Co-opetition and Technological Innovation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Multilevel Conceptual Model

Toward a sustainability performance management framework

Although the United Nations (UN) has continued to introduce the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address global sustainability, the world is becoming less sustainable. This is not surprising since our knowledge about effective sustainability performance management is scanty. The present study attempts to develop a sustainability performance management framework to deal effectively with the prevailing sustainability problems. It starts by introducing the "wicked" nature of sustainability problems, followed by a research methodology to build the sustainability performance management framework. The review suggests that the framework's components are related to the organizational culture of sustainability, the sustainability strategy employed by the firm, the corporate sustainability practices implemented, and the resulting outputs and outcomes in terms of sustainability performance. The connections between these elements are fundamentally critical, along with a feedback loop to address the dynamic, wicked sustainability problems. Finally, a Sustainability Performance Management framework and its associated propositions are derived, followed by future research directions and practical implications.

A game theory data science-based mechanism for licensed pharmaceutical products concerning their deterioration: a case of a micro, small, and medium enterprise in Iran

One of the main characteristics of health systems and pharmaceutical supply chains is their significant costs in the public sector, which has forced governments and companies active in this field to find ways to reduce costs. In this paper, the deterioration of imported pharmaceutical items is investigated as one of the challenges of the supply chain of pharmaceutical firms. Specifically, the micro, small medium enterprise (MSME), and a collaborative strategy to reduce its costs is presented. The technical solution of the cooperative strategy is the formation of a partnership alliance between the foreign patent holder of brand drugs and a domestic manufacturer through an exclusive license contract in the local country. This leads to a significant reduction of costs in the distribution network of the pharmaceutical supply chain. On the other hand, supply chain management techniques in the cooperative strategy provide the necessary motivation for its practical implementation by splitting fair profits between producers and other members, namely local government, distributors, and pharmacies. For these purposes, a cooperative game theory-based contract is utilized to set the parameters of the license agreement, and then a profit-sharing mechanism is introduced that splits the benefits of cooperation among the supply chain members based on their afforded costs. The most important contribution of the current research is to propose an integrated framework that combines the logistics network models, valuation methods, and profit split mechanisms that embody more facts from real-world problems than separate models in this regard in previous studies. Moreover, results of the proposed strategy in the supply chain of a drug for thalassemia patients in Iran indicate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy in reducing costs and deterioration. Further, it is shown that the higher the ordering costs of the imported drugs, the lower the market share of the patent holder, and the lower the financing expenses of the cooperative alliance, the more efficient is the proposed strategy.

Do repeated alliances within patent pools encourage enterprise innovation? Evidence from MPEG LA

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether repeated alliances between two members of a patent pool boost enterprise innovation. Furthermore, this paper intends to determine whether the innovation performance becomes higher or lower based on the partnership characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

In this empirical study, hierarchical regression is used to analyze the longitudinal data obtained from 12 patent pools managed by MPEG LA during a time period ranging from 2006 to 2018. The members of patent pools comprise research institutions, firms and universities. Research analyses are performed based on a sample of 68,400 member pairs who had established repeated alliances. The information regarding such pairs is gathered from public databases.

Findings

Repeated alliances positively correlate with enterprise innovation performance in patent pools; this performance is higher when the two enterprises have exploratory collaborations. Conversely, the performance is lower when the partners have a similar technology base and are engaged in a technological competition (competitive learning and patent litigation). Moreover, the performance is lower when one partner demonstrates higher network centrality and richer structural holes than the other partner.

Originality/value

Patent pools play an instrumental role in eliminating patent-licensing barriers, thereby allowing mutual acquisition of complementary technologies, and cooperatively strengthening technology development. From the perspective of theories of coopetition, knowledge management and social network, this study explores the impact of patent pools on enterprise innovation performance and ascertains the moderating roles of technology coopetition, technology similarity and network position, thereby expanding the scope of innovation effect in the context of patent pools.

Relational resources for innovation ambidexterity within coopetitive relationships: the contingent role of managerial ambidexterity

Purpose

While the performance benefits of relational resources and managerial ambidexterity have been widely discussed in coopetition literature, there is only limited evidence that illustrates the underlying relationships between these relational resources and managerial ambidexterity. Against this background, this paper aims to investigate how managerial ambidexterity moderates the innovation ambidexterity effects of relational resources (i.e. reciprocal investments and complementary resources).

