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The aim of this paper is to interpret the concept of a business model from the pattern of coordination mechanisms used by an Italian wine cooperative to manage its inter-organizational relationships.

The business model is taken as the structure and governance of the relationships between the focal firm and its exchange partners. The empirical analysis is based on a qualitative investigation, analyzing material collected at the Farming Cooperative Gran Cru.

Several different coordination mechanisms were used to rethink the firm customer value proposition, showing a very complex and dynamic inter-organizational system: process control mechanisms, knowledge suppliers and clan control mechanisms. The combination of mechanisms enables the firm to govern the extreme complexity of external complementarities and interdependence among activities and resources.

The study is particularly helpful to managers because wine entrepreneurs and managers can influence their networks’ features and strategies, as well as the mechanisms for governance of the relationships and extracting customer value.

The study seeks to enrich the debate on the strategy/structure fit by shifting the focus from the organizational to inter-organizational level of analysis. The analysis centers on boundary-spanning relationships between one wine firm and its partners and knowledge suppliers. This perspective brings business model analysis and inter-organizational design closer because variables of the business model – such as customer value – can be seen as combinations of inter-organizational coordination mechanisms.

Since the first definition of Total Quality Management (TQM) was established, its inseparable relationship with Human Resource Management (HRM) has been undeniable. However, many years have passed since this initial definition was made. During this time, not only have TQM and HRM evolved, but their relationship has also adapted in order to accompany and follow the environmental and technological changes that have ultimately changed the ways the authors work and how the authors perceive quality. This study provides a detailed map of the knowledge evolution of the TQM–HRM relationship. It also identifies interesting gaps for future researchers to consider to enable us to better understand emerging challenges and identify the next steps in the progression of TQM literature.

The study adopted a bibliometric analysis approach, using a systematic literature review of a data set that included 132 peer-reviewed articles published between 1991 and 2021 to identify thematic topics. In exploring each of these, the authors created a framework to spotlight future explorative and exploitative research questions.

The results show that literature on the relationship between HRM and TQM focuses on six topics: a different performance appraisal (PA); a different role for the human resources (HR) department; HRM practices, such as different bridges between JIT and TQM; the integration of job satisfaction into TQM goals; different TQM healers; and the different effects of HRM practices on firm performance. This paper provides clear interpretations of these topics and offers some recommendations for how HRM studies could contribute towards the development of TQM research, thus forming a clear agenda for the future of TQM–HRM research.

This study represents the first attempt to systematize, analyze and critically interpret TQM–HRM studies, promoting a collective reflection on the state of the art and stimulating further discussions on this topic.

This paper aims to study knowledge integration mechanisms in an interdisciplinary research project. It develops the theoretical literature on the concept of knowledge integration, particularly the adoption of different organizational mechanisms. The research helps to explain how to adopt different integration mechanisms in the various steps of a typical university industry research project.

This research relies on a case study. The authors used three data collection techniques: internal document analysis, observation/site visits and semi-structured interviews. Documentary analysis was used to understand the organizational structure and to identify knowledge integration issues. Observation and site visits at university research laboratories were used to increase understanding on particular issues. Staff interviewed included managers and academic researchers.

Findings are primarily related to a better understanding of choices of knowledge integration mechanisms in a university industry research project. A crucial aspect was the level of mutual understanding of specialist knowledge. When project members were derived from different sides of the university-industry border, there was a major need for recurring to more structured knowledge integration mechanisms, even if the scientific background of participants was homogeneous.

Previous studies on the relationships between university and industry deals with the issue of governing the knowledge exchange on the border at a macro level; conversely, an interesting research gap is represented by knowledge integration mechanisms to be deployed on the university-industry border, especially at micro level. In this paper, the authors do not cope explicitly with university-industry coordination mechanisms but use the University-Industry border to study knowledge integration in interdisciplinary setting. The study is exploratory, which may be useful in generating future research hypotheses, connecting the features of research projects with the need to achieve knowledge integration.

Drawing on the Broaden-and-build theory, the study investigates the impact of team entrepreneurial passion (TEP) on team performance. This study further examines the mediating role of team cooperation between TEP and team performance. Thus, by expanding the conceptual model of TEP, the authors examine how three domains of TEP, namely inventing, founding and developing affect the entrepreneurial outcomes in the early stages of entrepreneurship.

Survey data were collected from 29 entrepreneurial teams, and the proposed relationships were assessed through Smart-PLS 3.2.8 structural equation modeling (SEM) tool.

Regarding the domains of TEP, the authors' findings show that the TEP for inventing is positively related to team performance. As for the influences of TEP for inventing and TEP for developing, both are the most beneficial for entrepreneurial outputs, such as team members' abilities to recognize and exploit opportunities.

