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The purpose of this paper is to engage with the debate on social exclusion in the e‐society from the human development perspective, which goes beyond inequality in distribution of technological goods and services to emphasise the options, choice and opportunities related to accessing and using information.

This is an interpretivist study. It draws on Sen's capability approach (CA) to conceptualise social exclusion in the e‐society as capability deprivation, both in well‐being and agency freedom. A framework of the core aspects of the CA is used to analyse two empirical studies in South Africa and China which serve to illustrate social exclusion manifested as capability deprivation in different “spaces”.

The paper demonstrates the relational features of social exclusion and different types of capability deprivation in e‐society; highlights “unfavourable inclusion” which can be masked by technological diffusion.

This paper is an early attempt to apply the capability approach to social studies of information communication technologies in developing countries.

The paper provides implications for government policies to go beyond technological provision and pay attention to socio‐political, cultural and institutional aspects in ensuring effective utilisation of information and channels of communication, which should serve to enhance people's opportunity to better participate in economic, social and political activities.

The paper is a novel attempt to apply concepts of the CA in information systems, which provides a conceptual lens to address the complexity and multiplicity of social exclusion in the e‐society.

This paper aims to identify how digitalization affects entrepreneurial attitudes in rural areas in Indonesia, a country in the Global South. The development of digital technology can help entrepreneurs, in that faster and easier information acquisition helps rural communities to identify new opportunities and innovate. Yet, digital development generates higher disparity, and thus, not all people can benefit from digitalization. Although digital technology can facilitate the development of entrepreneurship, its benefits depend on individual preferences. In this regard, the capability approach is used so as to reflect how different valuations of digital technology in rural entrepreneurs influence their attitude with regard to recognizing business opportunities and taking risks.

A double case study approach is used in which this study examines two cases of rural entrepreneurs in Indonesia that represent different uses of digital technologies and socio-economic rural contexts: coffee entrepreneurs in Kintamani and craft producers in Kamasan village. In so doing, semi-structured interviews were conducted with local entrepreneurs and communities according to purposive and snowball sampling techniques. The qualitative data were then analysed using a constant comparative technique which allows us to develop a conceptual argument by observing patterns within and between the cases.

The findings show that digitalization shapes the attitude of rural entrepreneurs differently, although the same opportunity from using digital technology is present in the village. Social and environmental factors facilitate the rural entrepreneurs to consider using digital technology to develop their businesses. However, as each individual entrepreneur has a different valuation of digital technology, the benefits it offers – such as broader market opportunities and new business ideas – vary. Entrepreneurs who consider digital technology to be a valuable resource for developing their businesses are more curious to explore its benefits.

The capability approach provides a new perspective in understanding rural entrepreneurship. First, the authors demonstrate that the success of rural entrepreneurship is influenced not only by concrete things (e.g. resources) but also the individual perspective on these resources which may vary across entrepreneurs. Second, the authors show not only the potential differences in socio-cultural contexts in which the capability approach is applied but also how socio-cultural values and collectivism influence the individual valuation of resources that could benefit entrepreneurs.

This study aims to conduct a thorough literature review to map current studies on international marketing capabilities (IMCs) applying dynamic capabilities view (DCV). The aim of this study is to increase the chances for more conceptual and terminological rigor in future research in this particular research area.

This is a systematic literature review following the established review process of reviews in leading (international) marketing journals. A multilevel analytical approach was adopted, combining inductive coding with deductive coding and following the logic of antecedents-phenomena-consequences.

Synthesis of 20 rigorously selected previous empirical studies on IMCs applying DCV reveals that academic interest in these capabilities is well justified and growing and there are some well researched antecedents to focal capabilities (e.g. inter-organizational capabilities, outside-in market orientation) as well as their prevalent consequences (e.g. export and innovation performance). There is little knowledge of moderators to these links, especially with regard to consequences. This review illustrates that the current research lacks consistency in how key constructs are defined and measured, provides the guide to future conceptualization and measurement of so-called International Dynamic Marketing Capabilities (IDMCs) and proposes some concrete research directions.

The authors extend prior research in the investigated topic by critically evaluating prior works, providing improved conceptualization of IDMCs as well as concrete research agenda for IDMCs structured along recommendations for Theory, Context and Methods (TCM framework).

