and digitalization factors to consider for improving sales performance. This study verifies the relevance of salesforce performance indicators across six dimensions, namely skills, role perception, motivation, aptitude, organizational/environmental and digitalization through technology. The authors verify the validity and reliability of conceptual findings in previous meta-analyses. The findings confirm the six-dimensional framework. Originality/value Makes a twofold contribution to existing theory and previous studies of salesforce performance indicators, by confirming main areas of nontechnological and digitalization salesforce performance indicators, based on 13 dimensions.
Purpose Whilst there is a plethora of academic theory and practitioner guidance on supply chain management design, there remains a notable gap in linking managerial practice to academic theory through a replicable re-design methodology. This paper addresses that gap by deriving an intervention-based, design-oriented approach that managers can apply when redesigning their supply chains to deliver customer and shareholder value.Design/methodology/approach This study adopts design science research and develops a prescriptive artefact through embedded field interventions in three re-design projects over 12 years. CIMO-logic structures theorizing and evaluation: context (C) - demand-driven supply chains, intervention (I) - re-design actions, mechanisms (M) - why the actions work and outcomes (O) - operational and financial effects.Findings The authors identify repeatable intervention patterns that improve service levels, inventory turns and lead-time reliability. The CIMO mechanisms clarify when demand-driven re-design succeeds or fails, and how to sequence actions (diagnose, pilot, scale).Research limitations/implications The study only provides insights, which are mostly for medium-sized firms operating in the fast-moving consumer goods industrial sector.Practical implications The authors provide a stepwise method managers can reuse to re-design demand-driven supply chains, including governance checkpoints and data requirements.Originality/value The paper contributes a reusable, evidence-based seven-step re-design methodology that operationalizes segmentation and alignment theory into implementable cross-functional design choices and makes the evaluation/selection logic explicit by integrating value impact and feasibility constraints.
Purpose Drawing upon social exchange theory, this study aims to unravel the role of inclusive leadership in fostering team prohibitive voice (TPV) and reducing unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB) among hospitality employees. It also examines the mediating role of TPV in the relationship between inclusive leadership and UPB.Design/methodology/approach The data was collected from 346 hotel employees in the two survey waves. The research measurement model was tested with the AMOS software. Research hypotheses were tested using hierarchical regression analysis and the bootstrap method. Hayes Model 4 Process Macro was used for testing mediation.Findings The findings offered support for the hypothesized direct and mediating pathways through which inclusive leadership influences TPV and UPB. In addition, it was observed that inclusive leadership and TPV were antecedents of UPB.Originality/value This research, one of the few to investigate the association between inclusive leadership and TPV and UPB in the hospitality industry, significantly expands the inclusive leadership literature. It discusses the theoretical and practical implications, offering suggestions for future research and encouraging researchers to further investigate this field.
Purpose- This study aims to explore the dual role of perceived greenwash (PGW) in shaping pro-environmental purchase decisions, examining its negative influence on green trust while also assessing its potential to foster environmental concern and information-seeking behavior. Design/methodology/approach- A systematic review of 59 studies categorizes PGW's consequences into four key dimensions. Meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) is used to evaluate the strength and significance of relationships between PGW, its dimensions and green purchase decisions (GPD). Findings- PGW significantly creates barriers to green purchases but paradoxically enhances environmental perceptions. However, these perceptions alone fail to build sufficient GPD or offset the hindrance caused by greenwashing. Transparency and authenticity in sustainability claims are critical to mitigating PGW's adverse effects. Practical implications- Businesses must address greenwashing-induced distrust through genuine sustainability efforts, while policymakers should enforce stricter regulations. Aligning marketing strategies with verified environmental benefits can improve green product perceptions and encourage sustainable consumer behavior. Originality/value- As the first meta-analysis to systematically assess PGW's impact on GPD, this study clarifies its complex dynamics, offering actionable insights for fostering credibility and long-term consumer satisfaction in sustainable markets.
Purpose Psychological safety (PS) is crucial for organizations to increase adaptability and respond to dynamic markets, innovative behavior, and sustainability practices and processes, through team performance and learning. Specifically, for team-based work structures, understanding shared behaviors such as strategic leadership (SL) is essential, as they have a high potential for creating PS. This study aims to examine the impact of specific transformational (TL) and transactional (TS) behaviors on team PS and expand research in the context of companies immersed in a highly uncertain environment. Design/methodology/approach This research analyzed relational data in three Mexican companies using Social Network Analysis to explore shared behaviors within working teams. Findings The results reveal that the impact of SL on PS might vary across teams based on their characteristics (i.e. size and age). Mature companies with well-established processes and teams benefited more from TL behaviors such as articulating a vision, role modeling and fostering group goal acceptance. Conversely, TS consistently influenced PS in all the companies, with a stronger effect on the smallest, youngest and project-based one. Research limitations/implications This study responds to calls for further research on PS as a group-level property. Moreover, by focusing on leadership behaviors rather than perceptions, this work advances the understanding of team member’s interactions from a social perspective. Finally, it emphasizes the multidimensionality of SL and extends the concept of shared leadership in team contexts. Originality/value This research shifts from an individual, top-down approach to a collective, team-based perspective, highlighting the role of SL in fostering PS. Thus, it provides valuable insights into the unique leadership and team management practices required in an emerging economy.
Purpose The issue brought forth by the research is the role cited of satisfaction perception as the mediator. It illustrates how customer satisfaction integrates hybrid interaction processes and innovation perceptions with behavioral intentions. The issue is examined in the context of the growing digital service landscape in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Design/methodology/approach It took a quantitative design approach by adapting the use of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling in the analysis of the gathered information from 480 insurance customers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Findings The result shows that though hybrid interaction processes and innovation perceptions increase customers' pleasure comprehensively; these two do not affect behavioral intentions directly. The central mediating role of customer satisfaction perception mediates fully the impact of hybrid interaction processes and partially the impact of innovation perceptions connecting service experiences with customer loyalty.Originality/value An insurance company must primarily consider customer satisfaction with efforts toward expedient phygital service engagements in digital as well as physical service channels. The extension of the role of the Technology Acceptance Model with Service-Dominant Logic toward phygital insurance service explains the central mediating role of customer satisfaction in customer service research.
