Mona Jami Pour and Zahra Karimi
Due to the high penetration of social media and mobile devices in the recent decade, especially with the coronavirus, digital media tools have become a priority for marketing…
Abstract
Purpose
Due to the high penetration of social media and mobile devices in the recent decade, especially with the coronavirus, digital media tools have become a priority for marketing managers. Digital content marketing (DCM) is one of the crucial ingredients of the digital marketing strategy of businesses, which proposes value to the audience through brand-related and relevant content. The tourism industry is also trapped in the digital wave and has witnessed fundamental changes in how customers communicate. The growth of investment in DCM in this industry to introduce tourist attractions and acquire tourists calls for more research to explore multiple aspects of these initiatives' implementation. Despite the importance of DCM, there is no clear understanding of its implementation's various components. Therefore, the primary goal of the current study is to design a new comprehensive framework of DCM implementation that integrates its antecedents, process, and consequences in the tourism industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The mixed method was applied to achieve the research goal. The initial criteria and main components of the framework were identified with a comprehensive literature review to develop the framework. To enrich the initial criteria, some semi-structured interviews with experts were conducted; then, the extracted criteria and sub-criteria were prioritized and weighted using the quantitative best-worst method (BWM).
Findings
The results indicate that the proposed integrated framework contains three categories of antecedents, processes, and consequences and 12 main concepts. The weights and ranks of the extracted concepts and their sub-criteria are calculated using BWM.
Research limitations/implications
The proposed framework helps managers have a big picture of the DCM strategy to successfully implement and consider the multiple dimensions of such initiatives. The proposed framework provides actionable insight for digital marketing decision-makers to manage such projects effectively and plan appropriate actions for progress.
Originality/value
A review of content marketing reveals that there are few studies conducted that integrate the components of the DCM implementation process, including antecedents, process, and consequences. This research is one of the first in the field of DCM implementation in the tourism industry to fill this theoretical gap. The main contribution of this research is to design a new integrated framework for DCM implementation that offers a holistic view of antecedents, process, and consequences.
Details
Keywords
Sepideh Yosefzadeh Sani, Sayed Ali Mortazavi, Zahra Sheikholeslami, Mehdi Karimi and Amir Hossein Elhamirad
In the past decades, the desire to use natural source foods has increased because of environmental compatibility, safety and appropriate costs. Sonication is used in food industry…
Abstract
Purpose
In the past decades, the desire to use natural source foods has increased because of environmental compatibility, safety and appropriate costs. Sonication is used in food industry owing to its short duration of process and saving energy. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of various maize starches in the batter on the oil absorption and quality assessment (moisture content) of chicken nuggets by using five mathematical models.
Design/methodology/approach
To determine the effects of different maize starches on oil absorption parameters, 5 per cent starches native, sonicated starch were substituted in batter instead of wheat flour. Suspensions contained native starch were treated with sonication (70 kHz, 5 min) using an ultrasound probe set. Samples were fried in a fryer at 150, 170 and 190°C for 1, 3and 5 min, respectively. Models were compared with R2 and Arrhenius equation for estimating model prediction sufficiency.
Findings
Obtained results represented that between different formulated samples, maize starch with high temperature had main significant effect (p < 0.05) on moisture content of nuggets. During frying, the amount of oil loses significantly (p < 0.05) depended on temperature and time and sonication treatment.
Originality/value
Incorporation of sonication with maize starch at higher temperature on quality assessment has not been found.
Details
Keywords
Asef Karimi, Iraj Malekmohamadi, Mahmoud Ahmadpour Daryani and Ahmad Rezvanfar
This study seeks to build a conceptual model of agricultural extension intrapreneurship that discusses the concept and phenomenon of intrapreneurship as well as its prerequisites…
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to build a conceptual model of agricultural extension intrapreneurship that discusses the concept and phenomenon of intrapreneurship as well as its prerequisites and outcomes. The proposed model is intended to depict the main factors that affect the phenomena of intrapreneurship within the agricultural extension organizations and the impact of intrapreneurship on agricultural extension organizational outcomes, as well as factors influencing its continuous outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper identifies and describes the existence and past literature on prerequisites, phenomena and outcomes of intrapreneurship in organizations as a basis for analysis and developing an appropriate model of agricultural extension intrapreneurship. This is a conceptual paper selecting targeted scholarly works that provide support for the proposed model.