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted organizations, bringing in unforeseen situations and highlighting the need for organizational leaders to develop a capacity for resilience, i.e. the ability to recuperate, exhibit agility and rebound. Hence, this paper aims to explore leaders’ views on what resilience capabilities are needed to manage themselves, the team and the organization.

This qualitative research study uses an in-depth interview tool and adopts a reflexive thematic analysis. The capabilities approach and resilience theory framework were applied to view resilience capabilities. The sample comprises 19 middle and senior leaders, both men and women, from the information technology Industry in India.

This study unravelled different capabilities to manage individuals, teams and organizations. The three key themes of resilience capabilities observed were as follows: self-leadership capabilities – where leaders focussed on capabilities that developed themselves; people leadership capabilities – which focussed on leading people and the team; and organisation-focussed leadership capabilities – which focussed on the macro level.

The findings of the study benefit organizations, leaders, human resource professionals, talent management strategists and academic leadership scholars to identify, train, conceive and deliver resilience capabilities.

A perfect knowledge management (KM) initiative is one that achieves its objectives without any failure during a pre-defined period. However, KM implementation is not perfect in every organization as it requires substantial changes in organizational infrastructures, including culture, structure, and technology. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to propose a model for assessing the reliability of KM to help organizations evaluate their ability to implement KM successfully by identifying key reliability variables, modeling the complex interaction structure among variables, and determining the probability of failure for each KM capability.

In this study, relevant variables are identified by a thorough analysis of related references in literature. In order to determine the compound structure of complicated interactions among variables, a group-based approach is utilized. Based on the combined cognitive maps, a cognitive network is constructed as a framework for graphically representing the logical relationships between variables and capturing the uncertainty in the dependency among these variables using conditional probabilities. The applicability of the proposed approach and the efficacy of the model was verified and validated with data from a banking institution.

Results show that KM reliability can be defined by the degree to which required KM capabilities, including infrastructure and process capabilities, have the ability to perform as intended in a certain organizational environment. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that reliability assessment of KM through a hybrid approach of fuzzy cognitive map and Bayesian network is possible and useful.

The proposed reliability assessment model facilitates the process of understanding why and how failures occur in KM. Moreover, the proposed approach evaluates the probability of success for each variable as well as for the entire KM initiative. Therefore, it can provide insight for managers and executives into the degree of reliability for their existing KM and prevention of failures in vital factors through necessary actions.

The suggested approach to KM reliability assessment is a novel method that provides powerful arguments for a more holistic view of KM reliability factors, which is crucial for the successful implementation of KM.

The purpose of this paper is propose a methodology for monitoring industrial processes that cannot be stabilized, but are nevertheless capable.

The proposed procedure uses the C_P(u,v) family of capability indices proposed by Vännman (including the indices C_PK, C_PM, C_PMK) combined with one‐sided two‐out‐of‐three and three‐out‐of‐four run rules strategies.

This paper introduces a new strategy, where capability indices are monitored in place of the classical sample statistics like the mean, median, standard deviation or range.

When doing a capability analysis it is recommended to first check that the process is stable, e.g. by using control charts. However, there are occasions when a process cannot be stabilized, but is nevertheless capable. Then the classical control charts fail to efficiently monitor the process position and variability. The approach suggested in this paper overcomes this problem.

The experimental results presented in this paper demonstrate how the new proposed approach efficiently monitors capable processes by detecting decreases or increases of capability level.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a model of innovation and internationalization for small- and medium enterprises (SMEs) and at testing it on tradition-based firms. These are SMEs whose productions reflect their territory's cultural identity. They are often micro-firms and weak in global markets. Since these firms characterize the European and Italian offer, the scientific challenge is to verify whether there are possible strategic paths, mainly based on interfirm collaboration and dynamic knowledge, that can help them getting higher levels of competitiveness. More specifically, the proposed model aims at understanding if it is possible to overcome these firms’ weaknesses through collaboration in networking perspective.

Methodology uses theoretical backgrounds in order to define hypotheses. The main approach starts from contributions on RBT and dynamic capabilities and their possible linkages in the internationalization perspective. Thus, considering the aims, the paper analyze if according to resource-based approach, dynamic capabilities allow entrepreneurs to seek opportunities which become strategic resources for a sustainable competitive advantage. This issue is analyzed both in theoretical terms and in its empirical implications in artistic craft sector. The empirical research has been designed in order to explain knowledge creation and transfer processes, in terms of firms’ competitiveness. Particularly, the analysis adopts multiple case studies methodology.

