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This study aims to investigate how knowledge management (KM) influences the achievement of sustainable objectives in new ventures, considering the mediating roles of board composition and financial performance.

This study considers primary and secondary data from 177 Italian start-ups. Data collection involved a standardized questionnaire to assess KM processes and sustainable practices, supplemented with secondary data on financial performance and the gender composition of the board of directors (BoD). The analysis was conducted using partial least squares structural equation modeling to evaluate the relationships between KM practices, gender diversity, financial performance, and sustainable outcomes.

The results reveal a significant positive impact of KM on firms’ sustainable practices. Specifically, gender diversity within the BoD and higher financial performance were identified as mediators in start-ups’ sustainability programs. Our study supports the hypothesis that KM practices influence sustainability, highlighting the critical role of specific practices such as knowledge transfer.

This study highlights the significance of KM in improving the sustainability performance of start-ups, addressing a research gap in the intersection between KM and environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations in new ventures. Furthermore, it highlights the pivotal roles of gender diversity and financial performance as critical factors mediating the relationship between KM and ESG practices.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the connection between initial public offerings (IPOs) and knowledge management (KM). Specifically, the manuscript critically examines the literature on IPOs and KM underlying how KM practices influence the IPO processes of companies.

The authors employ a systematic literature review methodology to identify and thematically investigate 21 articles published in journals by the Chartered Association of Business Schools (ranked 2, 3, 4, 4*).

This research sheds new light on the relevance of KM practices in the context of IPOs. Specifically, the authors identify four crucial aspects concerning companies that opt for an IPO: (i) reasons for IPO and the role of KM; (ii) IPO process and the role of KM; (iii) underpricing and the role of KM; (iv) post-IPO and the role of KM.

This paper shows the pivotal role of effective KM strategies in fostering a successful IPO. Additionally, it provides practical recommendations for companies seeking to effectively harness their intellectual assets during the IPO process.

The paper aims to empirically test the impact of intellectual capital (IC) on a firm's dividend policy. Further, the authors investigate the moderator effect of Chief Executive Officer's (CEO) characteristics (gender, age and education) on this relationship.

The research was carried out on the main Chinese listed companies reported on the CSI 100 Index from 2016 to 2018. To assess the impact of IC on the dividend policy and then the moderating effect of the characteristics of the CEOs, the authors used a fixed effects panel data analysis.

The results suggest a positive impact of IC on dividend policies. In addition, this relationship is enhanced when the CEO is a woman, and the lower the age the higher the effect is.

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first empirical study that explores the effect of IC on a firm's dividend policy in an emerging country. Specifically, this paper demonstrates the impact that IC has on the creation of shareholder value. Furthermore, considering the characteristics of the CEOs, this study tests new moderating effects in the relationship between IC and value creation and highlights how IC, dividends and CEO characteristics can be useful in aligning interests between ownership and management, enriching the debate on agency theory.

The aim of this study is to analyse the relationship between firms' sustainable practices and corporate financial performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, this study aims to analyse the effect of sustainable practices on firms' stock returns during and after the first COVID-19 pandemic emergency.

A quantitative study was conducted to determine the impact of sustainable practices on firms' stock returns, using a sample of 1,418 European listed firms. In particular, we tested the effect of environmental (E) and social (S) scores, providing a multi-sectoral analysis in order to consider sector specificities.

The empirical outcomes indicate the existence of a negative (weak) or null relationship between sustainable practices and stock returns, failing to provide evidence that these practices are able to protect shareholders value during times of crisis.

The results obtained made it possible to highlight significant implications for investors and practitioners. They may have particular attention in evaluating firm's sustainable practices trying to understand more precisely the value that such practices can have for the company and its shareholders.

This article is part of the stream of studies that analysed the impact of sustainable practices on stock returns during a period of crisis in order to contribute to filling the gap due to the lack of consensus and the mixed results in the literature.

The purpose of this paper is to systematically examine and organize the literature that has explored the effects of several environmental conditions (ECs) on mergers and acquisitions (M&As), in particular highlighting the increasing role of protectionism.

The systematic literature review methodology was applied for the purpose of identifying, analyzing and interrelating specific ECs that affect M&As, thereby underlining and elucidating the requisite role of protectionism. Specifically, this research is based on 51 methodically selected peer-reviewed articles published from 1991 to 2020.

