Purpose – The aim of the research is to examine the extent and the quality of gender diversity disclosure and its impact on the firm’s financial performance. In the international arena some organizations have enacted several frameworks and guidelines in order to provide an operational guidance for the disclosure of non-financial information, in particular on social and governance issues, such as the gender diversity. Giving the growing interest on these issues, the main research objectives are: 1) an overview on the gender diversity disclosure both in terms of mandatory and voluntary reporting; 2) a comparison of the gender diversity information disclosed in Annual Reports (2009) and in Integrated Reports (2013) of a sample of South African listed companies. Design/methodology/approach –. We developed a Gender Diversity Index (GDI) based on the items required by the principles and guidelines issued by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI G3, 2006 and GRI G4, 2013). The items regarding gender diversity refers to employment, occupational health and safety, training and education, diversity and equal opportunity and equal remuneration for women and men. This disclosure index is used in some bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses, to investigate the following research question, i.e. whether and to what extent, GDI affects the firm growth and performance. Originality/value – This research may contribute to the existing literature in regard to three different fields: 1) the studies on the field of non-financial information disclosure, in particular on Social and Governance issues and their impact on the emerging financial markets (Cormier et al., 2011; De Klerk et al., 2012); 2) the studies on the field of corporate governance disclosure focused on compliance with the issues required by the Corporate Governance Codes (Nalikka, 2009; Colaco et al., 2011; Ntim et al., 2012; 3) the studies on the field of gender diversity focused on the role of women in the board of directors and senior managers and on their influence on firm’s financial performance. Practical implications –.The research could provide useful tips on how to disclose the non-financial information on gender diversity in corporate reporting and how these items can influence the financial performance. Limitations of the research carried out: 1) size of the sample and 2) analysis focused on only country, South Africa. In addition Integrated Reporting is at an early stage, in fact there is a lack of referral guidelines and the role of accountants in the preparation of this new report is difficult and crucial.

Purpose: The topic of gender diversity is assuming greater importance not only for regulatory reasons. In credit cooperative field, the presence of a gender diversity can qualify among the mutual aims and social sector should pursue. With reference to cooperative banks, the work aims to verify whether board gender diversity increases the creation of value for stakeholders, in terms of stakeholders global value added (shareholders, employees, customers, regulators, community and external environment). Design/methodology/approach – We propose an econometric approach based on OLS regression model; the econometric model adopted to test our research hypothesis take into account three dependent variables in order to measure the amount and the distribution of value created by each cooperative bank, like Global Value Added Index, HHI Index and GINI Index. Regarding the regressors in order to express the bank governance profile, the choice of variables is based on the results of the studies relating to bank governance-performance. Our model takes also into account other macro-economic control regressors. The model is tested on a sample of Italian cooperative banks. Originality/value – Previous studies on board gender diversity in cooperative banks are particularly limited as a result of limited information and opacity of this field. The existing studies are limited to analyses of the effects on performance of the separation between ownership and control or of the corporate and governance structures, neglecting the dynamics of gender diversity; recently, some authors have investigated the relationship between the composition of loan portfolios and the structure and membership of the boards of cooperative banks in Spain, without however considering the board gender diversity. Our work allows you to expand the knowledge on the issue of governance of cooperative banks. Our study proposes some indicators to assess the social and mutual performance of cooperative banks; it puts in evidence if board gender diversity may improve the amount and also the equity distribution of the value creation process to stakeholders’ cooperative banks. Practical implications – The outcomes of the paper may indicate possible best practices with respect to bank governance in bad economic times. So the gender diversity in board cooperative bank may contribute to support better business performance and, specifically, the bank’s ability to create and distribute finance customers characterized by a lower credit risk. Based on these results, some managerial implications are proposed.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze families’ role in women entrepreneurial experience and to describe different possible involvement of birth or marriage family in women entrepreneurs’ activities. The reason for this study stems from the fact that micro-enterprises are key drivers of economic growth, and that women entrepreneurs are key developers of these businesses. So it’s important to know factors affecting their existence and their success or failure. Our aim is to describe some typical woman-family relationship profiles, characterized by families playing a central role in influencing female firms’ choices, behaviors and activities, in positive or negative ways. Design/methodology/approach – We address the research question adopting a qualitative research approach based on multiple case studies (Yin, 2009). Case studies are particularly suited to look at the meaning of the experiences of people, as it is a research strategy particularly suitable to examine in depth current events of real life. Data collection is based on direct interviews (McKenzie, 2007) with Italian women entrepreneurs, through a semi-structured questionnaire (Qu & Dumay, 2011), guided by a checklist. Originality/value – This analysis help to better focus one of the key issue of women’s life when they try to balance family life with their work and their professional aspirations. This means that in order to support women entrepreneurship is essential to address this issue. Finally, it’s important to know and understand the role of family in women entrepreneurial experiences in order to clearly interpret the reasons of women-owned businesses success or failure, as family ties will inevitably have an impact on their performances. Practical implications – The analysis presented in this paper shows the existence of an unbreakable bound between female entrepreneurs and their families. Under a methodological profile, the main conclusion of our analysis is that female entrepreneurial experiences – women’s choice to become an entrepreneur and characteristics of their businesses – cannot be truly understood if attention is not paid also on family dimension. This latter aspect underlines a very profound difference between the entrepreneurial experiences of men and women, as it’s very difficult to find similar situations when men entrepreneurs are analyzed.