Although there is an increased scholars' interest in entrepreneurial passion, there is a lack of research that examines the enabling factors and outcomes of entrepreneurial passion at the team level. This study is among the earliest research studies that not only empirically explores the relationships between TEP and team performance but also illustrates how each domain of TEP uniquely influences entrepreneurial outcomes by extending existing studies on entrepreneurial passion.

This chapter aims to provide a contribution to the debate about the actual relevance and sustainability of holacracy as an organizational structure able to overcome the limitations of hierarchy. Based on the literature review of this topic, we developed a research framework to explore the organizational variables that allow, or encourage, the development of organizations according to the holonic model. We applied this framework to a case study of a fast-growing Italian system integrator and consulting company.

The outcomes of the empirical investigation show that the applied framework enables the explanation of the development of a holonic organization and they highlight that, to deal with such development, a central role is played by electronic human resource management (e-HRM), defined in terms of HRM processes, software platforms, and organizational culture.

The main purpose of the paper is to explore the relationship between the design of inter‐organizational connections, the processes for knowledge creation and transfer, and innovation. The study aims to focus on the partnership between Firema, a medium‐large Italian company in the rail industry sector, and TEST, a research consortium.

The coordination model defining the cooperative relationship is interpreted in the temporary project network (TPN) framework. In applying the methodology of case study analysis, a semi‐structured in‐depth interview was used as a tool and, in particular, interviews aimed at privileged observers.

TEST, acting as a meta‐organizer, has the crucial role of organizing, governing and tuning the network of university departments, in synergy with Firema. The analysis draws attention to the possibility that TPNs are embedded in “latent networks”, in which inter‐organizational ties are routinely activated in order to accomplish a specific project.

The authors provide a pragmatic description of the TPN‐related innovation activities and this may be valuable for managers and/or policy makers who wish to know about best practices in organizing networks directed to innovation. Practical considerations and methods that increase knowledge transfer while minimizing inter‐organizational coordination costs are explored.

This study was able to expand the understanding of TPNs in two respects. First, only a few studies have adopted the TPN framework to investigate the inter‐organizational coordination mechanisms among small or medium organizations. Second, the findings related to the TPN structural properties – time, team, task and context – deviate from how some have framed the ideal type TPN as in most senses unique, solving one‐off tasks between relative strangers.

This paper aims to consider how and to what extent it is possible to interpret a performance management system (PMS) as a typical control mechanism or in a more innovative way as a learning tool. PMSs are typically used for planning and coordination purposes. However, they may also be used as an opportunity to foster learning inside the organization.

The empirical analysis was carried out during January-May 2014. A single case study was developed, in the first phase, through document analysis and semi-structured interviews with three top managers, to investigate the purpose and rationale of the design of the PMS. The investigation then continued with non-participant observation.

The picture shows the dominance of “command and control” thinking, based on a cybernetic control system connected to targets and linking the achievement of these targets to individual performance.

This paper helps to contextualize reflections on PMSs and potential learning outcomes in knowledge organizations, with specific reference to the airport industry.

This paper contributes to the extant debate on the relationship between PMSs and learning. Traditionally, the literature has focused only on particular aspects of PMSs. Other authors, relying on a contingent approach, have instead put forward the need of a more comprehensive and integrated frameworks encompassing organic conception of PMSs, as well as of the interdependencies among their components. In the case study under scrutiny in this paper, adaptive or single-loop learning is taking place, in which adaptive changes occur but do not lead to any major changes.

This systematic review of the current gender inequality issues in operations and supply chain management (OSCM) seeks to illuminate the multifaceted aspects of this issue and their various implications for the field.

Employing systematic literature review and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Literature Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodologies, this research delves into an analysis of 238 journal articles spanning a 47-year period. The objective is to discern existing voids and put forth actionable suggestions that align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal Number 5 (SDG5) in the context of men and women, which pertains to realizing gender equality and empowering girls and women.

The results show a significant increase in published articles over the period. However, only five literature review articles were found that specifically address gender inequality in OSCM. The five common themes impacting gender inequality in this field are gender issues, mindset, transportation disparities, human resources and gender roles in OSCM, alongside sustainability, mobility and government policy intersections. The paper emphasizes the need for further research on these themes. It also suggests implications for educators, researchers, companies, OSCM departments and policymakers to achieve SDG5.

This study offers valuable insights by comprehensively reviewing and systematically analyzing the prevailing gender inequality issues within OSCM. It accentuates the significance of gender equality in OSCM, augmenting the burgeoning discourse and catalyzing concerted endeavors for gender equality.