Journal of Strategy and Management

Troise, Ciro; Tani, Mario; Matricano, Diego; Ferrara, Elia

2022 Journal of Strategy and Management

doi: 10.1108/jsma-08-2022-363

Acciarini, Chiara; Borelli, Fernando; Capo, Francesca; Cappa, Francesco; Sarrocco, Chiara

2022 Journal of Strategy and Management

doi: 10.1108/jsma-02-2021-0033

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of the digitalization phenomenon in the development of innovative business models that are sustainability oriented. Thus, the authors aim to understand whether the presence of digitalization forces companies to create, capture and deliver value in new ways, focusing on their social impact.Design/methodology/approachThrough the analysis of a case study in the automotive sector, the authors provide evidence that both digitalization and sustainability need to be considered to adequately innovate business models. Moreover, these two dimensions are interrelated, and therefore digitalization sustains sustainability and vice versa.FindingsBy inductively investigating the evolutionary path along which companies tend to adapt their business models to digitalization and sustainability trends, the authors found that this innovative transformation needs to be as sustainable as possible in order to offer benefits to organizations, customers and society at large. Furthermore, the authors revealed that, at least in the automotive sector, companies and customers are aware of the remarkable consequences of digitalization; however, they are still uncertain regarding the actual adoption of new technologies.Originality/valueThe literature on business model innovation is quite extensive. However, the role of digitalization in developing sustainable business models to achieve a competitive advantage has been overlooked. This study suggests that, within a specific context, forging a value network of stakeholders is helpful when innovating a business model with a sustainability orientation.

Bastiaansen, Carla A.J.; Wilderom, Celeste P.M.

2022 Journal of Strategy and Management

doi: 10.1108/jsma-03-2021-0071

After deciding to become agile, many information technology (IT) units struggle; they underestimate the needed managerial expertise to alter their current culture toward an agile one, particularly when cross-cultural (f)actors are involved. Given that work values are the key to an organizational culture, the study derived a set of agile work values of culturally diverse IT professionals together with a set of well-known generic work values. Consequently, the authors illustrate that managers in charge of the transition to an effective agile culture must pay serious attention to the specific value constellations of its often highly diverse workforce.Design/methodology/approachA literature review resulted in an initial list of agile work values. Then, mainly through a Delphi round, 12 agile-specific work values were established. These were survey rated, along with the validated set of 18 generic work values, by 102 British and Indian IT professionals in a digital service and consulting firm that was requested by its client to become agile. The observations made in 14 feedback group-interview-type dialogs enriched the surveyed data further.FindingsIn the current exploratory study, four generic value dimensions were complemented by two agile-specific ones: team communication and shared responsibility. Among the British and Indian (on-site and offshore) workers, only 2 of the 30 current work values were shared while 7 significant value differences were found, explaining the noted employee bitterness, productivity losses and client disengagement. This situation was reflected in the many discrepancies between the professionals' ideal agile way of working and how their unit was currently functioning.Originality/valueThe multi-method study shows an over-optimistic approach to becoming agile in a common cross-cultural context; insights are gained on how to optimize agile ways of organizing IT work when British IT workers collaborate with Indian IT workers. It may benefit many agile practitioners and managers working with(in) cross-culturally mixed and partly remote teams.

Camilleri, Mark Anthony

2022 Journal of Strategy and Management

doi: 10.1108/jsma-02-2021-0045

This research identifies the critical factors of online service delivery of electronic commerce (e-commerce) websites, including website attractiveness, website functionality, website security and consumer fulfillment during an unprecedented Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.Design/methodology/approachA structured questionnaire was used to gather data from 430 online respondents who were members of popular social media groups. The survey instrument relied on valid and reliable measures relating to electronic service quality (e-SERVQUAL) to better understand the participants’ satisfaction with shopping websites, as well as their loyal behaviors and word-of-mouth activities.FindingsThe findings reported that consumers valued the e-commerce websites’ features and their consumer order fulfillment capabilities. These factors increase the consumers’ satisfaction with online shopping experiences, generate repeat business, as well as positive reviews on social media.Research limitations/implicationsThis study addresses a knowledge gap in academia. To date, little research has focused on the consumer order fulfillment aspect of e-commerce transactions and on after-sales of online businesses.Originality/valueThis contribution posits that e-commerce websites ought to be appealing, functional and offer secure transactions. More importantly, it suggests that merchants should consistently deliver personalized service in all stages of an online purchase, including after the delivery of the ordered products.