Purpose – to provide a review of recent literature in the field gender in different aspects because awareness of gender as a central feature of all aspects of everyday life and society is more and more widespread. Appropriately, social science research is reflecting this increasing concern with gender and the field of gender research is dynamic and constantly evolving. Therefore, it is beneficial to step back at times and observe the main themes and patterns that are emerging. Design/methodology/approach – To gather data for our study 629 articles were examined on gender taken from two key journals (Gender, Work and Organisation and Gender in Management) to outline leading issues and themes in recent research between 2005 and 2014. Originality/value – This article contributes to the literature in several ways. First, it provides a focused analysis of gender research published in these last ten years, allowing researchers to gain a better understanding of the direction of the contemporary women in work and management research. Second, it highlights the emergence of women presence in firm’s corporate governance as a major area of research. Third, it draws attention to key emerging research themes in the literature. Fourth, it notes a growing focus on applied research and signs of a narrowing of the gap between gender research and practice. Practical implications – The major implication is to advance knowledge and practice in the area of gender in management and leadership by focusing upon empirical research, theoretical developments, practice and current issues. The research addresses broad-ranging social issues, not limited to political and legislative decisions, social and educational policy and economic factors, in its consideration of gender in management and leadership. Finally our analysis highlights the emergence of women presence in firm’s corporate governance as a major area of research.

Purpose – The main idea of this explorative study is to investigate whether firms’ participation in industry events can explain its innovative performance. More specifically, we look at the series of events participation and account for the fact that firms can often co-participate at the event with their competitors. Moreover, event co-participation with the same competitors can take place at several events. We, thus, focus on embeddedness in the structure of co-participation networks as a factor of innovative performance. Design/methodology/approach – The study relies on archival data collected from several sources (i.e. Web of Science’s CPCI, Derwent Innovation Index, LexisNexis, Amadeus, SDC Platinum). The sample is represented by 470 SMEs operating in electronic industry during the period from 1991 to 2012. We calculated structural properties of each firm position in co-participation networks over time. Multiple models were tested using negative binominal regression. Originality/value – We propose an alternative view to look at the link between the events participation and innovative performance. This view suggest that events are places where firms get valuable knowledge, get signals about their competitors and their progress in patent races and also compete for limited resource of legitimacy. This represents a contribution to the recent discussions about the role and effects of events as temporary clusters on firm level innovation outcomes. Practical implications – Although a lot of money is spent every year on events little is still known on how to get maximum value from them in order to facilitate innovation on individual, regional and ecosystem levels and what are the most effective strategies for event participation. This study aims to help to answer some of these questions.

