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The purpose of this study is to investigate the manner in which market orientation types facilitate the development of brand management processes (strategic brand management and internal branding), and brand performance.

The research model is assessed using data collected from brand executives. Existing scales are used to measure all the focal constructs. Partial least squares-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using the Smart-PLS 3.0 software is used to check for the psychometric properties of the scales and to test the hypotheses.

The results of this study indicate that proactive and reactive market orientation influence the internal branding and strategic brand management. The mediating role of strategic brand management in the relationship between proactive market orientation (PMO) and brand performance is significant. Similarly, internal branding mediates the relationship between PMO and brand performance. Also, strategic brand management and internal branding mediate the relationship between responsive market orientation (RMO) and brand performance. Results also indicate that market turbulence negatively moderates the relationship between strategic brand management and brand performance.

Building on literature from brand management, organizational capabilities and market orientation, this study explicates the role of PMO and RMO in influencing different strategic brand management and internal branding, and subsequently, brand performance. The perspective used in this study provides an insight into how organizations can develop and manage brands from a process perspective.

To develop the brand management capability, organizations may benefit from cultivating processes that seek to meet the latent customer needs through explorative and proactive information seeking, and at the same time, pursing processes that focus on capturing the existing customer and competitor trends in the market.

This study hopefully helps marketers realize that brand management function needs to move toward being more dynamic in nature.

This study borrows from the existing research on market orientation, branding and brand management to argue that organizations are required to not only maximize the brand returns in the existing market but also to adapt to the changes in the future.

A stochastic technique for solving interval non-linear problems using generalized Hukuhara (GH)-difference is proposed. The non-linear programming problem in interval form is transformed into an equivalent non-linear programming problem with real coefficients by associating a Gaussian random variable to the interval and the six-sigma rule. The conceptualized idea eliminates the decision maker’s instinctive selection of weight functions and provides an alternative to the order relation method, max-min criteria-based methods and bi-level approaches for representing intervals as real numbers. To demonstrate a coherent understanding, numerical examples have been used.

A stochastic approach has been used to develop a solution technique for solving interval nonlinear programming problems which arise in the modeling of scientific and engineering problems under uncertain environments.

The proposed idea eliminates the decision maker’s instinctive selection of weight functions and provides an alternative to the order relation method, max-min criteria-based methods and bi-level approaches for representing intervals as real numbers. This method provides specific results rather than in the interval form, which are more practical and implementable by the decision maker.

This is to certify, that the research paper submitted is an outcome of original work. I have duly acknowledged all the sources from which the ideas and extracts have been taken. This article has not been submitted elsewhere for publication.

Research in the business-to-business (B2B) and user entrepreneurship literature agrees that “user-driven” perspectives allow entrepreneurs to develop innovative products superior to conventional products. Other researchers argue that such “user-driven” products have limited success and limited impact in certain markets (e.g. niche and industrial markets). This study aims to understand the extent to which user input or co-creation becomes critical in determining product performance.

The key informant approach is used for data collection. Data were collected using a survey instrument via an online panel. Existing scales are used to measure all the focal constructs. Partial least square-based structural equation modeling was used to check for the psychometric properties of the scales and test the hypotheses.

The results indicate that user entrepreneurship is significantly related to firm collaboration efforts and customer collaboration efforts in the B2B market. Both firm collaboration efforts and customer collaboration efforts are significantly related to product performance and mediate the relationship between user entrepreneurship and product performance. Also, findings show that there is an “n” relationship between firm collaboration efforts and product performance.

This study supports the concerns raised by researchers about the dark side of value co-creation and highlights that value co-creation can impede product performance when user entrepreneurs lay too much emphasis on the collaboration processes.

This study aims to explore the micro-foundations of knowledge-based dynamic capabilities (KBDCs) in social purpose organizations (SPOs). The KBDCs facilitate SPOs to successfully manage the acquisition, creation and combination of knowledge to sustain their pursuit of socioeconomic value creation by effectively recognizing and addressing opportunities.

This study adopts a multiple-case study research design based on the semi-structured interviews of the founders and top managers of case SPOs. The semi-structured interviews were then compared with the theoretical framework of KBDCs following an abductive research approach.

This study identifies that certain capabilities are required to recognize and leverage the opportunities by SPOs. The authors found ten micro-foundations of KBDCs that sustain successful operationalization and overall development in SPOs. By using an abductive reasoning approach, the authors noted that certain KBDCs are essentially required for the operationalization and overall development of SPOs.

The authors conducted “semi-structured interviews” of founders and top managers that are retrospective in nature. From the implication viewpoint, this study provides insights for practitioners and researchers as it deepens the comprehension and contribution of knowledge and knowledge-related activities and procedures in SPOs.

