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This paper explores how exaptive innovation process might be considered a useful innovation model in constraint-based environments. Through an in-depth case study, it illustrates clearly the antecedents of exaptation processes, which are particularly relevant in rapidly changing environments requiring new solutions under time and resource constraints.

The authors adopt a single case study approach that is particularly suitable in case of an inductive research design, which is required because of the novelty of the topic. The research is inspired by the use of the snorkeling mask EASYBREATH, commercialized by the giant Decathlon, as a medical device, a respirator to treat patients affected by coronavirus in Italy. The authors organized the evidence according to a novel taxonomy grounded in the literature.

The case study stimulates reflections on the existence of some antecedents to the exaptive innovation process in constraint-based environments: (1) the availability of specific actors in the innovation process; (2) the creation of platforms of interaction between people with different competences, nurtured by collective bottom-up financing systems; (3) the role of the community of makers, in particular, and of the 4th industrial revolution, in general, for creating enabling technologies; (4) multidisciplinary individual background of key actors in the innovation process is crucial to ensure the exaptive path to be in place.

This work has some limitations, due to the choice of limiting the analysis to a single case, nevertheless, it offers a first glance on a new technological trajectory available in constraint-based environments.

The case study results underline the importance of new digital collaboration platforms as knowledge multipliers, and illuminate on the potential of the fourth manufacturing revolution, which, through new technologies, creates opportunities for distributed forms of innovation that cross long distances.

This paper aims to investigate the rise of a Chinese fashion cluster in Lombardy.

Three approaches and descending levels of analysis are integrated: a quantitative analysis based on demographic data to highlight the evolution of the regional distribution of the Chinese community and Chinese entrepreneurship in Lombardy; a literature review to reconstruct the historical development of Chinatown in Milan; and few in-depth interviews and a survey to represent how the Chinese living in Chinatown perceive the changing role of the enclave.

The Chinese in Lombardy are rising as a regional ethnic fashion cluster. This cluster is rising out of three major drivers: ethnic social capital as a source of community-based entrepreneurship; the crisis of traditional industrial districts in the 1990s as a trigger opportunity; and the trans-regionalization of the fashion industry as a main driver of its current development. The rise of this cluster is bottom-up.

The findings are based on a single case study. There are evidences showing that the Chinese are rising as regional and/or inter-regional clusters in other institutional settings. However, this study may benefit from comparisons with other institutional and national contexts.

Chinese entrepreneurship may foster regional growth as a complementary source of cultural variety, internationalization and multi-regional co-specialization.

Entrepreneurship may foster social cohesion and collaboration.

This paper contributes to existing literature by proposing a would-be theory of the evolution of regional ethnic clusters.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the combined effect of Mergers and Acquisitions (M & A) partners’ technological relatedness and the acquirer’s effective utilization of the target’s knowledge on explorative and exploitative invention performance post-M & A.

Based on the knowledge perspective of an M & A, this study measures how much of the target’s knowledge acquired in an M & A has been effectively transformed into new knowledge. A negative binomial regression on a cross-sectional data set of 152 bio-pharmaceutical firms (59 European firms and 93 North American firms) completing at least one M & A in the period between 2001 and 2005 is conducted. The effect of knowledge utilization is assessed by comparing performance six years before the M & A and six years after.

The effective assimilation and utilization of acquired knowledge positively affects both acquirers’ explorative and exploitative performance post-M & As. The combined effect with technological relatedness, measured as similarity and complementarity, further enhances the acquirer’s technological performance. However, while the utilization of similar knowledge significantly affects only exploitative invention performance, the utilization of complementary knowledge influences both, although explorative more than exploitative performance.

The acquirer’s ability to effectively use the target’s knowledge is crucial in order to support the transformation of the inventive potential, such as is embodied in the interaction between an internal and an external base of knowledge, into new explorative and exploitative performance.

This paper aims to gain insights into the paradoxical tensions emerging from circular business model innovation (CBMI) and how to overcome them by developing a theoretical framework drawing on two theoretical streams: firstly, the paradox theory for shedding light on the often “invisible” contradictions generated by the implementation of circular economy (CE) principles in business model transformation; and secondly, the dynamic capability theory that can contribute to the investigation of how to manage these contradictions.

The study uses a longitudinal case study approach to gain an in-depth understanding of the transformation and challenges faced by an incumbent firm in adopting a circular business model. Qualitative research methods are used to explore the paradoxical tensions and dynamic capabilities involved in the process.

The study finds that incumbent firms face numerous challenges and paradoxical tensions in the CBMI process. These tensions arise from difficulties in implementing organizational changes, balancing competing priorities and managing conflicting goals. Dynamic capabilities are crucial in managing these tensions and facilitating the transition to a circular business model.

This paper contributes to the theoretical development of paradox theory by applying it to the new field of CBMI which is currently slightly investigated and responds to the call for studies looking at more fine-grained types of sustainable business models. The study adds to previous literature that how the firm handles paradoxes and tensions influences the pace and results of the process. If the firm becomes discouraged during the early stages of identifying new opportunities, the pace slows down, and the firm becomes hesitant to collaborate more with partners. Furthermore, the ability to capitalize on these opportunities is affected by these tensions and contradictions.

This paper contributes to the literature by empirically investigating the process of CBMI in incumbent firms. It fills the gap in existing research by examining the existence of paradoxical tensions in a real-life setting and exploring the role of dynamic capabilities in managing these tensions. The findings provide practical insights for firms seeking a transition towards a CE and highlight that the ability to sense the external context should be developed as the new business model entails a central role of external actors.

In the most recent years, social, innovative, economic and political changes in the European context have characterized consumers' behaviours. The paper aims to understand if the use of electronic commerce differs in a situation characterized by uncertainty.

An innovative approach to categorising online consumer behaviour considers the self-determination theory and basic psychological needs in an uncertain scenario. The research is based on a quantitative analysis obtained by clustering algorithms on a sample of 1,000 digital users in European countries. A structured questionnaire was administered online and distributed through the leading online social platforms and direct mailing.

The results show online activities during changes in consumer behaviour patterns and retailers' strategies. This research will allow online retail managers and practitioners to obtain important information to help them define appropriate customer-oriented strategic actions to enhance value in the electronic context for both customers and firms.

The innovation of this research approaches the categorization of online consumer behaviour by exploiting the self-determination theory in an uncertain scenario. Precisely, the novelty of this research is to highlight three detailed categories of electronic commerce consumers, namely, unwilling, halfback and digital, to collect, store and disseminate information about these categories of Online Consumers Behaviours.