Purpose – The growing success of open innovation practices in many firms raises the question of whether such principles can be transferred for the reinventing of public sector organizations. In Schrage’s terms (2004), invention + adoption = innovation. A paradigm based on principles of integrated collaboration, co-created shared value, cultivated innovation ecosystems, unleashed exponential technologies, and extraordinarily rapid adoption is the so-called Open Innovation 2.0. The development of this approach reflects the perception that the innovation process has evolved. The present work explores new ways to study healthcare networks as key tool for innovation creation and spreading, by deploying the emergent paradigm of open innovation. Design/methodology/approach – The present work investigates the impact of clusters, or localized networks involving industrial, academic and institutional players, in the pharmaceutical setting; the aim is to enrich the line of inquiry into cluster-based innovation by applying a social network analysis (SNA) approach, providing new perspectives for recognizing how the set of interactions and relationships in the pharmaceutical context can bring to higher levels of knowledge transfer, organizational learning and innovation spreading. Originality/value – The OI2/SNA combination approach is well suited to be adopted by the “complex” pharmaceutical industry, that in the last decades witnessed the development of new organizational forms, called CROs (Contract Research Organizations), firstly arisen as companies specialized in providing services to support pharmaceutical companies, and become over time capable of providing different business models, characterized by high flexibility and quality of service, cost reduction, quick access to the market, to meet the needs of its customers and ensure an increased efficiency and productivity in the biopharmaceutical industry in constant evolution. Practical implications – In the transition from the early development phase to the more mature phase, firms must build ties to start-ups and new entrants, and/or connect to third-party firms, since the supporting investments made by these firms may determine which of the alternative configurations will become ‘the standard’. During this stage, the relationships across firms are defined and governed by modular interfaces that are, in turn, dictated by product interfaces. The outcomes of the present analysis mean to highlight: (i) a comprehensive perspective for understanding the dynamics of modularity and their implications for innovation networks; (ii) the presence of innovation networks as main mean to promote and support paths of knowledge creation and transfer

Purpose – This paper reports an experimental application of network visualization to understand the value of visual expression for presenting complex knowledge assets to executive decision makers in order to develop culturally-relevant insights for program development. Design/methodology/approach – In pairs, decision makers used interactive network visualizations to explore complex multi-layer data about relationships among key executives, companies, and financing organizations in the region served by their network facilitation programs. Their experiences were documented using pre- and post- questionnaires, as well as observations and interviews conducted by research team members. Originality/value –The results provide novel evidence of the benefits of a relationship-based visual format to present knowledge assets for evidence-based decisions. Using interactive visualizations, the decision makers aligned views of the data with their individual cognitive mindsets. Working in pairs to complete a joint task, team members made their cultural interpretation and working explicit. Practical implications – The findings support the argument that the value of knowledge assets in problem-solving performance depends on both the format of the data and the nature of the task. Our results support the importance of continual involvement and interaction between data analysts and decision makers; they highlight the importance of considering knowledge assets as value drivers that can support knowledge-based innovation.

