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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 28796

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Dr. Tachia Chin

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Guest Editor

School of Management, Zhejiang University of Technology, Zhejiang 310012, China
Interests: knowledge management; cross-culture management; management philosophy; career development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The COVID-19 outbreak, as an unprecedented global public health emergency (GPHE), has exerted profound and long-term impacts on the integration of global cultures, industry chains and production networks. The world economy was projected to contract sharply by 3.2 per cent in 2020 (Mukaram, 2020), while cultural values of different nations have collided at ever-increasing velocity during the pandemic. The continuously deteriorating Sino–U.S. political and trade conflict is one of the most prominent events. As a result, the GPHE has posed a wide range of nascent challenges, particularly those pertaining to corporate social responsibilities (CSR), to cross-border business models (CBMs), whose value logic, comprised of value proposition, creation, delivery and capture mechanisms, is involved with multi-cultural stakeholders such as employees, suppliers and customers (Chin, Wang, and Rowley, 2020; Chin, Shi, Rowley, and Meng, 2020).

For instance, due to the tentative cessation of cross-border transportation and air travel, especially the planes used simultaneously for passengers and freight, international trades have been massively disrupted. This indicates an urgent need to re-restructure or re-design the value chain systems of CBMs for a variety of products with an integrative consideration of ecological, social and economic value. Despite the difficulties encountered, we have also seen a staggering rise in digital service demands and cyber industries, as the Internet and e-commerce services have become an indispensable prerequisite for people’s basic needs, such as food, hygiene and medical products delivery, amid the spread of COVID-19. This implies new growth windows for firms to build more effective digital infrastructures/platforms to improve their CBMs. Looking at the ongoing arguments on the coexistence of threats and opportunities, as well as CSR and economic concerns, we conclude that achieving “sustainability” will become more important than ever when firms develop and operate CBMs in the post-COVID era. This requires a fundamental re-thinking and, therefore, deeper, more comprehensive research integrating two relatively abstract concepts of CBMs and sustainability from broader, multi-level perspectives.

In this vein, we thus organized this Special Issue on “sustainable cross-border business models”. It aims to advance our knowledge and understanding of how and why firms incorporate sustainability as a major driver, a means/technique, a practice or an ultimate goal when devising, formulating, implementing, renewing and reconfiguring the value logic of CBMs in highly uncertain times. It is also interesting to examine the role of entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation, dynamic capabilities and knowledge-management practices (e.g., knowledge sharing and knowledge integration) in coping with cross-cultural conflicts coupled with economic recessions for creating sustainable CBMs during the pandemic and onwards. We welcome conceptual, theoretical, qualitative or quantitative papers related to relevant topics and issues. Contributions should report original research that is not under consideration at any other journal.

Dr. Tachia Chin
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

business model
sustainability
cross-border
cross-culture
business model innovation
value logic
value creation
value proposition
value delivery
value capture
innovation
entrepreneurship
knowledge management
sustainable supply chain
sustainable value chain
production networks
dynamic capability
e-commerce
corporation social responsibility
public health emergency
health care

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 1024 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How OFDI Promotes High-Technology Multinationals’ Innovation: From the Perspective of a Cross-Border Business Model

by Deping Xiong, Mengyuan Yang, Qian Chen, Yilei Sun, Giuseppe Cillo, Antonio Usai and Xiang Wang

Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1417; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031417 - 26 Jan 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2540

Abstract

High-quality innovation in cross-border business models is the focus of innovative development. However, some enterprises are blindly obsessed with focusing on the quantity of innovation, while they neglect the quality of innovation. As a result, the quantity of innovation in cross-border business models is not proportional to the quality, and cross-border business models need continuous improvement. High-quality innovation in cross-border business models is also related to outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) and knowledge absorptive capacity. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between OFDI and innovation quality in cross-border business models. This study proposes that knowledge absorptive capacity plays a mediating transmission role between OFDI and innovation quality. Based on panel data for 478 Chinese high-tech multinational enterprises in the period from 2014 to 2019, the paper uses moderated path analysis to construct a non-linear mediated transmission model of knowledge absorptive capacity in terms of the OFDI and innovation quality of high-tech enterprises. The results show that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between OFDI and innovation quality. Knowledge absorptive capacity plays an inverted U-shaped mediating role in the transmission between OFDI and innovation quality. In a post hoc analysis, it was found that a low degree of OFDI has an inverted U-shaped relationship with innovation quality, and a high degree of OFDI negatively inhibits innovation quality. Therefore, Chinese high-tech enterprises operating cross-border must maintain an appropriate level of OFDI by improving the matching mechanism between OFDI and knowledge absorptive capacity, which is conducive to improving the innovation quality of multinational enterprises in host countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Cross-Border Business Models)

