Search Results (14)

Globalization and market saturation have led Portuguese textile companies to seek international markets not only for growth but also to contribute to their country’s international image. This study aims to explore how the internationalization of the Portuguese textile sector into the Chinese market contributes to Portugal’s destination image and identify the critical success factors in this process. The research follows an inductive, qualitative methodology based on semi-structured interviews with two groups of companies: those already operating in China (n = 5) and those preparing to enter the market (n = 5). The interviews were thematically analyzed to extract key patterns and insights. The findings reveal that successful companies operate in the luxury segment, rely on prior international experience, and often use local intermediaries. Firms planning to internationalize highlight quality differentiation, brand authenticity, and innovation as strategic advantages. These insights support the role of niche positioning and cultural adaptation in building both commercial success and a refined international image of Portugal. This study contributes to the literature by linking internationalization and destination branding through industry-specific case evidence and offers practical implications for managers targeting emerging markets like China. Full article

Background: The evaluation of internationally comparable indicators of medicine use is important to devise strategies to promote the rational use of medicines (RUM). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital from January to June 2024. Prescriptions were collected from the outpatient pharmacy using systematic random sampling and analyzed for WHO/INRUD core prescribing indicators, index of rational drug prescribing (IRDP) and completeness (general, treatment and prescribers’ details). Results: Out of 844 prescriptions collected, 607 were analyzed. A total of 1837 drugs were prescribed, with a mean (SD) of 3.03 (1.51) drugs per prescription; 1378 (75%) drugs were prescribed as generic names; 125 prescriptions (20.59%) had an antibiotic prescribed; and injectables were given in 7 (1.15%) prescriptions. Of the total 1837 drugs, 1018 (55.4%) were mentioned in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) 2022, while 934 (50.8%) were included in the Haryana state essential medicines list (2013–2014). The IRDP was calculated as 3.86. The mean (SD) completeness score of the prescriptions was 10.33 (0.8) (range 5 to 11). Conclusions: There was a high incidence of polypharmacy, brand name and non-essential drug prescribing, while antibiotic and injection use were in accordance with WHO standards. Full article

The branding of cities through their historical and cultural assets has become a pivotal strategy in urban development and tourism. This study focuses on Erbil Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its potential as a brand for Erbil, a city with a rich historical backdrop and flourishing urban landscape. The study aimed to explore the perceptions of Erbil’s residents regarding the cultural significance of the Citadel and its potential as a city brand. A mixed-method survey questionnaire was conducted, collecting data from around 440 residents through both manual distribution around the Citadel and an online platform. The findings were analyzed using SPSS 23 to provide both descriptive and inferential statistical insights. The findings show that locals are well aware of the Citadel’s significance as a significant historical and cultural symbol of the city. The vast majority of participants acknowledged its unique visual attributes and their representation of the city’s cultural and historical identity. Additionally, the results showed that citizens’ perceptions of the Citadel as a good component of city branding were positively correlated with their level of cultural awareness. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on city branding and heritage sites by providing empirical evidence on the impact of residents’ cultural awareness on their perceptions of heritage sites as city brands. The results highlight how crucial cultural education and community involvement are to maximizing the branding potential of historic locations. Policymakers and urban planners may find the findings of the study useful in utilizing Erbil Citadel’s historical relevance to strengthen Erbil’s brand identity internationally. Full article

