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1 – 10 of 731Introduction: Sustainable marketing practices foster a company and its stakeholders’ environmental, social, and economic well-being while promoting products and services. An…
Abstract
Introduction: Sustainable marketing practices foster a company and its stakeholders’ environmental, social, and economic well-being while promoting products and services. An integrated approach to sustainability recognises these three interdependent pillars, seeking to unite together. Investing in renewable energy has triple-bottom-line benefits – reducing greenhouse gas emissions, creating jobs, and promoting economic growth. Sustainable marketing practices can be a win-win for companies and the environment.
Need of the Study: Studying and understanding the sustainable development goals (SDGs) are crucial for India and worldwide. Sustainable marketing is becoming increasingly important for companies as they seek to meet the growing demand for sustainable products and services. Sustainable marketing practices can help businesses reduce environmental impact, promoting eco-friendly products and services.
Purpose of the Study: The study focused on achieving the SDGs requires addressing all three pillars of sustainability together. The study explored the different sustainable marketing practices that companies adopt worldwide, how they contribute to environmental, social and economic stability, the benefits of such practices, and the challenges companies face in implementing them.
Methodology: The study is based on secondary data – 10 companies, out of which 5 brands are among the top 10 brands (Souromi, 2023) and 5 are within the top 20 international sustainable brands (Fashinza, 2020) belonging to the textile industry worldwide, were chosen and their sustainable marketing practices were identified and analysed.
Findings: The study highlights standard sustainable marketing practices adopted by different companies worldwide in the textile industry, exploring the contribution of sustainable marketing practices in achieving SDGs.
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Chiara Ottolenghi, Simona D'Amico and Gennaro Iasevoli
The objective of this study is to investigate consumer motivations and purchase behaviors with respect to cookies with customized packaging and consumer interest in different…
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this study is to investigate consumer motivations and purchase behaviors with respect to cookies with customized packaging and consumer interest in different types of customization in the Italian food industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was conducted by performing a quantitative analysis of 642 surveys collected via Google Forms. A repeated-measures ANOVA, univariate ANOVA, chi-squared test, correlation analysis and linear regression analysis were conducted using SPSS.
Findings
Customers buy cookies with customized packaging as personal gifts to someone they care about. The ability to insert their initials or a personalized phrase appears to increase customers’ positive attitudes toward buying cookies with customized packaging. Those interested in this type of customization are willing to pay more, regardless of the type of customization.
Research limitations/implications
In the survey, only some types of customization not previously extracted from a focus group are explored, and the analysis covers only the food industry and does not take a cross-sectional approach. In addition, we specifically refer to the Italian market, which means that results cannot be generalized.
Practical implications
From a managerial perspective, our results highlight that food industry companies should take advantage of the opportunity to segment the demand for customized packaging with respect to consumers’ attitudes and their motivation toward food products.
Originality/value
From a theoretical perspective, this study analyzes consumer attitudes and behaviors toward purchasing cookies with customized packaging. From a managerial perspective, the results of the study highlight interesting courses of action for companies in the food industry that would like to use the tool of customization by intervening in terms of the packaging rather than the product itself.
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Pathiranage Padmali Manesha Peiris, Ahu Tatli and Mustafa Bilgehan Ozturk
The aim of this study is to explore how women in Sri Lanka cultivate entrepreneurial personae to navigate the various gendered roles they situationally enact, as they attempt to…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to explore how women in Sri Lanka cultivate entrepreneurial personae to navigate the various gendered roles they situationally enact, as they attempt to secure legitimacy and acceptance and overcome their otherness. Drawing on Goffman's theorisation of symbolic interaction, this study investigates how gender informs the performance of entrepreneurship in Sri Lanka. In this way, the study engages with the challenges women in the Global South navigate while undertaking entrepreneurship, and it contributes to the critical entrepreneurship literature on the intertwined nature of gender and entrepreneurship.
Design/methodology/approach
Following feminist standpoint epistemology (FSE), this qualitative study focuses on women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka by examining the performance of entrepreneurship through 44 life history interviews (LHIs) and 40 Field Observations conducted over a seven-month period.
Findings
The findings reveal that women carefully cultivate entrepreneurial personae by striking a balance between entrepreneurial ideals and patriarchal social expectations around womanhood. The findings of the study present how the entrepreneurial personae are constructed by way of appearance, mannerism and setting, which presents opportunities for future research to explore the dramaturgical aspect of gender and entrepreneurship.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the growing body of feminist research surrounding women entrepreneurs, by drawing on insights from the lived experiences of women entrepreneurs in the Global South. This study also expands Goffman's theorisation of audience segregation and shows that a subject's understanding of the audience shapes their personae. A further contribution of this research is how space becomes an extension of the personae at play.
