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This study explores how open innovation (OI) can be instrumental for entrepreneurs in sensing and seizing entrepreneurial opportunities in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This study also illustrates how OI can help SMEs overcome the liability of smallness.

This is exploratory research using an inductive, multiple-case study approach. This study capitalizes on five in-depth case studies of European SMEs to explore a phenomenon using replication logic and provide a robust basis for theory building.

This study presents a holistic view of the OI process in SMEs and illustrates the crucial role of entrepreneurs. The study provides a better understanding of how OI can help entrepreneurs sense and seize entrepreneurial opportunities by envisioning venture ideas and implementing business model innovation through the management of innovation partners.

The study emphasizes two critical roles of entrepreneurs in implementing OI in SMEs. First, the entrepreneur can be the instigator of strategic change, and second, he/she can orchestrate the innovation network. The findings emphasize that OI helps avoid knowledge corridors at the venture idea stage, leading to a (re)structuring of the business model and the emergence of a network of innovation partners, which should be managed hands-on. This study discusses in detail the two crucial roles of entrepreneurs.

The concept of green urban mobility has emerged as one of the best approaches for promoting environmental-friendly transportation in local communities. Green urban mobility aims to reshape public transportation system and enhance mobility, with emphasis on deploying digital technologies to promote sustainable public transportation. Therefore, this study aims to analyze existing public transportation policies by exploring how local communities can facilitate green urban mobility by developing a sociotechnical urban-based mobility model highlighting key factors that impact regions transitioning toward sustainable transportation.

This study investigates “the role of data for green urban mobility policies toward sustainable public transportation in local communities” in the form of a systematic literature review and insights from Norway. Secondary data from the literature and qualitative analysis of the national transport plan document was descriptively analyzed to provide inference.

Findings from this study provides specific measures and recommendations as actions for achieving a national green mobility practice. More important, findings from this study offers evidence from the Norwegian context to support decision-makers and stakeholders on how sustainable public transportation can be achieved in local communities. In addition, findings present data-driven initiatives being put in place to promote green urban mobility to decrease the footprint from public transportation in local municipalities.

This study provides green mobility policies as mechanisms to be used to achieve a sustainable public transportation in local communities. Practically, this study advocates for the use of data to support green urban mobility for transport providers, businesses and municipalities administration by analyzing and forecasting mobility demand and supply in terms of route, cost, time, network connection and mode choice.

This study provides factors that would promote public and nonmotorized transportation and also aid toward achieving a national green urban mobility strategy. Socially, findings from this study provides evidence on specific green urban mobility measures to be adopted by stakeholders in local communities.

This study presents a sociotechnical urban-based mobility model that is positioned between the intersection of “human behavior” and “infrastructural design” grounded on the factors that influence green urban mobility policies for local communities transiting to a sustainable public transportation. Also, this study explores key factors that may influence green urban mobility policies for local communities toward achieving a more sustainable public transportation leading to a more inclusive, equitable and accessible urban environment.

The purpose of the research is to substantiate the possibilities of the development of ecological design in the process of future designers professional training and the implementation of student projects in practice.

This article offers one of the possible ways to solve the problem of rational use of wastes of natural resources in the projects of design students. In Ukraine, the ecological direction acquires national features and many Ukrainian manufacturers associate this mainly with ecologically clean materials: this is most typical for furniture products and traditional construction made of wood. The proposed technique is an effective tool for analyzing the interaction of environmental and design disciplines at different levels, as well as an effective criterion for evaluating methods of structuring educational material. The introduction of the correlation index makes assessing the effectiveness of the application of environmental knowledge in design possible.

The analysis of the world ecological design experience makes presenting the Ukrainian experience of environmental design possible, the origins of which date back to the 1920s of the 20th century. In terms of the purpose and methods of education, the authors consider art and industrial schools to be the primary basis of design education in Ukraine. In the 1990s of the 20th century, on the material and technical bases, educational-methodical and staffing with experienced teachers that design departments are formed, which train and graduate certified designers in various specializations. The need for readiness to solve the tasks of environmental education of future designers in the context of end-to-end environmental training is an urgent problem. Relying on ecological concepts makes optimally structuring the educational material possible, taking into account the requirements for both environmental and professional training.

Studies have established that the application of the authors' method of continuous environmental education has a positive effect on the assimilation of environmental knowledge and method's use in professional theory. Increasing the rates of assimilation and application of environmental knowledge by students has a positive effect on the interaction of environmental and professional knowledge.

