Santiago Gutiérrez-Broncano, Jorge Linuesa-Langreo, Mercedes Rubio-Andrés and Miguel Ángel Sastre-Castillo
This article focusses on the hybrid strategy, a simultaneous combination of cost leadership and differentiation strategy. The study aims to examine the impact of hybrid strategy…
Abstract
Purpose
This article focusses on the hybrid strategy, a simultaneous combination of cost leadership and differentiation strategy. The study aims to examine the impact of hybrid strategy on firm performance through its anticipated positive effects on process and product innovation. In addition, we study the moderating role of adaptive capacity in the direct relationships of hybrid strategy with process and product innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
Structural equation modelling was used to analyse 1,842 Spanish firms with fewer than 250 employees. We randomly selected small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in Spain from the Spanish Central Business Directory (2021) database. The overall sample design was based on stratified sampling.
Findings
We found that hybrid strategy is positively related to firm performance and to process and product innovation. Additionally, in firms implementing hybrid strategies, process innovation fostered firm performance. Finally, adaptive capacity strengthened the relationships of hybrid strategy with process and product innovation. This sheds light on how and when hybrid strategy is most effective in fostering SME performance.
Practical implications
We highlight that SMEs need to establish strategies that use diverse resources and capabilities and not just generate competitive advantage using one strategy (cost leadership or differentiation strategy). This requires an agile and flexible systems and structures.
Originality/value
Our research provides novel results by proposing the adoption of hybrid strategies instead of pure strategies (cost leadership and differentiation strategy) as a way for SMEs to survive during crises. Unlike “stuck in the middle” strategies, our study demonstrates the importance of hybrid strategies in a comprehensive model that links them to innovation and firm performance, with adaptive capacity being a determining factor.
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Syed Ahamed Suban, Kumar Madhan and Shameem Shagirbasha
Halal and Islamic tourism is gaining attention in the tourism literature in recent years. This study uses bibliometric analytical techniques to explore all the publications…
Abstract
Purpose
Halal and Islamic tourism is gaining attention in the tourism literature in recent years. This study uses bibliometric analytical techniques to explore all the publications indexed in the Scopus database in the broad subject of Halal and Islamic tourism from 2004 to 2021.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors found 238 publications that fit the function, subject and set criteria. The papers were analysed in terms of publication by knowledge area, number of studies published every year, contribution by countries, number of authors and most influential journals. VOS viewer was used to perform a visual analysis on co-occurrence of keywords and document citations.
Findings
According to the findings, the Scopus database includes 151 (34.40%) documents on business, management and accounting, and 89 (20.27%) documents on social science. It was reported that 29 documents were published in 2018, followed by 54 documents in 2019 and 56 documents in 2021. Malaysia has contributed 86 documents on Islamic tourism, whereas Indonesia has contributed 64 documents. The paper also discusses other interesting findings.
Research limitations/implications
The bibliometric analysis carried out was confined to Scopus data. Other national and international databases were not taken into account for this research.
Originality/value
Between 2004 and 2021, this study examined relevant studies on Halal and Islamic tourism. The study presents a concise review of the literature accessible to researchers working in this area and provides recommendations for future research.
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Denis Dennehy, Ilias O. Pappas, Samuel Fosso Wamba and Katina Michael
Chitra Lekha Karmaker and Tazim Ahmed
In the recent dynamic market, supply chain disruptions are rapidly increasing with varied customer demand, technological changes, uncertain pandemic events etc. To overcome the…
Abstract
Purpose
In the recent dynamic market, supply chain disruptions are rapidly increasing with varied customer demand, technological changes, uncertain pandemic events etc. To overcome the unexpected disruptions, supply chain of each business should be resilient and pharmaceutical supply chain (PSC) is no exception. Motivated by the challenges and unexpected pandemic disruptions, this paper aims to examine the performance indicators (PIs) of the resilient PSC and to predict the resilience level for a certain time period in the context of Bangladesh.
