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This study aims to reduce carbon emissions and costs in an automobile production plant by improving the operational management efficiency of a serial assembly line assisted by a feeding electric tow vehicle (ETV).

A multi-objective function is formulated to minimize the energy consumption of the ETV from which emissions and costs are measured. First, a mixed-integer linear programming model is used to solve the feeding problem for different sizes of the assembly line. Second, a bi-objective optimization (HBOO) model is used to simultaneously minimize the most eco-efficient objectives: the number of completed runs (tours) by the ETV along the assembly line, and the number of visits (stops) made by the ETV to deliver kits of components to workstations.

The most eco-efficient strategy is always the bi-objective optimal solution regardless of the size of the assembly line, whereas, for single objectives, the optimization strategy differs depending on the size of the assembly line.

Instances of the problem are randomly generated to reproduce real conditions of a particular automotive factory according to a previous case study. The optimization procedure allows managers to assess real scenarios improving the assembly line eco-efficiency. These results promote the implementation of automated control of feeding processes in green manufacturing.

The HBOO-model assesses the assembly line performance with a view to reducing the environmental impact effectively and contributes to reducing the existent gap in the literature. The optimization results define key strategies for manufacturing industries eager to integrate battery-operated motors or to address inefficient traffic of automated transport to curb the carbon footprint.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a model of relationships for conflict-ridden destinations that include variables concerning the dispute and their effect on key constructs that shape visitation decisions.

The theoretical model is examined for two conflict-ridden Eastern Mediterranean destinations, Israel and Turkey, which suffer from ongoing armed conflicts, using two samples of potential tourists residing in the USA (n = 1,581) and India (n = 1,383).

The relationships are stable for both destinations and cultural contexts. Animosity is a strong factor in tourists’ decisions, whereas perceived risk has a relatively insignificant impact. Knowledge of the conflict is also found to influence decisions about visiting conflict-ridden destinations.

The study investigates the role of variables related to the conflict as antecedents of animosity and perceived risk, thus contributing to the understanding concerning decisions to visit conflict-ridden destinations. The model is generalized for varied destinations and cultures.

该研究提出了一个针对有冲突目的地的关系模型, 其中包括与冲突有关的因素以及对旅游访问决策的关键概念的影响。

使用基于美国（n = 1,581 ）和印度（n = 1,383）的潜在游客样本, 本文的理论模型检验了两个东地中海目的地, 以色列和土耳其, 该目的地遭受了持续的武装冲突。

获得的关系在两个目的地和文化背景下都是稳定的。敌意是影响游客决策的重要因素, 然而风险感知的影响相对较小。研究还发现了对冲突的认知会影响有关访问目的地的决定。

该研究调查了与冲突相关的因素作为敌意和感知风险的前因变量, 从而有助于我们理解关于访问有冲突的目的地的决策, 该模型适用于不同的目的地和文化。

La investigación propone un modelo de relaciones para destinos en conflicto que incluye variables relacionadas con el conflicto y su efecto en conceptos clave para las decisiones de visita del turista.

Se examina el modelo teórico para dos destinos del Mediterráneo oriental, que sufren conflictos armados en curso, Israel y Turquía, utilizando dos muestras de turistas potenciales que residen en los Estados Unidos (n = 1.581) y la India (n = 1.383).

Las relaciones obtenidas son estables tanto para los destinos como para los distintos contextos culturales. La animosidad es un factor importante en las decisiones de los turistas, mientras que el riesgo percibido tiene un impacto relativamente insignificante. También se ha encontrado que el conocimiento del conflicto influye en las decisiones de visita al destino en conflicto.

El estudio investiga el papel de las variables relacionadas con el conflicto como antecedentes de la animosidad y el riesgo percibido, contribuyendo así a nuestra comprensión sobre las decisiones de visitar destinos en conflicto. El modelo es generalizable a distintos destinos y culturas.

The purpose of this paper is to describe internal corporate governance mechanisms in family firms as well as conflicts that may arise among shareholders and family members in the absence of specific corporate governance mechanisms.

After presenting theoretical concepts, the authors study the case of Spanish family firm El Corte Inglés to understand some of the corporate governance difficulties the company has experienced over the past few years.

This case illustrates how corporate governance problems can arise because the right mechanisms have not been used, leading to conflicts among family members, valuation problems and power struggles.

There is a need for family firms to employ suitable corporate governance mechanisms as governance complexity increases.

This study aims to contribute to the understanding of corporate governance problems among family members and their possible solutions.

The study aims to investigate the concept of animosity that is based on traditional enmity and that which originates from other grounds. The study examines whether animosity that is based on these different causes has differing effects on perceptions and purchase decisions of the tourist destination product.