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33 pages, 4831 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Incentive Mechanism of Knowledge Sharing in Cross-Border Business Models Based on Digital Technologies

by Yan Wang, Lifan Yang, Enzo Russo and Domenico Graziano

Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12821; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212821 - 20 Nov 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2143

Abstract

This paper aims to solve the time-constrained problems of knowledge sharing caused by geographical distance and cultural differences in cross-border business models by proposing a novel knowledge sharing model based on principal–agent theory. Given that digital technologies (DTs) can solve the information asymmetry issue, this paper analyses and compares the contract parameters given by the principal, the efforts of the agent, and the changes in the expected profits of both parties before and after the application of DTs and therefore discusses the influence of various relevant factors in incentive contracts; the relationship between the expected profit of both parties and the various relevant factors is analyzed through numerical simulations. The results show that, in cross-border business models considering the time value of knowledge, the principal is affected not only by “information rent” and “channel loss” but also by the “time cost”. The application of DTs can effectively reduce all three of these costs. More importantly, the principal’s incentive coefficient and the agent’s effort are related to this time constraint and the application of DTs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Cross-Border Business Models)

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13 pages, 631 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Value Appropriation Capability of Chinese Multinationals in Operating Cross-Border Business Models

by Hanxu Quan, George Kwame Agbanyo, Francesco Caputo and Tachia Chin

Sustainability 2021, 13(17), 9812; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179812 - 01 Sep 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1610

Abstract

In an ever increasingly competitive and unstable global market, multinational corporations (MNCs) are greatly pressurised to use inherent capacities and develop effective cross-border business models (CBMs) that can transform value into the desired outcome. Amid high uncertainties, MNCs are required to develop some critical capabilities to operate CBMs to the best of their ability. More specifically, it is vital for MNCs to have a unique capability that enables them to more effectively synergise with these commonly recognised capabilities (e.g., technological innovation capabilities (TIC) and marketing capability (MC) alongside the global value chain (GVC)) to sustain balance among and gain profits with stakeholders. From the literature review, we first identified value appropriation capability (VAC) as one of the most important capabilities and thereby developed three hypotheses. Based on the hypotheses, we investigated how VAC efficiently moderates MNCs’ capabilities to appositely operate CBMs. Then, empirical panel data between 2011 and 2019 in the Chinese manufacturing industry were used to examine the hypotheses. The results reveal that VAC, TIC and MC positively impact MNC performance. Moreover, VAC–TIC interaction significantly improves MNC performance, and VAC–MC interaction positively improves MNC performance. Our findings provide novel insights into the CBM literature by examining the importance of VAC for operating CBMs alongside its multifaceted effects on MNC performance, especially in times of uncertainty. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Cross-Border Business Models)

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11 pages, 939 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Practicing Green Residence Business Model Based on TPB Perspective

by Chao Wu, Shuling Liang, Weijiong Wu and Yuxiang Hong

Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7379; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137379 - 01 Jul 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2643

Abstract

Green residence is the future of urban development, it is also an attempt to implement the green business model in the residential business field. The key to the success of a green business model is that a wide range of customers can accept its green value proposition and react to it through their purchase decisions. This study aims to develop a theory of a planned behavior (TPB) research model to predict individuals’ intention to purchase green residence. This study took steel structure residence as an example, which was widely recognized as one emerging type of green residence. The samples were selected in Baotou city of Inner Mongolia, P.R. China. Data analysis was performed using the structural equation modeling (SEM) with data obtained from a survey of 208 respondents using SPSS19.0 and AMOS17.0. The results found that the individuals’ intention to purchase green residence was significantly affected by attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. Moreover, the empirical evidence showed that these influences differed between different gender groups. Specifically, women responders had a stronger effect on the path attitude impact on purchase intention than men. These findings can provide implications for practicing the green business model of real estate enterprise. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Cross-Border Business Models)

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22 pages, 2996 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Business Model Innovation of IT-Enabled Customer Participating in Value Co-Creation Based on the Affordance Theory: A Case Study

by Yanli Guo, Yi Zhu and Jianbin Chen

Sustainability 2021, 13(10), 5753; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105753 - 20 May 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3817