KBDCs and their specific micro-foundations can help social entrepreneurs to delineate their idea, strategic processes and actions to achieve effective operationalization and overall sustainable development.

This study improves the understanding of Teece et al. (1997) theoretical construct of dynamic capabilities (DCs) and extends the framework of Zheng et al. (2011) simultaneously by exploring KBDCs that develop in the context of SPOs. The authors used an abductive reasoning approach that is vital for exploring dynamic capabilities; consequently, this study contributes to the approach of DCs and proffers a methodological advancement that can facilitate future research in this direction.

The purpose of the study is to investigate whether the alignment between organizational capabilities is idiosyncratic to an organization or a predictable pattern of alignments can be identified across organizations.

Survey design is used to collect data from upper- and mid-level managers of organizations operating in the software industry. A total of 219 responses are used to test the study hypotheses. Partial least squares structural equation modeling and regression analysis are used for data analysis and hypotheses testing.

Results suggest that the alignment between strategic thinking and absorptive capacity is different for organizations with a prospector-type strategic orientation compared to organizations with other types (defenders and analyzers) of strategic orientations. The study also finds that the pattern of alignment holds for each dimension of absorptive capacity.

There is limited research on the alignment between the three types of organizational capabilities (metaphysical, dynamic and ordinary). This may have transcended from arguments that if organizational capabilities are truly idiosyncratic, they should not be expected to follow a predictable pattern of alignments across organizations. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to empirically investigate and provide evidence that the alignment between organizational capabilities is contingent on the strategic orientation of the organizations. The findings offer hope for the development of a generalizable theory of organizational capability alignment in organizations.

This paper aims to investigate the process of innovation in firms founded by user-entrepreneurs. It also empirically investigates the role of customer involvement and user-entrepreneurs’ learning goal orientation in the innovation process.

A survey design is used to collect data from entrepreneurs managing small businesses. A total of 255 entrepreneurs responded to the survey questionnaire. The partial least square structural equation model was used to test the measurement and structural model.

Results suggest a positive association of user-entrepreneurship with innovation and customer involvement. Results also confirmed that customer involvement mediates the relationship between user-entrepreneurship and innovation. In addition, results suggest that the higher learning orientation (LO) of user-entrepreneurs plays a vital role in innovation by strengthening the relationship between user-entrepreneurship and customer involvement.

The study focuses on small entrepreneurial firms with less than equal to or less than 250 employees. The results may not be generalizable to larger user-entrepreneurial firms. Also, this study is based on American entrepreneurs. Therefore, the results may not be generalizable to other countries.

Evidence for the role of customer involvement and LO in the innovation process can be used by entrepreneurs and small business owners in hiring and training decisions. Also, the findings suggest the important role played by customers in the innovation process. Firms can use this insight to involve their customers in the product development process to secure better innovation outcomes.

This study contributes to the innovation and entrepreneurship literature by emphasizing the critical role of customer networks in user-entrepreneurs’ innovation performance. It offers a process model that offers empirical evidence supporting the positive role of customer involvement in new ventures. It highlights the role of the LO of user-entrepreneurs in the customer engagement process.

Social enterprises (SEs) operate with a primary goal of meeting a social purpose while creating economic wealth for the fulfillment of their primary mission. These organizations need to develop a certain set of capabilities that facilitates the successful pursuit of their dual mission goals. This paper aims at exploring the micro-foundations of dynamic capabilities (DCs) that enable SEs to recognize and exploit opportunities and reconfigure their resources to pursue their dual-mission goals and adjust with the environmental dynamics.

This study uses a multiple case design and an abductive research approach to conduct an in-depth and in-due course investigation of the development of DCs in two distinct SEs selected on the basis of theoretical-purposive sampling and availability of the richness of the information about them.

This study finds certain generic and exclusive micro-foundations of DCs that contribute to sensing opportunities, seizing opportunities and reconfiguring resources in SEs. The exclusive micro-foundations of DCs of SEs noted in this study are sustainability of beneficiaries, involving beneficiaries in decision-making, defining unique business models and selective suppliers for critical resources.

The limitation of this study lies in its dependence on retrospective data, which may perhaps influence the comprehensiveness and accuracy of the acquired data. This study, although, implemented the measures to minimize the bias, by supplementing the interview data with archival sources.

To the researchers, this study proffers an in-depth and in-due course explanation of the micro-foundations of DCs that facilitate SEs to sense opportunities, seize opportunities and reconfigure their resources with time. To practitioners working in the area of social entrepreneurship, this process study is an outline of reference that answers the how and why concerning the importance of micro-foundations of DCs for SEs.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no prior study has explored the micro-foundations of DCs in the context of SEs from emerging economies. The exclusive micro-foundations of DCs for SEs found in this study are the unique and original contribution that outlines the path for future academic inquiry in this evolving research area.