The study is based on data collected via an online questionnaire concerning the perceptions, feelings and visitation intentions of Chinese individuals toward Japan, as the traditional enemy, or toward other countries without a history of enmity with China. A model of relationships is tested.

The findings determine that animosity is formed differently depending on the target country. In addition, the influence of animosity on intention to visit and perceived risk of visiting the destination vary when animosity is based on traditional enmity reasons and when it is grounded on other causes. The influence of animosity on risk perceptions is also verified.

The study provides information that can be used to manage a country's brand in the Chinese market and to segment Chinese consumers based on their feelings of animosity toward certain countries.

The study is original as it compares animosity and its influence when it is based on causes related to traditional enmity and when it is grounded on other reasons. It is also one of the few studies to address the relationship between animosity and perceived risk.

The importance of packaging attributes for purchase decisions has generated interest in the research and food industry. As a matter of fact, innovation in packaging is constantly searching for new solutions that generate customer experience. The aim of this study is to analyse the effect of packaging attributes (protection, convenience, portability and storage, information, sustainability, branding and engagement) on consumer purchase intention of experiential packaging especially designed to provide an extraordinary sensory or interactive communicational experience and the influence of potential moderators.

The authors used a quantitative methodology based on the partial least squares (PLS) technique to estimate the structural model proposed. A purposely developed questionnaire was administered to a non-probabilistic sample of 1,489 European consumers. The questionnaire included questions related to consumers' perception of packaging attributes and purchase intention of different experiential packages.

The results indicate that packaging attributes are related to consumer purchase intention of experiential packaging. Engagement attributes show the strongest positive influence followed by branding and economy. However, attributes such as sustainability showed a negative effect on the purchase intention of these packages. The authors’ results also show the influence of gender, family structure and residential background as moderators of the relationships.

Customers' decision-making processes are strongly influenced by product packaging. However, little is known about how new technologies and design in packaging influence consumers' responses. This research provides evidence of the influence of packaging attributes on consumer purchase intention for experiential packaging, a proliferating area of research.

The purpose of this paper is to develop an integrated model on perceived employability in university students, based on personal and contextual factors.

The authors use structural equation modelling to estimate a model that includes a set of variables, previously validated at exploratory and confirmatory levels, in order to measure personal and contextual factors involved in perceived employability. The sample comprises 816 university students selected by a stratified procedure.

The model explains how perceived employability in university students is built up. It identifies the involved factors and their level of influence and provides statistically valid and reliable measures for these factors.

This study develops an integrated model which explains more than previous ones to know perceived employability of university students by combining personal and contextual factors. A limitation of the study lies in the use of a cross-sectional design, and the specificities of the cultural context as well as consideration of the labour market situation. Generalizing the results to other cultural contexts requires caution.

The model explains perceived employability in university students and provides validated scales at confirmatory level that can be used for futures studies in sociology, behavioural psychology, human resources management or education. The model and scales also serve as tools for evaluation that can be used by those responsible for such personal or contextual factors.

The development of an integrated model that explains perceived employability to a much higher degree than previous models.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the hypothesis that the female-owned university spin-off organizations (USOs) have a similar resource endowment and, as a consequence, growth rates similar to the male-owned USOs.

A unique and original longitudinal data set, which is an unbalanced panel, consisting of 120 Spanish USOs over the period 2001-2010 has been constructed. The methodology includes the analysis of mean differences (t-test) and dynamic panel data models.

The results confirmed that there are no gender differences in either the firms’ initial resource endowment or in the preference for industries. There is no gender effect on the USOs’ growth, but the initial endowment resources matter. Thus the financial, human and technological resources have a positive effect on the USOs’ growth. This evidence suggests that the USOs’ context may mitigate the initial resource endowment of the female-owned firms and their preferences for traditional industries, showing similar rates of growth than male-owned USOs.

Owners’ gender has been used as a proxy for founders’ gender. Also, only USOs included in the SABI database have been considered as part of the sample; the significant number of USOs that did not reveal information about their owners have been discarded.

It is important to continue supporting academic entrepreneurship, as in the university context, firm growth is not affected by gender differences. However, given that the percentage of female owners in university entrepreneurship is still lower compared to entrepreneurship in general, the universities’ entrepreneur programmes targeting women must adopt a gendered perspective.

Literature on USOs has traditionally analyzed the firm-specific characteristics that impact their growth without considering the influence of the owners’ gender. In this paper, an attempt to fill this gap has been made using a sample of 120 Spanish USOs and by applying the dynamic panel data methodology. In particular, it has been argued that the university context from which USOs emerge allows female-owned USOs to have a similar resource endowment and, as a consequence, a similar growth when compared to male-owned USOs.

Previous research has explored the link between sustainability disclosure and reputation but produced contradictory results. This study aims to clarify the sustainability disclosure–reputation relationship through a quantitative analysis of the correlations between these variables reported in empirical research papers. The second objective was to determine how various moderators affect the sustainability disclosure–reputation link.