Findings
The paper presents a model of Iranian agricultural extension in which the organizational, behavioral and environmental factors influence intrapreneurship and the construct of intrapreneurship influences organizational outcomes. The paper provides a comprehensive analysis that develops an existing model for a systematic approach to the agricultural extension intrapreneurial process. The proposed model of agricultural extension intrapreneurship joins a growing number of works that explore how intrapreneurship contributes to organizational outcomes in an Iranian agricultural extension organization. It is suggested that the framework may help scholars identify potential strategies of intrapreneurial activity that could help extension organization position intrapreneurship as a vehicle for improving organizational outcomes.
Originality/value
Based on this exploration, new insights about agricultural extension intrapreneurship are developed, practical implications for agricultural extension intrapreneurs on how to approach agricultural extension entrepreneurship more systematically and effectively are presented and opportunities for further research are identified.
Details
Keywords
Jenny María Ruiz‐Jiménez and María del Mar Fuentes‐Fuentes
The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of product and process innovation on the relationships between knowledge combination capability and organizational performance.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of product and process innovation on the relationships between knowledge combination capability and organizational performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected from small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) belonging to the sector of Spanish technology‐based firms (TBFs). This study employs the structural equation model (SEM) to examine the relationships between product and process innovation, knowledge combination capability, and organizational performance.
Findings
The findings of this study suggest, first, that knowledge combination capability has a significant impact on product and process innovation. Second, product and process innovation mediate the relations between knowledge combination capability and organizational performance.
Research limitations/implications
The sample includes only firms in the technology sector; future studies could analyze another kind of organization. Further studies might also use a wider sample that encompasses several countries.
Practical implications
This paper implies that, to achieve better performance in technology SMEs, the managers should focus more on knowledge combination capability to improve innovation, as this is the key to excellent business performance.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature on innovation and knowledge. It examines the mediating effects of product and process innovation, knowledge combination capability, and organizational performance in technology SMEs. The research demonstrates empirically that innovation strengthens the effect of knowledge on firm performance in the sector studied.
Details
Keywords
The strategic management literature emphasizes the concept of business intelligence (BI) as an essential competitive tool. Yet the sustainability of the firms’ competitive…
Abstract
The strategic management literature emphasizes the concept of business intelligence (BI) as an essential competitive tool. Yet the sustainability of the firms’ competitive advantage provided by BI capability is not well researched. To fill this gap, this study attempts to develop a model for successful BI deployment and empirically examines the association between BI deployment and sustainable competitive advantage. Taking the telecommunications industry in Malaysia as a case example, the research particularly focuses on the influencing perceptions held by telecommunications decision makers and executives on factors that impact successful BI deployment. The research further investigates the relationship between successful BI deployment and sustainable competitive advantage of the telecommunications organizations. Another important aim of this study is to determine the effect of moderating factors such as organization culture, business strategy, and use of BI tools on BI deployment and the sustainability of firm’s competitive advantage.
This research uses combination of resource-based theory and diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory to examine BI success and its relationship with firm’s sustainability. The research adopts the positivist paradigm and a two-phase sequential mixed method consisting of qualitative and quantitative approaches are employed. A tentative research model is developed first based on extensive literature review. The chapter presents a qualitative field study to fine tune the initial research model. Findings from the qualitative method are also used to develop measures and instruments for the next phase of quantitative method. The study includes a survey study with sample of business analysts and decision makers in telecommunications firms and is analyzed by partial least square-based structural equation modeling.