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Gustavo Morales-Alonso, Alister La Bella, Nathan Ghiron Levialdi and Antonio Hidalgo
This research delves into a comprehensive examination of Amazon’s Vendor Flex (VF) model, seeking to illuminate the intricacies of supply chain innovation through alliances…
Abstract
Purpose
This research delves into a comprehensive examination of Amazon’s Vendor Flex (VF) model, seeking to illuminate the intricacies of supply chain innovation through alliances between Amazon and its suppliers. Employing a multiple case study methodology, the study investigates the reduction of transaction costs, the establishment of strategic alliances for supply chain innovation and governance issues within these alliances.
Design/methodology/approach
A multiple case study methodology, incorporating personal interviews and triangulation with primary sources, was employed to unravel the dynamics of the VF model.
Findings
Results indicate that the VF model aligns with the reduction of transaction costs by leveraging Amazon’s specialized knowledge, although not necessarily through direct knowledge sharing. Amazon suppliers highlight competitive advantages gained through VF, showcasing efficient navigation of peak seasons and a focus on core activities with online retailing integration. The VF alliance represents a collaborative model where Amazon’s technological prowess enables a streamlined and innovative supply chain for online retailing, which resembles a vertical integration process.
Originality/value
This research underscores the potential of strategic alliances to drive innovation by incorporating industry-leading practices. The governance issues within the VF alliance reveal power imbalances, emphasizing the need for managers to govern dynamics, disclose information and build trust in large-scale alliances.
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Nora Annesi, Massimo Battaglia, Ilenia Ceglia and Francesco Mercuri
Organisations are confronted with the challenge of navigating various pressures arising from activities that shape environmental and social impacts, which stakeholders find…
Abstract
Purpose
Organisations are confronted with the challenge of navigating various pressures arising from activities that shape environmental and social impacts, which stakeholders find significant. This research endeavours to ascertain a process facilitating the analysis and seamless integration of sustainability into corporate strategy. The goal is to establish an “integrated” ESG governance framework adept at effectively managing institutional pressures.
Design/methodology/approach
This research employs an action research approach, focusing on a leading company within the sugar industry. The investigation delves into the relationship dynamics associated with business issues through a process that engages, either directly or indirectly, board members, top managers, as well as industrial and commercial customers, along with final consumers.
Findings
The formulation of a sustainability strategy serves as a guiding framework for the Board of Directors in effectively navigating tensions arising from environmental, social and economic pressures.
Research limitations/implications
The research contributes to bridging the realms of business governance and institutional theory (viewed under a paradoxical lens). On a managerial level, the study introduces a structured process aimed at seamlessly integrating sustainability objectives into governance, aligning with international ESG guidelines (OECD, 2023; WEF, 2020).
Originality/value
The originality of this research lies in crafting a sustainability strategy by the BoD that takes into account the impact of governance and responds to the demands of strategic stakeholders.
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Dragana Rejman Petrovic, Ana Krstic, Ivana Nedeljković and Predrag Mimovic
The aim of this paper is to evaluate the intensity and success of the digitalization process, by measuring the efficiency of the use of information and communication technologies…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to evaluate the intensity and success of the digitalization process, by measuring the efficiency of the use of information and communication technologies in business in the Republic of Serbia (RS) in the period from 2006 to 2019.
Design/methodology/approach
The data envelopment analysis method is applied and due to the sensitivity of the results to measurement errors, the robustness analysis of the obtained values of average efficiency is performed, using the bootstrapping method.
Findings
The results show an intensive, expansive and relatively efficient process of digital business transformation in the RS. The results indicate inefficient use of software packages, While the efficiency of e-commerce in companies in most years is over 80%.
Research limitations/implications
The research is limited to the RS, so the conclusions cannot be generalized in a broader context.
Practical implications
The biggest problem in the implementation of digital business transformation in the RS is the understanding of management and employees in organizations that digital business transformation will take place only if software solutions are purchased and installed, with less attention paid to their proper application and low use of their maximum capabilities.
Originality/value
Digital transformation measurement is the subject of a very small number of studies. Through a review of the literature, the authors of this paper do not find the use of data envelopment analysis to measure the efficiency of digital business transformation in the way they present it in this paper.
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Alvin Han Ming Ling, Joseph Kee-Ming Sia and Jie Min Ho
The drone food delivery service (DFDS) is a revolutionary technology owing to its ability to reduce delivery costs, alleviate traffic congestion, and offer a more environmentally…
Abstract
Purpose
The drone food delivery service (DFDS) is a revolutionary technology owing to its ability to reduce delivery costs, alleviate traffic congestion, and offer a more environmentally friendly alternative compared to traditional delivery methods. While studies have been conducted to understand consumers’ intentions towards DFDS, very few of them considered internal factors such as personality traits. Considering the aforementioned factors, this research employs the belief-desire-intention (BDI) model and the big five personalities (BFP) traits to explore how personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness) moderate the associations between the desire for DFDS and consumers’ intention to use DFDS (ITU).