The dynamics of the competitive performance of the small medium firms is an evolving field of research in the developing countries like India. The influence of the innovation on the competitive performance of the firms is still an evolving area in India. This paper aims to explore the influence of the innovation on the competitive performance. The study is based upon the agro-food processing industry of the Jammu and Kashmir state of India.

The paper is based upon the exploratory design. It uses quantitative as well as qualitative method for the firm level analysis of competitiveness. The aggregate index method has been used to construct the innovation competence and total competitive performance index. The regression analysis is used for describing the model based upon the primary data.

The results of the study provide for a significant relationship between the innovation competence and firm level competitiveness. It describes the position of the agro-food processing firms under study with respect to the innovation competence index score and total competitiveness performance index.

The paper provides for the managerial implications of strategically incubating the innovation-based competence for the firms in specific geographical areas. The policy implications in terms of developing specific clusters and incubators for incremental and radical innovations can be derived, in regional economies.

The paper discusses the issue of interaction of innovation competence and firm level competitiveness of the agro-food processing industry, which is dynamic, specifically in the developing states. The paper discussed unique methodology of using aggregate index method for defining the innovation competence and competitiveness for the firms where the consistency of data is a major issue for such a complex phenomenon.

Recently, researchers have highlighted the limited attention that has been devoted to managerial capabilities as micro-foundational elements of absorptive capacity. Strategic thinking is one such managerial capability that guides managers during the development of organizational capabilities. The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the influence of managerial strategic thinking on the development of absorptive capacity.

Data were collected using a sample of 324 senior-level and mid-level managers from the software industry. PLS-SEM was used to test the hypothesized relationships.

Study results indicate that managerial strategic thinking is positively related to absorptive capacity, as well as to each of its four components – acquisition, assimilation, transformation and exploitation.

The current study adopts a micro-foundations perspective and delves into the development and orchestration of organizational capabilities. This study is the first to empirically investigate the relationship between managerial strategic thinking and absorptive capacity. Prior literature on absorptive capacity has focused on its influence on phenomena that are downstream to absorptive capacity, e.g. innovation, new product development and firm performance. The research offers new insights into the relationship between absorptive capacity and managerial strategic thinking, a hitherto unexplored upstream phenomenon. Scholars have theorized that managerial strategic thinking plays a pivotal role in managerial decisions, making it a critical factor in developing the absorptive capacity of an organization. The authors believe that the empirical evidence of the theorized relationship offers valuable insights that will aid scholarly research on organizational capabilities.

The global organic market is expanding, and India is in an advantageous position with the highest number of organic producers worldwide. Although many articles have been published on the value chain of organic products from India, no significant studies were found related to the value chain analysis of organic pineapple. This study aims to know the various aspects of the organic pineapple value chain, i.e. network structure, value addition at various stages of chain actors, value chain upgradation and governance structure.

The study is explorative in nature, and primary data from various actors involved in the chain is collected and analyzed. Primary data through a structured schedule and interviews are collected from farmers and traders. A multistage sampling plan has been adopted. A sample of 75 farmers was randomly selected from the study area. For traders, snowball sampling is used due to the nonavailability of the sampling frame. A total of 10 commission agents, 10 wholesalers and 20 retailers were thus selected for the study. For objectives 1 and 4, descriptive statistics are used. For objective 2, a modified formula described by (Murthy et al., 2007) is used to calculate farmer’s net price and marketing margin. For objective 3, Garrett’s ranking technique is used to identify various constraints in upgrading the organic pineapple value chain in Assam.

This study shows that the value chain of organic pineapple is in the initial stage and proper value addition is required to have a complete regulated value chain. Six marketing channel is identified, and products are sold through farmer producer company only in case of export and trade with distant buyers. The marketing efficiency for channels II and III is 1.69 and 0.99, respectively. The degree of value addition for channel II in the hands of the commission agent, wholesaler and retailer is 11.65%, 4.56% and 12.60%, respectively. In the various constraints in upgrading the value chain, farmers rank “policy support” as a major constraint. In the governance structure, trade with distant traders and exports is done formally and through written contracts.

The study performs value chain analysis of organic pineapple in Cachar district of Assam, India for the year January 2022–January 2023. Future studies are encouraged related to various aspects of the supply chain and value chain of organic pineapple from various northeastern states of India and other states.

The study will help policymakers and key actors to know the existing chain and frame a well-coordinated and regulated value chain.

This study is one of the first study to explore the value chain of organic pineapple of Cachar district of Assam, India. Implementation of these findings can help various actors to strengthen the existing value chain.