Design/methodology/approach

This study forwards various hypotheses that are grounded within the theoretical tenets of the relational view and the dynamic capabilities perspective. To test the hypotheses, this study uses survey data provided by 313 firms that pursue horizontal coopetition relationships.

Findings

The research findings offer important insights in that while reciprocal investments lead to innovation ambidexterity, complementary resources do not result in such benefits. Additionally, managerial ambidexterity complements the relational resources to develop innovation ambidexterity if and only if both managerial exploration and exploitation are applied simultaneously.

Originality/value

As opposed to widely-held beliefs, this study finds that firms' use of complementary resources is not likely to lead to innovation ambidexterity even though such resources can help in developing strong relationships. In addition, although often overlooked, managerial ambidexterity plays a vital role in transforming relational resources into useful innovations for firms involved in coopetition relationships. It is crucial for firms that their managers balance their ambidextrous activities of exploration and exploitation so as to develop innovation ambidexterity.

Evolutionary philosophical games in strategic management

Purpose

This paper aims to show that evolutionary game theory not only provides a general and unified theory of political philosophy and strategic management theories but also a positive theory of interactive behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

This study suggests a way of the evolutionary game-theoretical model.

Findings

The model presented in this paper demonstrates coopetition is derived from balance points in multi-actor games. As the political–philosophical address of those strategic games will of all becomes convention in this balance point at which common knowledge occurs global optimum.

Research limitations/implications

This study explores the connections between several streams in philosophy and strategic management. What does a particular philosophy contribute to strategic management with respect to game theory? When addressing this question in historical or exploratory terms, or in a combination of both, the end result is similar: particular philosophical issues, properly explained, are discussed in relation to important questions in strategic management.

Practical implications

What are the psychological and behavioral underpinnings of strategic decisions of this kind? What type of cognitive frames and managerial mental models, such as the game-theoretical model, might enable or hinder the integration of real-world problems in strategic decision-making?

Social implications

What explains the evolution of such mental models, as well as the development of philosophical ideas, in informing the origins? How does the evolution of social and political contexts influence change in the cognitive and behavioral underpinnings of strategic decision-making?

Originality/value

This study highlights the overt power of strategic management ideas – competition, cooperation and coopetition – which have historically been built on the foundations of organizational theory, while also underlying the potential of philosophies, collective wisdom and Condorcet’s jury theorem and Rousseau’s (1998) correctness theory in games of evaluation. This study investigates whether the many produce better decisions than the wise few.

Horizontal Tourism Coopetition Strategy for Marketing Performance - Evidence From Theme Parks

Unprecedentedly impacted by COVID-19, tourism enterprises are pushed to adopt new strategic management to cope with the changes in tourists' consumer perception for sustainable development, such as corporate and compete simultaneously with their competitors. Our study aims to investigate the intermediate role of coopetition, including the three dimensions of resource similarity, market commonality, and willingness to cooperate in the marketing and performance relationships. Primary data on 360 observers were collected via questionnaire distribution to theme park managers in China with 85.3% accuracy in response rate. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to verify the intermediate effect of coopetition on marketing performance in tourism enterprises. The results of SEM indicate (1) the intermediate role of tourism coopetition, including the three dimensions existing in the relationship between tourism marketing and performance, (2) more significant positive impact on non-financial performance than that on financial performance, and (3) the mechanism of implementing coopetition. This study gives supportive evidence for tourism enterprises to implement coopetition and highlights the implications for appropriately developing coopetition strategies and tactics to achieve the synergy effect for the individual enterprises and the spillover effect for the destination regarding policy-making, mindset, and partner selection.