Design/methodology/approach
Survey questionnaires were distributed online via Facebook and WhatsApp. A total of 359 responses were considered valid, and the study employed the partial least squares structural equation modelling approach to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The study revealed a positive impact of the desire for DFDS on ITU. Additionally, extraversion and agreeableness were found to moderate the effect of the desire for DFDS on ITU.
Originality/value
This study is the first in DFDS literature to employ the BDI model, showcasing its effective application in understanding the desire-to-intention relationship. Also, this is the first study that explores the moderating role of the BFP traits in the context of DFDS usage intention. The results provide insights for developing marketing strategies to encourage DFDS usage intention based on consumers' personality traits.
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Ulfat Andrabi, Aaliya Ashraf and Priyanka Chhibber
Knowledge of consumer behavior is important to a corporation's accomplishment. Organizations may change for the better deal with the promotion mix, product administration, and…
Abstract
Knowledge of consumer behavior is important to a corporation's accomplishment. Organizations may change for the better deal with the promotion mix, product administration, and buyer interaction by knowing how the buyer performs and what motivates him. Selecting the influencing elements for consumers is frequently exceedingly challenging to accurately detect because they are inside forces. The COVID-19 pandemic's wide-scale spread has significantly altered peoples' daily lives and purchasing patterns. The Indian government implemented several steps across the nation to limit the fatal disease to slow the spread of COVID-19. Following its initial breakout in China in early 2020, the novel coronavirus pandemic rapidly developed all over the globe, giving an unfavorable influence on the global financial system and industries. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the authors seek to uncover changes in consumer behavior when purchasing everyday items including food, medications, clothing, footwear, and technology. To understand how the current pandemic conditions compare to the aforementioned shock events, we carried out a comprehensive review of the literature with a focus on the presentation of panic buying and pack mentality behavioral patterns and changes to voluntary consumer spending as defined by Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
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Dennis Schlegel, Bernhard Rosenberg, Oliver Fundanovic and Patrick Kraus
In recent years, the robotic process automation (RPA) technology, a software-based method to automate routine tasks in business processes, has gained significant interest and…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent years, the robotic process automation (RPA) technology, a software-based method to automate routine tasks in business processes, has gained significant interest and adoption. However, many implementation projects fail and current literature lacks a synthesis and comprehensive overview of factors that challenge the implementation of RPA, have an impact on success or failure of projects, or, play an enabling role in an RPA project. Hence, the purpose of this research is to identify key factors that should be considered by organizations when conducting an RPA project.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper adopts a qualitative methodology based on data collected in a systematic literature review (SLR) and interviews with 10 RPA experts. Using inductive coding, an integrated framework of key factors is developed.
Findings
The results suggest that the key factors for a successful RPA introduction can be divided into human, organizational and technical factors. Important aspects include for example project management techniques, capabilities and skills of employees, as well as data security considerations.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to knowledge by synthesizing previously dispersed knowledge into an integrated framework, as well as by complementing previous results with new qualitative, empirical data. Additionally, the RPA-specific factors are put into the perspective of persistent problems in information systems development.
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Shubhomoy Banerjee and S. Sreejesh
The study's primary purpose is to establish the direct and indirect roles of word-of-mouth communication (WOM) in initiating and maintaining consumer loyalty in the bottom of…
Abstract
Purpose
The study's primary purpose is to establish the direct and indirect roles of word-of-mouth communication (WOM) in initiating and maintaining consumer loyalty in the bottom of pyramid (BOP) markets in the Indian context. In addition, the study seeks to evaluate the conditions (viz. extent of media usage, brand distribution intensity and brand social connections) under which WOM leads to the initiation and maintenance of consumer brand loyalty.
Design/methodology/approach
The study hypotheses were formulated following the social identity theory. Later, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 898 rural BOP consumers. Structural equation modelling technique was applied to test the study hypotheses.
Findings
Results suggested a positive effect of WOM on brand credibility and self-brand connections-indicative of the initiation of strong cognitive and affective relationships respectively. Brand credibility and self-brand connections also mediated the paths between WOM and brand loyalty-indicative of the maintenance and continuation of strong affect-laden relationships. These indirect relationships were moderated by the extent of media usage, brand distribution intensity and brand social connections.
Originality/value
This is among the first studies that holistically evaluate the role of WOM in developing customer loyalty to rural BOP consumers against the backdrop of the systemic deficiencies in these markets.
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