A Systematic Literature Review about the Speed of Internationalization

The speed of internationalization or rapid internationalization is one of the most fascinating and researched topics in international business due to its practical importance for the international competitiveness of international firms. This paper aims to identify the determiners of internationalization speed using a systematic literature review of more than 50 current, peer-reviewed articles as research method. Based on an analysis of the topical evolution of the main internationalization theories, the main determiners of internationalization speed are categorized in environmental framing conditions, business resources, and business activities. To advance research about the determiners of internationalization speed, this paper suggests a conceptual framework of three research propositions about the impact of internationalization speed and its variations over time and in different industries and markets using sophisticated research methods to establish causal relationships.

Overview, Framework, and Research Propositions of Secondhand Exchange in the Platform Economy

This chapter describes secondhand exchange in the context of the platform economy. Consumers have long engaged in reselling and buying used items as an alternative to purchasing firsthand items, but researchers have little understanding of how these exchanges are different theoretically from traditional consumption patterns. This chapter presents a clear definition of secondhand exchange and separates it from related concepts, including lateral exchange markets, the sharing economy, access-based consumption, and collaborative consumption. It is suggested that secondhand exchange and related consumer behavior in the platform economy can be understood by considering platform differences related to 1) when and how product ownership is transferred (i.e., direct and indirect), 2) the level of platform intermediation (i.e., low, moderate, or high), and 3) buyers' knowledge of reseller identity (i.e., unknown, obscured, and known). Research propositions are presented for these dimensions for each facet of the consumption process (i.e., buying, owning, and disposal).

National Brand Identity: Pilot Study on Perception of Croatian Student Population

A message sent to a specific market or an audience contains certain types of information that affect the audience. For this reason, brand identity, nowadays increasingly in a digital form, plays an important role. Each state wants to create a robust, attractive, and different brand identity that will set it apart from other states and thus augment its reputation. This research aimed to determine the elements of brand identity that respondents mostly associate with Croatia and to examine their attitudes towards the belief that the brand identity that influences emotions is essential in the creation of national visual identity, as well as their attitudes towards the assumption that the brand identity of Croatia should be liked first by the inhabitants of Croatia, and only then by foreign tourists. Two research propositions were tested using the structural equation modeling, measuring the relationship between the emotional and formal elements of brand identity with the attitudes towards the emotions concerning the brand identity and the relevance of the brand identity to the country residents. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Guidelines for Theory Development using Qualitative Research Approaches

Qualitative research has been criticised for not building a distinctive body of knowledge, leading to fewer publications and citations. In the light of this critique, this paper offers guidance on how qualitative researchers can contribute to developing a distinctive and cumulative body of knowledge, thereby attracting more attention to their research. In pursuit of this aim, there are four objectives addressed in this paper. The first objective is to explain the relevance and value of deductive qualitative approaches to theory building. Secondly, to illustrate how examining the maturation of a concept can help decide the appropriateness of a particular research approach. This paper explains how in their planning, researchers need to confirm their intention to contribute to theory development and to ensure that this is appropriate, given the stage of maturation of the concept to be investigated. The third objective is to offer guidance on the philosophical assumptions of the researcher and how to test research propositions. Therefore, it is advised that data collection and analysis should take place within a post-positivist paradigm, and that the field work should be designed and carried out with research propositions as a point of departure. The final research objective is to explain how the findings of a deductive qualitative study should be handled to demonstrate the contribution of the study to the body of knowledge. Here guidance is offered on the contextualisation and generalisation of research findings.

THE ROLE OF EMPOWERED EMPLOYEE ETHICAL VOICE IN SUPPORTING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

The ethical landscape of social entrepreneurship firms is at a nascent stage of development. To explore and potentially elevate this issue, this paper presents a conceptual model and accompanying research propositions to enhance the ethical climate surrounding social entrepreneurship. The conceptual model includes three compound constructs—ethical empowering leadership, perceived ethical organizational support and empowered employee ethical voice—augmented with two established constructs, a code of ethics and ethics training. A literature review is provided as supporting information for the conceptual model and associated research propositions. Potential applications and research implications are also presented.

Craft beer – a systematic literature review and research agenda

Purpose In recent years, the craft beer (CB) industry has gained impetus and has experienced significant growth in scientific publications. This study aims to present a systematic review of the literature on CB in areas related to economic and business sciences. Design/methodology/approach Based on the data from Scopus, Web of Science and a set of articles not indexed to these databases until June 2021, a total of 132 articles were included for analysis, using bibliometric and content analysis techniques. Findings The study allowed us to identify that CB has four main clusters/themes of research, namely, CB industry and market, marketing and branding, consumer behavior and sustainability. Detailed information on the clusters is provided. In addition, the results showed that publications addressing CB have grown significantly from 2015 onwards and are dispersed across many journals, with none assuming a clear leadership. Quantitative approaches account for more than half of publications. Research limitations/implications This study is a useful guide for academics intending to develop studies with CB. It provides a framework to structure future research by identifying existing literature clusters and proposes several research propositions. Practical implications The findings from this study are useful for CB companies to get an overview of the main issues affecting the CB industry and market to be able to adapt their strategies and stay aligned with market tendencies in the four main clusters identified. Originality/value This is the first systematic review of CB. Therefore, it provides a significant contribution to frame and strengthening the literature on CB and serves as a reference for future research. Based on the content analysis and cluster identification, the findings portray the status of current research. Accordingly, a set of research opportunities are offered.

COVID-19 and Second Home Prices in Switzerland: An Empirical Insight

During the COVID-19 pandemic, second home ownership created several owner benefits. This paper analyses price changes of second homes during the pandemic. It derives propositions for the impact of the pandemic on the value of second homes for its owners. The contribution draws on panel data of transaction prices for second homes from Switzerland, a country with traditionally strong second home ownership, provided by Wüest Partner. The results show that there is a significant price increase for second homes – especially compared to apartments – after the start of the COVID-19 crisis. They also show that prices even in certain second-class destinations have risen significantly during the pandemic. Different research propositions are derived like that buyers might look for less crowded places in the pandemic, and the reduced benefits of intensive infrastructures during a pandemic.

Barriers and Enablers for the Integration of Industry 4.0 and Sustainability in Supply Chains of MSMEs

The integration of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) and sustainability in supply chains emerged as a relevant topic and, therefore, has attracted the interest of academics and practitioners. Many barriers challenge this integration, and enablers to overcome these barriers need to be understood. Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have many difficulties to overcome these barriers and successfully implement this integration. Moreover, solutions for larger enterprises do not necessarily fit MSMEs, which reinforces the need to investigate the topic further. Within this context, the goals of this paper are: (i) to identify the main barriers and enablers to integrate I4.0 and sustainability in supply chains of MSMEs and (ii) to analyze the influence among these barriers and enablers, identifying the most prominent ones. A convergent parallel multimethod approach is adopted, first embracing a scoping review to identify main barriers, enablers, and associated categories. Then, conducting a panel of experts with 25 specialists in two rounds to refine and classify the identified barriers and enablers towards the perspective of MSMEs. Finally, two focus group discussions are added using the fuzzy logic and DEMATEL methods to obtain the inter-relationship of barriers and enablers for MSMEs. Research findings reveal eight barriers, eight enablers, and their respective cause-effect relationship, which are expected to help MSMEs managers and decision-makers better understand and implement the integration between I4.0 and sustainability in their supply chains. Results are discussed in eleven research propositions and four propositions for practitioners and policymakers.