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The aim of this paper is to advance applied theoretical knowledge on international business (IB) ideation by designing the managing of such ideation as three recursive, multi-competence-enabled systems.

The core principles of Beer’s (1985) Viable System Model are adopted for this system design task. The Viable System Model consists of five interacting sub-systems that can support a viable IB unit.

The contribution of this design of the three recursive, multi-competence-enabled systems will be three novel pieces of the applied theoretical knowledge about recursivity and competences that advance the management of an IB unit as a whole and in particular that of IB ideation.

For future research, I initially propose that the IB ideation (unit) is being managed the more successfully within its focal contexts, the more extensively the IB ideation is designed as a set of three recursive systems enabled by respective multi-competences. Moreover, the 3-system design may serve as the frame of reference for those compatible theorization initiatives vis-à-vis viable IB ideation management that interested competence-based management scholars will conduct in the future.

I put forth the three templates (coupled with Functions 2–3) to facilitate the enhancement of the IB ideation practices among leading, innovative firms and especially by the pioneering management of IB (ideation) units.

This study aims to explore how a start-up entering maritime logistics networks (MLNs) in the container shipping industry integrates resources underlying value cocreation patterns in these networks.

The paper is based on a single case study of a technological start-up, providing tracking, tracing and other information services to MLN members using internet-based software. An interorganizational theory perspective informs the case study to unveil the resource integration for value cocreation in the network.

The start-up holds multiple resource interaction roles and the start-up’s involvement enables the creation of new knowledge resources, which facilitate new revenue streams and manage resource dependencies. Hence, the findings indicate that the start-up changes value cocreation patterns in the network by reconfiguring and integrating existing resources so that the service is customized for various customers, including shippers and freight forwarders.

The results provide insights about how technological start-ups can unlock resources within MLNs.

The study extends previous studies on resource roles in business networks and shows how start-ups can perform multiple roles simultaneously within these networks. In addition, the study contributes to the literature by studying information and knowledge as resources configured in different ways in a unique network setting.

This study builds up the case for dependency considerations in system analyses by explaining “dependency” as a concept, and proposes a methodology to predict the dependency for the components and the systems. Many a times, dependency concept is neglected in system studies in order to simplify the analysis that leads to the “satisficing” results. For systems where such negligence may cause significant deviations, the dependency has to be accounted for. The proposed methodology applies the concepts of analytic hierarchy process (AHP), directed graph, and matrices at different stages of analyses and results into an intra‐dependency index for the system. This index could help the analyst select the less dependent system from amongst the choices available without compromising on the minimum expectations of the system. The index would also help understand the level of the dependencies in the system. In this paper, the methodology is developed and described using examples, to explain the application of functional dependency and design dependency. This suggests the wide coverage and application of the proposed methodology.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate dependencies that arise between companies during the ramp-up of production volume in the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain.

An inter-company case study method has been used. Data were collected via tours of manufacturing plants, workshops and interviews from multiple tiers in a supply chain, namely, a niche EV manufacturer, as well as two of its tier-one suppliers and five of its tier-two suppliers.

As production volumes increased, a more relational approach was found to be necessary in inter-company relationships. The authors’ research showed that key suppliers, in addition to providing the parts, pursued a supply chain orchestrator’s role by offering direct support and guidance to the niche EV manufacturer in designing and executing its development plans.

The resource dependence theory (RDT) is used to analyse and explain the changing dependencies throughout the planning and execution of production ramp-up.

This study will help supply chain managers to better manage resource dependencies during production ramp-up.

This study explores dependencies during the early stages of the production ramp-up process in the EV sector, which is in itself in the early stages of evolution. RDT is used for the first time in this context. This study has moved beyond a simple dyadic context, by providing empirical insights into the actions taken by an EV manufacturer and its suppliers, towards a multi-tier supply chain context, to better manage resource dependencies.

Disasters are complex phenomena, by diverse nature and whose management is complicated. An efficient analysis of potential impacts that may result as consequence of a disaster has to be conducted to improve the preparation and response in face of future events.

A review of impact evaluation methodologies and real disasters’ impacts has been performed to develop an impact indicators’ framework. Then, a questionnaire has been administered to critical infrastructure (CI) operators to identify CI dependencies and their consequences.

A proper impact analysis improves learning about the consequences of a disaster and the way those impacts should be managed. Moreover, current impact evaluation methodologies do not make special focus on CIs even if their proper functioning is essential for society’s welfare. Crisis managers such as civil protection, emergency services and local authorities among others need to be aware of the importance of critical infrastructure s when managing a disaster. Also crisis managers and managers of CIs need to know how dependencies make impacts spread from one CI to others or to different sectors.