Different actors have observed divergences and imbalances related to quality understanding and value appropriation in the coffee value chain. Reducing this gap and ensuring sustainability requires innovative strategies. The “Coffee Grower’s Laboratory” in Ituango, Colombia, was established to enhance local coffee farmers’ capacities in science, technology, and innovation. Over 13 participatory methodologies were developed with design thinking to facilitate knowledge exchange between the farmers’ traditional expressions and international commercial practices. Key methodologies included brand co-creation (Artesanato), roast curves (Anatomy of Roasting), roaster operation (The Roaster’s Journey), understanding beans (Know the Bean), and coffee tasting (Deliciousometer). Additionally, methodologies for strengthening intra and interpersonal skills, such as self-care (Crossing the River) and empowerment (The Four Pillars of Trust), were included. Altogether 302 coffee farmers participated. We co-created a community brand, Itucafé, promoted on social media to highlight the farmers’ traditions and innovations nationally and internationally. Farmers, who previously sold only washed parchment coffee, now process, taste, and sell their coffee directly to buyers. Selling directly to buyers increased coffee growers’ profits to around 50% through the “Coffee Grower’s Laboratory”, compared to the less than 10% they earned previously. They also experiment with new fermentations using local fruits, creating unique sensory profiles for more competitive pricing. The “Coffee Grower’s Laboratory” has strengthened the coffee community’s capabilities and competitiveness, enhancing the visibility and recognition of Ituango coffee. It provides an ideal environment for continuous training and producer-buyer relationships, serving as a replicable model for other coffee-producing regions in Colombia. Full article

The authors present in this paper the experimental results and conclusions obtained after conducting a comparative study on three samples of forged semi-finished products from the steel brands 10CrMo9-10, 25CrMo4, and 42CrMo4. These are common heat-resistant alloy steels used in various industries nationally and internationally. This study aimed to test under the same identical experimental conditions of forging and heat treatment of three samples made of three different brands of steels 10CrMo9-10, 25CrMo4, and 42CrMo4. Analyzing the experimental results obtained, it can be seen for which of the three brands of tested steels the best forging and heat treatment parameters are obtained. Following experimental research, the best material was determined by analyzing the results obtained for the mechanical characteristics (tensile tests according to DNVGL-RP0034-SFC2 and NACE MR0175–hardness 207-235 HBW) and austenitic grain size. The authors determined that among the three types of steels analyzed, 10CrMo9-10 best meets the imposed requirements. This statement is in view of the comparative analysis of the results of experimental research. Full article

The textile industry sector is classified as the most polluting sector and has the greatest direct impact on the life of the entire ecosystem. The main objective of this article is to study the role of sustainability (eco-innovation and circular economy) in the internationalization of the textile industry in Portugal. For this, a qualitative methodology was used, through semi-structured interviews applied to four managers of the textile sector, in the north of Portugal. The results of the interviews were submitted to a content analysis and data coding system using the NVIVO software. The results show that sustainability is a pillar of direct and/or indirect internationalization, either through the demand of the consumer for sustainable products or through the availability of the products produced by companies; this is motivated mainly by customers, even if the high price of these products when they reach the market is concerning. With the results achieved, this article shows that the determining factor for eco-innovative and recycled products is the price factor. The high price that eco-innovative and recycled products have when they reach the market is the main concern that the companies interviewed have in terms of investing more in this type of product. However, they claim that there is a clear increase in demand for these products and that it is a differentiating factor in international markets. It also became evident that the existence of products from the circular economy increases the companies’ value and acceptance in international markets. This article provides empirical evidence that shows that the transition from a linear to a circular economy requires large investments in most cases; however, it is currently a competitive advantage and a positioning in a differentiating sector, increasing the brand’s social responsibility. Full article

Possessing an international brand in an exclusive field can play a critical role in developing exports. On the other hand, monitoring market conditions and predicting the changes caused by the physical separation and distance between the upstream and downstream markets and asymmetric information is challenging in export markets. Accordingly, it is necessary to manage this issue by adopting business intelligence tools. To this end, using a descriptive–correlation method, the present study investigated the effect of applying business intelligence on export development and brand internationalization in large industrial firms. To collect the data, three questionnaires were distributed among 161 employees at the headquarters of Isfahan’s Mobarakeh Steel Company. The validity and reliability of the research questionnaires were confirmed. Data analysis was performed with SmartPLS and SPSS software. The findings indicated the effect of applying business intelligence on export development and brand internationalization in large industrial firms. We also performed additional analyses to deepen the results of the verified hypotheses to identify the best business intelligence dimensions for the prediction of export development and brand internationalization. The conclusion that can be drawn from our findings is that business intelligence and its tools can provide companies with an optimal understanding of organizational processes, appropriate responses to the behavior of competitors, and the ability to identify the needs of global customers by developing the best value chain. Full article