"Frenemies" of innovation: understanding the role of coopetition in service innovation in emerging markets

Coopetition is considered an important strategy for innovation. However, the literature provides limited evidence on how coopetition relates to innovation in service sector, particularly in emerging markets. Moreover, little is known about the effects of the formal and informal aspects of coopetition on innovation and how absorptive capacity of firm may influence this relationship. Against this background, using the official national innovation surveys of Nigeria (2008 and 2011), this study contributes to the ongoing debate by empirically examining the innovation endeavors of 421 Nigerian SMEs. The study employs logistic regression methods to model and explore the relationships between coopetition and innovation in the sample. The results show that that formal coopetition hinders innovation while informal coopetition supports it and absorptive capacity moderates these relationships. The study provides important insights about the concept of coopetition in emerging markets, especially vis-à-vis their institutional idiosyncrasies. Finally, the study highlights its implications and suggests some avenues for future research.

Entrepreneurial Action: Redefining the Sense and Building Resilience as Coping Strategies for SMEs and Traditional Enterprises Facing the New Digital and Crises Environment

The new digital environment and the COVID-19 crisis, having drastically increased the amount of teleworking and e-commerce, seem to have benefited GAFAM and digital platforms. Under the current conditions, SMEs and traditional businesses are forced to look for adaptive strategies. Some researchers (e.g. A. Carmeli and G.D. Markman) argue that they SMEs and traditional businesses need to build entrepreneurial and organizational resilience . And it is in this respect, in particular, that psychology can be usefully mobilized to analyze new forms of economic competition. On these grounds, the authors of the paper defend the idea that the SMEs and traditional businesses will be able to exist and assert themselves against their new competitors. In this new interconnected, turbulent and uncertain environment, this self-assertion passes through a strategic and organizational reconfiguration, but also and above all, through entrepreneurial action in its effectual logic which can lead to resilience and, moreover, to antifragility .

Complexity and Knowledge in Organisational Context: Concepts, Approaches, Boundaries and Relations

The study sought to understand the relationship among organisations, knowledge and complexity so that managers could develop more effective strategies when working with organisational knowledge and complexity. The theoretical framework of the theme was elaborated from Web of Science and then an analysis of identified approximations, relations and boundaries was carried out. Aiming at greater consistency regarding the approximations and boundaries among the studied themes, we sought complex organisations that contemplated knowledge as a resource. The initial search retrieved 95 articles, and after content analysis was performed, we identified 25 articles considering complex organisations as social organisms and knowledge as a resource. In this sense, difficulties were observed regarding the definition of the concept of complex organisation, as well as regarding the understanding of knowledge as a resource. After the analysis of the 25 articles, eight pointed to some characteristic of complex organisations, and this corpus does now allow to relate and identify the impact of knowledge on complexity, or complexity on knowledge. From these considerations, we discuss ways to manage complexity and knowledge as elements inserted in the organisational context.

ALONE OR IN COOPERATION: WHAT IS THE BEST STRATEGY FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF RADICAL PRODUCT INNOVATION IN THE VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY?

The aim of this research is to study the impact of inter-organisational strategies on performance of radical product innovation. We distinguish three kinds of strategies: (1) individual strategy, (2) cooperation with non-rivals strategy, and (3) coopetition strategy. We study innovation at the product level, and we analyse the market performance. We develop and test the hypotheses comparing the effects of these three strategies on the market performance of radical product innovation. An empirical research is carried out to study the video game publishing industry. We perform a quantitative analysis on a sample of 100 video games that involve radical innovations, identified among 822 video games launched between 2006 and 2011. The main results show that coopetition is the most fruitful strategy for developing a radical innovation. In this process, a direct competitor becomes the best and the most viable partner for that type of innovation.

Co-opetition, corporate responsibility and sustainability: why multi-dimensional constructs matter

Purpose

This study aims to set out to develop and validate a new instrument to measure the multi-dimensional nature of co-opetition in corporate responsibility and sustainability (CRS). It is anticipated that this instrument will prove useful to firms wanting to adopt measures that support relevant sustainability strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

The scale development concerns three separate components, namely, item generation through expert interviews; a pilot study conducted for scale purification; and a final study for scale confirmation and validation, respectively. The final study comprises 215 firms across 11 sectors in Australia that engage in co-opetitive alliances for CRS activities.

Findings

This study empirically validates the distinctiveness of three dimensions (commonality-driven, competition-driven and collaboration-driven) of co-opetition in relation to CRS resulting in a 15-item multi-dimensional scale. The three dimensions were found to be important aspects both in terms of scale validity and organisational consideration.

