Search results

Based on the reception of the principle of self-organization, the core of Heinz von Foerster's operational theories, I hypothesize how Heinz von Foerster's theory can be an orientation model for the epistemological problem of complexity. I have chosen this study to demonstrate complexity as an epistemological problem. This is because the question of how order arises - the core problem of complexity - is an epistemological question for which Heinz von Foerster developed an epistemology of self-organization. I do not present new research because HvF already had the complex organization of systems in mind. Rather, I build a critical approach to complexity on the research and work on operational epistemology in HvF.

This article aims to provide an orientation for a philosophical and epistemological understanding of complexity through a reading of Heinz von Foerster's operational theory. The article attempts to establish complexity as an epistemological phenomenon through the following method: (1) a conceptual description of the science of complexity based on the turn to thermodynamic time, (2) a genealogy of complexity going back to the systemic method, and (3) Heinz von Foerster's cybernetic approach to self-organization.

Based on the reception of the principle of self-organization, the core of Heinz von Foerster's operational theories, the conclusion is drawn that complexity as a description is based on language games.

The results present complexity not as an object of science, but as a description that stands for the understanding of complex description.

The hypothesis that complexity is a question of description or observation, i.e. of description for what language serves, has enormous social implications, in that the description of complexes and the recognition of their orders (patterns) cannot be left to algorithmic governmentality, but must be carried out by a social agency.

HvF's operational epistemology can serve as an epistemological model for critical complexity theory.

In the digital transformation era, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in India face both opportunities and challenges in adopting Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies. To ensure successful I4.0 implementation, the study aims to develop a digital readiness assessment model based on stakeholders’ perceptions.

This research adopts a mixed-method framework to develop a comprehensive maturity model to assess the digital readiness of SMEs. The framework uses systematic literature review to comprehend I4.0 solution dimensions, followed by empirical validation of dimensions through a questionnaire survey and hypothesis formulation.

The digital readiness model is applied to companies working in four SME sectors, namely, automobile, machinery and equipment, pharmaceutical and agriculture. The findings highlight the necessity for sector-specific strategies to enhance digital capabilities, addressing unique challenges and leveraging opportunities for growth.

The proposed readiness assessment model, developed based on the 14 solution dimensions, 41 prerequisites and six levels, enables the respondents in SMEs to make factual assessments of their digital readiness and initiate efforts toward successful I4.0 implementation.

This research uniquely combines expert insights, multi-dimensional assessment and rigorous statistical validation to provide a robust conceptual framework for SMEs to navigate their digital transformation journey effectively.

Dam industry projects have significant economic, social and environmental impacts. However, very little has been carried out to improve their lifecycle performance. The purpose of this study is to identify success criteria applicable to different stages of such projects.

This study adopted a quantitative research design where the potential success criteria for dam engineering projects were evaluated. The applicable success criteria were determined for the four phases of project lifecycle by three rounds of Delphi technique with the participation of experts from dams industry in Australia.

The findings of this research suggest that project success is a multidimensional notion and varies over lifecycle of projects. This study on project success criteria shows that certain criteria can be applied to measure success in different phases over lifecycle of Australian dam industry projects.

The results of this research present the first exclusive quantitative assessment of success criteria for dams industry. The success criteria presented in this study enable project practitioners to measure success at various stages of dam industry projects. This can serve as a tool to put more management efforts into achieving success on those criteria.

The purpose of this paper is to provide guidance to universities revisiting their international partnerships involving travel by relaying the experiences, which saw marked changes via the COVID-19 pandemic.

This paper compares the mechanics, costs, preferences and performances of students in a Germany-based MBA program, partnered with the AACSB-accredited US institution, after increased reliance on a blended program model.

A preference emerged for less international travel by students and fewer face-to-face meetings with instructors’ traveling internationally. Student performance with the revised model of the program improved in regard to grade point average, but major field test performance remained similar. At the same time, students report a bit better satisfaction with the structure of the program while travel cost savings were realized.

This case study describes the specific experiences, which may suggest program development for other, similar partnerships.

A research gap exists regarding the impact of digital transformation on automotive open innovation, despite extensive literature on both topics individually. This study aims to fill this.

The study analyzes patent-based open innovation before and after the digital transformation, focusing on US patents filed by automakers from South Korea, Japan and Germany during three periods: 2000–2001, 2010–2011 and 2020–2021. Second, in-depth interviews with selected automotive firms from these countries were conducted to complement the patent analysis and develop grounded theory.