The findings reveal that some internal resources of the organizations such as BI governance and the perceptions of BI’s characteristics influence the successful deployment of BI. Organizations that practice good BI governance with strong moral and financial support from upper management have an opportunity to realize the dream of having successful BI initiatives in place. The scope of BI governance includes providing sufficient support and commitment in BI funding and implementation, laying out proper BI infrastructure and staffing and establishing a corporate-wide policy and procedures regarding BI. The perceptions about the characteristics of BI such as its relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, and observability are also significant in ensuring BI success. The most important results of this study indicated that with BI successfully deployed, executives would use the knowledge provided for their necessary actions in sustaining the organizations’ competitive advantage in terms of economics, social, and environmental issues.
This study contributes significantly to the existing literature that will assist future BI researchers especially in achieving sustainable competitive advantage. In particular, the model will help practitioners to consider the resources that they are likely to consider when deploying BI. Finally, the applications of this study can be extended through further adaptation in other industries and various geographic contexts.
Details
Keywords
Mauro Kowalski, Roberto Carlos Bernardes, Leonardo Gomes and Felipe Mendes Borini
Scholars increasingly focus on digital transformation as a key strategy for incumbent firms to gain competitive advantages. Meeting digital transformation commitments presents…
Abstract
Purpose
Scholars increasingly focus on digital transformation as a key strategy for incumbent firms to gain competitive advantages. Meeting digital transformation commitments presents challenges, requiring the application and the reconfiguration of dynamic capabilities. To address this need, this research proposes a framework of dynamic capabilities and its microfoundations to assess the opportunities and challenges regarding digital transformation, involving three dimensions: Digital sensing, digital seizing, and digital reconfiguring.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employed a descriptive qualitative empirical approach, encompassing a sample of eight companies. Data triangulation was achieved through a combination of in-depth semi-structured interviews and secondary data.
Findings
The research provides evidence that data-driven culture fosters digital transformation and proposes the following new microfoundations: “Analytics for the customer experience journey” and “Digital analytics innovation management”, the internal barriers “Leadership without digital skills” and “Lack of strategic human resources management for digital transformation”, and the internal enablers “Defined strategy for digital transformation” and “Data-driven culture”. Finally, based on empirical results, it was possible to gather clues that link dynamic capabilities with digital maturity.
Practical implications
The application of the proposed framework in companies enables them to develop a roadmap for the digital transition oriented towards their business and management strategies.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature on dynamic capabilities for digital transformation by proposing new theoretical constructs that unearth their microfoundations, barriers, and enablers.
Details
Keywords
Muhammad Farrukh, Yazan Alzubi, Imran Ahmad Shahzad, Abdul Waheed and Nagina Kanwal
This study aims to inculcate personality traits in theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and analyze mediation of perceived behavior control (PBC) and attitude toward entrepreneurship.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to inculcate personality traits in theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and analyze mediation of perceived behavior control (PBC) and attitude toward entrepreneurship.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected with the help of a structured questionnaire from students at four universities located in capital city of Pakistan. SmartPLS has been used to run structural equation modeling technique.
Findings
Findings of PLS analysis revealed that the relationship between entrepreneurial intentions (EI) and personality traits was mediated by PBC and attitude toward entrepreneurship.
Originality/value
This study contributes toward the understanding of EI of students in Pakistan – a developing economy. More specifically, it sheds light on the vitality of personality traits in determining the antecedents of EI. Leaning on TPB and intention models, the study incorporated personality traits to unveil a unique and testable multidimensional model of EI, which supports the notion that external factors such as personality characteristics can indirectly affect EI. This research also supports the incorporation of personality traits in TPB and suggests that these socio cognitive theories should concede the indirect effect of personality on intention and behavior.
Details
Keywords
Hadi Shams Esfandabadi, Mohsen Ghamary Asl, Zahra Shams Esfandabadi, Sneha Gautam and Meisam Ranjbari
This research aims to monitor vegetation indices to assess drought in paddy rice fields in Mazandaran, Iran, and propose the best index to predict rice yield.