Research limitations/implications

This study proposes a new research area regarding the proposed framework, as well as practical strategies for practitioners when considering co-opetition and their firm’s engagement in CRS activities.

Originality/value

Prior studies in similar areas have mainly comprised conceptual or qualitative approaches and do not tend to focus on all three aspects of co-opetition, corporate social responsibility and sustainability.

The contingent effects of coopetition on new product development under dual institutional interactions: evidence from China

Purpose

Integrating the coopetition perspective with institutional theory, this study aims to determine how balanced patterns (BPs) and combinative patterns (CPs) of coopetition impact firms’ new product development (NPD) and how these effects are contingent on the various types of interactions between firms and the institutional environments in which they are embedded.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the hypotheses, 303 firms in China were surveyed. Based on the responses, the proposed model was estimated using structural equation modeling and hierarchical regression analysis.

Findings

The findings indicate that CP of coopetition enhances NPD but a BP of coopetition impedes NPD. Further, the results suggest that obtaining government support positively moderates the effect of the CP on NPD but negatively moderates the effect of the BP. Conversely, influencing government policy negatively moderates the effect of the CP but positively moderates that of the BP on NPD.

Research limitations/implications

The findings indicate that different patterns of inter-firm coopetition may have different effects on NPD, thus, providing a holistic and dynamic understanding of the contingent value of coopetition for NPD. The findings also suggest that the complex effects of coopetition on NPD are influenced by institutional interactions, introducing further contingencies to the process of coopetition-based innovation.

Practical implications

This study provides guidelines for managers seeking to fully understand and capitalize on the dual nature of coopetition: they should be cautious about the different patterns of competition – cooperation interaction and manage their interactions with institutional environments to increase the benefits and avoid the potential damage that different types of coopetition may bring.

Originality/value

This study offers direct insights into the balanced nature of coopetition and opens up an avenue for further exploration of the specific effects of cooperation dominance and competition dominance on firm performance in the business-to-business context. Moreover, the proposed contingency model offers a potential interface between institutional and coopetition research on NPD in marketing and strategic fields.

Supply Chain Resilience: Unleashing the Power of Collaboration in Disaster Management

This study builds on the extant literature of supply chain collaboration, specifically, vertical and horizontal collaboration, and examines how these capabilities influence the resilience of supply chains that experience regular natural disasters in rural communities, as their economic wellbeing relies heavily on the continuation of these supply chains. A multiple case study approach has been adopted to investigate the role of collaboration within food supply chains of two different South Asian regions. This context was selected because these regions are prone to regular natural disruptions, and these food supply chains also play a crucial role in the disaster relief process. The data revealed that effective communication, mutual dependence, information sharing, informal financial support, and trust are some of the components of supply chain collaboration that enhance the overall resilience of supply chains in natural disasters.

A company's relational strategy: Linkage between strategic choices, attributes, and outcomes

Nowadays, the idea of firms’ atomization is rejected and companies are perceived as entities embedded in inter-organizational relationships and their configurations, including dyads and networks. The relational view in strategic management thus prompts research on a firm’s relational strategy. This paper taps this gap considering links between strategic choices and attributes of a company’s inter-organizational relationships, as well as the outcomes achieved by collaboration with different groups of stakeholders. We test the model based on research carried out on a representative sample of 400 enterprises operating in Poland and on international markets. The results of structural equation modeling show that 1) the outcomes of collaboration reflect market benefits and are dependent on the durability of the inter-organizational relationships and the heterogeneity of the supply chain relationships, 2) durability as an attribute of the relational strategy depends on the choice of how to create and appropriate value, and 3) in turn, the attribute of heterogeneity of the relational strategy depends on what type of partners are selected. Thereby, we deliver managerial implications on how to create a relational strategy to achieve a relational rent and better a company’s market position.

Locked-in resources, coopetitive relationship stability and innovation

Purpose

This conceptual paper uses the resource-based theory (RBT) of the firm to argue that for competitors to improve their innovation through a cooperative relationship – coopetitive relationship – they need to work on building a stable relationship with each other by investing a special type of resources, namely locked-in resources.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors draw on RBT criteria to argue that when the antecedent – the locked-in resources – and the mediator – the relationship stability – are valuable, rare, inimitable and organized (VRIO), they will help the parties involved achieve sustained competitive advantage from the coopetitive relationship.