The research summarizes and assesses the current state of relevant literature through comprehensive and coherent descriptive and thematic analysis. The proposed conceptual framework allows us to recognize the connections between M&As and external conditions, highlighting varying degrees of study and in-depth analysis across the different areas under consideration.

This study contributes to original and significant knowledge, by developing a conceptual framework that descriptively classifies existing knowledge; by defining refining and explicating the theoretical foundations for scholars to build on; by identifying the research gaps and proposing effective avenues for impactful further research; and by presenting practitioners and policymakers with a practical guide to implementation.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on firms’ financial performance (FP) in the food and beverage (F&B) sector.

The authors developed a conceptual model that hypothesizes a positive effect of CSR governance on CSR outcomes (environmental and social) and these on firm’s FP. Gathering data from 190 F&B companies, the authors empirically tested the validity of the model through an ordinary least squares regression analysis.

The findings highlight the positive impact of CSR governance on environmental and social outcomes, showing real societal concerns among companies’ stakeholders in the F&B industry. Studies on the effect of CSR outcomes on FP have shown mixed results. On one side, the social outcomes positively impact a firm’s performance; on the other side, environmental outcomes show insignificant or non-positive effects depending on different measurements of FP.

Despite the mixed set of results between CSR and a firm’s performance in the literature, this research provides a new framework in which the impact of CSR on FP is analysed through the effectiveness of CSR governance on CSR outcomes (social and environmental). Moreover, this study contributes to the CSR literature understanding the impact of both environment and social concerns by companies on firm’s FP in F&B context.

This study investigates the relationship between the individual’s levels of innovativeness (ILI) and the individual’s intention to finance (IIF) an equity crowdfunding campaign to understand whether and to what extent individuals' personalities (IP) can foster crowdfunding success.

OLS models are applied based on survey data collected from 385 US and UK citizen respondents. Further, the baseline relationship between ILI and IIF is broken down on the basis of the interactions with two behavioral characteristics: proactive personality (PP) and openness to experience (OE).

Results show a positive relationship between individual’s levels of innovativeness and the individual’s intention to finance an equity crowdfunding campaign. Furthermore, this relationship continues to be positive when moderators are introduced in the models, demonstrating that PP and OE are personal traits that strengthen the main relationship.

Our findings contribute to enriching the stream of literature according to which equity crowdfunding is a helpful tool not only able to bridge the financial gap of companies during the first phase of their life cycle. The findings also contribute to the development of the innovation process, creating also a social identity within the crowdfunding community.

The purpose of this paper is to propose and empirically test intellectual capital (IC) as a mediator in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) and financial performance (FP) relationship.

The empirical research was conducted on 345 European firms listed in the STOXX Europe 600 index. To evaluate the mediating effect of IC, we applied the four-step Baron and Kenny model, tested through an ordinary least squares regression analysis.

The findings highlighted a partial mediation of IC on the CSR–FP relationship, suggesting that the implementation of CSR strategies has a positive effect on the development of firms' IC, which in turn enhances firms' competitive advantage and superior long-term FPs.

We found a new mediator in the CSR–FP relationship and we contribute to a new line of research that aims to study environmental and sustainability aspects strictly interrelated with IC and performances (sustainable intellectual capital).

The purpose of this paper is to analyse companies listed on the FTSE MIB, in order to investigate the introduction of different types of open innovation practice as a key factor to develop a competitive advantage to pursue value creation.

This research uses a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design. A quantitative study was conducted to determine the firms listed on the FTSE MIB that for more than 10 years have paid dividends and beat the yield of the market. The qualitative analysis was designed to provide insights into the adoption of at least one open innovation practice by the listed companies selected in the quantitative phase.

This work is based on an empirical analysis undertaken with 40 Italian companies listed on the FTSE MIB. In particular, the authors highlight 16 companies that for more than a decade have regularly paid dividends and, at the same time, have beat the FTSE MIB Index. All of these companies implemented at least one open innovation practice during the period investigated.

This is among the first pioneer research works based on the potential relationship among value creation, innovation practice and competitive advantage in the Italian market. This study highlights the fact that 16 out of 40 companies listed on the FTSE MIB create more value for shareholders over a long period, and all of these firms adopt different open innovation practices (e.g. partnership and collaboration with external entities; mergers and acquisitions and alliances; investment in start-ups; hackathons and call for ideas; outsourcing R&D) as a key factor to develop a sustainable competitive advantage.