Businesses

The production of underexploited small fish species has surpassed that of bigger and more valuable species, such as Oreochromis species. However, profitability and efficiency of the key players in the marketing chain and system associated with these small fish species are yet to be understood. Therefore, this article aims to analyze the profitability and efficiency of Diplotaxodon spp. (an example of a small fish species) fish marketing systems in Malawi. The analysis was based on data collected in 2019 through field surveys from 265 respondents, which included fishers, processors, wholesalers, and retailers. Gross margin, return on capital employed (ROCE), and the Acharya and Agarwal’s market efficiency index were used in our empirical strategy. The results reveal that Diplotaxodon spp. trading was profitable to all actors. Firm-level efficiency showed that all actors used their capital efficiently, except for fishers, who had lowest return on capital employed, while retailers had the highest return on capital employed. All marketing channels identified were inefficient, due to high marketing margins and low fisher’s share of the consumer price, attributed to high transportation cost. The study concludes that, unless efforts are taken to improve efficiency of Ndunduma marketing system, through improving marketing margins and fisher’s share of consumer price, Diplotaxodon spp. will continue to be under-exploited, thereby sustaining or exacerbating the fish supply gap. Full article

The modern history of technical progress is relatively short, as it encompasses merely around 250 years. Within it, we can distinguish four time periods called industrial revolutions. The fourth one of these, which is currently ongoing, is characterized by such ground-breaking inventions as advanced robots, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, 3D printing, automated guided vehicles, cloud technology, augmented reality, big data, blockchain, nanotechnology, and biotechnology. The author argues that under the influence of these inventions, industrial production is gradually becoming fully digitalized, automated, and autonomous. As a consequence, it will be carried out more speedily, flexibly, effectively, and transparently and will be more environmentally friendly. The quality of products will be higher and the costs of their manufacturing lower, and it will be strictly adjusted to the tastes of the consumers. This means that, contrary to the traditional view, represented by Porter, that companies at a given time can only use one of the basic strategies of competition, i.e., low cost, high quality, and market niche, they are able to implement production that meets all three criteria simultaneously. The emergence of the new production paradigm is stimulated by expected economic and environmental benefits as well as political, social, and natural factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic. These factors contribute to the breakdown of global supply chains, which causes a tendency to insourcing, which is conditioned by the implementation of intelligent production. Full article

Despite various initiatives and investments in youth entrepreneurship and start-ups, youth participation in agribusiness has not significantly increased. Therefore, this study analyzed the perceived effects of entrepreneurial traits on youth’s willingness to exploit agribusiness opportunities in Nigeria. A total of 3600 respondents were randomly selected across Nigeria using an online well-structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using a binomial logistic regression among other tools. The study found that, although only 17% of the respondents were exploiting agribusiness opportunities as of 2020, about 77% of the respondents were willing to exploit agribusiness opportunities in the next 2 years. The study found that entrepreneurial traits had no significant influence on youth’s willingness to exploit agribusiness opportunities until each of the traits was moderated by an individual’s entrepreneurial intention. The implications of the findings are discussed in the study. Full article

Nowadays, we live in the age of Marketing 4.0. Historically, marketing has often depended on changing consumer habits and needs. Thus, it is necessary to understand the new habits and needs of the consumer to make companies more and more effective. Currently, social media marketing (SMM) is ubiquitous in organizations, and is seen as a tool to achieve strategic goals. Therefore, SMM is important for companies to adapt their approach to customer relationship management and advance new marketing competencies to enable customer satisfaction. To drive customer satisfaction and improve customer experience, managers are loading social media applications into their current customer relationship management (CRM) systems. This study seeks to understand the feasibility of implementing SMM in business to business (B2B) companies and how this affects CRM and customer knowledge management (CKM). For this study, data were collected from two Portuguese micro-companies. The methodology used was exploratory qualitative in nature through a multiple case study, wherein semi-structured interviews were applied. It was found that SMM cannot be used in the B2B companies under investigation because CRM needs are much more dependent on CKM than on the mass interactions and indirect communication with the customer that can potentially exist in SMM. In these companies, communication with the client can be adjusted on a case-by-case basis through SMM, without the need for mass communication with all clients. This paper provides implications for the management of micro-enterprises regarding social media marketing. It also contributes to the development of the literature on SMM, CRM and CKM. Full article