Candelo, Elena; Casalegno, Cecilia Giuliana; Civera, Chiara

2022 Journal of Strategy and Management

doi: 10.1108/jsma-02-2021-0056

Digital transformation has had controversial impacts on the way small retailers and stakeholders interact, make decisions, and jointly create value while also transforming the nature of relationships. This paper examines the enabling factors of digital transformation in the small retailers' context through the lens of stakeholder theory, deepening the knowledge about the implications of such transformations imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employed a mixed methodology based on a single case study, semi-structured interviews, focus groups and a survey to illustrate the dynamics behind and the impacts of the development of a digital platform created to support the commercial activity of 100 small retailer entrepreneurs located in Italy during the 2020 lockdowns. The platform has been developed in partnership with public and private local stakeholders with different degrees of involvement in the project.FindingsThe authors demonstrated that stakeholder relationships based on trust, engagement and empowerment are enablers of digital transformation in entrepreneurial contexts based on analogic relationships and communal sharing relational models. The authors also outlined the implications of empowerment and digital contamination among small retailers.Originality/valueThe authors’ findings foster the understanding of digital transformation in small entrepreneurial contexts by highlighting the potential of digital transformation as a powerful bridge between the urgent call for digitalisation and the maintenance of valuable relationships with customers by small retailer entrepreneurs, supporting the creation of entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Chatterjee, Sheshadri; Chaudhuri, Ranjan; Vrontis, Demetris; Basile, Gianpaolo

2022 Journal of Strategy and Management

doi: 10.1108/jsma-02-2021-0049

The purpose of this study is to identify the determinants that could impact corporate digital entrepreneurship for the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of India. The study also investigates the moderating role that adopting artificial intelligence (AI)-customer relationship management (CRM) capability and strategic planning has in corporate digital entrepreneurship.Design/methodology/approachWith the inputs from literature and theories, a model has been developed conceptually. The model has been validated by partial least squares structural equation modeling technique with consideration of 315 usable respondents. The effects of the moderators have also been investigated by multigroup analysis.FindingsThe study highlights that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and willingness to change significantly impact corporate digital entrepreneurship for the SMEs of India. The study also highlights that the two moderators have significant impacts on the relationships between corporate digital entrepreneurship and its predictors.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has developed a unique model, which provides effective inputs to the entrepreneurs of SMEs of emerging economies. These inputs will help entrepreneurs to frame their policies to improve the existing traditional practices and processes that could be transformed into more digitalization for improving efficiency of their corporate digital entrepreneurial activities.Originality/valueThere are no studies which investigated how perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and willingness to change could impact corporate digital entrepreneurship with the moderating effects of adoption of AI-CRM capability and strategic planning, as concerns SMEs of emerging economies. In this regard, this study is deemed to be a unique attempt.

Dicuonzo, Grazia; Donofrio, Francesca; Fusco, Antonio; Ranaldo, Simona

2022 Journal of Strategy and Management

doi: 10.1108/jsma-02-2021-0062

Transformational entrepreneurship (TE) is a concept referring to the ability of entrepreneurs to face global challenges, such as the economic crisis, to improve the well-being of the community. Considering the current scenario of COVID-19, the way digital platforms support TE in overcoming a crisis, specifically the economic crisis caused by the pandemic, was analysed.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve the goal, the authors used the case study methodology. The interview was compared for the company analysed stands out due to its use of digital platforms as a tool to increase brand value. The authors conducted a semi-structured, open-ended interview with the entrepreneur and founder of Yamamay, a company operating in the retail sector. The results obtained from validity using the open coding method.FindingsThe main findings show that the implementation of digital platforms supported the entrepreneur in formulating strategic choices that allowed the company to continue offering its services despite the store closures imposed by the pandemic. The whole concept of traditional retail has been and continues to be revised, rationalising it and integrating it with a more omnichannel logic in which digital platforms play a fundamental role.Practical implicationsThis paper provides market participants with useful information regarding the ability of this form of technology to support entrepreneurs in a crisis context. The results could also serve as an example for other retail companies regarding how to manage the consequences of the pandemic.Originality/valueThis contribution represents an extension of the existing literature that deepens the understanding of the relationship between digital platforms and TE in a particular scenario, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The effect of business decisions on the adoption of digital platforms to meet increasing and changing customer needs has been examined.

