In recent years, several routes have been entered to face the scarcity of financial market liquidity, with the aim of increase access to credit for individuals and micro and medium enterprises (MMEs). In this framework, the application of Islamic banking finance instruments has progressively assumed relevant dimensions, showing to be compatible with the needs of micro entrepreneurs. Moreover, the increasing concentration of wealth of Islamic market is leading western realities to look at the potential arising from collaboration between conventional and alternative markets to decrease inequalities within gender entrepreneurship. Within this context, globalization and digitalization have enlarged market opportunities to empower women financially. Authors examine the socio-economic status of women Shariah compliant financial products to investigate the impact that Islamic micro finance instruments could have to upward mobility of worldwide female entrepreneurship. The objective of this paper is thus to explore viable means for both middle east and western women to manage their wealth from an Islamic perspective. The applied methodology is grounded in academic publications and reports published by authoritative bodies, also relying on cross-sectional data. It is organized in different steps: first, a proper analysis of Islamic finance instruments is in-depth; then, the comparison between traditional and non-conventional financial instruments is shown; and the assessment of women Islamic-backed status is tackled; moreover, the proficiency of microfinance is analysed; finally, succeeding the finance models evaluation trough the application of a balance scorecard system, a SWOT Analysis is mentioned. The approach undertaken appears to be innovative in consideration that Islamic Microfinance is still considered a new market. Thus, a concerted action to expand existing knowledge on the possible advantages coming from the study and complementarity of different financial systems is needed. Indeed, the research represents a deepening in order to assess system potentials. In addition, the high feasibility of such application in different contextual realities would result important for the possible fulfilment of worldwide both Muslim and no-Muslim statused women needs and objectives. The attractiveness of the application is going to be crucial in order to tackle gender gap in financial inclusion. The possibility to overcome the restrictions related to inadequate collateral, insufficient legal status, high transaction costs and the sensitivity of entrepreneurs, proper of Islamic microfinance would possibly allow to overcome interest-based financing products thus permitting women and MMEs to contribute to the re-launch of economies and financial policies.

The current research is a part of ongoing work aimed to shed light on relationship’ value for woman startup in the crowdfunding context. This paper analyses how intangible resources, as relational capital, can contribute to fundraising during the early stage and, especially, which types of these relations female entrepreneurs must or must not growing to fundraise resources from the crowd. Based on the qualitative approach of the single-case study, the paper, through the CAOS (‘characteristics, ambiance, organization, start-up’) observe all the relevant relationships (cardinal links in first, second, and third types) that can lead the success of the financial operation. The findings show that at least for the early-stage, in the crowdfunding operation, the informal configuration of the relationship established by woman start-up can produce a negative effect on fundraising process. Several implications have been reached. Firstly, for the academic community, this study can contribute to expanding the literature on gender study especially which that focusing its studies on the start-up phase of female company. Secondly for practitioners, because ever more companies, especially in the actual context of the digital age, are oriented toward alternative ways of finance, particularly via internet as crowdfunding. In this way, efficient use of relational capital’ resources could be a value driver to overcome the hard stage of the start-up. Also, again concerning managerial aspects, the model applied (CAOS) allows to observe that the misdistribution of the role can involve the failure of the female startup. The limitation of the research concerns the SMEs (startup) dimension. Analysis of data has been available only through direct interviews with female entrepreneurship. Regard to future perspectives, the present paper represents the second step of “RC and Woman start-up” research mainstream. In the future, the authors will replicate the analysis, by the acquisition of additional data, will investigate which RC factors can promote the success of fundraising operations.

Design-based learning is an educational approach grounded in the inquiry and reasoning processes towards generating innovative solutions. The approach is known and proven to be effective in the context of learning natural sciences and engineering education. Thake into account that design cognition is also close to entrepreneurs to create opportunities and innovation, we adapt the design-based learning for entrepreneurship education in co-creation project-based learning. In this paper, we illustrate how we train nascent innovative entrepreneurs using co-design approach to foster innovative thinking (creativity, analyticity, intuition, flexibility of thinking) in the project-based learning format. Our exploratory research has revealed key characteristics of co-design project-based learning approach for nurturing of entrepreneurs in the digital age.

