How Organizational Resources and Managerial Features Affect Business Performance: An Analysis in the Greek Wine Industry

Despite the growing interest of the wine industry in quality and environmental certifications and the influence of these standards on positioning in international markets, scholarly research has paid proportionally limited attention to the link between winery export intensity and the adoption of internationally recognized standards. This study aims to analyze which factors make an organizational model performant, and to verify the impact of the adoption of third-party certifications on the export performance by using the resource-based view (RBV) theory as a theoretical lens. Findings show that younger wineries are more oriented towards the adoption of voluntary quality and environmental ce…

Driving forces affecting the adoption of certifications in the forest-based industry: a systematic literature review

Several forest certification schemes have become increasingly popular over the last few decades as voluntary mechanisms to tack sustainability in the forest-based industry to an environmental, social, and economic paradigm. This study aims to systematically review the economic literature on the main motivational factors affecting the adoption of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) certifications in order to perform a broadly theoretical assessment of this research field and identify the most relevant driving forces affecting the adoption of third-party certification in the forest-based industry. Results reveal that the most relev…

Stakeholder Engagement and Sustainability

Innovation strategies geared toward the circular economy: A case study of the organic olive-oil industry

Circular Economy (CE) focuses on the (re)design of processes and products aiming to minimize negative environmental impact, by reducing the use of non-renewable resources, increasing products durability, improving waste management and enhancing the market for secondary raw materials. In the management field very few contributions deal with the topic of CE as a model that firms can implement from a business model perspective. The aim of the present study is to describe, by using a case study in olive oil industry, how firms in practice adapt their business model towards CE paradigm and the influence of personal drivers and stakeholders in this adaptation. The findings reveal that circular ec…

Intellectual capital and business model: a systematic literature review to explore their linkages

PurposeIn the last decades, business and management scholars have given great attention to intellectual capital (IC), which could seem a mature topic, having arrived at its third wave of studies. However, its intersections with the business model (BM) remain an under-investigated topic, and the authors wanted to investigate two research questions (RQs): how the literature addressing IC and BM has evolved so far in the business and management domains? What are possible future research trends of business and management studies regarding IC and BM?Design/methodology/approachThis study answers these questions through a systematic literature review (SLR) of 74 peer-reviewed articles in the area …

Exploring travelers’ willingness to pay for green hotels in the digital era

The past few years have witnessed an intensifying effort by hotels to respond to customers’ growing environmental sensitivities. A critical aspect of this market trend is the actual willingness of tourists to pay (WTP) for green products and services offered by green hotels. Previous studies in this research field have mainly focused on the relationship between guests’ attitudes and their behavioral intentions, neglecting the influence of external and situational factors. In light of this, the present paper contributes to knowledge by analyzing the influence of e-Word-of-Mouth (e-WOM) and physical image, as it emerges from digital platforms, and the effect of green hotel attributes on the t…

Intention of coastal communities to support climate change mitigation policies for fish and marine ecosystem preservation

Purpose This paper aims to assess the willingness of individuals living in coastal communities affected by climate change to financially support mitigation policies towards the preservation of marine ecosystems and fish resources and to identify the key drivers of their behaviour. Design/methodology/approach A survey was carried out involving 994 people living in three main Italian coastal communities. To investigate the main factors affecting Italian coastal communities’ willingness to pay (WTP) to support climate change mitigation measures to protect the marine ecosystem and fishery resources, a Tobit regression model was implemented. Findings The results show that these communities are …

How Does Stakeholder Engagement Affect Business Model Sustainability?

This chapter develops insight for the management of businesses, in various sectors of economic activity, that take, or wish to adopt, a proactive or reactive approach to the triple dimensions of sustainability, suggesting itself to support both academics and practitioners in the wide area of business management. More in detail, this book analyzes, from different points of view, how SE and proper relationship management can contribute to achieving corporate sustainability goals by creating value for the business and particularly ethical and environmental values for the entire community.

Stakeholder Engagement for a Sustainable Development of Business Models

Stakeholders play a relevant role in sustainable business models’ definitions, but their influence on a company’s strategic choices varies according to different factors. The heterogeneity of business models and the different approaches used to achieve the goal of sustainability, in which social or environmental purposes can prevail, require more in-depth research to identify new solutions that can help to develop business models able to create positive external effects for the environment and society.

Transformative Quality in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Conceptualisation, scale development and validation

With the increasing post-massification of higher education institutions (HEIs), access-providing business schools (vs elite educational institutions) continue to rank at the bottom in terms of quality. This study defines and develops a measure of quality in the context of access-providing business schools in a developing country. Access-providing private business schools face competing challenges of balancing inclusiveness and access with excellence and quality. Pursuing inclusiveness and access alongside excellence and quality seems a utopian ideal. However, this study propounds transformative quality as key for addressing these conflicting issues, which have long impacted post-massificati…

Are coastal communities able to pay for the protection of fish resources impacted by climate change?

Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine inhabitants’ motivation and their willingness to pay to mitigate the impact of climate change on fish resources. Willingness to pay was tested empirically using survey data from 333 inhabitants of Sciacca, a fishing community in Sicily, Italy, which has the island’s second largest fishing fleet. People’s attitudes towards climate change, their degree of involvement in the issue, and their concerns about this phenomenon’s potential impact on the marine environment are the key factors affecting their willingness to pay. It was further found that respondents are willing to pay an average of €6.81 per month to support mitigation policies in the f…

Geographical cues: evidences from New and Old World countries' wine consumers

PurposeThis systematic review aims to investigate how geographical cues affect wine consumers' behaviors, with reference to the New and Old Worlds, and accordingly, how are recent consumption patterns and new consumer profiles modifying roles of geographical cues?Design/methodology/approachThis work employed a systematic literature review methodology on the extant literature published from 2009 to 2019.FindingsResults, summarized in a conceptual framework, emphasize five thematic areas on how geographical cues should be considered for future research and for new marketing strategies to capture consumers of New and Old World wines. Consumers' wine knowledge, socio-ethno-demographic factors, …

The requisite match between internal resources and network ties to cope with knowledge scarcity

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the internationalization strategies of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), focusing on the interaction between network ties and “soft” internal resources at the foundation of knowledge management (KM). Specifically, it identifies the firms’ internal capabilities that affect KM strategies, and their collective influence on the degree of internationalization; verifies the influence of network ties on the internationalization process itself; and develops a conceptual “preliminary theoretical framework of SME internationalization capabilities and networks.”Design/methodology/approachThe primary research and analysis are based on a proportional stratified s…

Exploring the common blockchain adoption enablers: the case of three Italian wineries

Purpose This study aims to explore and describe the main enabling factors affecting the implementation of blockchain technology (BCT) in a strategic sector such as the wine industry, as well as the motivation behind this choice. Design/methodology/approach In light of the novelty of the phenomenon studied, a case study approach was adopted analyzing three Italian wineries. A conceptual framework, based on the dynamic capabilities, absorptive capacity and dominant logic theories, was developed. Primary and secondary data were collected. Findings Results show that wineries working in a highly dynamic and competitive market invest more in knowledge acquisition and internal assimilation and le…

Contribution to the Sustainability Challenges of the Food-Delivery Sector: Finding from the Deliveroo Italy Case Study

The food delivery sector is assuming increasing importance in the distribution of food products and meals as it is becoming an ordinary component of consumption habits. However, the growth of the sector has inevitably affected the demand for freight transport, especially in urban areas. The aim of this study was to investigate the main enabling factors affecting the adoption of sustainable strategies, among which the electro-mobility, in the food delivery sector and what obstacles to dissemination can be seen. Deliveroo s.r.l. was chosen as case study. Results show that Deliveroo undoubtedly represents a good example of sustainable logistics and the dissemination of good practices among the…

Adoption of ubiquitous crm for operational sustainability of the firms: Moderating role of technology turbulence

Ubiquitous CRM (UCRM) enhances customer relationship management. It can sense customer needs and demands, to which firms can respond quickly. Therefore, UCRM helps to improve a firm’s agility. There is a growing interest among researchers and practitioners to understand how the adoption of UCRM impacts the sustainability of firms’ operations, but not many studies have investigated this issue. In this context, the aim of this study is to examine how firms’ absorptive capacity and dynamic capability could impact the adoption of UCRM to influence the operational sustainability of the firms and their performance. The study also investigates the moderating role of technology turbulence on the re…

The ability of fish ecolabels to promote a change in the sustainability awareness

Abstract Researchers, environmentalists, as well as fisheries and retailers, have been focusing their attention on the design, use and effects that fish ecolabels have on sustainability. The fish processing industry and large retailers have rapidly adopted several market-based standards, with consequences for two major stakeholders: fishermen and consumers. Although the standards have shown rather positive results, from the perspectives of marine biodiversity conservation, the fish industry and trade, it is not clear how they are able to support a change in people’s awareness about sustainability. For this reason, the present work reviews and analyses the literature, produced in the last te…

Adoption of social media marketing for sustainable business growth of SMEs in emerging economies: The moderating role of leadership support

Social media marketing (SMM) plays an important role in business communication, marketing, operations, and other activities. There is a growing interest among researchers, academicians, and practitioners to understand the role of SMM in business sustainability in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in an emerging economy, like India. Few studies have attempted to understand this role. Thus, the aim of this study is to examine the impact of adopting social media marketing for sustainable business growth of SMEs in an emerging economy. The study also investigates the moderating role of SME leadership support on the relationship between SMM usage and sustainable business growth of SMEs. After …

Plastic or not plastic? That’s the problem: analysing the Italian students purchasing behavior of mineral water bottles made with eco-friendly packaging

Abstract European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy draws new shapes of economy in order to protect the environment and reduce marine pollution, GHGs and countries’ dependence on imported fossil fuels. The core of EU Strategy is also to try to transform the way plastic products are designed, produced, used and recycled in the EU. Italy is the first country in Europe and the second in the world for consumption of bottled water, with remarkable environmental impacts, from production to distribution. Starting from social science theory, this work aims to investigate consumers' behavior and the related factors that influence their behavior pertaining to the purchase of. mineral water …