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Article
Publication date: 13 July 2023

Ali Zackery, Mohsen Taheri Demneh and Maryam Ebadi Nejad

Due to the limitations of conventional urban planning, it is essential to develop novel techniques of urban futruing. This paper aimed to use the scenario technique to create four…

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Abstract

Purpose

Due to the limitations of conventional urban planning, it is essential to develop novel techniques of urban futruing. This paper aimed to use the scenario technique to create four plausible narratives of the future of Isfahan. Also, the authors described the problems of city foresight in the Global South.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper chronicles the Schwartzian steps taken to build explorative scenarios of Isfahan City in Iran in 2040. After using a STEEPV (Social, Technological, Environmental, Economic, Political, Value) analysis, the authors prioritized the collected variables by combining influence diagrams, the iceberg metaphor and an expert-based survey. Once the key uncertainties were derived, four scenarios were developed and discussed.

Findings

Through thematic analysis of the official visions of Isfahan’s future and the juxtaposition of these narratives with insight yielded in the scenario-development process, the paper concludes that the Northernness of the prevailing urban imaginaries, uncritical mimetic benchmarking, depoliticization of urban futures and the decorative reductionistic visions colonize urban futures in Isfahan/Iran. Critical/deconstructive city foresight and application of discomfort/ignorance criteria in the generation of scenarios can improve the rigor and quality of city foresight in the Global South.

Originality/value

The application of city foresight in the Global South has been limited. The paper is a step toward bridging this gap and providing some recommendations on how city foresight in the Global South might differ from its counterparts in the Global North.

Details

foresight, vol. 26 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-6689

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 July 2024

Philippe Massiera

This research aims to investigate, in the context of a crisis, how adaptive marketing and open marketing capabilities directly contribute to enhance SMEs' business model…

Abstract

Purpose

This research aims to investigate, in the context of a crisis, how adaptive marketing and open marketing capabilities directly contribute to enhance SMEs' business model innovation taking into consideration the mediating role of strategic flexibility.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a sample of 120 small firms, our theoretical model is tested through a cross-sectional study. PLS-SEM is applied as the analytical technique.

Findings

The results show that open marketing capabilities are positively related to business model innovation and that this relationship is partially mediated by strategic flexibility. Furthermore, adaptive market experimentation capabilities enhance business model innovation only when fully mediated by strategic flexibility.

Research limitations/implications

Extending existing explorative research, our research illuminates how adaptive market experimentation and open marketing capabilities, in conjunction with strategic flexibility, can help SMEs to better adapt existing business models during a time of crisis. Our findings underline the potential contribution of planned test-driven activities, trial-and-error processes, data-based decisional processes and benchmarking activities. We also document how stronger networking capabilities and organizational openness strengthen the firm's ability to access the required additional resources and insights they need. These contributions remain however conditioned by the use of a convenient sampling design as well as the cross-sectional nature of the data.

Practical implications

Our findings underline the importance of empowering SMEs to nurture more effective experimental approaches in the long run, along with a more formalized open marketing posture. Our study also highlights the need for SMEs to improve their awareness of the risk of inertia and the benefits of nurturing their overall flexibility so they can adapt in an adequate and timely manner.

Originality/value

The findings of this study build on the perspective of adaptive marketing capabilities and add to the business model innovation literature in two ways. First, our study provides new insights into the cumulative and concrete consequences of market experimentation and open marketing capabilities on small firms' business model dynamics in the context of a crisis. Second, our findings illuminate the crucial role of strategic flexibility which, partly or entirely, contributes to the full realization of the potential of the marketing capabilities at hand.

Details

Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, vol. 31 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1462-6004

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 October 2023

Jean Robert Kala Kamdjoug, Serge-Lopez Wamba-Taguimdje and Martin Tchoukoua

This research paper aims to explore the added value of knowledge management (KM) and its antecedents for innovation and organizational performance (OP) in marginal healthcare…

Abstract

Purpose

This research paper aims to explore the added value of knowledge management (KM) and its antecedents for innovation and organizational performance (OP) in marginal healthcare organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

Using insights from the resource-based view and knowledge-based theory of the firm, the model explains the effects of technology capabilities (TC) and organizational culture (OC) on the KM process, process innovation (PIN), administrative innovation (AIN) and OP. The authors used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to analyze data collected from 168 healthcare practitioners in Cameroon using a survey.

Findings

The authors reveal that TC and OC positively impact some KM components. Knowledge sharing (KS), knowledge acquisition (KA) and responsiveness to knowledge (RK) influence PIN, while only PIN and KA influence OP. FsQCA provided several configurations that lead to high OP within healthcare centers. As a result, the results are adaptable to any healthcare center that wishes to set up one or more KM processes.

Research limitations/implications

Given that the results will help the health workforce make concerted decisions about medical care, the authors contribute significantly to the definition and optimization of KM in healthcare by implementing various processes and policies to ensure the continued existence of high-quality and outstanding healthcare systems. The KM propositions will enable healthcare centers to: (1) improve the quality of patient care through collegiality in medical practice; (2) optimize processes in the patient care chain; and (3) leverage knowledge gained though knowledge sharing among the medical team. The propositions open up avenues for future research in addition to providing practical implications for healthcare center practitioners.