Purpose – In the last few years scholars have focused on the topic of Intellectual Property. In this perspective, many international surveys show that the economic contribution of copyright-based industries is becoming increasingly important. In this way the study aims to analyse the methodology used in a many surveys on the evaluation of economic contributions of copyright-based industries in the national economy. Finally, the research proposes a new methodology that will support the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the Italian copyright industries in terms of their value added to the country’s Gross Domestic Product as well as their contribution to employment. The research question of this paper is the following: how is it possible to assess the impact of copyright-based industries in the Italian national economy? Design/methodology/approach – The research uses a multi-method approach based on a qualitative and quantitative investigation, with the aim of assessing the economic impact of copyright-based industries in Italy. On the first level we analyse the best international practice used for evaluation of the economic impact of intensive copyright industries. On the second level, using a quantitative method an attempt is made to measure the economic performance of intensive copyright industries with reference to Italy. The selected year for the survey is 2011. This study adopts WIPO’s guidelines “Wipo Guide on surveying the Economic Contribution of the Copyright-Based Industries” and the Ernest & Young study entitled: “1er Panorama des Industries Culturelles et Créatives. Au Couer du Rayonnement et de la Competitivité de la France”. The main source data is collected by statistic databases like Istat, Eurostat and United Nations Statistics Division. The industrial classification starts with the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) suggested in the WIPO Guide and, after the conversion, first in NACE and than in ATECO 2007, we identify the industries and their activities as relevant to copyright-based industries in Italy. Originality/value – This study aims to compare the classification and the methods used for determination of the economic impact of the intensive copyright industries. Moreover, this study attempts to propose an alternative method to assess the economic contribution of copyright-based industries in Italy. Practical implications – This study, presenting the value of the economic impact of this sector on Italian GDP, will make public opinion aware of the importance of this sector on the national economy.

Purpose – One of the most common governance systems is the family business above all in industries with strong cultural traditions, such as the wine business, but the literature still disagrees on whether such a corporate structure increases performance.Our empirical survey aims to investigate the effect of a long term company culture in terms of a firm’s economic performance and intellectual capital. Design/methodology/approach–Using a quantitative research approach, the survey tests a panel dataset of Italian wine companies, developing the statistical model of parametric correlation to verify the relationship between some performance indicators with a set of variables, such as the year of foundation of the company, as well as single aspects of corporate governance. Originality/value –This methodology results in a deep analysis of the wine business, which is one of the most stable industries in Italy. We found some industry-specific peculiarities. One is the family buy out strategy implemented recently by several wine companies. That feature, often moving the companies out of the family business, could also be threatening the terroir inspiration. Secondly, we found a large presence of cooperatives within the main Italian wine companies, which are non-family entities, but are made of several family firms working in joint cooperation (a mixed family/non-family governance model). Practical implications – The survey represents an empirical support to fill the limited empirical evidence existing on wine industry value creation in relation to the corporate governance structure. The research findings support the hypothesis that a family firm could add value over the generations through generating an internal cumulative knowledge process and a strong brand image. The main implications are that a family firm is an efficient governance model. In addition, the presence of a CEO external to the founder’s family is positively correlated to performances, as well as a limited amount of board members.

Purpose – Nowadays, interest on football industry is increasing enough to influence the structure of the sector and the nature of the sport. The need to hire specialized managers with distinctive skills has emerged. It is necessary to evaluate managers’ performance, in order to define if the firm objectives are in compliance with managers’ ones. However, traditional models are based on profits maximization and sporting performance maximization under a defined budget. They are not able to properly explain the reality because these tools do not consider every aspects of the football industry. Therefore, a new managers’ objective function and new managerial tools have to be identified. The research aims to determine an innovative model based on intellectual capital, able to evaluate managers’ performance. Design/methodology/approach – The research proposes a quali-quantitative method with an empirical application. The study identifies intellectual capital development as determinant of clubs success. The intellectual capital of professional football clubs has been identified in three components: the first team players, the brand and the right of qualification for the competition on sporting merit. In order to check if intellectual capital could represent a management control system, the traditional objective-function of professional football clubs have been analysed and an application of the intellectual capital model has been carried out on seven Italian Serie A football clubs. For each club, the components of intellectual capital have been identified considering 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 seasons. Originality/value – This methodology provides a control system of managers’ performance for company ownership. The competition between football clubs is very intensified and it is necessary to invest in managers’ skills efficiency to improve intellectual capital value of football clubs. In this perspective, the originality of the research is to offer a practical application of intellectual capital as a management control system. The research aims to demonstrate that the intellectual capital objective function could strike a balance between sporting performance maximization and economic result maximization. Practical implications – The outcomes of the application of the new model based on intellectual capital allow to define a new use of it as an evaluation tool for football clubs’ managers, overcoming the traditional models, which do not consider the job of manager. Furthermore, the new objective function defined by the research allows managers to make strategic decisions finalised to achieve clubs success in compliance with ownership aims.

