Giuseppe Tardivo, Alkis Thrassou, Milena Viassone and Francesca Serravalle
The purpose of this paper is to define and describe how consumers may constitute an integral part of small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) value co-creation process in the food and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to define and describe how consumers may constitute an integral part of small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) value co-creation process in the food and beverage (F&B) industry, and to provide practicable implementation recommendations to firms in the Piedmont region that are important and prominent in this sector.
Design/methodology/approach
The research methodology rests on a multiple case study design, applied to three F&B Piedmont SMEs that produce beer, water and starters: Baladin, Lurisia and Galfré.
Findings
Results show an increasing awareness by firms of the important role played by customers in value co-creation, though limited to specific roles in the case of SMEs.
Research limitations/implications
The research is limited by its exploratory nature, though the findings and conclusions drawn provide a solid foundation for further development and testing on the subject.
Practical implications
The case studies’ results allow the reader to understand the importance of the increasing awareness of the role played by customers in value co-creation, especially on the WWB, where costs are minimizing.
Originality/value
The research’s value stems from fact that there are few existing studies on the ways to engage customers in value co-creation. Moreover, these studies, contrary to the present research, are largely theoretical and either have no direct applicability or are limited to a single case.
Details
Keywords
Abstract
Details
Keywords
This paper aims to synthesize the literature on embeddedness of MNE subsidiaries, rethinking the concept of “multiple embeddedness” in order to clarify the importance of the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to synthesize the literature on embeddedness of MNE subsidiaries, rethinking the concept of “multiple embeddedness” in order to clarify the importance of the subsidiary-specific advantages.
Design/methodology/approach
A new and innovative framework based on four key relationships: home country-specific advantages (CSAs)-Headquarters (HQ); HQ-subsidiary; subsidiary-host CSAs; and subsidiary-HQ. This framework is used to discuss the complex phenomenon of “multiple embeddedness”.
Findings
The framework proposed sheds light on the subsidiary's need to develop and sustain over time its subsidiary-specific advantages (SSAs) and, where possible, to “upgrade” these SSAs and to integrate them across the entire network of the MNE. The framework is based on two pillars. The first one is the “creation and development” of firm-specific advantages (FSAs) (in the home country) and SSAs (in the host country); the second one is the “transfer” of these advantages from the parent to the subsidiary and vice versa. In addition, several interesting interrelations are found between the four main relationships, and the central role of the recombination capabilities and the importance of distance are highlighted.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the first to develop a framework incorporating all the relevant relationships in multiple embeddedness. The framework is innovative and “embeddedness” is analyzed in a novel way, as many studies only partially analyze this complex phenomenon and neglect one or more of these relationships.
Details
Keywords
Andrea Venturelli, Andrea Caputo, Simone Pizzi and Giuseppe Valenza
This study aims to take a holistic perspective to investigate how open innovation supports sustainability and the contribution to the Unite Nations (UN) Sustainable Development…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to take a holistic perspective to investigate how open innovation supports sustainability and the contribution to the Unite Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on an in-depth single case study of Andriani SpA, a leading Italian company in the food industry. The case is built by triangulating data from direct observations, documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews.
Findings
The findings show an organization that has developed its competitive advantage by adopting open innovation to embed sustainability in its strategy and business model. The case study complements the understanding of how open innovation can effectively drive strategic renewal and innovation activities to address sustainability objectives in the food industry.
Originality/value
This study contributes to theoretical development by offering new and insightful explanations of firms' strategic behaviour and coevolution toward sustainability via open innovation. It provides practitioners, policymakers, researchers and students with reflections and inspiration about how open innovation may be deployed to support a holistic strategic renewal aimed at sustainability objectives, such as the SDGs, in the food industry.