Evangelia Siachou, Ioanna Papasolomou, Eleni Trichina and Alkis Thrassou
This paper aims to systematically review and evaluate extant literature on knowledge acquisition and transfer in international small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) and to identify…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to systematically review and evaluate extant literature on knowledge acquisition and transfer in international small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) and to identify the requisite types of knowledge acquired and transferred in this context. The research further determines the mechanisms enabling SMEs to process this knowledge, unpacks the benefits of both knowledge acquisition and transfer for international SMEs and links them to the market success.
Design/methodology/approach
The research has conducted a comprehensive systematic review of existing literature on market knowledge acquisition and its transfer, in the context of international SMEs, utilizing peer-reviewed articles published in top tier journals without any custom range of time.
Findings
The search strategy resulted in 37 reviewed academic articles, whose analysis identifies and elucidates on the best practices of knowledge acquisition and transfer in the context of international SMEs; the type of the knowledge acquired and transferred; the form and mechanism of the intersection of these processes; and the benefits gained. The findings, crucially, also identify and illuminate extant research gaps and insufficiencies and develop a comprehensive research agenda for the way forward.
Originality/value
The present study offers a uniquely comprehensive perspective on a topic of diachronic and, currently, rising significance to scholars and practitioners alike. Transcending its descriptive value, though, it further identifies extant knowledge deficiencies, it distils and consolidates critical knowledge and prescribes avenues for research towards the growth and development of international SMEs and born globals.
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Helene Yildiz, Sara Tahali and Eleni Trichina
In the era of new technological revolution, seeking to survive and guarantee business sustainability in their digital internationalization, enterprises choose to become…
Abstract
Purpose
In the era of new technological revolution, seeking to survive and guarantee business sustainability in their digital internationalization, enterprises choose to become environmentally oriented. The need for new green business models has become evident in recent years, and enterprises offer green services in creative and eco-friendly ways. However, does the display of a green label on hotels' websites really promote the eco-conscious tourists' online booking intention? This study aims to examine the impact of the perceived label on the online sustainable hotel booking intention of the eco-conscious tourists, using the foundations of signal theory.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted a structural equation model to integrate several constructs with a sample of 349 validated responses.
Findings
The empirical results highlight, the importance of the green label perception on the eco-conscious tourists' booking intention of online sustainable hotel and the role that green trust and green perceived risk play as a mediating variable between the perception of the exposed label and the booking intention. Indeed, when booking a sustainable hotel online, the tourists may be sensitive to the exposure of a green label. Therefore, this signal decreases the perceived risk of unsustainability and ultimately increases the trust in hotel's sustainability.
Research limitations/implications
The first limitation is related to the sample employed in this study. Given that most of the participants were residents of France, the results of this study may not be generalized to the entire population. Secondly, a range of other factors can affect the eco-conscious tourists' intentions to book online a hotel with green label, such as their attitude, social media influence, tourists' satisfaction, etc. Indeed, other variables and/or signals could be adopted to study online booking intention in the pandemic era.
Practical implications
In light of these results, theoretical and managerial implications are discussed. The findings make an important contribution to SMEs sustainability and internationalization by exploring new ties. This study considers how SMEs and specifically hotels start following green practices (e.g. adoption of an eco-label) relevant to their international environment where they operate and in response to global pressures. SMEs can survive better in the highly competitive global environment where they need to employ more green practices, however, managers should consider how green trust and green perceived risk can affect customer behavior. It also adds to the existing literature by dealing with customer perceptions about the green label of sustainable hotels and its subsequent effect on booking intention.
Originality/value
This study had shown the importance of the display of green label on the eco-conscious tourist's online booking intention.
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Demetris Vrontis, Hani El Chaarani, Sam El Nemar, Zouhour EL-Abiad, Rayan Ali and Eleni Trichina
The purpose of this paper is to extend the current literature on international entrepreneurial careers by employing the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. It mainly…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to extend the current literature on international entrepreneurial careers by employing the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. It mainly aims at identifying determinants of international entrepreneurial intentions among young people and after their first employment experience in Lebanon.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses SEM on a sample of 150 young Lebanese employees to analyze the relationships among the model constructs.
Findings
The SEM broadly holds and adequately fits the data. The entrepreneurship context and the motivation of young employees are the variables that positively affect entrepreneurial intentions. Entrepreneurship education and social norms have no statistically significant impact. Finally, risk awareness and professional experience are the variables that negatively affect entrepreneurial intentions. The level of international entrepreneurial intentions among young Lebanese employees is relatively low, which may be justified by the bad economic and political situation.
Research limitations/implications
Data were drawn from organizations located in a specific geographical area, namely, Lebanon. Thus, this may constrain the generalizability as well as causality of the results.
Originality/value
This study provides an empirical explanation of having an international entrepreneurial career after the first employment experience, with a sample of 150 young employees in Lebanon. By applying the SEM, this study developed a multi-perspective framework covering various factors that may affect the choice of an international career in entrepreneurship, especially after the first job experience. Even though this study's results reflect a particular case, its recommendations could facilitate the achievement of better learning outcomes.