Design/methodology/approach
The aim of this paper presents a structured framework based on the Delphi method, fuzzy DEMATEL (Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory) and system dynamics (SD). The proposed methodology was validated using expert's inputs from the relevant field in Bangladesh. This study reveals the influential relationships of indicators and resilience level using fuzzy DEMATEL and SD to improve the resiliency.
Findings
Findings revealed that “Supply chain risk orientation”, “Visibility”, “Flexibility”, “Agility in supply chain” and “Collaboration” are the top five influential performance indicators for resilient PSC. The cause and effect relationship found that “IT capability”, “Flexibility”, “Supply chain network design”, “Resource availability”, “Supply chain risk orientation” and “Velocity” were in cause category which play a vital role for establishing resilient supply chain. SD approach has developed a model for predicting the resilience level of the supply chain.
Originality/value
This work is one of the initial contributions in the literature that has targeted on the identification and analysis of the significant PIs and predicting the resilience level of the PSC.
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Moayad Al-Talib, Walid Al-Saad, Anan Alzoubi and Anthony I. Anosike
The purpose of this study is to explore the opportunities provided by information technologies (IT) to improve supply chain processes. It aims to conduct a systematic literature…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the opportunities provided by information technologies (IT) to improve supply chain processes. It aims to conduct a systematic literature review (SLR) to identify research areas that require further exploration to leverage IT and enhance supply chain performance.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs a systematic literature review methodology to analyse a set of 177 publications, including journal papers, conference papers, periodicals, theses, and books published between 2013 and 2023. Thematic synthesis was chosen as the most appropriate approach to amalgamate the findings obtained from the systematic literature review conducted in the study. This method involves interpreting thematic information and facilitating the development of a comprehensive understanding of the literature being reviewed.
Findings
The literature review reveals that certain information technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, artificial intelligence (AI), Blockchain, information and communications technology (ICT) and information sharing, offer significant potential for improving supply chain processes. However, the application of these technologies in the field of supply chain is currently under-researched. The findings highlight the need for further exploration of these technologies and their impact on supply chain redesign and enhancement.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a systematic overview of the potential benefits of IT in the context of supply chains. It emphasises the under-researched nature of specific technologies and their potential to support organisations in improving their supply chain processes. The originality of this study lies in its comprehensive analysis of relevant literature and its identification of research gaps that need to be addressed in future studies.
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Omar Hassan Ali Nada and Zsuzsanna Győri
The aim of this study is to evaluate the adoption and quality of integrated reports in the European Union (EU).
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to evaluate the adoption and quality of integrated reports in the European Union (EU).
Design/methodology/approach
The sample consists of 147 listed firms from the 18 EU countries during 2013–2020. This study creates a disclosure index – based on the balanced scorecard (BSC) that reflects the information content of integrated reports. The content analysis method is used to measure the integrated reporting quality (IRQ).
Findings
The findings demonstrate that the IRQ increased across the study’s time frame, going from 49.3% in 2013 to 77% in 2020. Furthermore, financial disclosures still get the most attention in the integrated reporting (IR), followed by learning and growth perspective disclosures. In addition, businesses in the financial and industrial sectors rely more on integrated reports. However, the utility sector has the highest IRQ score. By country, Spain has the highest rate of IR adoption, followed by France. Other countries, such as Austria and Hungary, have only implemented IR by one company each.
Research limitations/implications
This study adds to the IR literature a new approach to measure IRQ by linking BSC with the IR framework. Empirically, businesses of any size can use this method to assess the degree of balance between the revealed financial and nonfinancial information in their reports.
Practical implications
Empirically, this study helps IR practitioners in determining how widely IR is used in Europe and in updating the database on the IR website. It helps them update and improve the IR framework by identifying the elements that have the least transparency and quality, investigating the causes and enhancing them.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to examine the IRQ in EU countries by linking the BSC with IR elements. This is to split the elements into their own pillars, making it easier to track disclosure and evaluate the corporations’ interest in revealing these perspectives, on their own and collectively.