The global market is experiencing stagnation and recession in the “untact era”, and the emergence of the metaverse provides platform support and presents a new paradigm. This study aims to provide a framework for content creators and marketers to verify the effectiveness of metaverse marketing. An analysis was carried out of the fit of the model and the hypotheses between the metaverse seamlessness, presence, interoperability, concurrence, and economic flow (SPICE) model factors, customer satisfaction, and purchase intention. In the test, 9 out of 11 hypotheses were accepted. In conclusion, the data are meaningful, and this study presents the value of music content marketing in the metaverse through the metaverse SPICE model. Full article

Web-based idea management systems (IMS) have helped many organisations to adapt their creativity processes to the new way of working in response to the global pandemic. IMS provide a systematic and manageable idea generation and evaluation process in the virtual environment. Many well-known organisations in various industries, for example, Etsy, Panasonic, Sony, Electrolux, and Volvo, use IMS. In this paper, the authors identified a clear research gap—what kind of ideation tasks creates the best idea quality and quantity. The aim of this research is to find out how the different ideation task elements influence the quality and quantity of generated ideas. The following methods were used to fill the gap: (1) literature review (data collection: systematic data collection from scientific databases; data analysis: through content analysis) and (2) global survey of n > 500 organisations with web-based IMS experience (data collection: survey; data analysis: statistical inference). The results provide insight into: (1) correlations between the number of created ideation tasks and idea quality and quantity, (2) how results are affected by the duration of ideation tasks, and (3) analysis of different ideation task types and their impact on results. Full article

In the contemporary business world, digital transformations have undergone vast and important developments over the last several decades, and they have aided in the development of the virtual team concept, in which geographically dispersed team members work to achieve a common goal. Virtual teams, according to the literature, suffer from process losses more frequently than their face-to-face counterparts. Although just a few studies have looked at the effects of individual differences in virtual teams, this study fills in the gaps by examining the impact of individual differences: age disparity (AD), gender disparity (GD), language competency (LC), and IT competency (ITC) from the management perspective on virtual team adaptation in the Sri Lankan private sector. A survey was used to collect data from a sample of 175 private sector companies in Sri Lanka during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the data was analyzed using partial least squares path modeling (PLS) to test the study’s hypotheses. The results indicated that the hypotheses were statistically significant only in the language competency and IT competency and their effects were in the expected direction. Future research could benefit from the perceptions of employees in public sector organizations. Full article

This paper investigates the presence of speculative bubbles in the Scandinavian countries namely Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden over the period from 1980Q1 to 2018Q4 and searches for evidence of bubble migration among those countries. First, we apply the GSADF test developed by Phillips et al. (2015) on quarterly housing price-to-rent ratios to test for exuberance and episodic bubbles. Subsequently, we examine bubble migration between these markets using the non-parametric model with time-varying coefficients (NPM-TVC) developed by Greenaway-McGrevy and Phillips (2016). We find evidence of episodic bubbles in all the Scandinavian real estate markets for the period 1980 to 2018. Our results also indicate that housing bubbles are contagious between these markets during several periods, and the market connection is stronger for geographically neighboring countries. Full article

BMI in the field of agriculture has attracted more and more attention; it is argued that BMI will help in improving development quality of agricultural business sectors, as well as addressing sustainable development issues. In China’s agricultural business area, the emergence of new farmers has resulted in a large number of BMI actions. This study focuses on how Chinese new-farmer entrepreneurs in the agricultural field promote the BMI of agricultural business organizations. Based on the field survey of 32 agricultural maker spaces (“maker spark”) located in Sichuan Province, China, we followed the research paradigm of grounded theory. After research, we have clarified the core categories of new farmers’ entrepreneurial talent and BMI-innovation behavior, respectively. The network relationship between the two groups of core categories is discussed in order to clearly identify its complex influence mechanism. This study helps us understand how agricultural entrepreneurs promote business model innovation in specific situations. Full article