Nothing could seem more at odds than to think of a connection between a prestigious university institution, what was once critically labelled as an ivory tower and a car body shop. What could have in common an institution of high culture, and, those places, which, according to the collective imagination are associated with rust, burnt oil, and perhaps, a little spreading level of ignorance? This is undoubtedly the case of rethinking stakeholder engagement of a public university (Politecnico di Torino) at its margin through a project intensively tighten with the local territory. Conducted by the Research Group “Competitiveness and Business Value”, the case herein explored involves a multi-stakeholder network of local actors operating in the business sector of car body shops. The exogenous variables affecting the local area are crucial, especially for the historical background of the local economy grounded in the automotive sector. In this research, the multi-stakeholder network is composed by ten local Car Body Shops, a few dozen of their suppliers as well as, two Regional Chapter of Italian associations of handcrafts and Small and Medium Enterprises. The research project aims to drive the sector of car body shops towards the adoption of a sustainable business model among a real competitive leap with new keys to accessing the competitive-strategic, social and environmental, and economic-financial balance. Recurring to a case study (Yazan, 2015; Yin, 2003), the dialogue between the Politecnico and the car body shops is investigated using the lens of their sustainable business model. Key performance indicators are identified. Therefore it allows to apply the most appropriate statistical analysis models and to identify the market trends, the areas of managerial tension, the structure of investments and loans, the level of professional skills, the employment dynamics, the best practices, etc. and to disseminate, also through managerial and technical-professional training courses, information and knowledge to the entire national system of car body shops.

The spread of new Financial Technologies, better known as Fintech, offers many opportunities and challenges for entrepreneurs, however little is known on Fintech development. This study describes five areas in order to improve our knowledge on Fintech development: regulation, infrastructure, technologies, finance, innovations. Crowdfunding (CF) platforms are among the main players of the so-called Fintech revolution and many entrepreneurs use these platforms to get both funds and new knowledge for their ventures. The two main CF models are reward crowdfunding (RCF) and equity crowdfunding (ECF). Our study proposes four research propositions to compare these two models. In particular we focus on several campaigns characteristics: video, images, updates, comments. Hopefully this study sheds some lights on Fintech development and will have several implications for scholars and practitioners.

The continuously growing importance of cybersecurity is an unavoidable consequence of the rapid development of innovative technological solutions, including, e.g., ubiquitous networking, mobile computing, Internet of things, or various forms of cloud services. Every new solution, however, gradually threatens electronic data, accessible practically from anywhere. Such vulnerability is critical, particularly in the industrial domain, where single firms and institutions must remain competitive and cannot ignore business advantages if of modern platforms. Although strategic managers are generally aware of cybersecurity risks, they frequently have problems with the efficient implementation of efficient managerial solutions. Thorough characterisation and minimisation of this bottleneck, based on qualitative dynamic modelling, is the primary goal of this research. We see the main reason for this discrepancy in a mainly technical nature of cybersecurity and related tools and policies in comparison with qualitatively oriented frameworks and techniques of strategic management. The existence of such vertical inconsistence naturally reflects knowledge asymmetry between business, architectural and logical views of enterprise architecture on one side and explicit ways of network communication, configuration of related components and other physical aspects on the other. Consequently, the cybersecurity planning power of strategic managers tends to be limited and unfocused. Such a lack of specific technical knowledge can result in the adoption of risky and possibly limiting strategies of cyber under- or overprotection. Beyond the internal vertical gap, there is also a horizontal gap, influencing company interoperability in external networks, like supply chains, critical infrastructures, keiretsu groups, or international partnerships. We believe that both kinds of problems could be minimised with transparent and holistic integration and continuous bidirectional understanding and sharing of related business and technical knowledge. That is why we conducted a literature review, reflecting typical structural and behavioural aspects, related to all investigated levels and directions of cybersecurity management in a business context. Collected results were visualised and analysed using the mind map and system diagram. Based on these findings, we formulated a set of typical dynamic hypotheses and validated it quantitatively through the corresponding causal loop diagram. Because of the adopted knowledge-based approach, we propose a generally transparent, but still reasonably comprehensive solution, addressing both strategic decision-makers and technicians.