Purpose – The aim of this study is to propose a method to measure the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) identity (Otubanjo, 2013) of a firm. Using this method, based on a fuzzy logic expert system, it is possible to generate a comprehensive rating for the assessment of the sustainability of a firm. In fact, to ensure that a firm is CSR-compliant, it is important to express CSR principles in terms of measurable variables. Up to now, measurement has been hampered by a lack of clarity in theoretical frameworks and empirical methods for the CSR construct. Design/methodology/approach– The analysis model is formalized through an FES (fuzzy expert system). The algorithm of the FES aggregates multicriteria evaluations of a problem. The assessments of behaviour and the resulting decisions are represented in blocks of rules, drawn up by an inference engine in fuzzy logic. The FES unites the ability of an expert system to simulate the decision-making process with the uncertainty typical of human reasoning, which is present in fuzzy logic. The main structure of the model is based on the aggregation of three components: human capital (HumanCap), strategy (Strategy) and reporting (ESGrep: Environmental, Social and Governance reporting). Originality/value – Despite the spread of CSR practices among firms, there is not a commonly accepted method of measuring sustainability. Moreover, although Environmental social governance (ESG) rating agencies provide CSR ratings, their methodologies have certain weaknesses. Considering the growing importance of socially responsible financial markets, this topic may prove to be of vital importance, above all for decision-makers in the management of their investments, by remedying the deficiencies in methodologies used by sustainability rating organizations. We also think that fuzzy logic methodology is an appropriate way of assessing sustainability because of the “fuzzy” nature of sustainability. Practical implications – The outcome of the application is a system designed to measure the CSR identity of a firm. On the management side, the possibility to identify the determinants of the different CSR intermediate indicators making up the final CSR index would allow CSR-compliant managers to use this information for decision-making purposes.

Purpose – The overall aim of this work is to frame the value creation process within the sustainable growth strategies. The paper proposes an accounting-based framework that is able to detect whether a firm is pursuing a sustainable strategy or not. The framework is applied to a case study: the Loccioni Group. This work continues a research already started from a theoretical point of view by the same authors (Iazzolino and Laise, 2014). Design/methodology/approach – Building on two previous works by the same authors (Iazzolino and Laise, 2013; 2014), the proposed framework starts from the analysis of the Value Added (VA) created by the firm and of its components: (i) HC – Human Capital and (ii) SC – Structural Capital, the last measuring the value created for all capital investors (within which there are also the shareholders). In order to evaluate the sustainability of a strategy, the time trend of the VA and its composition is analyzed. Findings – From results of application of the methodology on the case study it emerges that the Loccioni Group is pursuing a sustainable strategy. The firm is following a “win-win” strategy. Originality/value – The originality and the value of our methodological proposal can be appreciated by taking into account that in the literature there is no accounting-based methodology that is able to evaluate the sustainability of a strategy. The VA and its composition, together with other Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), allows the sustainability of a strategy to be defined. Practical implications – Managers underestimate the importance of a performance measurement that takes into account advantages in terms of intangibles (human capital, structural capital, relational capital). Our approach makes it possible to highlight the effects of sustainable strategies based on knowledge investments oriented towards the Stakeholder Value Theory and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Purpose – The main objective of this paper is to describe the use of Food Waste Hierarchy and to identify critical factors for improving surplus food redistribution in food manufacturing companies. Design/methodology/approach – In this research, multiple case study methodology is used. Questionnaires for semi structured interviews are prepared based on an extensive literature review and adapted after expert opinions. The interviews are conducted mostly with the supply chain and logistics managers of food manufacturing companies operating in northern Italy. Originality/value – Although many studies focus on quantification of food losses and many others in food insecurity in developed countries, surplus food redistribution for social purposes, which is considered as a possible answer to reach food security by reducing food losses, hasn’t been studied thoroughly. Practical implications – This paper studies surplus food management in food manufacturing companies aiming to help firms improving current practices, to help nonprofit organizations to collect and distribute a greater amount of food and to provide input to policy makers for innovation of current policies related to surplus food redistribution to reduce food insecurity in their community.

