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1 – 10 of 77Oanh Thi Kim Vu, Abel Duarte Alonso, Wil Martens, Lan Do, Luong Ngoc Tran, Thanh Duc Tran and Trung Thanh Nguyen
The purpose of this study is to gain a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between a national product (coffee) and gastronomy. Moreover, incorporating the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to gain a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between a national product (coffee) and gastronomy. Moreover, incorporating the resource-based view of the firm framework, the importance of coffee is examined, as is the extent and potential to “marry” coffee and gastronomy into a tourism activity, and the need to develop such potential.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured, face-to-face and online interviews were used to gather the viewpoints of 79 chefs and coffee shop owners/managers operating in Vietnam, the world’s second-largest coffee producer and home to a vibrant coffee shop industry.
Findings
The selected inductive analysis identified 11 dimensions, including “coffee infrastructure”, “coffee-based innovation”, “coffee-trigger” and “coffee resources”, emerged. These dimensions reveal a strong potential for a coffee and local gastronomy “marriage”. Furthermore, nine of the 11 dimensions provide direct guidance concerning the importance, the potential for “marriage”, coffee tourism development and what is needed to fulfil this potential.
Practical implications
The study affords understanding of Vietnam’s coffee industry, in particular its resources, and how these can be leveraged to combine with the nation’s gastronomy and produce more fulfilling food and beverage experiences.
Originality/value
Gastronomy, hospitality and tourism represent a well-defined partnership that can result in memorable consumer experiences. While the strength of this partnership is recognised, little is known about the potential to “marry” a national product such as coffee and local gastronomy. The study breaks new ground in this area and concludes with various theoretical and practical implications that contribute to more understanding of the coffee–gastronomy relationship.
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Abel Duarte Alonso and Ian Austin
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the extant literature of family firms and corporate social responsibility (CSR), examining the case of West’n Fresh, a regional…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the extant literature of family firms and corporate social responsibility (CSR), examining the case of West’n Fresh, a regional Western Australian family firm. Moreover, in adopting stakeholder theory (ST) the firm’s involvement in and resulting benefits from CSR are investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
In-depth telephone and face-to-face interviews with three members of the firm, including one of its two owners, were further complemented through onsite observations and secondary data from the firm’s website and media reports.
Findings
Entrepreneurial CSR emerges as a critical element in the family firm’s business philosophy, whereby through innovative practices the ownership is able to create a balance between the firm’s financial objectives and socially responsible initiatives. In particular, the development of food products creates business opportunities while at the same time addresses the needs of different consumer groups, in particular, aged care individuals. These findings have alignments with the four theses of ST; for instance, the recognition of various stakeholder groups by the firm’s ownership, and the initiatives to improve their quality of life clearly suggest associations with normative thesis.
Originality/value
Although the field of family entrepreneurship has grown significantly, many under-researched aspects of this discipline remain. For instance, family business research, including on CSR conducted in Western Australia, a state with a very strong economic significance, and with multiple links to the outside world is very limited.
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Abel Duarte Alonso, Nikolaos Sakellarios, Nevil Alexander and Seamus O’Brien
The purpose of this paper is to examine key areas related to the craft brewing industry from the perspective of operators of micro and small craft breweries, and propose a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine key areas related to the craft brewing industry from the perspective of operators of micro and small craft breweries, and propose a framework based on the resourced-based theory of the firm and the theory of innovation. The areas investigated include participants’ perceived strengths of their craft brewery, involvement in innovative practices, opportunities for the craft brewing firm, and potential differences related to these areas based on the demographic characteristics of participants and their breweries.
Design/methodology/approach
Given its growing significance and economic contribution, the US craft brewery industry was chosen for this study. An online questionnaire was designed to gather data from craft brewery operators across the nation.
Findings
Product and service quality, knowledge, reputation, and expertise were revealed as key strengths, while creating new recipes and using social media tools were the most considered ways of innovating. Furthermore, opportunities were perceived through craft beer tourism, increased consumption, and quality improvements. Statistically significant differences emerged, particularly based on production levels, staff numbers, and involvement/no involvement in exports. Various associations between the findings and the adopted theoretical frameworks were revealed.
Originality/value
In terms of originality, the proposed refinement based on the adopted theoretical frameworks and findings facilitates understanding of the significance of resources and innovation, particularly for firms operating in a growing industry. Regarding value, the findings have important implications for the industry, for instance, in the marketing of craft brewing, as well as in the development of new craft brewing products.
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Abel Duarte Alonso, Seng Kok and Seamus O'Brien
The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of winery owners/managers concerning the impacts of Brexit on the Spanish wine sector and propose a theoretical framework…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of winery owners/managers concerning the impacts of Brexit on the Spanish wine sector and propose a theoretical framework based on the extant organisational resilience literature to facilitate an understanding of this concept. The framework facilitates understanding of this concept through the perspective of winery operators.
