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This chapter contributes to the scholarship of teaching and learning in extracurricular enterprise and entrepreneurship education. It draws on research from two annual ‘Business Challenge Weeks’ (BCW) held at Oxford Brookes University in 2021 and 2022, in which teams of postgraduate students from three faculties worked on external client projects, supported by an academic mentor. It presents and discusses findings derived from a survey and interviews conducted after the second of these years. The chapter takes a transdisciplinary perspective, after Budwig and Alexander (2020), Piaget (1972) and Klein et al. (2001) and explores the relationship between this and the enterprise and entrepreneurship development pipeline set out by QAA (2018). It analyses the experiences of the three main participating groups engaged in the challenge weeks – students, external clients and academic mentors – and explores the organising challenges inherent in multiparty pedagogical initiatives. The chapter contributes to knowledge in this area by revealing and reflecting on the motivations and expectations of the three participant groups, the roles they played during the week and the outcomes they reported. It also expands understanding of transdisciplinary enterprise pedagogy.

The growth in social content such as video facilitates consumer exposure to social information at e-tail settings. Research has recommended enhancing the e-store socialness. Focusing on focal consumer outcomes (flow and purchase intentions), the current research delineates a boundary condition, proposing that e-tail socialness improves outcomes when the consumer interdependent self, rather than the independent self, is activated.

The experimental approach is employed to test the research thesis. Two experiments (N1 = 303 Females 42.4%; N2 = 387 Females 51.4%) that used different manipulation for socialness and sample frames (USA and Canadian) are performed. Analysis of variance was applied.

The results generally support the research thesis, suggesting that e-tail socialness enhances consumer flow and purchase intentions when the interdependent self is activated. The effect, however, is marginal for segments with high brand preference.

As more information increase overload and reduce decision quality, e-tail practitioners should focus on providing social information predominately for consumers whose interdependent self is activated. This recommendation is particularly relevant for segments with low brand preference.

So far, studies recommend enhancing the e-store socialness, or increasing the social volume, to achieve better outcomes. Such research stream is giving rise to the “social is better in e-tail” conventional wisdom. The current work contributes by delineating a boundary condition based on consumer self-construal. This work suggests that the use of online socialness is fruitful predominantly for interdependent consumers.

Smart services have gained attention both among academics and practitioners, but manufacturing firms struggle in getting their new smart services extensively adopted by customers, employees and distributors. The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyse the requirements of different actors and the interconnectedness between their requirements in introducing smart services.

An embedded single-case study was conducted with a manufacturing firm and its network, including its sales and service personnel, customers and external salespeople. Data were collected via 30 in-depth interviews.

The paper advances the multi-actor perspective by identifying the requirements of key actors for introducing smart services. These requirements were divided into eight categories: value of smart services, reliability of smart services, competence for smart services, data security and management, attitude towards services, reliance, knowledge of installed base of equipment and services and service reputation. The findings reveal the interconnectedness of different actors’ requirements for introducing new smart services and how discussion and relationships between actors affected their requirements.

The findings represent a comprehensive template of requirements, as well as mapping the interconnectedness of actors’ requirements, serving as a practical guideline for managers.

This study characterises the introduction of smart services as a multi-dimensional, interconnected effort by manufacturing firms and their networks. It shows that service introduction cannot be viewed as manufacturer’s development task or customers’ adoption decision only. Propositions are offered on how multiple actors’ viewpoints can be combined to achieve success in introducing smart services.

The purpose of this study is to examine the politics, political economy, and fallout of hawkish regulatory policy on prescription drugs in Nigeria. Hawkish regulatory policy on prescription drug in Nigeria, such as opioid analgesics, is a very complex and multifaceted one, which usually involves the interplay of many factors and parties.

Policy manuals, official government gazettes (legislations, regulations, Acts and decrees), academic literature and a direct ethnographic observation of events surrounding the regulation of prescription drugs were reviewed and engaged.

The results revealed that Nigerian and global political economy and politics interface to define the direction of the new restrictive opioid policy, with resultant friction between prohibition and consumption. The reviews showed that the overarching “get-tough” and “repressive” policy are not necessarily founded on empirical evidence of an increase in prescription drug sales or use, but more as a product of the interplay of both internal and external politics and the prevailing socioeconomic order.