Purpose – Innovation in services continues to be recognised as a mean of retaining a competitive advantage whilst the role of service employees in initiating innovation is increasingly signified in terms of enhancing customers’ perceptions of quality and also suggesting ideas that can lead to innovations (Rubalcaba et al., 2012). The input of service employees into the innovation process is perceived inconsistently in the literature, reflecting a lack of theoretical uniformity to determine employee-driven service innovation. An emerging line of research, however, focused on employees’ role in service encounter-based innovation (i.e. Toivonen and Tuominen, 2009; Sundbo and Toivonen, 2011); the service encounter-based innovation conception was originally derived from the user-driven innovation theme in the innovation management literature and emerged as a contemporary research line in the service innovation literature. Service encounter-based innovation denotes service innovation as developing from ideas, knowledge or practices derived from frontline service employees’ meetings with users during the service delivery process (Sørensen and Jensen, 2012). Respectively, this paper intends to investigate further the role of employees in initiating service encounter-based innovation through the lens of innovative behaviour proposition. By doing so, this paper also aims to compare and contrast the research findings with the theoretical framework of (Sørensen et al., 2013) that determined an integrative relationship between practice-based and management directed innovation. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative case-study research strategy, which compared between two case studies of personal-interactive service companies, was applied to achieve the objectives of the study. The application of qualitative case-study research allowed closer assessment and observation while the researcher was directly present within the service delivery environment. The combining of qualitative research methods, such as semi-structured interviews, review of archival records and direct observation, was applied to congregate evidence of employees’ innovative behaviour patterns from multiple perspectives. Originality/value – This paper adds further insight by verifying the nature of service employees’ innovative behaviour and its contribution in initiating service innovation. The findings also identify the influence of contextual determinants in nurturing or inhibiting service employees’ innovative behaviour. Practical implications – Practical implications and recommendations for management to nurture service employees’ innovative behaviour are presented based on the study findings. The practical recommendations provide managers working within personal-interactive service companies with sensible measures to nurture innovative behaviour among employees.

The study examines the relationship between entrepreneurship, culture and access to finance with the intention of proposing a framework within which this 3-way relationship could be understood and applied to different contexts. Although there has been a growing number of studies on the relationship between entrepreneurship and culture, much less is known about how this relationship in turn affects access to finance. We locate our study in Tunisia, a country, with a relatively high score of ease of doing business, but which does not score as highly around two specific indicators: starting a business and accessing credit. This prompts enquiry into how Tunisian economic agents such as start-up entrepreneurs and financial institutions operate in order to optimize on the increasing post-revolution fund flows and to create an inclusive and entrepreneurial private sector led economy. The information and communication technology (ICT) sector is selected because of its perceived ability to draw out culturally-constructed norms and practices and also because it captures the “millennial” generation that triggered the Arab Spring uprising. Relevant models such as those by Hofstede and Hofstede (2005) are used in conjunction with ethnographic field research that allows for mapping of key culturally-constructed norms and practices from both the demand and supply side. The study finds that culture is not only a major determinant of business start-up but also access to finance. Causality is however not unidirectional. Entrepreneurship amongst the millennial generation exerts influence on social and business culture, but not so much on financial sector practice which is still predominantly in the hands of a more conservative and older generation. Access to finance does not appear to have as much effect on entrepreneurship as was originally thought. Specific implications for the Tunisia case are presented. Choke point interventions are suggested, with some suggesting shifts towards increasingly targeting specific aspects of culture and not just business.