The practical significance of the project consists in the implementation of the development of design projects on specific topics, including competitive, diploma and master's theses. The presented examples of designer shaping from wastes are expressive examples to follow in educational design, important for the development of students' creative and ecological thinking. The methodology is tested in several institutions of higher education in Ukraine, and the authors hope that this can spread in other countries, in particular in the training of designers specializing in “Furniture Design.”

Ecodesign is gradually being established in the general structure of design theory and, accordingly, has the right to an independent role in the formation of new principles of shaping the spatial and object environment of human life.

New approaches require new educational standards, curricula and teaching methods, directed in particular to the development of a systemic interdisciplinary approach.

This exploratory study aims to explore the operational and financial constraints faced by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper highlights the role of supply chain finance (SCF) in the uncertain business environment caused by the pandemic.

The study adopts an inductive approach and conducts convergent interviews with 32 SME owners and bank officials who are associated with SME-related financial transactions. The analysis of the interview data has been done through a grounded theory approach.

The findings portray four key themes representing the operational and financial constraints faced by SMEs during the pandemic. Further, the study identifies four drivers of SCF adoption among SMEs, including capital constraints, high inventory turnover cycle time, high order fulfilment cycle time and long debtors’ collection period.

The study provides various insights to the managers and owners of SMEs to deal with the economic crisis and eliminate the financial pressure created by the pandemic. The study enlightens the policymakers about the struggles of the SMEs during the economic turmoil created by the pandemic and guides them to introduce the relevant policies to resolve their problems.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to identify the factors driving the SMEs to adopt SCF due to the economic chaos created by the pandemic. Also, the study theoretically contributes to the literature by developing a theoretical framework for SCF adoption based on grounded theory.

The expansion of bike-sharing enterprises has led to a series of social problems, and due to the high breakage rate and high recycling cost of bike sharing, enterprises are reluctant to maintain them. Therefore, government regulation does play a leading role in maintaining bike sharing. This study’s purpose is to investigate how the government should regulate the bike-sharing enterprises that maintain bicycles.

Firstly, the authors assume that there is only one bike-sharing enterprise and establish a game model that the government regulates the enterprise. Furthermore, the authors extend the model to the case that there are two competing enterprises in the market. Finally, through numerical analysis, the influence of various factors on the government strategy and revenue is analyzed.

The authors find that the regulatory probability of two enterprises are regulated by the government is larger than that of one enterprise. When two bike-sharing enterprises compete without government regulation, both will choose the non-self-discipline strategy, thus falling into the Prisoner's Dilemma. If the government regulates them, then both enterprises will choose the self-discipline strategy. Finally, through numerical analysis, it is found that the self-discipline behavior of bike-sharing enterprises is related to the government regulatory probability, the cost of self-discipline, the probability of being reported and the penalties. Interestingly, the cost of government regulation will not affect the regulation probability of government.

This research provides a theoretical reference for the government to make the regulation strategies of bike sharing and achieve the sustainable development of bike sharing.

This research provides a theoretical reference for the government to make the regulation strategies of bike sharing and achieve the sustainable development of bike sharing.

Bicycle sharing offers a novel way to create smart and sustainable mobility solutions for the future. The purpose of this study is to draw on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT 2) framework for identifying the factors necessary to predict bike-sharing intention among users in India.

Data were collected through a questionnaire distributed across four major cities in India, and 515 responses were analyzed. A sequential approach was employed to analyze the data using Partial Least Square–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA).

The findings from PLS analysis revealed that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation and price value are the salient variables that affect users' intentions to participate in bike sharing. In addition, based on fsQCA, six configurations of causal conditions are presented as intermediate solutions that produce the same results. Although antecedent conditions, such as habit and social influence, had an insignificant effect on individuals' BSI, they create conditions sufficient to encourage users' participation in bike sharing in combination with other variables.

A few limitations of this research and the implications of the findings in terms of theory and policy implications are also discussed.

The reported study is one of the earliest to explain bike-sharing adoption in India using the UTAUT 2 model.

Product-service systems (PSS) are regarded as highly sustainable solutions. However, studies identifying and comparing the sustainable potential of product-service offerings by considering the three sustainability dimensions are still scarce. This paper aims to benchmark and analyse the sustainable potential of a use-oriented PSS, showing the influence of the context of implementation on the sustainable potential of the solutions.

By adopting a competitive benchmarking approach, six bicycle-sharing systems from different countries were selected for analysis. The main sustainability-related aspects in use-oriented PSS (the systems investigated) were identified through a literature review. Multiple secondary sources were used to collect data about the analysed PSS. A qualitative analysis was conducted through triangulation of the sources to identify and compare the systems by considering the selected sustainability aspects.