The common effect of digital transformation on automotive firms’ open innovation channels in all three countries follows a trajectory from R&D collaboration through value chain open innovation to open innovation in other industries. There are notable differences in the primary focus of open innovation among automakers in the three countries, with South Korea emphasizing R&D, Japan focusing on the automotive value chain and Germany engaging in open innovation with other industries.

Investigating the differences in open innovation channels and structures between electric auto parts and non-electric auto parts through case studies and the statistical research method could be a compelling next research topic as another limitation of this research.

First, this research demonstrates that firms in the same sectoral innovation system can cultivate different open innovation channels within the knowledge funnel, depending on the regional innovation system (RIS) and national innovation system (NIS). Second, with DT, existing firms’ value chains are evolving and expanding from traditional trajectories to new, information technology-related sub-sectors.

Open social innovation has become a critical practice for firms competing in volatile markets. Simultaneously, the rise of digital technologies has opened opportunities across sectors, making digital transformation a key driver of corporate change. This study examines the impact of internal and external factors, such as social capital, absorptive capacity and government support, in facilitating open social innovation and digital transformation activities, which may ultimately enhance business performance.

Data were collected through a questionnaire survey distributed to management members across various enterprises in a wide range of industries in Vietnam. A total of 289 valid responses were obtained, and the research hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

First, open social innovation positively influences digital transformation, with absorptive capacity mediating this relationship. Second, social capital directly affects open social innovation and indirectly impacts digital transformation through open social innovation. Third, digital transformation directly enhances business performance, while absorptive capacity indirectly influences business performance through digital transformation. Finally, government support directly impacts business performance and indirectly influences digital transformation via open social innovation.

By integrating social capital theory and the resource-based view, this research significantly advances the understanding of the complex relationships among government support, social capital, open social innovation, digital transformation, absorptive capacity and business performance.

The purpose of this paper is a selective introduction of specific underlying principles of Epictetan Stoicism in change management, aiming to mitigate resistance to change and achieve positive outcomes through redefining the perception of change by both its agents and recipients.

The applied methodology included locating, distilling and extracting selected philosophical fragments, coherent in terms of contextualisation with the field of management and paralleling their content with organisational, strategic and wider social and political objectives, to provide an interdisciplinary enriched perspective on managing resistance to change in any area.

The selective combination of Epictetus’ Stoic philosophy with change management literature, focusing on resistance to change, contributes as a beneficial strategic choice, multiplying the available alternatives, not only in managing resistance to change but also in a more general sense.

Selectively introducing Epictetan Stoic philosophical ideas into the behavioural response of resistance to change could clarify and improve communication to avoid crises and conflicts, as well as extend Epictetan Stoic wisdom to the wider community, beyond organisations and institutions. Although the hyper-competitive, globalised market seems to contradict the tempered Stoic philosophy, from which they radically differ, this research highlights strong points of relational relevance that could facilitate overcoming resistance to change with a much wider impact.

Epictetus’ Stoic philosophy is already widely deployed in management, but in this project, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is selectively cross-discussed for the first time with the theory and practice of resistance to change as a pilot intellectual platform, identifying personal perception and distinction as the primary cognitive compass in the organisational and managerial realm, so that the upcoming change projects would mitigate resistance to change.

This study aims to analyse the synchronization sustainability has with coolness and how promotion of sustainable fashion can be dealt in an ameliorate way. It also provides insights to the fashion brands on how they can engage customers through brand coolness and romance for meliorated bottom and top lines.

It employs a mixed-method approach through the combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. For qualitative part, data are garnered through in-depth interviews (n = 23) with sustainable brand owners, marketers, academicians, bloggers and influencers having different roles to play in the strategizing sustainability, slow fashion and consciousness amongst Gen Z. On the other hand, quantitative data are collected from apparel shoppers (n = 688) through structured questionnaire.

The qualitative data transcribed are analysed through NVivo, and findings received in this regard limns that sustainable fashion to be embellished as cool. Moreover, brand coolness has a relationship with sustainable fashion, emotional attachment factor such as brand romance affect purchase intention of sustainable fashion clothing. Furthermore, brand romance is identified as a mediating variable between brand coolness and purchase intention of sustainable clothing.