Abstract

This study uses the structured–pragmatics–situational case study approach to explore the intrinsic mechanism of enterprise digital enablement using affordance theory and how traditional enterprises enable customers to participate in value co-creation through information technology, then realize business model innovation and maintain continuous consumption. The study revealed the following: (1) Product affordance drives customers’ original willingness to engage in value co-creation in four dimensions: economy, reliability, uniqueness, and selectivity; (2) The visibility, convenience, association, and persistence of the platform affordance enhance users’ abilities to engage in value co-creation; (3) The interaction of affordance, structural enablement, and digital enablement drives the interaction of willingness and capability to engage in value co-creation; and (4) User participation behaviors in value co-creation can be divided into three dimensions (informational, actionable, and attitudinal participation)and four stages. The findings explain how traditional enterprises use IT enablement to promote business model innovation of customer participation in value co-creation and enrich the theories of digital enablement. The conclusions reveal the managerial implications of the ways, paths, and mechanism of business model innovation by IT enabling customers to participate in value co-creation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Cross-Border Business Models)

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22 pages, 1345 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Cross-Border R&D Sourcing on the Innovation Quality of MNCs, from the Perspective of Business Model Innovation

by Yunlong Duan, Hanxiao Liu, Zhiqing Deng and Peng Tao

Sustainability 2021, 13(8), 4579; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084579 - 20 Apr 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2588

Abstract

In the literature on business model innovation (BMI) in multinational corporations (MNCs), the influence of cross-border R&D (Research and development) sourcing on innovation performance has been widely discussed; however, from a BMI perspective, apart from innovation performance, the innovation quality is also important. In addition, absorptive capacity and institutional distance are important indicators of MNCs’ innovation quality, although there have been few studies of the moderating effects on the relationship between R&D sourcing and innovation quality. Based on this research gap, starting from the perspective of BMI and by constructing a research framework that includes R&D intensity, R&D diversity, and innovation quality, this paper takes China’s high-tech MNCs as the research object to obtain a sustainable innovative business model. Further, absorptive capacity and institutional distance serve as moderating variables to study the moderating role of the relationship between R&D sourcing and the innovation quality of MNCs. This paper presents the following research findings. During the process of cross-border BMI, R&D intensity has a significant, inverted U-shaped relationship with innovation quality; R&D diversity has a significant negative linear relationship with innovation quality; and absorptive capacity and institutional distance each have a moderating effect on the above relationships. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Cross-Border Business Models)

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17 pages, 899 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Factors Influencing Entrepreneurial Intention of University Students in China: Integrating the Perceived University Support and Theory of Planned Behavior

by Yushun Su, Zeren Zhu, Jingwen Chen, Yuanqing Jin, Ting Wang, Chien-Liang Lin and Danying Xu

Sustainability 2021, 13(8), 4519; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084519 - 19 Apr 2021

Cited by 67 | Viewed by 11541

Abstract

Entrepreneurial education has always played an important role in developing entrepreneurship. In recent years, China has been emphasizing the integration of innovative entrepreneurship concepts into university curricula. Entrepreneurial education can also contribute to the sustainability of business development. In the context of “mass entrepreneurship and innovation”, entrepreneurial education is important to promote the restructuring of the economic and business model, enhance the development momentum, and follow the innovation-driven development path. However, whether the promotion of entrepreneurial education will lead to entrepreneurial intentions of college students, and thus, specific proposals for the promotion of the entrepreneurial education model remains unclear. Therefore, this study adopted the theory of planned behavior perspective coupled with perceived university support to extend the theory of planned behavior framework and explain the effect of such support on student entrepreneurial intention. The study results revealed that perceived university support significantly affected student attitude toward entrepreneurship, which signaled universities’ critical role in establishing entrepreneurial spirit in students. A significant effect on behavioral control was also observed for perceived university support. Regarding the effects of perceived university support on attitude toward entrepreneurship and behavioral control, the results revealed the effect was far greater on attitude than on behavioral control. Such intention was not directly affected by subjective norms. Therefore, a scientifically rational entrepreneurship course system is critical for effective entrepreneurship education. Overall, encouraging students to engage in the continuous process of entrepreneurship through entrepreneurship courses can concurrently benefit overall economic and social development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Cross-Border Business Models)

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