A high organizational complexity above the cognitive limits of employees and management can contribute to a business performing sub-standardly in comparison to its competitors. As businesses can grow over time into a state of high complexity, an active approach to complexity management has to be taken. This paper presents the NES classification method, aimed at facilitating the modeling and assessment of organizational complexity. Here, any system is classified as belonging to one of three classes: class N natural, class E engineered, or class S slipped systems. Operationalizing NES by applying the Tree Attribute Matrix modeling method, this paper describes exemplary observations made as part of consulting projects that demonstrated typical underperformance situations resulting from their organizations “slipping” into structures of high complexity, and includes management measures to reduce complexity and thereby improve performance. Full article

According to a strong and diversified theoretical framework, innovation is one of the usual suspects in defining differences in firm performance. Understanding the diversity that exists within the population of innovative firms is essential for developing appropriate innovation policies. Our study explored the diversity of innovation patterns among Norwegian firms included in the 2018 Community Innovation Survey (CIS2018). By applying factor analysis to a wide array of survey variables and a large sample of firms, we identified eleven typical approaches to innovation, which connect innovation inputs and outputs at the firm level. A main outcome of our study is a novel fine-grained view of innovation as a multifaceted concept. Our research path helps us to find commonalities in innovation behavior across industries and, as a consequence, to better isolate those innovation patterns that differentiate industries from one another. We also show the relation between firm size, on one hand, and each of the firm scores associated to the eleven typical approaches to innovation, on the other hand, thus uncovering ways in which small firms may survive in sectors dominated by large firms. Full article

The success of superhero movies creates the superhero characters as the brand itself, which generates interest for other brands to collaborate by licensing businesses. However, the licensing business faces the challenge of convincing potential partners to use this character to grow the local brand. On another side, local brands keep looking for the advantage to leverage their business. This research aims to analyze the link the consumption value of the superhero characters to the memorable experience of superhero characters used on products and analyze how the conjunction of this experience with the host brand attitude could shape the brand alliance attitude in consumer perspectives. Furthermore, how this brand alliance could drive the willingness to pay more (WTPM) and the positive electronic word of mouth (eWOM) is assessed. This research was conducted using the Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings show that the brand alliance shaped from superhero characters with local brands as host brands has a significant impact on consumer willingness to pay more (WTPM) and eWOM. This study provides managerial implications for both business licensor management and local brand owners, and suggestions for future studies as well. Full article

Previous scholars have noted the increase in negotiated agreements as a means of resolving utility regulatory disputes in the United States. These agreements allow policy actors to make their own decisions instead of receiving orders from a regulatory agency. Through a natural gas utility case study in the state of Utah, this paper examines the Advocacy Coalition Framework’s (ACF) novel explanation of the conditions contributing to a negotiated agreement with the emergence of new energy efficiency programs. Using the ACF, coalition groupings are divided out as either those in favor of energy efficiency programs or those against that change. A content analysis explores the presence of the conditions leading to a negotiated agreement. This article finds that the ACF model provides a theoretical lens to understand negotiated agreements in utility regulation. While utility agreements resolving regulatory proceedings seem to only grow, more research opportunities exist for further study on the ACF and these outcomes in utility regulation. Full article

Based on the survey data of 43 rural commercial banks in Jiangsu Province, China, from 2015 to 2018, 14 indicators among 3 dimensions—coverage, business implementation and service quality—were selected to establish the inclusive finance index of rural commercial banks. The impact of market competition and government intervention on the development of the inclusive finance of rural commercial banks and the mechanism were empirically tested. The heterogeneous performance of market competition and government intervention in different market conditions were also thoroughly discussed. The results show that both market competition and government intervention can help reduce the pricing level and broaden the service coverage of rural commercial banks, which can promote the development of inclusive finance. But the role of market competition has a stronger impact than that of government intervention. The heterogeneity test shows that market competition plays a more significant role in the regions with higher levels of market competition and financial development, and in the southern and central Jiangsu Province, where the economy is relatively more developed. However, in the regions with lower levels of market competition and financial development, as well as in the northern Jiangsu Province, with a relatively backward economy, government intervention significantly improves the degree of inclusive finance of rural commercial banks. Finally, we advocate that the roles of market and government should be applied according to local conditions, and the development of the inclusive finance in rural commercial banks needs to be continuously promoted. Full article