Limitations of the study is that with a structured interview, the respondents could not be asked to freely associate “anything related to cool”, rather they were directly asked to “define cool” and tell whether “they think sustainability in fashion can be stated as cool”. Without this constrain, the result could have been possibly being different. Moreover, the participants for the quantitative study were from developing countries which leads to limited generalizability of research findings.

This research attempts to develop an understanding of sustainable fashion so that brand managers can face the present challenges in a better way. The findings in this attempt of ours suggest that the sustainable fashion can be better employed only when both customers and brands are acting responsible. To make customers purchase the brands, the organizations must connect consumers through coolness and romance towards their brand.

When there is dearth of literature on the association sustainability has with coolness, the present study holds originality in adding to the literature on the pertinent aspect. Besides this, the present study addresses the lack of an academic understanding of literature on sustainable fashion in its own way through conduct of in-depth interviews with experts working in the area of sustainable fashion and then validating the same by surveying the Gen Z buyers of sustainable clothes.

The study aims to identify the factors that influence young consumers’ compulsive buying, particularly Gen Z consumers who exhibit fandom qualities such as sharing the same interests and being willing to collaborate with others. This study investigates the direct and indirect impact of brand love and brand addiction on the relationship between social media addiction and compulsive buying.

The study collected data from 338 Gen Z fandoms. The snowball sampling approach is used to determine and collect data from the sample. To test for hypotheses, the study used the PROCESS macro with bootstrapping techniques to explore the direct and indirect relationships, as well as the moderated serial mediation model in this study.

The study found that social media addiction influences compulsive buying via the hierarchical linkages between brand love and brand addiction. Trash talking functions as a stimulant, amplifying the effect of brand addiction on compulsive buying.

The data were collected from young Thai consumers; thus, the generalizability aspect of the research is limited and needs to be tested in different countries and cultures.

This research provides several key contributions to the understanding of compulsive buying behavior among Gen Z, particularly within the context of a developing country. By integrating the stimulus-organism-response framework and psychological theories, this study offers a nuanced understanding of how social media addiction influences emotional and behavioral outcomes. Previous studies have primarily focused on these variables in isolation. The study fills this gap by demonstrating the sequential pathway through which social media addiction translates into compulsive buying behavior via brand love and brand addiction.

In recent years patents have become a very popular data source for forecasting technological changes. However, since a vast amount of patents are “worthless” (Moore, 2005), there is a need to identify the promising ones. For this purpose, previous approaches have mainly used bibliographic data, thus neglecting the benefits of textual data, such as instant accessibility at patent disclosure. To leverage these benefits, this study aims to develop an approach that uses textual patent data for predicting promising patents.

For the identification of promising patents, the authors propose a novel approach which combines link prediction with textual patent data. Thereby the authors are able to predict the emergence of hitherto unmentioned bigrams. By mapping these future bigrams to recent patents, the authors are able to distinguish between promising and nonpromising patents. To validate this approach, the authors apply the methodology to the case example of camera technology.

The authors identify stochastic gradient descent as a suitable algorithm with both a receiver operating characteristic area under curve score and a positive predictive value of 78%, which outperforms chance by a factor of two. In addition, the authors present promising camera patents for diverse application fields, such as cameras for surgical systems, cameras for rearview vision systems in vehicles or light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation detection and ranging cameras for three-dimensional imaging.

This study contributes in at least three directions to scholarship. First, the authors introduce a novel approach by combining link prediction with textual patent analysis and, in this way, leverage the benefits of both worlds. Second, the authors add to all theories that regard novel technologies as a recombination of existing technologies in presenting word combinations from textual data as a suitable instrument for revealing recombination in patents. And third, the approach can be used by scholars as a complementary or even integrative tool with conventional forecasting methods like the Delphi technique or Scenario planning.

At least three practical implications arise from the study. First, incumbent firms of a technology branch can use this approach as an early-warning system to identify technological change and to identify opportunities related to their company’s technological competence and provide inspiration for new ideas. Second, companies seeking to tap into new markets may also be interested in the approach as managers could anticipate whether their company’s technological competences are in line with upcoming trends. Third, the approach may be used as a supportive tool for various purposes, such as investment decisions or technology life cycle analysis.

The approach introduces textual patent data as suitable means for forecasting activities. As the statistical validation reveals, the promising patents identified by the approach are cited significantly more often than patents with less promising prospects.