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to monitor vegetation indices to assess drought in paddy rice fields in Mazandaran, Iran, and propose the best index to predict rice yield.
Design/methodology/approach
A three-step methodology is applied. First, the paddy rice fields are mapped by using three satellite-based datasets, namely SRTM DEM, Landsat8 TOA and MYD11A2. Second, the maps of indices are extracted using MODIS. And finally, the trend of indices over rice-growing seasons is extracted and compared with the rice yield data.
Findings
Rice paddies maps and vegetation indices maps are provided. Vegetation Health Index (VHI) combining average Temperature Condition Index (TCI) and minimum Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), and also VHI combining TCImin and VCImin are found to be the most proper indices to predict rice yield.
Practical implications
The results serve as a guideline for policy-makers and practitioners in the agro-food industry to (1) support sustainable agriculture and food safety in terms of rice production; (2) help balance the supply and demand sides of the rice market and move towards SDG2; (3) use yield prediction in the rice supply chain management, pricing and trade flows management; and (4) assess drought risk in index-based insurances.
Originality/value
This study, as one of the first research assessing and mapping vegetation indices for rice paddies in northern Iran, particularly contributes to (1) extracting the map of paddy rice fields in Mazandaran Province by using satellite-based data on cloud-computing technology in the Google Earth Engine platform; (2) providing the map of VCI and TCI for the period 2010–2019 based on MODIS data and (3) specifying the best index to describe rice yield through proposing different calculation methods for VHI.
Details
Keywords
Zahra Nikoo, Neda Torabi Farsani and Mohamadreza Emadi
Trompe l’oeil as a novel art technique can not only promote art tourism but can also transform the landscape of a city into a platform for negotiation. Furthermore, trompe l’oeil…
Abstract
Purpose
Trompe l’oeil as a novel art technique can not only promote art tourism but can also transform the landscape of a city into a platform for negotiation. Furthermore, trompe l’oeil aims to create a joyful, entertaining, new experience and an interactive environment for tourists in the cities. This paper highlights the introduction of trompe l’oeil as a new tourist attraction in Shiraz (Iran). Moreover, the goals of this study are to explore the role of trompe l’oeil (three-dimensional [3D] street painting) in promoting art tourism, to investigate the tendency of tourists toward experiencing art tours and trompe l’oeil and to determine the priority of trompe l’oeil themes from the domestic tourists’ perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative and quantitative methods were used in this research study.
Findings
On the basis of the results of this study, it can be concluded that domestic tourists are eager to experience art tours and trompe l’oeil attractions and activities, except for buying and wearing 3D-printed clothes. In addition, trompe l’oeil on street floors and walls with funny, joyful and cultural-artistic and national-historical themes is more attractive for them.
Originality/value
No significant academic work has been undertaken in the field of art tourism to evaluate the attitude of tourists toward the trompe l’oeil attractions and activities.
Details
Keywords
The flexibility of corporations to adapt their strategy to a fast-changing environment can be a major source for competitive advantage and survival. While research mainly focuses…
Abstract
The flexibility of corporations to adapt their strategy to a fast-changing environment can be a major source for competitive advantage and survival. While research mainly focuses on outcomes of this ability, little is known of how to foster it in organizations. Thus, by building on the upper echelons theory, the authors assume that the strategic flexibility of the company depends on the willingness and permission to change of the chief executive officer (CEO). To support the hypotheses, the authors apply the dimensions of commitment to change and work autonomy to the CEO and test for moderation under conditions of technological turbulence. The authors’ results based on medium-sized organizations in Germany show significant effects of both dimensions on strategic flexibility. In particular, under conditions of high technological turbulence, commitment based on loyalty and not on pressure together with autonomy on control and evaluation criteria is best suited to increase strategic flexibility. These insights extend the research literature and provide guidelines for CEOs and their supervisors alike.