The complexity brought by digitalization in operations is disrupting blue-collar and technical jobs, increasing levels of knowledge required to perform them. When workers such as electrical grid operators become “smart grid operators”, the breadth of knowledge required to them increases. The shift from I-shaped to T-shaped profiles has been described by literature (e.g. Demirkan, 2015), and the need for a shift from T-shaped to Pi-shaped profiles, with a second “depth” of knowledge in data science, has been discussed for skilled jobs such as researchers (Faris et al., 2011). In this work we show how, with the advent of digitalization, also operational job profiles will need more depth in a second field of knowledge: not only domain knowledge, but also digital literacy. This study intends to explore the benefits of integrating IoT technologies in a Challenge-Based Learning approach to innovate Education and develop pieces of the new digital knowledge that will be required to operational jobs of the future. By means of an action research, we explored how the operational firm-specific knowledge needs of an electric distribution firm are evolving, and provided an off-the-job Challenge-Based training to two classes of students involved in its dual apprenticeship. Our findings show how such experiential learning activities based on IoT technologies can be fostered by concurrent dual apprenticeships, which act as the “concrete experience” phase of the experiential learning cycle (Kolb, 1984; Morris, 2019). Its two tacit phases, namely “experience” and “experimentation” (Raelin, 1998), were the two that benefited the most from complementing on-the-job and off-the-job training. Last, we disentangle the contributions of firm and the technical high school, and discuss how such structured collaboration can be effective in co-creating effective Challenge-Based activities. Further studies will be needed to explain in detail benefits and rationales of involving a university as off-the-job provider in such educational paradigm.

The current paper is dedicated to analysis of the ICTs as an important educational tool through gender perspective. Nexus between Gender, Education and ICT is explored. Comparative analysis of situation in Moldova and EU countries in the ICT and education through gender lens is provided. ICTs were recognized as tools through which gender equality and women’s empowerment can be advanced in many ways (Intel, 2014). Therefore, the gender ICT gap is valid globally, including in Europe, in Moldova (P8_TA(2016)0204; NBS, 2019a). Women are significantly under-represented in ICT, accounting for only 3% of ICT graduates globally. In Europe, only 29 out of 1,000 female graduates have a degree in computing in 2015, and only four went on to have ICT careers (European Union, 2013). In the Republic of Moldova, women and girls occupy only 31% of jobs in the ICT sector and only 19% of digital professions. Only 4.6% of the girls studying in higher education choose STEM as their study profile. As a result, women get jobs with a lower level of qualification and, respectively, of remuneration in this sector (NBS, 2019a). Several publications analyse the impact of ICT on girls and boys education, gender differences in ICT use in the school, women’s access in ICT sector etc. At the same, there are few studies regarding the ICT use in architecture education through gender lens. This paper aims to present some of the recent research’s findings on gender and ICT and education (based on architecture education in Moldova). The novelty of the research – for the first time the interlinkage between ICT use in the architecture education and gender are clarified. Based on countries’ comparative analysis and focus group with architecture female and male students we note the similarities and differences on ICT use and ICT perceptions. The research found that there is a significant association between the levels of education and skills of use of computers and gender. At the same time, the importance of “gender friendly” environment in educational institutions was identified as important condition to maintain female students in the system. The recommendations how to explore ICT in education sector in gender sensitive ways are proposed.

Improving variety of business aspects e.g.such as operations and innovation are often accomplished via systematization that taxonomies provide. Taxonomies have been proven effective in many industries e.g. medicine, material science etc.; recently also becoming adopted in aviation – IATA airline taxonomy was created in 2019. Availability of multiple taxonomies is beneficial since each provides a different view. We aim at developing taxonomy with the following important differentiations: customer-centric bottom up development via customer questionnaires and interviews (vs top down approach of IATA where taxonomy was created by a governing body), focusing on innovation and new value creation (vs operational focus of IATA of standardizing the descriptions and contexts of products and services of multiple providers). We show that our taxonomy is conductive to identifying novel innovation opportunities, which could then be integrated into existing operations by being partially aligned with the IATA’s taxonomy.

