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This paper aims to focus on the problem of the optimal relocation policy for a firm that faces two types of uncertainty: one about the moments in which new (and more efficient) sites will become available; and the other regarding the degree of efficiency improvement inherent to each one of these new, yet to be known, potential location places.

The paper considers the relocation issue as an optimal stopping decision problem. It uses Poisson jump processes to model the increase in the efficiency process, where these jumps occur according to a homogeneous Poisson process, but the magnitude of these jumps can have special distributions. In particular it assumes that the magnitudes can be gamma‐distributed or truncated‐exponential distributed.

Particular characteristics concerning the expected optimal timing for relocation, the corresponding volatility and the value of the firm under the optimal relocation policy are derived. These results lead also to the conjecture that the optimal relocation policy is robust in terms of distributions of the degree of improvement of efficiency that are considered, as long as the expected values are the same.

The paper provides an innovative approach to relocation problems, using stochastic tools. Moreover, the use of the truncated exponential and the gamma distribution functions to model the Poisson jumps is particularly suitable, given the situation under study. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first time that this type of setting is used to tackle a real options problem.

To identify and analyze the relevant themes in the literature on digital transformation and internationalization, revealing opportunities for future studies.

A systematic literature review was developed using the Scopus and Web of Science databases. Initially, 156 publications were identified. Based on inclusion/exclusion criteria, a final sample of 74 articles was reached. A bibliometric and qualitative analysis were developed.

Eight main themes related to internationalization, such as internationalization strategy, internationalized companies, marketing-related issues, export, global supply chain, entrepreneurship and new ventures, SMEs internationalization and internationalization of educational institutions, were identified. Eight main themes related to digital transformation were also identified, including internationalization drivers, digital technologies, business model innovation, digitalization, Industry 4.0, digital platforms and e-commerce, people and digital transformation and digital institutional environment.

In recent years, the term digital transformation has become part of the daily lives of many organizations and of life in society itself. For internationalized companies, this discussion has also become present. Although a relationship between digital transformation and internationalization is often presented, the dimensions of analysis of this relationship are still very fragmented, and this study presents a systemic view of the themes. These themes represent opportunities for future studies.

This study aims to investigate the internal elements that influence service offering. A better understanding of these elements can improve interaction between organizational structure, corporate culture and human resource management, and can leverage interdepartmental collaboration.

In total, 12 global manufacturers that sell products and services to the automotive or to the chemical supply chains were investigated on multiple case studies.

The lack of interdepartmental processes and indicators may induce other departments to not prioritize the demands of the service department, thus lowering the service level. Service professionals who do not combine technical and commercial skills may hinder sales increase (product + service). The isolation of service professionals prevents the dissemination of knowledge among departments, thus reducing manufacturer’s innovativeness.

Further research must focus on how to manage/redesign processes to improve sales and innovativeness; how to hire, qualify and motivate service professionals who possess commercial skills; and how to mitigate the isolation of service professionals.

New interdepartmental processes and indicators can turn on new and better organizational structures, improve the service management and reduce internal conflicts. Service professionals who possess and use only technical skills can hamper the incorporation of the new demands presented by the customers. Isolated professionals may negatively affect the efficacy of the market strategy.

We present a critical literature review debating Brazilian research on social and environmental accounting (SEA). The aim of this study is to understand the role of politics in the construction of hegemonies in SEA research in Brazil. In particular, we examine the role of hegemony in relation to the co-option of SEA literature and sustainability in the Brazilian context by the logic of development for economic growth in emerging economies. The methodological approach adopts a post-structural perspective that reflects Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory. The study employs a hermeneutical, rhetorical approach to understand and classify 352 Brazilian research articles on SEA. We employ Brown and Fraser’s (2006) categorizations of SEA literature to help in our analysis: the business case, the stakeholder–accountability approach, and the critical case. We argue that the business case is prominent in Brazilian studies. Second-stage analysis suggests that the major themes under discussion include measurement, consulting, and descriptive approach. We argue that these themes illustrate the degree of influence of the hegemonic politics relevant to emerging economics, as these themes predominantly concern economic growth and a capitalist context. This paper discusses trends and practices in the Brazilian literature on SEA and argues that the focus means that SEA avoids critical debates of the role of capitalist logics in an emerging economy concerning sustainability. We urge the Brazilian academy to understand the implications of its reifying agenda and engage, counter-hegemonically, in a social and political agenda beyond the hegemonic support of a particular set of capitalist interests.

Authenticity has been studied from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, leading to a rich but confused literature. This study, a review, aims to compare the psychology and sociology/tourism definitions of authenticity to clarify the concept. From a psychological perspective, authenticity is a mental appraisal of an object or experience as valued leading to feelings and summative judgements (such as satisfaction or perceived value). In objective authenticity, a person values the object due to belief in an expert’s opinion, constructive authenticity relies on socially constructed values, while existential authenticity is based on one’s self-identity. The resultant achievement of a valued goal, such as seeing a valued object, leads to feelings of pleasure. Sociological definitions are similar but based on different theoretical antecedent causes of constructed and existential authenticity. The paper further discusses the use of theory in tourism and the project to develop tourism as a discipline. This project is considered unlikely to be successful and in turn, as argued, it is more useful to apply theory from other disciplines in a multidisciplinary manner. The results emphasise that it is necessary for tourism researchers to understand the origins and development of the concepts they use and their various definitions.