Design/methodology/approach
Attendance at a large Spanish wine fair in 2017 allowed for brief face-to-face interviews with owners and export managers of 156 predominantly micro and small Spanish wineries. The data were analysed through qualitative content analysis.
Findings
Despite the general sense of uncertainty and negative perceptions regarding the outcomes of Brexit, the interviews revealed various forms of resilient responses, including ongoing efforts seeking to broaden the scope for exports into new, niche markets alongside more traditional ones. These findings have important implications for businesses engaged in international business, particularly in the wine industry, where the potential challenges resulting from a major political decision can exacerbate existing issues of competition.
Originality/value
From a practical perspective, this study examines an emerging issue with potential consequences for international business. From a theoretical point of view, the proposed framework provides a baseline to illuminate the understanding of the links and stages following turbulence within organisations. Notably, the activation of responses emphasises the importance of developing a resilient organisational culture, as well as developing internal and enabling factors and bundles of resources that help create firm capabilities.
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Abel Duarte Alonso, Seng Kok and Jeremy Galbreath
The purpose of this study is to investigate about women involved in the wine industry of emerging economies, including their journey, perceived progression in the industry, their…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate about women involved in the wine industry of emerging economies, including their journey, perceived progression in the industry, their impact and required characteristics to adapt to this industry. Because of its significance in the context of this research, social cognitive theory (SCT) will be adopted.
Design/methodology/approach
Face-to-face, in-depth on-site interviews were conducted with 15 female winery owners and managers in three separate South American wine regions.
Findings
While overall participants recognised persistent barriers for women to work in the wine industry, they also acknowledged increased opportunities for females, which have led to stronger roles for women. Importantly, sensitivity, by being detail-oriented in service encounters while practicing subtlety in winemaking, was revealed as a key differentiating trait. Further, fundamental tenets of SCT, particularly self-efficacy, became apparent when participants reflected on their own journeys, as well as on how future female entrants could successfully adapt to the wine industry.
Originality/value
The study draws on SCT’s underpinnings to examine an under-researched area, notably, the journey of entrepreneurial women in the wine industry of emerging economies. Apart from the gathered empirical evidence concerning such a journey, a proposed framework extends SCT, thereby highlighting the role of self-efficacy, a determinant factor in enhancing women’s presence and involvement in the wine industry. This presence is closely linked to women’s progression and journey in the industry, where determination contributes to their adaptation, learning and accumulation of knowledge, with important implications for their future and the future of other female entrants.
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Abel Duarte Alonso, Michelle O’Shea, Seng Kok and Alessandro Bressan
The purpose of this study is to examine how commercial beekeepers operating in two different nations perceive their role towards their community and society. The realms of role…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine how commercial beekeepers operating in two different nations perceive their role towards their community and society. The realms of role theory will be adopted.
Design/methodology/approach
Data among 144 commercial beekeepers operating in both New Zealand and the United Kingdom (UK) were gathered through an online questionnaire. The design of the questionnaire, which allowed extended comments from the participating commercial beekeepers, validated the use of the inductive analysis approach that enabled the emergence of various distinctive themes, and the development of a theoretical framework.
Findings
Participants from both New Zealand and UK recognised similar ways of making a positive impact. Moreover, they agreed that their contribution spanned from pollinating fields and orchards, to improving food production and preserving nature. Nevertheless, the two groups also differed in their views, notably, of the degree of knowledge or awareness among stakeholders concerning beekeepers’ contribution.
Originality/value
By using a comparative view of how commercial beekeepers perceive their role vis-à-vis their wider community, this study addresses a call for rethinking the social value added that emanates from entrepreneurial activities, and how such value can affect society. Furthermore, in adopting social role theory, the study proposes a framework where strong associations between the empirical results and the tenets of social role theory are revealed. This framework affords a lens through which food-producing activities aimed at balancing producers’ commercial and environmental imperatives and their relationship with broader societal expectations could be reflected upon.
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Abel Duarte Alonso and Nevil Alexander
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the importance of feedback in developing and operationalising knowledge from the perspective of craft brewing operators. The study…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the importance of feedback in developing and operationalising knowledge from the perspective of craft brewing operators. The study contributes to various literature streams, including marketing and craft brewing entrepreneurship. An additional contribution is made through the adoption of the knowledge-based theory of the firm, and the SECI process to facilitate understanding of the significance of knowledge in the craft brewing industry.
Design/methodology/approach
An online questionnaire was designed to gather data from mainly micro and small craft brewery operators. Of the 110 craft breweries identified across Australia, 57 (51.8 per cent) participated. The predominantly qualitative data were analysed using content analysis and word association.
Findings
The importance of knowledge acquisition for craft brewery firms was revealed in various ways. For example, respondents most favoured new knowledge to learn about quality issues and perceptions of quality among buyers/consumers. Further, acquired knowledge through feedback was a determinant factor in participants’ decision to produce particular styles of beers. Several alignments with the adopted theoretical frameworks were revealed, including the role of socialisation (SECI process) illustrated through the transformation of explicit into tacit knowledge.