The acquisition of marketable knowledge and insight is a key driver of resource decisions among many a corporation in today’s highly competitive, global business market. Through knowledge sharing, leading organizations seek to leverage the diverse capacities of their workers in ways which will maximize performance and profit. Paradoxically, there seems to be a cultural dynamic at work within many organizations which runs at cross-purposes with corporate calls for knowledge diversity. That dynamic—personality bias—is one which may be robbing organizations of the diverse employee strengths which they so diligently seek to mine. The current work reviews a modest cross-section of theoretical and empirical papers with an eye toward explicating two constructs—organizational justice and collective intelligence—which are believed to represent promising strategies for addressing personality bias and unequal knowledge sharing in the contemporary workplace. More specifically, the paper suggests that if organizations strengthen and sustain earnest commitments to creating environments which promote interactional justice and group intelligence, increased knowledge sharing—and true knowledge diversity—will be the result.

Images and metaphors are an integral part of knowledge in the world around us. Therefore they can be put to a purpose in knowledge management. Images, including metaphorical ones, can serve as arguments in the decision-making process. To increase efficiency of this process by the means of comparative analysis, they should be used in the form of image tuples. Differences in the elements of the image tuple should be evaluated by experts with the use of confidence factors. In future, context-image-based knowledge management systems can be used in a variety of directions from archaeology to painting to medicine.

Over the last years there has been a relevant increase of large scale data. “Volume”, Velocity”, “Variety”, “Veracity” and, more importantly today, “Value” are the dimensions that characterize Big Data. Big data are increasingly important in the real world. In this paper, we deal with bibliometric datasets which represent relevant information and value for applications, usually difficult to identify. In economic analyses, bibliographic networks are useful to represent the data and provide relevant insights on research findings. In this work we will propose to apply a framework based on symbolic data and, in particular, one based on data-based symbolic observation interval which represent relevant patterns and information from complex data. These results are important because they consider a relevant case of complex information which is transformed into a representation useful to be analysed as network data. From these network representations of the information (considering a co-occurrence network from the relevant concepts of the studied literature of “regression discontinuity”) we are able to identify the most relevant patterns in data, as “communities” of concepts maximally connected to each other. From the communities we are able to represent the semantic cores of the literature.

This conceptual study seeks to bridge established theory on maturity models (MMs) and business model innovation (BMI). Extant literature discusses BMI as a source of competitive advantage (Casadesus-Masanell and Ricart 2011; Chesbrough 2007; Mitchell and Coles 2003) and potentially the most challenging type of innovation (Björkdahl and Holmén 2013, Lindgardt et al. 2009). A study by Christensen et al. (2016) shows that the BMI success rate for firms is low, which is reflected in high error indices. The high degree of uncertainty, ambiguity and complexity associated with BMI carries a high risk of corporate failure in the transformation of business models, especially due to the lack of required skills, knowledge as well as suited processes and mechanisms to support successful BMI. Moreover, De Fazio (2017) suggest that in order for companies to reap the full benefits of innovation, it should be ubiquitous, controlled, measurable and strategically implemented, and must therefore be supported by appropriate analytical models, processes and tools. Whereas BMI is often triggered by unpredictable changes in an organization’s external environment (Brasseur et al. 2017; Şimşit et al. 2014; Steinhöfel et al. 2016), we base our study on the assumption that organizational change and development occur in predictable patterns. MMs represent theories about how organizational maturity evolves in a stage-by-stage manner along an anticipated, desired, or logical maturation path (Röglinger and Pöppelbuß 2011). Following this rationale MMs are utilized as diagnostic tools that enable organizations to describe maturity in the context of an as-is assessment, thus providing guidelines on how to reach the next, higher maturity level (Ofner et al. 2009; Röglinger and Pöppelbuß 2011). Röglinger and Pöppelbuß (2011) suggest that attention to MMs is expected to increase a prediction corroborated by the numerous proprietary models proposed by software companies and consultancies (Scott 2007). Recent literature also reports an increasing academic interest in maturity models (Becker et al. 2010). Despite the existence of various innovation MMs, there is, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no specific MM for BMI. This study contributes to the innovation management and business model literature by assessing how BMI and MMs can be conceptually bridged. The aim of the paper is to identify boundary conditions for a subsequent design of an integrated MM for BMI that enables the assessment, benchmarking and progress of organizational maturity with regard to BMI.