The objective of this study was to build an international evaluation index system of cross-border e-commerce brands. It improves the sustainable development ability of the brand and then drives the sustainable development of the enterprise’s brand internationalization. As the top priority in the innovative development process of cross-border e-commerce enterprises, it is a key means to achieve longer-term and more stable development of cross-border enterprises and to maintain a place in the fiercely competitive market. Therefore, the internationalization of cross-border e-commerce brands is a topic that needs to be explored in depth to provide a comprehensive understanding to businesses from the consumers’ perspectives. This study constructs an international evaluation index system for cross-border e-commerce brands. The keywords in the online reviews are captured through the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) and matched to the indexes, and the indicators are classified into Kano categories through Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) training to explore the promotion strategies of different Kano categories in the process of brand internationalization. Based on the empirical analysis of online reviews of the Kano model, it was determined that in the process of internationalization of cross-border e-commerce brands, managers should focus on service indicators related to expected factors, give priority to meeting service indicators related to essential factors, strive to meet service indicators related to charm factors, and make appropriate choices to observe service indicators related to indifference factors in real-time. Full article

The involvement of companies in different open innovation activities, through knowledge outputs and inputs, has become increasingly important for the success of companies. However, the existing literature on open innovation is scarce concerning the internationalization process of companies. The internationalization of companies is fundamental in the continuous search to increase the performance of companies externally. The objective of the present research is to explain the strategic processes in the internationalization of companies located in peripheral regions at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of dynamic capabilities. The sample used for this research is composed of seven Portuguese companies. The methodology of qualitative nature is exploratory and uses a case study approach. Regarding the foremost modes of operation in international markets and strategies, we find that (1) companies have partnerships with local distributors or appoint exclusive importers/distributors, and (2) companies prefer to place their products in the market through their brand, “co-branded” projects with retailers, or “private label” projects. Of the seven companies under study, six use a standardization strategy, and one opts for a configuration-coordination strategy. Our findings clarified the literature on export and internationalization strategies in a peripheral country, allowing a closer incept of the organizational and dynamic capabilities and an overview of the supporting tools these companies have to compete in the global market. Our study is original because few articles study the internationalization strategies of companies at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic and in peripheral regions of Europe. Full article

Vietnamese IT businesses have expanded internationally and have reached a turning point with opportunities and challenges typical when establishing a global brand. To assist Vietnamese IT firms in the development of branding strategies, this study investigated the direct influences of various firm competencies, such as innovation, marketing, networking, and dynamic capabilities, on brand equity in the business-to-business (B2B) information technology (IT) industry. In addition, the study examined whether the enterprise’s capabilities indirectly affected B2B brand equity via value co-creation and customer value. By employing PLS-SEM to analyze a sample of 182 questionnaire responses from IT firms in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, the study found that innovative, networking, and dynamic capabilities had a direct, positive effect on brand equity. The mediating effect of value co-creation and customer value on the association between marketing capability and brand equity was also reported. The research also recommended branding strategies for enterprises that seek to improve their internal competencies and abilities to innovate and respond swiftly to market dynamics. In a successful marketing strategy, all stakeholders must be involved in the value co-creation and brand equity building process, and this is particularly critical in a knowledge-intensive industry such as IT. Full article