This study focuses on the intersection of power and gender in negotiations, which is seldom challenged in previous research. In an experiment with 72 negotiators, we consider issue authority as a proxy of power in negotiations and investigate how different power allocations affect the negotiation success. We learn that an increase in issue authority for one of the two parties does not necessarily lead to an increase in success. Especially, female negotiators rely on their negotiation power, rather than systematically improving mutual utilities. This article contributes to Emerson’s power-dependence theory, social role theory, role congruity theory, and gender role conflict theory by combining analyzing the impact of gender differences and power on the success. This study attempts to close the gap in the literature by focusing on the prospective function of gender role orientation in explaining gender differences in negotiation. The theoretical contribution is that females are not per se inferior in negotiations, but their performance decreases in scenarios of power asymmetries. On the contrary, unbalanced power decreases the likelihood of success. Negotiators cannot rely on a power advantage to increase their success. Full article

Abusing psychoactive substances has been a popular sport in the business world since the mid-19th century. First, they were appreciated for their stimulating or tonic effects, but later with psychedelics on the scene, their importance in subculture matured. In the last decade, it has become very popular to use LSD and cocaine in subtle doses, which provides users with a high that is enough to feel their psychoactive potential, but not as high that significant behavioral changes can be seen. Unlike regular use, microdosing is usually sufficient to affect a few without undue finish and withdrawal symptoms. It allows for abuse in the regular mode of the working week with a rest phase on the weekend. The diametric difference between the abuse of standard dosing and micro-dosing is also in the decreasing tolerance of the organism. Over time, an organism permanently exposed to microdosing of stimulants is sufficient to achieve a gradually decreasing dose effect that psychedelics develop resistance to. Case studies of such prolonged use were described and analyzed to show the role of microdosing in the creative world and for business managers. Initial field research, funded by the Newton University internal grant, focused on contamination mapping in office spaces for employees in target positions. Further research continues on the investigation of microdosing in conditions of corporate reality. Full article

During the COVID-19 pandemic, several issues have emerged as important in evaluating firm value and investment-oriented decision making. These issues include supply chain management, human rights, climate change, safety, and environmental risks. This study analyzed the sustainability reports of four business firms, each in four different countries, covering 2005/2006, 2013, and 2020. The analysis revealed similar factors and their dimensions that are critical for effective supply chain management: environmental and public sector issues, collaboration and cooperation with partner organizations, environmentally friendly production and development systems, human-centered operation plans, and risk management. While the study results delineated several key categories, there were variations among the four firms’ sustainability reports, indicating a need for global standards for comparative analysis. This study highlights the importance of sustainability, its effective measurement, and global standards for sustainability reports. As governments put pressure on businesses to demonstrate their commitments to environmental issues, many firms have embraced the concept of corporate social responsibility by practicing socially responsible codes of conduct throughout their supply chains. Full article

Prior literature finds that earnings management is negatively correlated with institutional ownership. The question is whether institutional investors drive down earnings management of the firms they invest in, or they choose firms with lower earnings management. In this paper, we use the instrument variable design of the Russell 1000 and 2000 indices reconstruction to obtain an exogenous variation in institutional ownership. We find that institutional investors do not drive down earnings management. Instead, institutions choose firms with lower earnings management when they make investment decisions. To further support the preference hypothesis, we add measures of institution preference in the panel regression and find that the negative relation between institutional ownership and earnings management disappears. Full article

Entrepreneurship usually takes place in innovative systems, mostly in cities. Cities, with unique features, may alter the impact of entrepreneurship. This paper employs multiple regression models to assess the impact of entrepreneurship on economic growth, considering the moderation effect of the city context. We use Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the dependent variable and government spending, labor, fixed and financial capital and entrepreneurship as the independent variables. The data are from the 2003–2017 yearbooks of Zhaoqing, Shantou and Meizhou (three cities with distinct cultural and geographic features in Guangdong, China). We conclude that (1) the three cities’ GDPs highly rely on traditional factors of production (i.e., government spending, labor and fixed and financial capital) rather than entrepreneurship and (2) the city context of Meizhou is relatively unsupportive of its entrepreneurship contributing to the GDP, in comparison with that of Zhaoqing and Shantou. This study adds to the literature by empirically assessing and comparing three cities’ entrepreneurship development in China; it also informs scholars and practitioners of the moderation effect of the city context. Full article