Faced with a new kind of presence of digital knowledge carriers because of the digitalization and Industry 4.0 settings, research agendas need to be updated by arising research challenges. Particularly novel kinds of knowledge-intensive interactions among individuals, teams and autonomous systems need to be addressed in contemporary knowledge modelling approaches and a state-of-the-art knowledge management. This research presents the most relevant research challenges gathered by experts from relevant at the 15th International Business Informatics Congress 2020 in Potsdam in an interactive workshop. Based on a reality check, their relevance has been confirmed in scenarios and first ideas about solution approaches have been identified. Due to individual-based, team-based and plenum-based expert evaluations, a research agenda has been set up, to whom the research community’s attention shall be drawn to, so that the most beneficial research steps can be issued next and research streams can be realized efficiently.

The main goal of management is the gradual fulfilment of company vision with respect to the changing environment. This capability is also an essential prerequisite for continuous maintenance of desired levels of performance and competitiveness. The later metrics, reflecting responses on internal and external changes, is defined, justified and aligned with the organisational structure in this paper. The inherent complexity of competitiveness planning and management resulted in the introduction of specialised frameworks, decomposing and formalising related managerial tasks, both structurally and temporally. Consequently, this paper also compares and finally conceptually combines two widely used but qualitatively different approaches: heavyweight, top-down, strategy-based Balanced Scorecard system (BSC) with the nowadays-reinvented Objectives and Key Results approach (OKR). In contrary, OKR is a representative of agile, decentralised and bottom-up planning and execution methods. As management is a dynamic task with different durations of decision-making cycles, the positives and drawbacks of both methods are analysed and discussed. Finally, a theoretical concept of their beneficial integration is proposed. Based on the literature review and the latest methodology of the World Economic Forum, we designed qualitative competitiveness monitoring and evaluating framework, compatible with BSC architecture. To demonstrate its applicability, we projected single indicators through a sample strategy map to a causal-loop representation of BSC. Such way of qualitative modelling allows transparent representation of structural and behavioural aspects of analysed phenomena, as well as formulation, justification and discussion of underlying dynamic hypotheses and suggestion of viable scenarios for problem elimination. For the OKR-related alternative, we proposed an agent-based framework, mimicking the fulfilment feasibility of particular objectives for concrete structures and skills of single teams. Finally, we suggested a simple process model, integrating both presented techniques. Although the problem of bidirectional and two-speed competitiveness management is nontrivial, we believe that our knowledge-driven explanation can overcome this inherent complexity and attract the interest of the research community.

We propose a conceptual dynamic policy-modelling framework for sustainable development of international students’ mobility in higher education. This model provides a transparent internal representation of this phenomenon, influenced by various external factors with particular respect to terrorism. Based on extensive literature review, available data and personal experience, we sequentially structure and refine related knowledge from initial mind map through business model canvas and system diagram to final causal loop diagram. These partial outputs allow formulation and justification of viable policies and related strategies. Our main contributions include (i) holistic interconnection of particular performance sectors and their alignment with university core processes, (ii) continuous identification, quantification and management of risk of terrorism and (iii) distinguishment between steady level of terrorism and its emergency effects.

Since the beginning of the century an increasing demand for regional products have been observed in the EU, that eventually lead to the intense development of the regional labelling schemes. These systems were primarily built as a form of the support for the local small and medium producers and agriculturists. Based on available literature and authors’ longitudinal research focused on evolution of Czech regional labels and their impact on regional development, the aim of this article is to model a set of relations and dynamic mechanisms associated with variables relevant to the regional labelling. Such approach allows the formulating and justifying of viable dynamic hypotheses, which can later serve as strategic development scenarios. On a sustainability model we demonstrate a need for systematic institutionalization of regional labels management system. During the development of labeling system, we suggest to concentrate of sophisticated joint marketing, combing regional and product-related features and addressing different needs of wide group of prospective customers. A predictive scalar label productivity index, which can be incorporated into regional controlling processes, is proposed.