The main results show that use-oriented PSS provide a range of economic, social, and environmental benefits, confirming the sustainable potential of such solutions. Several similarities between the systems have been identified, along with some differences, especially regarding their integration with other transport systems and the use of renewable energy, which can affect users' acceptance, operation efficacy, and overall sustainable potential of the solutions.

This study identifies best practices that can be considered by other bike-sharing businesses to improve their sustainability potential.

This study identifies and explores the sustainable potential of bicycle-sharing solutions using a benchmark approach. It augments existing empirical knowledge on sustainable PSS and business models by revealing best practices, including the context that may enhance the sustainability potential of the solutions regarding environmental, economic, and social benefits.

Businesses must now track the complicated supply chains of their products, which involve different manufacturers and suppliers. However, because supply chains are scattered across multiple countries and involve many institutions, it becomes an overwhelming practical challenge to ensure transparent recording and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions. The myriad issues necessitate a technological solution that will improve supply chain transparency, assist in managing carbon assets and allow all parties to obtain credible information on carbon output. As a potential solution, this study offers a unique architecture that effectively combines “blockchain technology” with the carbon supply chain of a multi-institution business network.

This research and proposed framework are based on publicly available reports on carbon emissions tracking, sustainability, carbon trade and emerging blockchain technologies. The authors also interviewed industry experts to obtain their input and feedback.

Businesses must support the pledges made by their respective governments towards meeting the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Although the emissions trading system encourages businesses to move in this direction, it can be challenging for them to efficiently manage their carbon assets owing to issues such as lack of standardised methods for tracking emissions across suppliers and manufacturers and the fragmentation of carbon markets. The carbon supply chain can maintain a record of the chronological flow of carbon emissions and eventually of all carbon assets by integrating a centralised ledger system based on blockchain technology.

Global warming, climate change and carbon emissions are among humanity’s pressing problems today. To achieve net zero emissions by the middle of the 21st century, emissions must be drastically reduced. Global supply chains have a crucial role to play in this context. This article provides a blockchain-based technology framework for carbon emissions visibility and tracking. The authors believe such a platform will provide critical visibility and tracking support to globally dispersed supply chains, moving a step closer towards carbon emissions control and net zero operations.

This study aims to develop a safe, wearable clothing system that combines visibility-enhancing and emergency–accident-responding functions for two-wheeled vehicle (TWV) users' safety assistance.

First, the wearable system (WS) allowing users to control turn signals, brake lights and emergency flasher only with head movements was developed. Second, multiconnected systems were developed between WSs and a smartphone application (AS), providing accident occurrence recognition, driving photo capture–storage and emergency notification functions. Third, usability testing in each function was performed to assess the operability of the systems.

The intuitive interface, which uses head movement as gesture commands, was effectively operated for controlling turn signals, brake lights and emergency flasher when driving, despite differences in user physique and boarding structure among TWVs. In addition, using Bluetooth low energy and Wi-Fi protocols simultaneously can establish automatic accident recognition–notification and driving photo capture–storage–display functions by linking two WSs with one AS.

This study presents a case using relatively accessible technologies within the fashion industry to improve users' safety and provide fundamental data for convergence education for smart fashion products, highlighting the significance of this study in this convergence era.

The WSs and the AS of a TWV user visually evoke the attention of other drivers and pedestrians, reducing the risk of accidents; social contribution regarding public safety will be possible by allowing the system to autonomously inform emergencies and receive emergency medical treatment quickly when the accident occurred.

Recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and, at its core, Machine Learning (ML) offer opportunities for organizations to develop new or enhance existing capabilities. Despite the endless possibilities, organizations face operational challenges in harvesting the value of ML-based capabilities (MLbC), and current research has yet to explicate these challenges and theorize their remedies. To bridge the gap, this study explored the current practices to propose a systematic way of orchestrating MLbC development, which is an extension of ongoing digitalization of organizations.

Data were collected from Finland's Artificial Intelligence Accelerator (FAIA) and complemented by follow-up interviews with experts outside FAIA in Europe, China and the United States over four years. Data were analyzed through open coding, thematic analysis and cross-comparison to develop a comprehensive understanding of the MLbC development process.

The analysis identified the main components of MLbC development, its three phases (development, release and operation) and two major MLbC development challenges: Temporal Complexity and Context Sensitivity. The study then introduced Fostering Temporal Congruence and Cultivating Organizational Meta-learning as strategic practices addressing these challenges.

This study offers a better theoretical explanation for the MLbC development process beyond MLOps (Machine Learning Operations) and its hindrances. It also proposes a practical way to align ML-based applications with business needs while accounting for their structural limitations. Beyond the MLbC context, this study offers a strategic framework that can be adapted for different cases of digital transformation that include automation and augmentation of work.