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The purpose of this paper is to present the main assumptions of the resource-based theory according to which the success of an organization is mainly dependent on the ability of capitalizing its inner capacity. The author draws attention to the measurement of intangible resources of libraries and their evaluation, crucial from the point of view of library effectiveness and the quality of its services. The author also emphasizes the specific character of intangible resources, including lack of their mobility, specialization and difficulty in their replacing, which may result in hindering management processes.

The second part of the paper illustrates the author’s research in the field of intangible resources in Polish libraries, including human resources (knowledge, competencies, employee skills), competencies of library management staff, business strategies, organizational culture, communication skills and relations between employees, the ability to communicate and relations with the library community, in particular with its users, library reputation, brand, library innovativeness and the ability to adapt to changes and expectations of the community, the ability of the library to cooperate with other institutions, including networks and consortia, the ability to use and support new technological solutions, the ability to introduce new technologies in the library, the ability to create and acquire intellectual property (copyright, licensing, trademark protection, etc.).

Research has shown that libraries pay growing attention to the relation with the community. Concentrating on library resources means concentrating on readers and providing services that would satisfy readers. However, it seems that the knowledge of library management in the field of managing of intangible resources is still insufficient.

The paper presents the first study of this kind conducted in Poland.

This paper aims to ascertain whether a company with a solid reputation for corporate sustainability leadership deems its workforce to be as important as its external stakeholders when developing and communicating its sustainability activities, and to evaluate its workforce’s recognition of such activities.

To achieve these aims, a case study of a leading Brazilian company was carried out. The authors conducted an interview with the corporate sustainability department and submitted a survey by questionnaire to its employees. The data were complemented by documentary analysis of the company’s annual reports, sustainability reports, corporate website, newsletters and press releases.

Results suggest that the company does attribute significant importance to its workforce and that its employees have sound knowledge of its sustainability practices and engage with them.

Given that the research adopts a case study approach, the scope for generalisation is limited.

The present study explores a neglected aspect of extant research – the relations between corporate sustainability and human resources.

The purpose of this paper is to advance the concept of “integrative capability” as a critical dynamic capability (DC) and empirically investigate its implications for a firm’s sustainable competitive advantage in business partnerships.

This study is based on an empirical analysis of a sample of 300 manufacturing firms in south and central China.

Integrative capability is an important mediator in relationship between operational capabilities (managerial, marketing and technological capabilities) and firm performance. Integrative capability has a significant direct impact on a firm’s performance (marketing effectiveness and financial performance) and also indirect impact via the creation of new operational capabilities.

Managers should recognise the significant payoffs of developing integrative capability. Integrative capability helps a firm transfer the benefits of operational capabilities from alliances partners to superior firm performance. Further, integrative capability also effectively updates and renews a firm’s operational capabilities that lead to an enhanced firm performance.

Extending the DC literature, this study untangles the complex relationship among operational capabilities, DC and firm performance. Moreover, the study adds new insights into extant literature by conceptualising, operationalising and empirically testing one specific DC – integrative capability.

The purpose of this study is to empirically quantify the factors that are perceived to drive or inhibit performance of information technology (IT) outsourced employees from a range of information technology outsourcing (ITO) stakeholders in South Africa.

The first phase was a qualitative study on 19 stakeholders focussed on the development of the constructs. The second phase was quantitative, with a sample of 116 ITO stakeholders of the largest IT company in South Africa.

The study revealed that the ITO stakeholders had misaligned perceptions on inhibitors and somewhat congruent perceptions with regards to drivers of performance. Managers and poor performers’ perceptions of inhibiting factors of performance were significantly different. The empirical evidence showed that the key drivers of performance were intrinsic factors and leadership, whilst the inhibiting factors were mainly related to poor leadership.

