Encouraging internationalization and sustainable competitiveness in construction. A preliminary approach in Portugal

The Civil Construction and Public Works sector in Portugal has undergone huge oscillations over the last years, reflected on the number of companies, turnover and number of direct employees assigned to the activity. This sector is an important sector for economic growth and companies must adopt strategic analysis and control tools in order to survive and remain competitive. Companies operate in a large, highly competitive and demanding market, with new players and new business models. Companies need to find new ways of competing worldwide and internationalization emerges as one of the business responses to the challenge of globalization. Sustainability is a commitment to the future, a route that organizations must travel to search the best solutions to humankind problems, whether they are economic, social or environmental.

Factors that Influence FinTech Adoption in South Africa: A Study of Consumer Behaviour towards Branchless Mobile Banking

The widespread use of mobile phones and growth in internet penetration has created a unique opportunity to increase access to financial services. Financial Technology (FinTech) companies and mobile banking (m-banking) empower customers to use digital platforms to utilise financial services without the physical access requirements of traditional banking. This has led to the rise of FinTech firms that are disrupting traditional industry standards by servicing consumers through a range of digital channels and mobile devices. A new completely branchless bank, Bank Zero, is set to launch in South Africa in 2020 to exploit these opportunities. This consumer behavioural study focuses on analysing FinTech adoption in the South African market. An adapted mixed-method approach was used to identify the enabling and inhibiting factors that motivate consumers to adopt or reject m-banking. Qualitative research was initially conducted via in-depth interviews with 7 respondents. The most salient factors identified in the literature review were tested, and the results were used to develop a quantitative, online questionnaire. A convenience sample of 217 valid responses was collected, and the data was analysed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The EFA identified 6 influencing factors: four enabling and two inhibiting factors. The enabling factors that positively influenced FinTech adoption were: Utility, Socio-Economic Influencers, Mobile Device Trust and Youth. The two inhibiting factors were: Perceived Risks and Associated Costs. Interestingly, 74% of the 217 respondents indicated that they would join a completely branchless bank, using only their mobile phones and the internet to access banking services, showing a high propensity to branchless, m-banking. Finally, the Enhancement Criteria Model based on insights gained from the research findings, is proposed. This model provides recommendation criteria for existing and new FinTech providers who are looking to improve their business models. JEL Codes: D18, G40 Keywords: FinTech, mobile banking, m-banking, branchless banking, consumer behaviour, South Africa

Business models transformed by digitalization in contemporary art museums and galleries

In the 21st Century, the common features of the developing digital technol- ogy are compressed information, accelerated information management, big data, multiple interaction, personalization and uninterrupted access and convergence. These features are seen as factors that accelerate access to information, reduce some communication and cost expenses economically, speed up sales and marketing, provide visibility to institutions, and increase ideas and sharing. With the effects of digital technology Contemporary art museums and galleries have experienced digitalization processes in order to maintain their existence and achieve their goals. Digitalization is not limited to being a technical application, but it is a process that transforms contem- porary art institutions as a whole, especially in communication, institution- alism, branding, marketing, finance and sustainability. Therefore, digital technology requires to be available to institutions. Being a contemporary art institution requires being intellectually and technologically renewed in institutional, managerial and communicative terms. The mission and sustain- ability of art and art institutions should be ensured in harmony with technol- ogy. Therefore, new business models have been required in the digitalization processes in art institutions and the need for changing business models will increase as technology develops. Purpose of the study: To identify the new business models of contemporary art museums and galleries, and in parallel, the features they need in human resources, and to raise awareness on this issue. In this study, the hybrid structure of new business models needed in contemporary art institutions has been revealed as a whole. In the study, it has been revealed based on the examples and the viewpoints of authorized persons that, managerial digital strategies in contemporary art museums and galleries should contain the distinction specific to art. The main result that emerged from the interviews is the hybrid structures of the new business models needed by contemporary art museums and galleries in the digital age, blended with digital technology and the knowledge of art management.

A systematic literature review on circular economy practices: challenges, opportunities and future trends

Purpose The circular economy (CE) is an evolving subject transitioning from conceptualization to empirical testing. Over the past decade, researchers have done an exhaustive study to understand the concept of CE and its realized values both financially and environmentally on organizations that have traditional business models based on linear consumption. For understanding the transitional phenomena completely, the paper aims to review the current and emerging research trends in CE to ascertain future direction. Design/methodology/approach The research was conducted on 91 articles published in the study area during the past decade (2016–2021) in renowned peer-reviewed journals. The criteria set to review literature are based on the following assortment: CE drivers, CE barriers, definitions by different authors, yearly distribution of the publication, research publisher and journals, google citation and methodology used in the selected research articles. Findings The study suggests that researchers from the selected years are keen to understand the transition and its critical factors by bringing forward frameworks and incorporating CE with digital technologies. The digital technology implied are Industrial Technology (IR) 4.0, Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Data Analytics to increase organizational and environmental performance. CE researchers need to use empirical testing in different sectors to understand and bring forward more improvised business models and practices according to the dynamics of the industry. Originality/value The literature review suggests gaps exist to integrate the micro, meso and macro levels to get CE implementation's system-wide benefits. The study has also identified that many CE frameworks available in the literature for implementation must be empirically tested to yield performance results.