Findings

This paper argues that locked-in resources lead to higher coopetitive relationship stability by reducing the impact of opportunistic behavior from any of the partners. More stable relationship leads to more innovations especially radical innovations. In addition, the nature of the industry plays a moderating role. The industry's competitive intensity affects the relationship between locked-in resources and relationship stability. The industry's age affects the relationship between stability and innovation quantity and type.

Research limitations/implications

This conceptual paper anchors its arguments within the RBT related to the firm's strategic resources (VRIO) characteristics and applies the same arguments (VRIO) beyond the firm level to the coopetitive relationship level. The model invites researchers and practitioners to consider two new constructs namely locked-in resources and coopetitive relationship stability in order to build successful coopetitive relationships.

Practical implications

This paper contributes considerably and in a practical manner to managers as it draws their attention to the importance of investing a special type of resources, namely locked-in resources and ensuring the relationship stability with their coopetitors to achieve the desired outcome. It also draws the managers' attention to the impact industry's competitive intensity and industry's age have on the quality of the relationship and on the innovation outcomes.

Originality/value

A distinct contribution of this conceptual paper is the introduction of two new constructs: locked-in resources and coopetitive relationship stability. Locked-in resources are valuable within the coopetitive relationship and they improve the second construct or relationship stability. Relationship stability is different from relationship strength as it leads to more trust between partners over longer periods of time.

Impact of Interorganisational Learning Factors on the Performance of Micro and Small Businesses

The aim of this study is to analyse the influence of interorganisational learning factors on the performance of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) participating in a Local Productive Arrangement (LPA) network; specifically, the clothing arrangement located in the city of Santa Cruz do Capibaribe, in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Three aspects were analysed in the performance of the MSEs: cooperation, innovation, and market. For this, a quantitative survey method was employed, with a sample of 301 respondents, analysed through the modelling of structural equations of the PLS type. The results indicate a complex model with the variable interorganisational learning characterised as being of second order, as it is filled by first-order variables of reflexive characteristic, which obtained validation in the measurement and structural assumptions. The model suggests that interorganisational learning positively influences the performance of cooperation, innovation, and market of the MSEs that constitute the LPA.

Agency in Circular City Ecosystems—A Rationalities Perspective

The concept of agency is increasingly used in the literature on sustainability transitions. In this paper, we add to that discussion by arguing that the concept of rationality opens new avenues to theorizing relational agency in transitions toward a circular economy. To this end, we compare rationality conceptions from management (e.g., collaboration and competition) with critical theory perspectives on rationality (e.g., instrumental and communicative rationality). This leads us to develop a typology matrix for describing plural rationalities underpinning relational agency. We illustrate this typology using excerpts from an in-depth case study of an ongoing city-coordinated ecosystem that develops a smart technology-enabled urban area based on the principles of circularity. The first contribution of this interdisciplinary paper is to offer a rational perspective on theorizing the antecedents of relational agency in circular economy transitions, where communicatively rational action enables agency and change. Secondly, our paper contributes to the literature on circular cities through conceptualizing circular transition as simultaneous collaboration and competition. Thirdly, our paper introduces a dyadic perspective on rationality to the literature on coopetition and provides an operating space from which professionals can navigate, depending on the type of coopetitive situation.

Exploring Relationships among Sustainability Organizational Culture Components at a Leading Asian Industrial Conglomerate

Although it is well recognized that organizational culture is important for ensuring corporate sustainability, most existing models on an organizational culture do not have a sustainability-oriented organizational culture. While a few models about sustainability organizational culture are available, they focus on a particular aspect of the sustainability organizational culture (e.g., strategy, practice). To fill in the gap in the literature, the present study aims at developing a sustainability organizational culture model. It identifies components of a sustainability organizational culture, develops an Integrated Sustainability Organizational Culture model, and explores the model by adopting the case study approach, mixed data collection methods, and the working analytical framework. As an empirical contribution, findings indicate that, through a widely shared organizational culture, the sustainability organizational vision and values drive emotionally committed organizational members to perform corporate sustainability practices that lead to enhanced Triple Bottom Line outputs, satisfied stakeholders, and brand equity. As a theoretical contribution, the empirically endorsed Integrated Sustainability Organizational Culture model provides directions for further theoretical development. Managerial implications are discussed.