The major limitation was that the population was represented by one large organisation in the South African IT industry and its clients, thereby excluding the rest of the IT industry participants, specifically the medium and small IT companies. The quota sample resulted in a non-probability study, and thus, the results of this study may not necessarily be generalised to other populations. This study’s findings on differences between good and poor performers must be investigated in other industries.

For outsourced employees to perform optimally, some key intrinsic factors must be fulfilled. Passion and pride, aligned to a meaningful job role, will unleash outstanding performance. Organisations need to ensure that there is regular feedback to managers on their performance and subsequent leadership development. Alignment of managers and poor performers’ perceptions on drivers and inhibitors could improve performance.

These findings demonstrate the large gap in perceptions about the key drivers and inhibiters of performance.

The study reveals that top performers tend to have higher order and intrinsic motivators, compared to poor performers, who have a mixture of extrinsic and intrinsic needs, and managers have a misaligned expectation of extrinsic motivators.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the development process of dynamic capabilities.

The paper adopts a qualitative, longitudinal participant-observation research design. A single case study firm was observed over a ten-year period of active researcher engagement allowing for the collection of rich data on the development and deployment of dynamic capabilities as they evolved.

Dynamic capabilities can be identified as sensing, seizing and transforming. They are capable of intentional development by managers through strategic decision making and deliberative learning, within a path-dependent evolution.

A longitudinal single case study allowed for a close look at the development of dynamic capabilities, exploring the context and conditions that facilitated change and tracing the evolution of the organization’s processes. However, this study remains subject to the limits of a single case approach. Future cross-sectional research would be able to test the conceptual model and allow for generalization of the findings to other populations of firms.

The dynamic capability concept has been criticized for being of little practical use to managers. This research shows the process of intentional dynamic capability development, offering insights to practicing managers.

This research adds to the relatively scant base of empirical work on dynamic capabilities and offers a conceptual model of dynamic capability development. The paper contributes to the neglected area of dynamic capabilities in SME’s, showing that the dynamic capability concept is relevant to this sector. The paper provides insight for practitioners by showing that intentional dynamic capability development is achievable.

The aim of the paper is to test the Heterogeneity Construct as a second‐order construct determined by dimensions expressing the resource utilization process carried out by firms, and to test the different impacts of Heterogeneity sub‐dimensions on firm's performance.

After collecting data on the machine tools industry, two models are tested by Lisrel. The first model is a second order confirmatory model. The second one is a structural model testing the causal relations between Heterogeneity components and Performance.

It is found that Heterogeneity is a second order construct, whose dimensions differently contribute to firm performance: two of them positively and a third dimension negatively.

Limitations of the study refer to single industry used, limited sample size, and single respondents. Even if the sample size is low, it allows to run the model and to estimates results. The single respondent bias is mitigated by interviewing managers involved in the resource utilization process. Future research could improve our comprehension of the heterogeneity construct by testing the model in other industries.

By discovering the different effect of the Heterogeneity dimensions on firm performance, we provide some useful implications for managers involved in the resource utilization process. To reach a competitive advantage, firms should orient their decisions to leverage on “contextuality” and “complexity”, while mitigating the effect of “intertwinedness”.

Studies in the strategic management field of study measure Heterogeneity by using single variables. This paper fills in this gap by providing a measure of the Heterogeneity construct on a multidimensional basis, showing the different role played by each dimension on firm performance.

While supply chain scholars concur on the need to integrate supply chain finance (SCF) processes to meet ever-changing customer demands, it is unclear how SCF influences business performance in the presence of perceived opportunistic behavior. Therefore, the study aims to investigate the moderating role of perceived partner opportunism in the supply chain.

Drawing on the dynamic capability theory (DCT), this study investigates how perceived supply chain partner opportunism moderates the mediating role of supply- and demand-oriented performances on the link between SCF and business performance, from the retail industry perspective. Data was collected from Australian retailing firms. In all, 293 completed surveys were received. Moderated mediation analysis was conducted.