Through an efficient management, the development of preventive measures and response programs can help to mitigate impacts’ harshness for CIs and for the whole society and may even prevent future disasters. However, if crisis managers and managers of CIs are unaware of disasters consequences, their management will result inefficient.

A holistic and dynamic analysis of disaster impacts has been performed. The integration of impact indicators together with their behaviour over time analysis will help improving future crises management.

The paper proposes a model aiming at the explanation of the formation of coordinative knowledge practices in distributed work. Findings from a pilot study aiming at the preliminary testing of the model are presented and discussed.

The explanatory model was developed by combining concepts and findings developed in studies of social capital, knowledge sharing and computer supported cooperative work. The empirical data were gathered in 2007‐2008 in a multi‐unit Finnish chemical company production site. The methods used were structured observation of work processes, semi‐structured interviews and a web‐based questionnaire.

The model suggested that coordinative knowledge practices are shaped by four major factors: work coupling, social capital, spatio‐temporality and affordances of collaboration technologies. The empirical study showed that these concepts can be successfully applied in empirical research to better understand and support the development of coordinative knowledge practices.

The findings can be utilized in the analysis and assessment of coordinative knowledge practices between distributed work groups in multi‐unit organizations. The findings can also be used in the development of solutions for knowledge sharing and communication in distributed work organizations and communities.

The model developed provides a novel perspective for the study of knowledge practices in the context of distributed group work. The model proposes that varying degrees in work coupling intensity, social capital, spatio‐temporality and affordances of collaborative technologies explain the emergence of coordinative knowledge practices. The study shows how coordinative knowledge practices can be studied empirically. The empirical study resulted in a typology of coordinative knowledge practices.

The manufacturing sector has been observing various benefits by the implementation of lean manufacturing practices. However, the manufacturing sector has neglected the significance of health and safety management system implementation. The purpose of this research is to propose and validate an occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS) framework based on critical success factors and their relationships in the lean manufacturing organizations.

A critical literature review was conducted to identify the success factors of OHSMS. Subsequently, a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts from process industries to consolidate the critical success factors. After consolidating the critical success factors, relationships among critical success factors were established with the help of interpretive structural modelling using a team of 12 experts from industry and academia. These established relationships helped in proposing the hierarchical implementation framework. Finally, the validation of the proposed implementation framework was carried out using structural equation modelling (SEM).

This study has identified nine broader critical success factors for implementation of OHSMS in lean manufacturing organizations, especially the process industry. Subsequently, this study has proposed an OHSMS framework with nine broader critical success factors to implement in lean manufacturing organizations. Finally, the proposed framework has been validated using SEM with an appropriate sample size.

This study is helpful to the organizations to implement OHSMS without losing the essence of lean manufacturing strategy. This study has proposed a framework for implementation of OHSMS in the lean manufacturing organizations, especially process industry sector. This study also provided confidence to the organization through the validation of proposed framework in the process industry.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is first of its kind in this field of OHSMS in lean manufacturing organizations, especially the process industry. This study has involved both academicians and industry experts to bring more robust outcomes. This study proposed a unique framework to implement OHSMS in lean manufacturing organizations. This study has considered a comprehensive literature to develop a framework for OHSMS in lean manufacturing organizations. An implementation framework was proposed by considering both the academicians’ and industry professionals’ opinions. The proposed framework was statistically validated. This will be helpful in effective implementation of OHSMS strategy in lean manufacturing organizations, especially process industry sector.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of institutional drivers and buyer dependency on green supply chain management (GSCM) practices and performance of suppliers.

The authors draw on institutional theory and resource dependence theory to construct a conceptual model than links institutional drivers, GSCM practices, buyer dependency and performance outcomes. The authors test the hypotheses using partial least squares structural equation modeling applied to a sample of suppliers in the Australian manufacturing sector.

The results confirm that suppliers develop GSCM practices of green sourcing and eco-design to enhance their performance in response to both coercive forces and voluntary behaviors of their institutional environment. However, buyer dependence of suppliers explains important paradoxes in their uptake of GSCM practices. For example, while the institutional drivers encourage greater adoption of green sourcing by suppliers, increase in buyer dependence in turn reduces the positive performance outcome of green sourcing.

The authors establish that understanding and assessment of the role of buyer dependency is critical for managers in charge of GSCM practices of their company. This enables practitioners to proactively manage paradoxes resulting from institutional drivers and buyer dependency through an informed decision on the type of GSCM practice to be adopted for effectuating performance improvement.

The authors provide empirical evidence on paradoxes that curtail performance associated with the uptake of GSCM practices by suppliers moving beyond institutional environment by considering the role of buyer dependency.