Purpose – The paper explores the entrepreneurial nature of knowledge workers in relation the imperatives and specificities of our knowledge-based economies. The study strives to provide a holistic framework for better understanding the emergence and nature of knowledge-based entrepreneurship. In the industrial age the owners of tangibles assets such as land, physical and financial capital are the entrepreneurs. In the knowledge age, knowledge is the major input for value creation in organisations, and the owners of this intangible asset, referred to as knowledge workers are understood as potential entrepreneurs alike. Knowledge is a widespread asset that dilutes the potential of entrepreneurship at different levels. This is allowed and reinforced by the prevalence of easier and more accessible information and communication technologies. Design/methodology/approach – A three-level approach is elicited in order to gain a better understanding of the prevalence of knowledge-based entrepreneurship in our contemporary economies: a macro, a meso and a micro level of analysis. The macro level relates to the current knowledge-based paradigm that defines the general framework where activities unfold. A particular focus is given to the role played by technology in fostering knowledge-based entrepreneurship. The meso level investigates how organisations fit into this framework and how they influence it in turn. The theme of organisational knowledge-intensity is explored. The micro level is concerned with understanding the nature and actions of knowledge-based entrepreneurship and addresses specifically knowledge workers. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the existing body on knowledge workers and their entrepreneurial nature. It provides a holistic framework suggesting that knowledge-based entrepreneurship should be understood holistically. This contribution also emphasise that any knowledge worker is a potential entrepreneur in knowledge economies. He or she is not exclusively involved in creating a firm or leading one but he or she can also be involved in generating new activities within large corporations. Ubiquitous technologies provide infinite possibilities for learning, strengthening one’s knowledge base and innovating. Finally, the uncertainties and constant changes characterising our economies require constant adaptation through creativity and risk taking. Practical implications – The holistic perspective explored in the study provides a framework where the most important features of knowledge-based entrepreneurship are introduced. It offers then a base for reflection and action for managers concerned with increasing firm’s competitiveness while relying on intangible assets.

Purpose – The hacker culture is a contemporary subculture representing a technology-based extension of the DIY/DIT (do it yourself/do it together) culture. Corresponding DIY-projects are typically motivated by fun and self-fulfilment and not primarily by external stimuli. Nevertheless many new companies have emerged as a result of the hacker culture based on new products. In fact this subculture stresses unique and innovative applications of technologies, and encourages invention and prototyping. However, there seems to be a lack of knowledge on the relationship between hacker culture, entrepreneurship, and business innovation. The purpose of the present study is to address this gap and to develop insights into the hacker culture and its intersections with entrepreneurship and business innovation. Design/methodology/approach – To explore the research question, a multiple case study approach is used, which is especially useful in exploring the complexities of the entrepreneurial process. Data from five hacker projects was collected through a combination of structured interviews and secondary data. For the study a qualitative content analysis is appropriate as a method for analyzing the in-depth interviews. Originality/value – Compared to entrepreneurs in general, hackers show very particular motivation. Driving force behind the projects seems to be the wish to create something new, which has not existed before, which provides better solutions or at least outperforms existing products. Furthermore hackers typically understand a start-up process as a sequence of creative learning, just like technical problem solving. Trial and error is seen as precondition for improvement and therefore error tolerance seems to be fundamental. Practical implications – Hackers, makers, tinkerers, engineers, artists, and other creative people who pursue own ideas with the intention to build their own business can unquestionably be categorized as entrepreneurs – even if they occasionally do not like terms such as businessman/businesswoman and rather prefer denominations such as bricoleurs or hackers. After all, it is not the question whether to be a hacker or to be an entrepreneur but instead the question is if to be a hacker and an entrepreneur. The study shows examples of so called `maker entrepreneurs´, which means persons or teams which feel related to the hacker community in terms of sharing ideas and sharing knowledge, but also feel the passion to generate new ideas, to solve problems in a new way, and to bring their ideas to the market.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to deepen understanding of the nature of collective creativity within ensembles in the arts. Research has established creativity as being related mostly to the individual (e.g. Kurtzberg and Amabile, 2001). On the other hand, innovation has largely been treated as an organizational level construct, while neglecting the moments when collective creative insights occur (Hargadon and Bechky, 2006). Creativity and innovation on the collective level relies on group processes and collaboration. Studies on ensembles in arts increase our understanding of group interaction that produces creative outputs (Hatch, 1999; Murnighan & Conlon, 1999; Sawyer, 1999). However, little research has been done to understand the nuances of interaction processes that produce collective creativity. Thus, this paper studies interaction patterns across different arts ensembles. Methodology – Data for this research came from semi-structured in-depth interviews with 12 expert practitioners. The participants came from the disciplines of music, theatre, dance and fine arts. The data were approached against a framework, consisting of three overarching themes: Vision and Purpose; Ensemble structure, member skills, artistic materials, context; and Leadership and intensity of interactions. Originality/value – The results show that the overarching theme of “Leadership and intensity of interactions” is key in understanding moments of collective creativity. Those emphasizing the collective interaction before individual skill expressed much greater likelihood of collective creativity emerging. In addition, this study shows the distinctiveness of different art forms and how individual and collective creativity is understood through ensemble practices. Practical implications – The framework on collaborative working can be applied in any organisation aiming at collective creativity processes.