CHARACTERISING ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY SUPPORTING SMEs’ LEARNINGS WITHIN COLLABORATIVE INNOVATION NETWORKS: INSIGHTS FROM MULTI-LEVEL CASE STUDIES

Through collaborative innovation networks (CINs), SMEs access valuable knowledge which requires the deployment of their absorptive capacity (ACAP) to be efficiently used. A small and medium enterprise (SME) absorbs this knowledge to fulfil reciprocal learning for achieving the network innovation goal, but also one-way learning to individually improve its performance. Nevertheless, no study explains how these opposing learnings unfold for SMEs in CINs to guide their ACAP deployment. Based on three cases of CINs including SMEs and two focus groups, we propose a characterisation of ACAP supporting SMEs’ learnings within CINs. As a result, an SME deploys acquisition, assimilation and application actions and attitudes to contribute to the CIN’s setting-up and operational stages, while fulfilling one-way learning. These practices have different focuses and intensity according to the network stage and the SME’s contextual setting. Hence, this study highlights the peculiarities of ACAP that enable SMEs in CINs manage the interplay between reciprocal and one-way learnings.

THE E-LEADERSHIP LINKING INTER-ORGANISATIONAL COLLABORATION AND AMBIDEXTROUS INNOVATION

This research investigates the effect of inter organisational collaboration on ambidextrous innovation, in Tunisian virtual companies, and the moderating role of e-leadership. To achieve the purpose, a quantitative study was conducted on 217 virtual team members. The data analysis was conducted via the structural equation modelling method. The empirical study revealed that customer, competitor and supplier coordination have a significant impact on exploitation innovation. The results also confirm that customer coordination has an effect on exploration innovation. By the way, the coordination effect with competitors and suppliers on exploration innovation is not significant. The e-leadership moderation is confirmed on verified links. The research path revealed a scarcity of research done on the relations between the variables study. The mediating effects of the e-leadership on the dependent and independent variables have never been explored earlier. The study makes an original contribution to the field of knowledge for practitioners and academicians.

Coopetition for Sustainable Competitiveness: R&D Collaboration in Perspective of Productivity

This study explores the effect of coopetition on research and development (R&D) productivity in two stages of the innovation process: (1) value creation to develop new technology and (2) value appropriation to generate profits. Using a sample from the 2010 and 2014 Korea Innovation Survey, we applied the propensity score matching methodology to control selective bias and the two-stage network data envelopment analysis methodology to measure R&D productivity. Our findings indicate that firms who cooperate with competitors in the value creation stage have relatively higher R&D productivity than those who do not. In contrast, firms that pursue the coopetition strategy showed relatively low R&D productivity in the value appropriation stage. Overall, this study provides a better understanding of coopetition by demonstrating its various benefits, costs, and risks.

Competition Among Mental Health Organizations: Environmental Drivers and Strategic Responses

While mental health system reforms have sought to leverage competition in the private sector to improve service quality and costs, competition among mental health organizations is poorly understood. To inform future studies about the impact of policy and system reforms on mental health organizations and service delivery, this qualitative study explores (1) resources for which organizations compete most intensively, (2) drivers of competition, and (3) leaders’ strategic organizational responses. Semi-structured phone interviews were conducted with 15 organizational leaders (CEO’s, executive directors) representing about 22% of organizations in the regional mental health market. Interviews covered leaders’ perceptions about competition, and their strategic responses. Porter’s seminal framework on competition was used to interpret codes and themes. Intensive competition for personnel was driven by workforce shortages, new for-profit organizations, and alternative employment opportunities. In response, organizations have attended to wages/benefits, recruitment, and retention. However, strong community need, expanded insurance coverage, and a history of local strategic responses that created service niches appeared to have minimized competition for financial resources in the region. Competition for funding and clients was expected to intensify under systems reform, and in anticipation, organizations were expanding services. Leaders also feared for the viability of smaller organizations in highly competitive environments. Consistent with theory on competition, mental health organizations compete and respond in ways that might improve services. However, the goals of privatization may have been unrealized because of minimal competition for funding and clients, and intense competition may undermine quality.