The results of this study indicate that supply- and demand-oriented performances serially mediate the relationship between SCF and business performance. The study also found that the effect of SCF on performance was higher when perceived partner opportunism was lower.

To respond to changes in consumer preferences and demand effectively, supply chain and marketing managers need to understand the complex interaction between supply- and demand-oriented performances and the key role of SCF in developing such capabilities.

The current study theorizes and demonstrates the effects of supply- and demand-oriented performances that can facilitate the effects of SCF on business performance. Also, the study reveals the effect of each dimension of SCF (accounts payable, accounts receivable and inventory finance) on supply- and demand-oriented performances. Additionally, the study shows the key role of perceived partner opportunism in supply chain management.

Although the current wave of globalization is the result of unprecedented scientific and technological advances, through history, movements of an international nature have been, to a large extent, about the spread of political and economic ideas across borders. “Geopolitical realism is based on the interests of the state”. Scientific and technological advances, together with the opening of markets to the free passage of goods, services and finance, has led to a huge growth in world trade. However, such positive developments have also their downside. The findings of the United Nations Human Development Programme Report highlight that global inequalities in income and living standards have reached grotesque proportions. Further, such disparities are linked to ever‐intensified environmental degradation and the extinction of some 11,046 species. Such circumstances have witnessed the growth of community‐based local currencies, the emergence of a social movement advocating corporate social reasonability (CSR) and a growing literature critical of the Anglo‐American corporate governance model, where shareholder wealth maximization is the driving force. Yet, the philosophy and practice of shareholder wealth maximization persists. This paper explores the effects of free‐market economics, globalization and western capitalist practices in terms of their consequences for the planet, people, profit and posterity (the four Ps). A case is made outlining the need for an advanced corporate governance model that integrates the four Ps. In so doing, the paper seeks inspiration from the ancient philosophy of Buddhism and, in conclusion, examines the role of the Business School in developing future, reflexive practitioners, equipped to effectively provide the necessary balance between shareholder expectations and stakeholder needs within a new paradigm of a balanced society.

The aim of this study is to provide a detailed picture of the digitalization propensity and human IT agility of Italian SMEs, verifying whether companies are pursuing coherent and reliable choices for these dimensions and whether digitalization choices affect human IT agility.

Using a POSET approach, this study constructs two nonaggregative multidimensional indicators of human information technology (IT) agility and firms' digitalization. The analysis is based on the microdata provided by ISTAT relating to 4,682 Italian manufacturing companies.

The results show the existence of a strong relationship between digitalization propensity and human IT agility. However, the analysis shows that companies are characterized by a low level of digitalization propensity and human IT agility. At the same time, the findings highlighted that the managerial choices adopted by companies appear to be inconsistent with respect to the two multidimensional indicators.

This study has important implications for managers and policymakers by suggesting acting specific policies to promote a better implementation of digitalization that considers the key role of human IT agility.

This study contributes to the existing literature on organizational agility and digitalization by providing a detailed picture of the Italian manufactured SMEs. At the same time, the POSET approach allows to aggregate a lot of information in one or more indicators without neglecting the value of each dimension faced with the extreme heterogeneity of companies' profiles.

Nearly 200 Business Roundtable CEOs have recently pledged to run their companies for the long-term benefit of all of their stakeholders, including the communities where they operate. This article explores the central role of dynamic managerial capabilities in allowing organizations to fulfill their social mission, which involves fostering socioeconomic inclusion of disenfranchised members of society.

We draw on research in management, international business, and entrepreneurship to articulate why organizations need dynamic managerial capabilities to reconfigure organizational resources and practices for the pursuit of a social mission.

This article brings out how each dimension of dynamic managerial capabilities – human capital, social capital, and cognition may influence this pursuit. It also provides suggestions on how to develop these capabilities.

We contend that organizations need dynamic managerial capabilities to address the complex and dynamic interactions between the organizations and structural forces in the society perpetuating exclusion. Such capabilities are not built in but can be developed.