Purpose – The paper examines how the art based practices driven from improvisational theatre could help in conceptualizing and shaping creative organization. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws from literature and practice of improvisational theatre to form a framework to enhance creative organization, which is also understood as organizing for creativity. They study illustrates through two cases the framework, and explore how the practices of improvisational theatre (collective improvisation) could enhance it. Originality/value – This methodology puts in evidence conceptualization of creative organization from novel point of view i.e. from point of view of organizing for creativity. Practical implications – The outcomes of the application provide a framework for management to understand and enhance creative organization, and to utilize the art based practices, specifically from improvisational theatre, to foster it. Hence, organizing for creativity is basically key for creative organization, and it means ability of swiftly organize for emerging needs.

Purpose – This paper presents new empirical evidence for a renewed regional policy aimed at promoting local sustainable economic development (LSED) able to overcome the standard approach of simple marshallian externalities (e.g., cultural districts). Specifically, according to Mazzuccato (2013, 2015), we believe that a confident and patient “entrepreneurial regional authority” is needed to take on the early, capital-intensive stages of the value chains characterized by higher risks and uncertainty (R&D, creativity, etc.). This renewed role for the public authorities – that goes beyond the steady state assumption of fixing market failures – is particularly needed in those areas where unfavorable wage gaps actually hamper agglomeration and private firms are reluctant in promoting long-run investments. Operationally, we present some case studies of the ongoing process concerning the development of “Environmental and Cultural Systems” (ECS) in the Apulia Region. A preliminary set of policy recommendations are depicted in the conclusions. Design/methodology/approach – Firstly, after a brief introduction of the notion of smile curve, we propose a new conceptual framework to assess the complex links between culture/creativity and LSED overcoming the standard approach of simple marshallian externalities (e.g., cultural districts). Then, we focus on the Apulian SAC case studies to assess the actual degree of coherence of the on-going process with the above framework as well as its preliminary achievements on the local territories (e.g., social and cultural capital, entrepreneurship, management, etc.). Lastly, we propose a first set of recommendations to be considered in defining the Apulia Region 2014-2020 policies for the development of Environmental and Cultural Systems” (ECS) and creative industry Originality/value – The added value of this paper stands in proposing a new conceptual framework able to link culture/creativity and local development as well as an empirical applications by assessing some case studies of the Apulian Environmental and Cultural Systems” (ECS) in the framework of 2007-13 regional planning process. Practical implications – The outcomes of the paper will be the following: a new conceptual framework for a cultural-based LSED; an empirical assessment of one of the pillar of the Apulian regional planning process in the framework of the ERDF 2007-13; a set of policy recommendations for the new 2014-20 EU regional planning process.