Originality/value

This study sheds new empirical light on the relationships between KM antecedents and processes, innovation and OP in healthcare centers. This research is one of the few to examine the relationship between TC, OC, KM processes, innovation and OP in developing countries. This paper aims to fill this gap and inform future research concerning KM in the healthcare sector. Further, this study goes beyond testing the PLS-SEM approach's hypotheses by applying fsQCA to provide practical and comprehensive knowledge on how to increase the efficiency of a healthcare center through KM.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 38 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 January 2025

Sini V. Pillai

This study addresses the growing challenges of food security, livelihood generation and sustainable urban living in the context of increasing urbanization in developing countries…

Abstract

Purpose

This study addresses the growing challenges of food security, livelihood generation and sustainable urban living in the context of increasing urbanization in developing countries. As urban populations are projected to rise significantly in the coming decades, urban agriculture emerges as a potential solution to support dietary needs and economic empowerment. However, urban farming practices in developing countries face unique socio-economic, cultural and technological challenges compared to developed nations. This paper aims to analyze global urban agriculture practices, examine success stories from developed countries and propose an adaptable, inclusive urban agriculture model tailored to developing countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The research systematically reviews global urban agriculture practices, emphasizing successful implementations in developed nations. The research highlights gaps and areas of opportunity by comparing these practices with the unique socio-economic and cultural contexts of developing countries. Focus group interviews were conducted among urban farmers from India to finalize the key variables of urban agriculture in developing countries. The second phase involves the construction of a context-specific model for developing countries and proposing interventions. A comparative method is devised to identify developed country’s urban agricultural practices and policies to derive an optimal urban agricultural model for developing countries.

Findings

The findings from the study reveal that in developed countries, urban agriculture is motivated by the urge to become self-sustainable and to maintain a connection with the community shaped by different socio-economic, environmental and technological factors. In developing countries, the prime motive is to generate a secondary income source and ensure food security. Still, they face limited technological access, insufficient policy support and socio-cultural barriers. Technology-supported urban agricultural infrastructure and support from the government and other stakeholders would be a potential solution in developing countries to implement successful integrative solutions. To support this, adaptive policies in urban agriculture are required to bridge the gap in the current system.

Practical implications

This research offers practical implications for policymakers, urban planners and agricultural stakeholders in developing countries. It emphasizes the importance of designing policies that address resource constraints, such as land availability and financial access and promote sustainable farming techniques. The study recommends creating supportive frameworks to empower urban farmers, including subsidies, training programs and efficient market mechanisms. Integrating urban farming into city planning can foster green spaces, enhance food security and drive economic development. These actionable recommendations aim to facilitate the growth of urban agriculture as a sustainable and inclusive practice in developing countries.

Social implications

Participation and social cohesiveness aspects of urban agriculture provide beneficial food accessibility with the concept of food for all, ensuring socio-cultural equality in accessing quality food. This study highlights the role of urban agriculture in addressing socio-economic inequalities, particularly in developing countries. By engaging communities in sustainable farming practices, urban agriculture can create collaborative networks, promote healthier lifestyles and improve access to fresh produce. The study also underscores the importance of empowering urban populations through targeted interventions in urban farming. These social implications reinforce the value of urban agriculture in enhancing the overall quality of urban life.

Originality/value

This study makes a unique contribution by focusing on the contextual adaptation of urban agriculture models for developing countries. While urban farming has been extensively studied in developed nations, limited research addresses developing regions’ specific challenges and opportunities. By proposing a comprehensive and inclusive model that bridges socio-economic and cultural gaps, this research provides a novel framework for integrating urban farming into the urban planning and policy landscape of developing countries. The originality lies in its comparative approach, leveraging global best practices while tailoring solutions to local contexts, thereby advancing the discourse on sustainable urban agriculture.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 26 May 2023

Eloy Gil-Cordero, Belén Maldonado-López, Pablo Ledesma-Chaves and Ana García-Guzmán

The purpose of the research is to analyze the factors that determine the intention of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to adopt the Metaverse. For this purpose, the…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the research is to analyze the factors that determine the intention of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to adopt the Metaverse. For this purpose, the analysis of the effort expectancy and performance expectancy of the constructs in relation to business satisfaction is proposed.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis was performed on a sample of 182 Spanish SMEs in the technology sector, using a PLS-SEM approach for development. For the confirmation of the model and its results, an analysis with PLSpredict was performed, obtaining a high predictive capacity of the model.

Findings

After the analysis of the model proposed in this research, it is recorded that the valuation of the effort to be made and the possible performance expected by the companies does not directly determine the intention to use immersive technology in their strategic behavior. Instead, the results obtained indicate that business satisfaction will involve obtaining information, reducing uncertainty and analyzing the competition necessary for approaching this new virtual environment.

Originality/value

The study represents one of the first approaches to the intention of business behavior in the development of performance strategies within Metaverse systems. So far, the literature has approached immersive systems from perspectives close to consumer behavior, but the study of strategic business behavior has been left aside due to the high degree of experimentalism of this field of study and its scientific approach. The present study aims to contribute to the knowledge of the factors involved in the intention to use the Metaverse by SMEs interested in this field.

Details

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 30 no. 2/3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2554

Keywords

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