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Strategic flexibility (SF) has become increasingly important for firms because of the fast changes in the external environment. In line with the practical importance of SF, an emerging research field has developed around it that has attempted to understand the nature of SF and the key relationships. The aim of this study is to unveil the semantic structure of the recent literature on SF and to suggest new promising areas for future research.

The authors conduct a systematic literature review with a bibliographic analysis technique, which allows authors to identify the main recent streams in the literature, as well as offer reflections and suggestions for future research.

The authors uncover three main emerging areas in the research on SF, namely SF as a dynamic capability, the role of knowledge management for SF and the relationship between a firm SF and the external environment. The authors put forward three avenues for future research on SF: Avenue 1. SF, business model innovation (BMI) and other dynamic capabilities (DC), Avenue 2. Digital technologies and SF/organizational agility and Avenue 3. SF and sustainability. Articles included in the special issue entitled “A strategic perspective on flexibility, agility and adaptability in the digital era” contribute to Avenue 2, thus paving the way for filling some of the identified gaps regarding the relationship between SF and digitalization.

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is the first literature review on SF that uses a bibliometric approach to draw conclusions on the findings in the literature. The review contributes to the theoretical understanding of SF by illustrating and explicating core topics that have persisted over time, as well as by presenting three main avenues for further developing authors’ knowledge around SF.

The study explores the impact of people-centered Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) on Supply Chain Performance (SCP). It also aims to reinforce the importance of people in an organization’s survival, particularly from a knowledge-based perspective, by empirically assessing the mediating effect of knowledge sharing on people-centered KMS and SCP. The model being assessed incorporates people-centered KMS that promote knowledge sharing and therefore improve SCP within Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SME) in developing countries, leading to their extended life span.

The study developed a knowledge-based SCP model using people-centered KMS as a predictor variable and knowledge sharing as a mediating variable, with SCP as the outcome variable. The data were collected from a sample of 580 SME owners from across Zimbabwe via a questionnaire developed based on validated constructs available in literature that was vetted through a pilot survey before distribution. The dataset was subsequently tested for validity of constructs and scales and analyzed using multiple regression.

The results of the study showed significant influence of three people-centered KMS, namely, Communities of Practice (CoP), Innovation Management (IM) and Organizational Culture (OC), on knowledge sharing but not from Social Capital. Thereafter, significant influence was also found of knowledge sharing on three process-based measures of SCP, namely, Time-Related Performance (TRP), Cost-Related Performance (CRP) and Responsiveness-Related Performance (RRP), but not on Operational Quality-Related Performance (OQRP). Thus overall, it was confirmed that people-centered KMS has a salutary impact on process-based SCP, with knowledge sharing serving as a significant mediator.

The study makes a novel contribution to the extant literature by providing insight into how people-centered KMS impacts SCP through knowledge sharing. Additionally, the geographical scope of the study also makes it among the few that have studied supply chain management within the context of developing economies, especially those that face significant economic pressures, such as Zimbabwe. Finally, given the criticality of SMEs to the economic growth in developing economies juxtaposed with the low survival rates of SMEs therein, the study reveals a relatively low-cost strategy of knowledge sharing among supply chain partners as a valid strategy to improve the SCP of these SMEs in an effort to enhance their survival rates. The primary limitation of the study relates to potential difficulty in the generalizability of findings because data were collected from a single country.

The original contributions of the study include: utilizing a people-centered knowledge management perspective, an establishment of the relationship between KMS on SCP and demonstrating the salience of knowledge sharing as a mediator; addressing the dearth of literature on supply chain management in developing economies, especially those with stressed economies; demonstrating the usefulness of knowledge sharing as a relatively low-cost but effective strategy to improve the performance of SMEs in a developing economy and thus lead to higher survival rates, thus providing a tool that can be used by the public and the private sector in developing countries to build structures for successful economic development.

Teaching wine tasting online is challenging, even given the curated digital tools of the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, a highly renowned online wine certification system is used. This paper aims to initially explore wine experts’ opinions about online wine education and subsequently examine the feasibility of customizing wine appreciation lexicons for Chinese learners.

A two-study multimethod approach was adopted. Study 1, a two-stage Delphi study, was conducted with 17 wine experts representing a number of countries, using a mix of closed/open-ended questions in an online survey. Data was collected in a market study in Study 2, conducted at agricultural markets in Thailand (pilot test) and China. Dialogues with market sellers were undertaken, evoking mental imagery of wine descriptors to explore the relevance of traditional versus local aromas and flavors in describing wine.

Findings concentrate on three main areas: general advantages/disadvantages of online wine education, reactions toward asynchronous/synchronous methods of wine tasting and, finally, the feasibility of customizing a wine appreciation lexicon for Chinese learners.

The study presents novel insights into the role of online wine education in China.

The purpose of this study is to show that as technologies expand the personalization capabilities of advertisers and that intrusive ad formats online and in mobile contexts raise privacy and control concerns, this emerging area requires better understanding.

The model tests antecedents and outcomes of advertising intrusion based on surveys of 170 respondents and structural equation modeling. Personalized mobile ads, privacy concerns and perceived vulnerability heighten intrusion, leading to resistance behaviors like avoiding ads and negative brand attitudes.