Iscaro, Valentina; Castaldi, Laura; Maresca, Paolo; Mazzoni, Clelia

2022 Journal of Strategy and Management

doi: 10.1108/jsma-02-2021-0059

This paper aims to investigate the role of predictive models in the learning and decision-making processes of strategic management. The rapid advancement of digitalisation has contributed to increasing the complexity of the worldwide economy and led to various new competitive dynamics.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve this purpose, a literature review has been carried out and a predictive model based on Watson, an IBM supercomputer, is presented as a qualitative process model.FindingsSpecific insights derived from a review of the literature highlight organisations' need to modify their decision- and strategy-making processes, which are increasing in speed and frequency, thus also leading to the formulation of emergent and trigger event strategies based on the identification of conditions that require the revision of all or part of the firm's strategy. Predictive models, acting as filters, transform data into informative knowledge that decision-makers can interpret based on individual domain knowledge.Originality/valueFrom a theoretical point of view, this paper contributes to the field of digital transformation by proposing the economics of complexity as a paradigm through which to observe and study the issue of predictive models in strategic management. Additionally, the authors analyse the phenomenon from a cognitive perspective, defining the new learning dynamics of digital transformation and the social learning cycle triggered by big data and predictive models. From a managerial and policy-making point of view, this suggests the need to re-shape traditional education contents and dynamics and foster skills that are multi-disciplinary, multi-domain, multi-empathic, multi-interaction and multi-communication between people and things.

Kraft, Corin; Lindeque, Johan P.; Peter, Marc K.

2022 Journal of Strategy and Management

doi: 10.1108/jsma-02-2021-0063

The study explores the alignment of Swiss small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) managers' understanding of digital transformation, with evidence of digital tool adoption in managerial and operative work. This reveals opportunities for more fully realizing the potential of digital transformation for SMEs.Design/methodology/approachThis multiple-case study, with four theoretically sampled cases, analyzes data from the qualitative answers of 1,593 respondents to a survey of Swiss SMEs about digital transformation. The study draws on a convenience sample of Swiss SME managers.FindingsThe analysis shows little understanding of digital transformation as related to managerial work. However, there are two clear digital tool adoption patterns for managerial work: (1) workflow and workforce management and (2) work-flow and team management. Understandings of digital transformation and operative work focus on the (1) organization of operational work or (2) a combination of organization and changing the way people work. The digital tool adoption in operational work additionally focuses on the digital skills of operational employees.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is only able to identify patters of understanding of digital transformation and digital tool adoption in managerial and operative work. More research is needed to understand why these patterns are observed.Practical implicationsSME managers need to think far more carefully about aligning their vision for digital transformation and the digital tools they adopt in both managerial and operational work, but especially in managerial work.Originality/valueThis is the first empirical study of the digital transformation of Swiss SMEs and their digital tool adoption. Significant potential for alignment is revealed, suggesting potential performance gains are possible.

Sciarelli, Mauro; Prisco, Anna; Gheith, Mohamed Hani; Muto, Valerio

2022 Journal of Strategy and Management

doi: 10.1108/jsma-02-2021-0054

The present research aims to identify the determinants for users' behavioral adoption of Blockchain, exploring the relationships among these variables and investigating whether the proposed model can provide a more comprehensive manner to understand the adoption of Blockchain technology.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) approach and extends it with external constructs: “reduced cost” and “efficiency and security”. This paper used a quantitative and exploratory approach through the collection and analysis of data from a total of 108 Italian innovative SME. We have used the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach using SmartPLS for model evaluation.FindingsThe results show that “efficiency and security” is an important driver of firms' decision-making process to adopt Blockchain. Moreover, the results show that perceived usefulness is a strong predictor of the intention to use Blockchain in business processes.Originality/valueThis research advances the literature on technology adoption in business processes, focusing on a particular technology: Blockchain. The field has been strengthened by investigating the determinants of technology adoption, adding new perspectives; both reduced cost and efficiency, and security.