Originality/value
The study examines the dimension of knowledge in the craft brewing industry, which, although considerably developing, continues to be underresearched. Furthermore, the study’s findings underline various important implications for the craft brewing industry, suppliers, and for end consumers. The study also proposes a refinement of both the RBTF and the SECI process based on the findings.
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Abel Duarte Alonso, Seng Kok, Nikolaos Sakellarios and Seamus O’Brien
The purpose of this exploratory study is to investigate the significance of self-efficacy and knowledge acquisition among micro businesses operating in challenging economic…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this exploratory study is to investigate the significance of self-efficacy and knowledge acquisition among micro businesses operating in challenging economic environments. The study uses social cognitive theory (SCT) and the knowledge-based theory of the firm (KBTF), and it proposes a refinement of these theoretical frameworks in the context of the study.
Design/methodology/approach
A case method was chosen, and face-to-face interviews with 14 owners of firms in island and rural regions of Greece and Spain were conducted.
Findings
Content analysis identified the importance of self-efficacy, primarily illustrated by entrepreneurs’ determination and self-motivation, propensity to take risks and ability to anticipate consequences of their actions. Acquisition and accumulation of explicit knowledge, particularly through generational or mentoring processes, and subsequent wealth of tacit knowledge, also emerged as very significant in preparing and guiding entrepreneurs. Various links between the adopted theories and findings emerged, particularly regarding forethought, vicarious learning (SCT) and specialisation in knowledge acquisition (KBTF).
Originality/value
The proposed theoretical refinement based on the SCT and KBTF paradigms allows for a more rigorous, in-depth reflection on the links between cognitive elements present in the participating micro entrepreneurs and knowledge-based attributes on their ability to increase organisational resilience. The study also contributes toward the micro business literature and addresses a knowledge gap, particularly, in that contemporary research has not explored entrepreneurial motivations among small firm entrepreneurs. Finally, the practical implications emerging from the findings provide a platform for various stakeholders (associations, government agencies) to appreciate and support entrepreneurs’ needs, notably, of acquiring, increasing and sharing knowledge.
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Abel Duarte Alonso and Seamus O’Brien
The purpose of this paper is to address some knowledge gaps in the family entrepreneurship literature, examining the cases of seven Western Australian family firms with various…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address some knowledge gaps in the family entrepreneurship literature, examining the cases of seven Western Australian family firms with various degrees of export involvement, including no involvement. In this process, the study incorporates the resource-based view of the firm (RBVF).
Design/methodology/approach
Face-to-face and telephone interviews conducted with firm co-owners and one manager of seven family firms. Content analysis and word association were employed to analyse the data gathered.
Findings
The interviews revealed the significance of various key resources regardless of firms’ extent of export involvement. Indeed, alignments with the RBVF emerged, with firms’ strategies resting on valuable, rare, perfectly immobile and non-substitutable resource attributes. More lucrative consumer markets, diversifying, product recognition and minimising the impact of domestic competitors were main reasons to export. In contrast, rising costs, unfavourable currency exchanges or mediocre previous experiences were motives for discontinuing exports. Nonetheless, building on their resource foundation, non-exporting firms’ strategies focussed on strengthening their involvement in the domestic market, perceived as a valued alternative.
Originality/value
The academic literature identifies various knowledge gaps concerning family firm entrepreneurship, including research focussing on family firms’ internationalisation process. By addressing this under-researched area, the study provides an element of originality and value. In addition, despite Western Australia’s proximity to neighbouring markets, limited contemporary research on family firms has been conducted in this state; hence, the study provides an original component. Finally, the study seeks to refine the RBVF in the context of family firm research.
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Alessandro Bressan, Abel Duarte Alonso, Oanh Thi Kim Vu, Luong Ngoc Tran and Thanh Duc Tran
The purpose of this study is to shed new light on empirical and conceptual aspects related to chefs’ careers and the hospitality sector. The study examines how the future of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to shed new light on empirical and conceptual aspects related to chefs’ careers and the hospitality sector. The study examines how the future of the chef’s profession is perceived, how future generations of chefs could be developed and the main emerging trends within the chef’s scene.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured, face-to-face, online and telephone interviews were conducted with 34 chefs operating in Australia and 35 in Vietnam.
Findings
The findings reveal ten dimensions that strongly adhere to knowledge management (KM) and the notions of the knowledge-based view of the firm. In addition, numerous differences in how the two groups perceived aspects of their careers transpire. Based on these findings, a conceptual framework was developed, with important theoretical and practical implications.
Practical implications
The importance of KM through talent development, mentoring, creating a learning environment and enhancing problem-solving skills is highlighted.
Originality/value
While scholarly works emphasise chefs’ value, importance and contributions, little is known about the links between their careers and KM. Furthermore, almost no study has compared chefs across geographic/cultural domains. The study addresses these research gaps and contributes to the conceptual understanding of KM within the chefs’ domain.
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