Counterfeit products are internationally regarded as “the world’s second greatest public health hazards after drugs”. Counterfeiters produce counterfeit brand clothing and then sell them to consumers through unofficial channels; thus, consumers spend a lot of money without getting the value they deserve. With the rise of e-shopping, the safety and security of branded clothing supply chains are also under threat. Counterfeit branded apparel manufacturers generate profits while genuine manufacturers suffer, which ultimately violates the interests of the public. This study proposes a traceable anti-counterfeit management system for branded clothing based on Hyperledger Fabric technology. This system can achieve full traceability of the production information of branded clothing. It uses the unique characteristics of blockchain, such as being unforgeable, traceable, open, and transparent, and collectively ‘maintaining’, to record the specific production processes of the brand clothing, and ensure the authenticity and legitimacy of the production information of brand clothing. The end-user can self-verify the product’s authenticity by sharing the product’s details on the immutable framework. It solves problems surrounding information asymmetry, opaque supply chain data, and easy falsification in the production process of branded clothing in traditional branded clothing supply chains. Full article

In the article, a new phenomenon of global logistification provides a context for presenting the newest trends in the development of HR management and its role in logistics. The new trends include a growing internationalization of firms, combined flows of capital, people and technical knowledge, and the issue of key logistics competences. Against this background, the article describes a new model of the HR management function in logistics. The aim is to find the relationship between designing and delivering the personnel function in a firm and the effectiveness of logistics management. The key aspects of the personnel function management include talent and competencies management, personnel risk management, and employer branding. These HR practices are explored to determine attributes of the personnel function, and to describe challenges of the proactive human resource management in logistics. The article continues with a presentation of the results of empirical studies conducted in the period 2017–2018 of 236 large, medium-sized, and small Polish firms. As the primary methods, the research used a diagnostic survey, a questionnaire, and the statistical method of factor analysis. The second part of the article presents an original model of the personnel function in logistics management, with regard to the specificity of Polish firms. The findings based on the study results refer to both the present and future status of HR management in logistics. The main findings of the studies acknowledge the influence of all-embracing logistification on the volumes and structure of knowledge transfer in supply chains, and reveal a growing decentralization of HR management in large and medium-sized companies, resulting in an imbalance between the levels of personnel function implementation in large and medium-sized companies, compared with small firms. Full article

As one of the internationally recognized solutions to environmental problems, electric vehicles feature zero direct emissions and can reduce dependence on petroleum. An increasing number of countries have attached importance to the electric vehicle and developed it, and it is predicted that it will become a main force in the transportation system. Hence, it is necessary to explore the factors that drive consumers to buy electric vehicles. This study analyzes the factors that influence the consumer’s intention to buy electric vehicles and tests the relationship between them, and intends to offer information for the formulation of policies designed to popularize electric vehicles in order to reduce carbon emissions from transportation. As a result, consumer attitudes are the most important factor influencing the intention to purchase electric vehicles. The greatest effect is found in this line: Brand Trust→Perceived Benefit→Attitude→Purchase Intention. This means that the brand can increase the consumer’s perceived benefit of electric vehicles, make consumers more attracted to electric vehicles, and influence their final purchase intention. Full article

Chinese liquors are internationally well-known fermentative alcoholic beverages. They have unique flavors attributable to the use of various bacteria and fungi, raw materials, and production processes. Developing a novel, rapid, and reliable method to identify multiple Chinese liquors is of positive significance. This paper presents a pattern recognition system for classifying ten brands of Chinese liquors based on multidimensional scaling (MDS) and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms in a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM)-based electronic nose (e-nose) we designed. We evaluated the comprehensive performance of the MDS-SVM classifier that predicted all ten brands of Chinese liquors individually. The prediction accuracy (98.3%) showed superior performance of the MDS-SVM classifier over the back-propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) classifier (93.3%) and moving average-linear discriminant analysis (MA-LDA) classifier (87.6%). The MDS-SVM classifier has reasonable reliability, good fitting and prediction (generalization) performance in classification of the Chinese liquors. Taking both application of the e-nose and validation of the MDS-SVM classifier into account, we have thus created a useful method for the classification of multiple Chinese liquors. Full article