Seeking ways towards a sustainable future is the most dominant socio-political challenge of our time. Marketing should have a crucial role to play in leading research and impact in sustainability, yet it is limited by relying on cognitive behavioural theories rooted in the 1970s, which have proved to have little bearing on actual behaviour. This paper aims to interrogate why marketing is failing to address the challenge of sustainability and identify alternative approaches.

The constraint in theoretical development contextualises the problem, followed by a focus on four key themes to promote theory development: developing sustainable people; models of alternative consumption; building towards sustainable marketplaces; and theoretical domains for the future. These themes were developed and refined during the 2018 Academy of Marketing workshop on seeking sustainable futures. MacInnis’s (2011) framework for conceptual contributions in marketing provides the narrative thread and structure.

The current state of play is explicated, combining the four themes and MacInnis’s framework to identify the failures and gaps in extant approaches to the field.

This paper sets a new research agenda for the marketing discipline in quest for sustainable futures in marketing and consumer research.

Approaches are proposed which will allow the transformation of the dominant socio-economic systems towards a model capable of promoting a sustainable future.

The paper provides thought leadership in marketing and sustainability as befits the special issue, by moving beyond the description of the problem to making a conceptual contribution and setting a research agenda for the future.

Across the world, the number of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) has increased significantly over the last 40 years. NHRIs play an important role in the promotion and implementation of human rights, and since 2002 the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has supported the establishment of such bodies in Member States who have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC). In 2004, the State Party Germany received the recommendation to establish a permanent national mechanism to coordinate the implementation of the UN CRC. This recommendation was put into effect in 2015 with the mandate of the German Human Rights Institute to independently monitor the implementation of the UN CRC in Germany.

This chapter focuses on the role that the German National CRC Monitoring Mechanism plays in the promotion and advancement of children’s rights in Germany. In particular, it examines the documents published by this body, including shadow reports, position papers and other reports. The author concludes that the cooperation between local, Länder (German federal states), and Federal governmental level has room for improvement, as it reflects the demands for change in the legislation to include children’s rights at a constitutional level and other non-legal measures, which would elevate children’s participation beyond consultancy and toward real political influence.

This study aims to protect Lactobacillus plantarum and Enterococcus faecium encapsulated in alginate beads during stress treatments, such as high temperatures and concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl) and sodium nitrite (NaNO₂).

Free and encapsulated probiotics were subjected to 70 and 80°C during 5, 10, 20 and 30 min. In addition, the probiotics were subjected to concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 per cent NaCl and 0.5 and 1.0per cent of NaNO₂.

Free Lactobacillus plantarum was more resistant to heat than free Enterococcus faecium. Alginate-encapsulated Lactobacillus plantarum (ALP) also was more resistant to heat treatments than alginate-encapsulated Enterococcus faecium (AEF). After 30 min at 70°C, ALP showed levels about 6.9 log CFU/g while AEF presented 4.3 log CFU/g (p = 0.005). However, at 80°C, ALP maintained levels higher than 6 log CFU/g for up to 10 min, while AEF was able to maintain those levels only for approximately 5 min (p = 0.003). Encapsulation process provided adequate protection for both probiotics against NaCl. In relation to NaNO₂ concentrations, 0.5 and 1.0 per cent reduced viability of both probiotics (p = 0.014), either as free cells or as alginate-encapsulated forms.

Alginate beads containing probiotics is an interesting alternative for application in foods such as cooked meat products.

Alginate beads elaborated with milk powder, inulin and trehalose were effective to protect probiotics in stress situations similar to those can be found in the processing of foods, such as cooked meat products.

Purpose – The purpose of this chapter is to examine the connection between actual variety (the number of stock-keeping units (SKUs)) and amount of useable variety that the consumer perceives. The optimal combination for a retailer is to offer an assortment that maximizes the perceived assortment variety while minimizing the perceived inter-item complexity. Both measures are a function of the actual variety offered in an assortment but other factors such as attribute structure of the individual items, assortment organization, and individual differences can alter the way the actual variety is perceived.Design/methodology/approach – The main methodology used in the chapter is a comprehensive, critical literature review of the empirical research on the topic.Findings – We find that while assortments with a large number of SKUs are desirable for attracting consumers to the category, too large assortments can result in consumer frustration and confusion. On the other hand, when assortments are small, the perceived variety or attention to the category may be limited.Value/originality – Our review shows ways a retailer can adapt to these challenges. First, we show that assortments are viewed in stages. In the first stage, high perceptions of variety are beneficial. When assortments are small, increasing perceived variety can be accomplished by increasing the number of subcategories within the assortment, adding in packaging cues, or using other emotional affective descriptors to further define options within the assortment. In the second or choice stage, too much variety can increase perceived complexity. Perceived complexity at this stage can be reduced by simplifying the complexity of the individual items within the assortment by increasing alignability of attributes, using a simplifying external organizational structure for the assortment, or helping consumers learn their preference.

The development of models for variables sampled at different frequencies has attracted substantial interest in the recent literature. In this article, we discuss classical and Bayesian methods of estimating mixed-frequency VARs, and use them for forecasting and structural analysis. We also compare mixed-frequency VARs with other approaches to handling mixed-frequency data.