Exploring the role of ambidexterity and coopetition in designing resilient fashion supply chains: a multi-evidence-based approach

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the knowledge gaps in the extant literature on the role of ambidexterity and coopetition in designing resilient fashion supply chains (RFSCs), and to develop a contextual framework for effective decision-making to enable practitioners to enhance their supply chain resilience.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a novel multi-evidence-based approach comprising Denyer and Tranfield's (2009) systematic literature review (SLR) with context, intervention, mechanism and outcome (CIMO) logic, text mining and network analysis. The approach constitutes a rigorous methodology that cross-validates results and ensures the reliability and validity of findings.

Findings

The authors identified key knowledge gaps in the literature and explored the main contribution categories (e.g. conceptual understandings, operational impacts, use of theories and frameworks). Subsequently, we developed a contextual framework of ambidextrous coopetition to design RFSCs. Finally, an empirical research agenda is proposed with the five research directions to address the gap and take forward the notion of ambidextrous coopetition and RFSCs.

Research limitations/implications

The multi-evidence-based approach is a structured and triangulated SLR approach and thus lacks empirical study.

Practical implications

This research proposes a contextual framework of ambidextrous coopetition that can be used by fashion companies to embed resilience into their structures and operations. This research also presents an agenda for the future empirical research.

Originality/value

This paper contributes by providing a combinatory synthesis on the role of ambidexterity and coopetition in designing RFSCs. This paper introduces a novel methodological triangulation for improving the quality and validity of SLRs. It identifies significant knowledge gaps and defines directions for future research.

Barriers to Information Technology Adoption Within Small and Medium Enterprises: A Systematic Literature Review

While information technology (IT) has grown rapidly in enterprises, scholars have emphasized the importance of IT factors and aspects, while limited attention has been paid to the barriers and challenges facing the adoption of IT. In light of this, we stress the importance of barriers inhibiting IT adoption within Small and Medium Enterprises (SME). For this purpose, this paper aims to create a systematic literature review in order to provide a better understanding of barriers to IT adoption within SME. On the basis of 132 selected studies, we identify 18 barriers categorized according to internal and external parameters. Finally, we underline a synthesis and avenues for future research, and provide scientific and managerial implications and guidance for the adoption of IT in SME.

Toward an Organizational Theory of Sustainability Vision

While vision is considered as the starting point for any transformation process toward sustainability, little is known about how such a vision looks. To fill in a fundamental gap in the corporate sustainability literature, the present study advances a theory of organizational vision into a coherent theory of sustainability vision. It adopts the theory-building approaches of covering-law, enlightenment, and process by comparing and contrasting a diverse set of relevant plausible, logical, empirical, and/or epistemological conjectures so that highlighting occurs to form the substance of the refined theory. The resulting theory of sustainability vision asserts that effective sustainability visions are characterized by the seven attributes of brevity, clarity, future orientation, stability, challenge, abstractness, desirability or ability to inspire and one imagery of stakeholder satisfaction. Relevant propositions and a model are introduced for future research, followed by practical implications.

The effect of cybercrime on open innovation policies in technology firms

Purpose

Open innovation is important for technology firms as they can use freely available resources to source creative and innovative ideas. Despite the usefulness of open innovation for technological advancements, few studies have focused on the role of cybercrime in affecting an organizations strategic direction. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of open innovation on cybercrime in technology firms.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted on technology firms to understand the role of open innovation in terms of technology scouting, horizontal collaboration and vertical collaboration on cybercrime activity.

Findings

The study found that there is a dilemma most technology firm’s face in having an open innovation strategy and how to manage cybercrime. This means that a coopetition strategy is utilized that helps to not only balance the need to have open innovation but also protect intellectual property.

Research limitations/implications

The study has implications for emerging technology innovations that not only need to have cyber security but also harness the use of Big Data.

Practical implications

Managers of technology firms need to encourage open innovation as a strategy but manage the cybercrime that comes from sharing too much information in an online context.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the first to link open innovation strategy to cybercrime activity in technology firms. Thus, it contributes to the literature on open innovation and cyber theft and security.