The findings offer several practical implications for marketers targeting youth to balance relevance with transparency in personalized communications to avoid irritation that damages brand perceptions and relationships. The authors believe the article contributes uniquely to the literature at the intersection of interactive marketing technologies, privacy concerns and adolescent consumers – an impactful yet understudied demographic. The rigorous methodology also advances knowledge of advertising intrusion phenomena.

As with all research, it is important to recognize the limitations of this work that can be taken advantage of in future avenues of research. Firstly, the authors did not consider demographic variables, such as gender, and psychographic variables (lifestyle, personality, etc.), as factors that may influence advertising intrusiveness. Secondly, the authors limited the consequences of intrusion to the variable resistance over time, since several consequences can be studied in this context. Further investigations may remedy those limitations by integrating additional variables into the models, as well as resistance proxies. Besides, a new path for research would consider a breakdown of the age range of teenagers, i.e. the beginning, the middle and the late teenage years.

The discoveries from this study have significant implications for marketers and organization. The authors therefore recommend that companies commit to creating value through personalization and implement techniques to reduce consumers’ privacy concerns “personalizing mobile advertising involves several important aspects including choosing the right target market, sending users relevant and wanted information and creating personalized advertising contents” (Wang et al., 2019). One way forward, in an environment that will be even more connected in the future, is for companies to request only the data that is relevant and necessary for the smooth running of their business and to integrate privacy practices into their operations.

This research can contribute to the development of a theory on the role of advertising intrusion in shaping adolescent behavior. The research model has enabled us to deduce the impact of personalization on the perception of an advertising intrusion, providing us with information on the importance of elements provided by the company, such as the importance of the characteristics and beliefs of the adolescent consumer, i.e. perceived privacy concerns and risks, in deciding whether or not to participate in personalization. The conclusions of the study therefore highlight the need for companies to adapt their marketing strategy to remain consistent with new expectations, i.e. to conceive personalization and privacy as two consubstantial issues.

This study aims to investigate the impact of cash holding (CH) on bankruptcy (BR) risk. This study also examines the moderating effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices on this relationship.

The data were extracted from firms' annual reports. The panel data were used for 68 firms listed at the Egyptian Stock Exchange (EGX) with a total of 340 observations from 2015 to 2019. The research hypotheses were tested using the panel corrected standards errors (PCSE) method and the feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) method.

The results reveal that (1) CH has a positive effect on the Z-score (decreasing bankruptcy risk) of the Egyptian listed firms. (2) Egyptian firms that practice CSR have a low level of bankruptcy risk. (3) CSR practices in Egyptian listed firms support the positive relationship between CH and Z-score (declining bankruptcy risk).

The limitations of this study include a relatively small sample size. In addition, the analysis doesn't include other measures of bankruptcy risk due to a lack of data.

The findings of this study will help investors and creditors to evaluate and predict the firms' bankruptcy risk. This study highlights the importance of cash holding for firms in emerging economies. Firms may hold cash to support liquidity, overcome financial distress risk, lower the cost of capital, increase future investment opportunities and reduce uncertainty. Additionally, the results would also help the policymakers, regulators at the EGX and Financial Regulatory Authority and stakeholders to realize the importance of cash holding, evaluate the cash liquidity in Egyptian listed firms, predict the firms' financial distress and consider the consequences of the CSR practices in accordance with Egypt's vision 2030.

Consistent with liquidity preference theory and trade-off theory, this study adds evidence to the literature on bankruptcy risk by investigating the effect of cash holding on bankruptcy risk in emerging economies. According to Egypt's vision 2030, the empirical findings in this study extend previous findings by providing strong additional evidence in emerging economies regarding the moderating effect of CSR practices on the association between cash holding and bankruptcy risk. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the relationship between CSR, CH and BR risk in Egypt.

The present study aims to investigate the impact of manager conservatism on innovation and capital expenditures especially the moderating role of the crisis caused by the COVID-19 outbreak for companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE).

The present study investigated information about 178 companies in 2014–2022. In this study, the CEO’s signature was a psychological proxy of conservatism. Modified multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the moderating role of COVID-19. The present study also used the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) to address endogeneity issues.

The results showed that manager conservatism has a positive and significant effect on capital expenditures, while manager conservatism negatively impacts firm innovation. In addition, COVID-19 significantly strengthens the impact of manager conservatism on capital expenditures and firm innovation. Hypothesis testing based on robustness checks confirmed these results.

This study aims to investigate the impact of manager conservatism, as a personality trait, on capital expenditures and innovation. These aspects have not been thoroughly explored in the existing literature. Additionally, it is important to consider the perceived threat of COVID-19, known to have a greater effect on conservatives. This study seeks to examine the interactive role of manager conservatism and COVID-19 on investment in capital expenditures and innovation. The present findings will not only benefit managers and policymakers in both developing and developed countries but will also provide valuable insights into decision-making processes related to capital expenditures and innovation during critical conditions such as the COVID-19 outbreak.