The contribution of this paper is to propose that OI theory and practice need to consider how platforms perform relations of accountability and in doing so develop a further understanding of the sociomateriality of accountability. The paper develops a performative theory of openness. It shows how an influential and widespread theory of radically distributed organizational forms performs a global technology company. While recent streams of research (e.g. Lakhani, et al., 2013; Kornberger, 2016) suggest that the context of distributed innovation shifts the unit of analysis of organization design from the individual firm to networks of actors organized on platforms, we find that the focal firm still remains a key conceptual parameter, which in turn makes it difficult to capture the suggested radicality of ‘Open Innovation’ (OI). The article uses empirical materials from a spiral case study of the design of, and implementation of OI. Drawing on performativity theory the paper studies how the achievements and values created in OI are measured in practice. Both digital platform designers/providers and an organization implementing OI are included in the context in order to analyze the case holistically. The ostensive definitions by OI scholarship explains causal models where OI elements predict value creation for the firm. Innovation intermediaries recognize both “OI” and “open collaborative innovation” since their digital designs are an ecology of devices that can enact and afford for both. The question of openness, is from a performative perspective, a matter of how peers, in different situations, mobilize OI elements on platforms, how these OI elements are bent, connected and allowed to do certain things but not other things. We show, that in practice, the firm has to take into account the performance of the external crowd, and at times put resources into its training and education. In heterarchy distributed authority is assumed to be facilitated through lateral accountability, whereby the traditional principles of vertical authority no longer hold, but rather, managers and their team members can be accountable to multiple units, or teams, across the organization. Our case material shows that the ecology of devices and their performative struggles, afford for such distributed authority and lateral accountability. As the paper consolidates theory by Scott & Orlikowski (2012) the contribution adds to a growing body of studies that shows that apparatuses such as platforms are performative. It also investigates platform organization critically by discussing the limits of accountability in heterarchies

Organization’s capability to innovate is closely tied to its intellectual capital; yet, studies addressing this issue have neglected marketing innovation and have mostly focused on technological innovation. However, marketing innovation (i.e., innovation in pricing, product/service design and packaging, placement and promotion) can help attract customers and increase the demand of a firm’s products with a relatively smaller investment than technological innovation. In this paper, we test how knowledge generated by means of marketing-specific IT solutions (i.e., marketing-specific IT capital) and other forms of organizational memory in the marketing domain (i.e., marketing-specific organizational memory) can contribute to marketing innovation and subsequent market performance. Using marketing directors-reported data, we empirically test research hypotheses by means of structural equation modelling based on partial least squares. Results reveal that while marketing innovation fully mediates the relationship between organizational memory and market performance, it partially mediates the relationship between IT capital and market performance. Moreover, the study identifies which are the most relevant knowledge resources within marketing-specific IT capital and organizational memory to boost both marketing innovation and market performance. This encourages marketing managers to carefully assess marketing-specific knowledge resources residing in the firm to benefit their businesses.

The digital age has been witnessing important changes derived from ICTs development in every economic sector (Soava, 2015). Consequently, if they want to survive and develop in the digital age, the different economic sectors will need to integrate ICTs into their everyday activities. The tourism sector currently arises as a key driver of economic growth and job creation. The influence of ICTs on the tourism sector has been twofold. On the one hand, changing how organisations operate in the tourist market; and, on the other hand, developing a new way for customers to interact with these tourism enterprises. The future of the tourism sector is going to require ‘digital skills’. In view of the above, this work has as its aim to identify the gap existing between the current and future needs regarding digital skills, as well as the training needs for the 2030 horizon in Spanish tourism organisations belonging to five subsectors (Accommodation; Food & Beverage; Destination Management; Visitor Attractions; and Travel Agents & Tour Operators). The development of this work is framed within the European project called Next Tourism Generation (NTG). It can be described as a multidisciplinary association that involves 14 partners from 8 countries. The NTG Alliance seeks to develop a Blueprint Strategy for digital and sustainability (green and social) skills within the tourism and hospitality sector. A mixed research methodology, which combined qualitative and quantitative approaches, served as the basis for this research work. Qualitative research took place between April 2018 and March 2019 and went through three stages: desk research, focus groups and interviews. Quantitative research developed from January to June 2019 by means of an online administered survey (Qualtrics). 139 Spanish tourism organisations participated. Both research methodologies provided interesting results not only about the current and future status of digital skills in the Spanish subsectors analysed but also about the training needs associated with them. Those findings constitute the starting point to develop a Europe-wide blueprint strategy able to provide employees, employers, entrepreneurs, teachers, trainers and students with a set of core digital skills represented in a skills matrix.