Elisa Conz, Stefano Denicolai and Antonella Zucchella
The purpose of this paper, according to the evolutionary perspective of resilience, is to provide a revised adaptive cycle model that explains how organisations that are embedded…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper, according to the evolutionary perspective of resilience, is to provide a revised adaptive cycle model that explains how organisations that are embedded in a local system can foster their resilience.
Design/methodology/approach
An exploratory case study analysis was carried out. The study adopted the methods and principles proposed by Eisenhardt (1989). Case studies were selected according the match-pair method and consist of two Italian wineries operating into the same wine cluster. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analysed through descriptive statistics and qualitative data analysis techniques.
Findings
The study proposes a revised model for the resilience strategies of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which combines firm and cluster level. Findings show that the resilience of SMEs is primarily driven by internal resilience strategies, and their surviving and adapting capacity, from a certain point of the evolutionary cycle, is fostered by internal decisions rather than by the influence of the external environment.
Research limitations/implications
The study has some limitations. In particular, the exploratory survey does not permit the generalisation of results, and further empirical evidence is required. This research represents an initial step toward the development of a more exhaustive understanding of how the relationship SMEs-cluster can positively or negatively affect the resilience of organisations.
Practical implications
The proposed model for the resilience strategies of SMEs offers also insights for managers and entrepreneurs.
Originality/value
This study significantly contributes to theory on resilience in the management field, that is largely related to economic geography, while investigations about the resilience at the firm level are limited and inconclusive.
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The paper aims to explore how companies communicate their heritage by drawing on heritage marketing and corporate communications literature and mapping the corporate heritage…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to explore how companies communicate their heritage by drawing on heritage marketing and corporate communications literature and mapping the corporate heritage communication strategies of iconic Italian brands.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopts an inductive multiple case study approach, analysing the communication of corporate heritage by nine iconic Italian brands (Pastificio Lucio Garofalo, Barovier & Toso, Pasta Farina, Ducati, Amaro Montenegro, Fiat, Bonomelli, Olivetti and Illy).
Findings
In communicating corporate heritage, companies adopt different strategies that vary along two main dimensions – the subject of the story and the tone of voice of the content. The strategies are: (1) heritage for authenticity; (2) heritage for market leadership; and (3) heritage for continuity.
Practical implications
From a theoretical point of view, the study highlights that heritage marketing strategies vary according to underlying strategic themes and narrative approaches. From a managerial point of view, it offers a preliminary guide for the development of corporate heritage communications, also providing indications for their implementation.
Originality/value
This study is amongst the firsts to investigate the strategic antecedents that can shape corporate heritage communication strategies. It represents an integration of the existing literature, which is limited to the descriptive presentation of heritage marketing principles and tools.
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Rod B. McNaughton and Brendan Gray
The purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue on links between entrepreneurship and resilience.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue on links between entrepreneurship and resilience.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors discuss some key themes in this emerging area of research and reflect on how the papers in the issue contribute to debates in the literature on resilience.
Findings
While the papers in the special issue make important contributions, there is still scope for more research.
Originality/value
This is one of the first issues of a journal devoted to investigating this topic.
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Elisa Martinelli, Elena Sarti and Giulia Tagliazucchi
Natural disasters represent an increasing threat to businesses, putting at risk their continuity in light of sustainable performance conditions. The present chapter explores the…
Abstract
Natural disasters represent an increasing threat to businesses, putting at risk their continuity in light of sustainable performance conditions. The present chapter explores the role of organizational resilience and of human capital in manufacturing companies hit by a natural disaster, an earthquake in the current study, by considering performance in the long run. In doing so, a survey has been performed on a sample of 131 manufacturing companies hit by the Emilia earthquake (Italy) in 2012, considering both perceptual data and balance sheet data. This represents a key contribution of this chapter, as extant literature on the impact of resilience on business performance has mainly used perceptual data; conversely, our study, considering balance sheet data, enables a more comprehensive and realistic view of the phenomenon. The sample was selected from the AIDA database, as it includes revenue data that we could add to the perceptual measures obtained by administering a structured questionnaire. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was then employed. The results show the importance of developing adaptive processes that leverage on the organization’s human capital and resilience to respond to adverse exogenous events. More specifically, it has been found that human capital and organizational resilience are profitable to post-disaster economic performance in the long run, supporting the economic sustainability of affected businesses. The implications are related to reinforcing new business solutions and adaptive strategies, looking at both organizational resilience and human capital investment to reach a stable economic business performance in the long-run after a detrimental event.
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Fahimeh Khatami, Francesca Sanguineti and Rayeheh Khatami
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of digital platforms on the resilience of food entrepreneurs in non-Western countries before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of digital platforms on the resilience of food entrepreneurs in non-Western countries before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a qualitative approach using cross-case analysis based on interviews with 17 restaurants in Iran’s touristic Torqabeh region. The data were collected before (2018) and after (2023) the COVID-19 outbreak.
Findings
The findings indicate that social and economic factors, particularly procurement and technological aspects of the food value chain, exhibited high resilience, enabling food entrepreneurs to revitalize their functions post-pandemic. The results reveal that digital platforms and online food shopping within food entrepreneurship contributed to this resilience by enhancing food distribution and potentially broadening equitable food access.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitations of this research are linked to the research method, which focuses on qualitative coding, and its geographic focus on Iran, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other contexts. The key implications include providing additional insights into the resilience of food entrepreneurship, illustrating the varied effects of social, economic and legal factors on revitalizing food entrepreneurship and emphasizing the crucial role of digital platforms in advancing food entrepreneurship.
Originality/value
The study advances the understanding of resilience in food entrepreneurship, contributing to both theoretical and practical strategies in emerging market contexts and offering insights for future research.