The current research investigates how the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI)—a set of technologies designed to enhance decision-making and automate processes—impacts Integrated Financial Reporting (IFR) in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) listed firms, which present the typical features of emerging economies. It is postulated that their IFR is enhanced as firms within these markets experience AI adoption. In addition, the study also focuses on the role of audit quality towards AI adoption and the IFR relationship within these regions. To this effect, the study examines the moderation effect of audit quality (using its sub-components i.e. audit fee, audit industry specialization and restatement) on the relationship between AI adoption experience and IFR in GCC.

The investigation draws upon panel data consisting of 2,912 non-financial firm-year observations covering the period from 2010 to 2023 across GCC markets. To achieve its purpose, the study applies the conventional ordinary least square (OLS) to estimate the effect of AI adoption experience on IFR. Subsequently, to guarantee the robustness of the results, this study utilizes the propensity score matching (PSM) technique.

The results from empirical analysis disclose a direct impact of AI adoption on the IFR of the firms within GCC markets. Furthermore, the study also discovers that the high level of audit quality moderates this positive relationship. Therefore, in the GCC regions, firms with higher AI adoption show higher IFR effectiveness, mainly in the presence of specialized auditors and increased audit fees, whereas their relationship is stronger in the absence of restatements. The results are robust when tested through the PSM technique.

The results of this study highlight the significance for policymakers to ensure comprehensive AI adoption in GCC markets, as well as the appointment of industry specialists and the standardization of audit fees to support the improvement of IFR in the regions.

This study aims to investigate whether organizational complexity (hereafter firm complexity) increases audit report lag (ARL) in a unique environment of GCC countries.

The research study uses a panel data set of 6,084 firm-year observations of nonfinancial firms from GCC economies from 2009 to 2022. First, the study uses an ordinary least square estimator to examine the association of firm complexity with ARL. Second, for robustness purposes, the study applies the propensity score matching technique.

This research study finds that the firms’ complexity increases ARL. Supporting the argument that auditors respond to firm complexity with increased effort, the authors find a positive relation of firm complexity with ARL. This relationship is augmented by auditor change, auditors’ tenure, auditor-qualified opinion and adoption of IFRS. In addition, the authors also find that Big-4 and audit firm industry specialization curtail the positive impact of firm complexity on ARL.

Firms in the GCC have less time to complete their audit and complex firms are likelier to have bigger ARLs. This study provided evidence regarding the curtailing effect of audit quality in GCC. Our findings suggest policymakers and reformers choose improved audit quality to reduce the possibility of larger ARL.

This study enriches the scholarship by presenting a mechanism for reducing the ARL of complex firms through higher audit quality. This study contributes to agency theory by emphasizing audit quality’s important role in emerging markets.

The purpose of this paper is to better understand the role of virtual teams in organizational transformation. This conceptual paper explores the significant influence of the digital era on organizational structures, specifically focusing on the transformative shift toward virtual teams (VTs) with a strong message for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The article is based on the review of existing concepts identified in the previously published studies and their critical reflection. The literature search was conducted in the Web of Science database in May 2024 by using the keywords VTs, Digitalization and SMEs.

In the rapidly changing business environment, organizational transformation is no longer a choice but a prerequisite for the survival and growth of businesses. It is argued in the study that organizations, especially SMEs, need to embrace VT despite the challenge of a comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding VT and the need for the development of a novel theory, which has been a reoccurring phenomenon and subject of debate in the literature. Furthermore, the paper underlines the necessity of providing essential preparation and training for VTs, focusing on both technological skills and collaborative work methods. In the context of SMEs, the paper argues that collaboration with external partners and the adoption of virtuality can enhance competitiveness. In the end, the emergence of virtual learning communities is proposed as a solution, providing a platform for SME owners/managers to share experiences and acquire new skills.

Overall, this study provides several recommendations for future research on VTs.

This study aims to investigate the effect of accounting conservatism and business strategies as mitigating tools for bankruptcy risk. It determines the association among these factors and provides insights into the effectiveness of accounting discretion and business strategies in decision-making.

The study uses a sample of 83 nonfinancial listed firms in ASE for the period from 2013 to 2019. Bankruptcy risk is measured using the Altman Z-score (1968). Accounting conservatism is measured using the accrual-based approach, and optimal business strategies are identified through cluster analysis.

The results indicate that accounting conservatism has a significant negative effect on bankruptcy risk. Increased application of accounting conservatism practices leads to a decrease in the level of bankruptcy risk. However, the type of business strategy adopted by firms does not have a significant impact on bankruptcy risk, suggesting that firms are not effectively implementing their strategies to mitigate this risk.

This study focuses on nonfinancial listed firms in the ASE, limiting the generalizability of the findings to other contexts. The study's findings contribute to the understanding of the role of accounting conservatism in reducing bankruptcy risk but highlight the need for further research on the effectiveness of business strategies in mitigating this risk.

This study lies in understanding of the role of accounting discretion in financial evaluations and emphasizes the importance of accounting conservatism as a tool for mitigating bankruptcy risk. The study's insights provide valuable guidance to practitioners, regulators and researchers in this field.