Instead of borrowing extensively from or being influenced by repressive Western drug laws and perspectives, Nigerian policymakers on prescription opioids should take control of the process by drawing up a home-grown policy that is less intrusive and punitive in nature for better outcomes. A mental sea change is required to understand the intrigues of Western power in Nigeria’s politics and political economy to avoid the continuous symptomatic failure of drug policy.

The politics and economic influence of the United Nations, USA and Western powers, as well as the axiom of moral panic of prescription drugs scares within the Nigerian environment, are particularly significant in the making of the emerging hawkish policy on prescription drugs in Nigeria.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether information asymmetry mediates the relationship between disclosure and cost of equity.

The study is based on a sample of 500 companies listed in Bombay Stock Exchange for a period of six years from 2015 to 2021. Panel data regression is applied to analyze the relationship between voluntary disclosure, cost of equity and information asymmetry. Mediation effect of information asymmetry is tested with the help of Barron and Kenny’s (1986) approach.

Findings suggest that in case of Indian companies, disclosure reduces cost of equity directly and indirectly through mediation of information asymmetry. Indian investors value credible information for better estimation of future returns, supporting the validity of estimation risk and stock market liquidity hypothesis, which proposes an inverse relationship between disclosure and cost of equity.

Managers can use the findings to strategize their disclosure policy and secure funds at lower cost. Shareholders can monitor managerial actions by demanding credible disclosures. Government too can encourage voluntary disclosure by providing special incentives to the firms.

This study is a pioneering research that investigates the mediating influence of information asymmetry between disclosure and cost of equity with reference to the Indian corporate landscape.

The purpose of this paper was to study the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Work–family balance (WFB) scale, developed by Carlson et al. (2009), as well as demonstrating that the WFB is a different construct from the work–family conflict (WFC) and the family–work conflict (FWC). Additionally, this study intended to verify if the work–family balance construct is invariant in the different work regimes (face-to-face work, hybrid work, teleworking), and between men and women.

Snow-ball convenience sample of 224 workers; psychometric analysis of the different scales/constructs analyzed by confirmatory analysis using R/Lavaan.

The results obtained show that the WFB scale presents factor and convergent validity, and high reliability. The WFB construct is negatively correlated with the WFC and FWC constructs. The WFB is a different construct from the WFC and FWC. The WFB is invariant both in workers subjected to different work regimes, and sexes.

The conceptualization and measurement of the work–family relationship has been the subject of several studies. Among the different conceptual approaches to this relationship, WFB has been the least studied and, in terms of human resource management, it is the one that has the best relationship with sustainability and organizational performance. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to obtain a valid and reliable WFB measures, to be used by both academics and human resources professionals.

El propósito de este trabajo fue estudiar las propiedades psicométricas de la versión portuguesa de la escala de equilibrio trabajo-familia (WFB), desarrollada por Carlson et al. (2009), así como demostrar que el WFB es un constructo diferente del conflicto trabajo-familia (WFC) y del conflicto familia-trabajo (FWC). Además, pretendíamos verificar si el constructo equilibrio trabajo-familia es invariable en los diferentes regímenes de trabajo (trabajo presencial, trabajo híbrido, teletrabajo), y entre hombres y mujeres.

Muestra de conveniencia bola de nieve de 224 trabajadores; Análisis psicométrico de las diferentes escalas/constructos analizados mediante Análisis Confirmatorio utilizando R/Lavaan.

Los resultados obtenidos muestran que la escala WFB presenta validez factorial y convergente, así como una alta fiabilidad. El constructo WFB correlaciona negativamente con los constructos WFC y FWC. El WFB es un constructo diferente del WFC y del FWC. El WFB es invariante tanto en trabajadores sometidos a diferentes regímenes de trabajo, como en sexos.