The meta-analysis was based on a systematic review of the literature covering empirical research on the corporate sustainability disclosure and reputation relationship. A total of 92 articles were meta-analyzed to compile their findings on four extrinsic moderators: company size, ownership, stock listing status and activity sector.

The findings confirm that a significant positive correlation exists between corporate sustainability disclosure and reputation. The moderator analysis also revealed that companies’ different characteristics can explain researchers’ divergent results.

The results have considerable practical relevance for organizational management. First, they can motivate managers to improve and disclose their company’s social and environmental impacts to strengthen their reputation, which in turn will help accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Second, the findings can ensure organizations develop disclosure and reputation management strategies adapted for each firm’s size, ownership, stock listing status and activity sector.

The results have considerable practical relevance for organizational management. First, they can motivate managers to improve and disclose their company’s social and environmental impacts to strengthen their reputation, which in turn will help accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Second, the findings can ensure organizations develop disclosure and reputation management strategies adapted for each firm’s size, ownership, stock listing status and activity sector.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this meta-analysis is the first to clarify the link between disclosure and reputation, which makes a unique contribution to the field of social and environmental accounting. A larger sample of primary research was collected, and key extrinsic moderators were examined to explain prior studies’ contradictory findings.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effect of six governance indicators on the rate of creation of new companies between countries that are members of the European Union (EU) and those that are not. H1 states that the various dimensions of governance help to explain the immediate creation of new businesses in European and non-European countries. H2 states that the various dimensions of governance help to explain the deferred creation of new businesses in European and non-European countries.

The paper uses two types of analyses: firstly, univariate analysis, which is a descriptive statistics of the dependent, independent and control variables, and the results of a t-test; and secondly, multivariate analysis, which estimates using the fixed-effects estimator under the specifications previously raised for the subsample of 28 EU countries and for the subsample of 103 non-EU countries during the period 2004-2014.

The results show that the variables of governance are not significantly higher in the EU, although the density of the enterprises is. Within the governance indicators, government effectiveness is significant in the EU. The results obtained for the EU confirmed H1and H2, with a significant positive effect of government effectiveness on entrepreneurship, while the other governance variables were not significant in the EU subsample. The results obtained for non-EU countries suggest no significant immediate effects (H1) and a slightly significant delayed effect of rule of law on the entrepreneurship (H2) concerned.

Future research in this area could consider introducing another regional division or other types of methodology as variables affect models.

Governance can be defined as the ability of a government and its public institutions to provide services and design, and implement rules, which is a factor that affects the creation of new companies. However, the effect of governance could differ depending on the country and its economic environment. This paper analyses the effect of six governance indicators on the rate of creation of new companies considering two different geographic regions as countries are presumably heterogeneous. Therefore, these results indicate that the effect of governance variables on entrepreneurship differs according to the region.

The effect of governance variables on entrepreneurship according to the region is also known.

This study applied panel data analysis to two samples of countries during the period 2004-2014, one formed by 28 countries of the EU and the other by 103 non-EU countries. No other paper considers this number of countries for this period. To assess the impact of governance on the creation of new companies, this paper considered the existence of immediate and deferred effects of governance on entrepreneurship.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse empirically the corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategic effects on the competitive performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by performing a multiple mediator analysis.

The empirical research was conducted in Spanish SMEs. A questionnaire was distributed among managers of these companies. Thus, with a final sample of 481 cases and using consistent partial least squares structural equation modelling, direct and mediating effects were tested. In particular, relationships among corporate social performance (CSP) (exogenous variable), competitive performance (endogenous variable), relational marketing (mediating variable) and innovative capacity (mediating variable) were hypothesized. Moreover, a further analysis about the superior returns offered by socially responsible practices related to core business stakeholders was conducted.

The results highlight a significant and positive effect that CSP has on competitive performance. Additionally, both mediating positive effects were supported and the firm size was checked as a relevant control variable which, as proxy for resources availability, affects all constructs used with the exception of relational marketing. Managers interested in a strategic approach to social responsibility should be aware that the investment in activities related to employees and customers leads to higher competitiveness.

The study was limited to SME in Spain. Moreover, information related to competitive performance was gathered from managers’ own perceptions, considering the performance of their direct competitors as a reference level.

To the authors knowledge, no research studies were found that empirically examined the business case in SMEs and employed a CSR approach based on stakeholders’ perspective. Therefore, the main contribution of this research is to show how socially responsible management of SMEs leads to higher competitive performance both direct and indirectly, using two strategic variables suggested in literature on large corporations. Despite their resources limitations, this kind of organizations is in a favourable position to engage with different stakeholders and benefit from their relationships, especially with employees and customers.