Tradition-based “Made in Italy” SMEs, as depicted in the empirical analysis, are characterized by limited size and scarce financial resources. This situation determines a difficult access to innovation in order to compete in global market. Thus, the research has highlighted that the only internationalization path, useful for this kind of firms, is cooperation, in a networking perspective. Firms that succeed in this process not only set the basis for survival but even to gain competitive advantage.

Through this analysis, the paper proposes a model of innovation and internationalization for SMEs’ development. Particularly, the model will be replicable to all those firms that are expression of cultural identity (e.g. “made in”) and of tradition, for which innovation and internationalization can represent useful keys to compete globally.

The paper provides a connection between RBT, dynamic capabilities and internationalization theories applied to tradition-based sectors, such as craft, in search of innovation, in order to compete internationally. So the paper investigates also on the internationalization and networking processes, in order to verify if combined dynamic capabilities and resources are able to make these firms more competitive. Moreover, the research field is quite unexplored and represents an important step in the theoretical and empirical evolution.

This chapter examines discourses and social practices at individual, community, and institutional levels related to non-majority Vietnamese ethnic girls’ access to and participation in secondary school. This critical analysis utilizes Sen's framework of capabilities to illustrate differences in discourse and social practice that exist around poverty, and the ways in which gendered relations and ethnic traditions are intertwined with the discourse and practices of poverty to affect girls’ choices and well-being in and through secondary education. We particularly draw on girls’ and their parents’ constructions of these issues as they negotiate and are affected by them. We argue that strategies must move beyond the discourse that ethnic traditions and gendered relations are barriers to girls’ education to consider the inequalities and lack of capabilities that perpetuate poverty and unequal gendered relations for non-majority ethnic groups in societies.

This chapter argues that organizations are not sustainable if they operate in unsustainable societal and ecological contexts, and that operating in a way that contributes to the health of the larger system requires organizations to develop new capabilities. It demonstrates the role that rich internal and external networks play in developing sustainability capability particularly in providing pathways to generate, import, apply, and disseminate knowledge about how to operate more sustainably.

The case study of the sustainability transition of Cleveland Clinic is based on four years of interviews and archival data collection examining the system’s transformational change that began in 2007. The case focuses on the building of sustainability capability, including an internal infrastructure to focus the organization on this outcome, and building of rich networks for learning and action. The case is framed with capability and network theory.

Guided and catalyzed by a small central group called the Office for a Healthy Environment, Cleveland Clinic has achieved measurable progress in key strategic focuses including waste diversion, energy efficiency, and increasing integration of local foods into its supply chain. To do so, it has developed strong internal networks to disseminate knowledge and accelerate innovation and adoption of sustainable practices. Strong, dynamic external networks have enabled Cleveland Clinic to import knowledge about sustainable practice from its environment, and have enabled it to help build the sustainability capability of its vendors, the community upon which it depends, and the health-care industry.

Starting with the perspective that the sustainability of an organization depends on the sustainability of the ecosystems in which it exists, this chapter focuses not on the design of specific sustainability initiatives, but on the dynamic networks that underpin the capability to simultaneously improve the health of the organization and of the larger ecosystem. This perspective provides insight into new organizing principles.

To introduce the reader to a new way of understanding how the glass ceiling, the informal mechanisms and structures that slow or prevent women's advancement, may be configured, using capabilities theory.

Capabilities theory is used as an analytical lens to evaluate the nature of interaction between the senior women's “internal capabilities” (their readiness to act), and the external “work environment” (work and non‐work factors) that in combination with internal capabilities, constitute combined capabilities. In particular, we reflect on how the character of combined capabilities might effect senior women's perception of ambition and risk and the choices that are made during the “career journey”.

From a capabilities perspective, it can be argued that the remit of HRM policy makers regarding the careers of women attempting to break through the glass ceiling needs to be broadened, particularly by those organisations not only wishing to enhance their corporate social responsibility with regards to existing and potential employees but also those wishing to deepen their understanding of workplace inequality.

This paper adds to our understanding of women's career journeys, and is likely to be of interest also to those researching the in areas of workplace equality and diversity and HRM policy and practice.