La conceptualización y medición de la relación trabajo-familia ha sido objeto de diversos estudios. Entre los diferentes enfoques conceptuales de esta relación, el WFB ha sido el menos estudiado y, en términos de gestión de recursos humanos, es el que mejor relación tiene con la sostenibilidad y el desempeño organizacional. Por lo tanto, es de suma importancia obtener una medida válida y fiable del equilibrio trabajo-familia, que pueda ser utilizada tanto por académicos como por profesionales de los recursos humanos.

The purpose of this paper is to distinguish different types of sustainable digital entrepreneurs (SDEs) and explore their approaches toward enhancing organizational resilience.

Investigation of entrepreneur characteristics using Grounded Theory methodology; 12 semi-structured telephone interviews with (owner-)managers of digital-resilient small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups in Germany; adaptation of a sustainability-digitalization-matrix for initial clustering; investigation of reoccurring patterns (within and between clusters) through variable-oriented content analysis; application of the capability-based conceptualization of organizational resilience for synthesis and extension.

First, the authors present a new typology of SDEs, including descriptions of the four main types (Process-Oriented System Thinker, Unconventional Strategist, Dynamic Visionary and Success-Oriented Opportunist). Second, the authors propose a conceptual framework with six success factors of organizational resilience. The framework accentuates the influence of SDEs on organizational culture and the macro-environment.

Digital sustainability and resilience are emerging management principles. The insights gained will allow (future) entrepreneurs to perform a self-assessment and replicate approaches toward enhancing SME resilience; for example, governing the co-creation of an organizational culture with a strong integrative view on sustainability and digitalization.

SMEs are characterized by high vulnerability and a reactive response to the disruptions caused by sustainability crises and digitalization. Blending sustainable and digital entrepreneurship at a micro-level, the authors identified the success factors underpinning organizational resilience that are associated with the characteristics of four types of SDEs.

Managers must make numerous strategic decisions in order to initiate and implement a business model innovation (BMI). This paper examines how managers perceive the management team interacts when making BMI decisions. The paper also investigates how group biases and board members’ risk willingness affect this process.

Empirical data were collected through 26 in-depth interviews with German managing directors from 13 companies in four industries (mobility, manufacturing, healthcare and energy) to explore three research questions: (1) What group effects are prevalent in BMI group decision-making? (2) What are the key characteristics of BMI group decisions? And (3) what are the potential relationships between BMI group decision-making and managers' risk willingness? A thematic analysis based on Gioia's guidelines was conducted to identify themes in the comprehensive dataset.

First, the results show four typical group biases in BMI group decisions: Groupthink, social influence, hidden profile and group polarization. Findings show that the hidden profile paradigm and groupthink theory are essential in the context of BMI decisions. Second, we developed a BMI decision matrix, including the following key characteristics of BMI group decision-making managerial cohesion, conflict readiness and information- and emotion-based decision behavior. Third, in contrast to previous literature, we found that individual risk aversion can improve the quality of BMI decisions.

This paper provides managers with an opportunity to become aware of group biases that may impede their strategic BMI decisions. Specifically, it points out that managers should consider the key cognitive constraints due to their interactions when making BMI decisions. This work also highlights the importance of risk-averse decision-makers on boards.

This qualitative study contributes to the literature on decision-making by revealing key cognitive group biases in strategic decision-making. This study also enriches the behavioral science research stream of the BMI literature by attributing a critical influence on the quality of BMI decisions to managers' group interactions. In addition, this article provides new perspectives on managers' risk aversion in strategic decision-making.

This study explores the roles of formal advisors (FAs) in the succession process of family firms and the factors that determine them.

Data for this study were collected through interviews with 38 FAs, including lawyers, tax advisors, financial ad-visors and others.

FAs play multiple roles simultaneously in succession processes (both internal and external), which the authors call role hybridity. Among them, the authors differentiated roles, such as educators, sherpas, initiators, experts, managers, consiglieres and protectors. Additionally, the authors demonstrated that the critical factors shaping these roles are trust, communication, human capital and willingness to take on the role. To explain the role hybridity phenomenon, the authors used stewardship theory's assumptions and formulated propositions for further research.

This study provides insight into both internal and external succession processes from the perspective of various types of FAs. The authors indicate their roles and the factors that determine them.