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The purpose of this paper is to apply the (advanced) brand concept maps (BCM) approach to reinvestigate previous findings on feedback effects resulting from brand extension information (BEI) and to explore whether this information affects the structure of a brand’s associative network.

This research builds on the associative network memory model, as well as Keller’s conceptualization of customer-based brand equity, and uses a series of empirical studies with a total of 839 respondents in two different countries.

The findings reveal that BEI has no significant impact on the structure of the parent brand’s associative network at the individual level. Furthermore, key brand image dimensions (i.e. favorability, strength, and uniqueness of brand associations) are not affected.

By applying the (advanced) BCM approach, this paper is able to address shortcomings that are incorporated with the use of Likert scales for measuring a brand’s image and for investigating feedback effects in the field of brand extension. As the results indicate that the identification of feedback effects might be influenced by the approach used to measure a brand’s image, this paper calls for further investigations of feedback effects on a brand’s image.

Data from three empirical studies provide insights into the cognitive processing of BEI and their impact on a brand’s associative network.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether each level in international networking (network extension, network penetration and network integration) matters in the internationalization of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The study adopted a cross-sectional and correlational research design. The data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 206 exporting SMEs in Uganda. The study employed a structural equation modelling (SEM) technique using partial least square (PLS) to test the hypothesis.

The findings revealed that network extension and network integration do matter in SMEs’ internationalization, while network penetration does not.

SMEs in developing countries need to concentrate on network extension and network integration levels to successfully internationalize their operations.

The study provides initial evidence on whether network extension, network penetration and network integration matter in SMEs’ internationalization in developing countries like Uganda.

Literature on modes of entry has focussed on firm-level strategies. The predominant theories used are institutional theory and the resource-based view. Using an alternate approach – network theory – this paper aims to demonstrate an additional mode of entry: multiple firms entering together as an extension of an existing loose network, known as a bridging network. The extension of an external network across borders is an appropriate mode of entry in emerging markets, with no pre-existing networks or existing networks within a market that are weak, immature or missing.

A conceptual review, which develops four propositions, demonstrating that market entry with bridging networks may be the preferred mode of entry in the presence of institutional voids. Alternative modes may not be viable because of costs and risks associated with overcoming such voids.

Existing theory and case examples support the contention that market conditions facilitate firms to enter as networks rather than as singular entities. These conditions are found in markets with institutional voids and explain the dominant form of business groups in many countries and the operation of loose strategic alliances in emerging markets. Network entry facilitates market access speed may allow for local ties to remain undeveloped or be a first step in building in-country networks.

This paper heeds to the call for a network ecosystem approach to market entry, arguing that firms may enter as a collective in subsistence and emerging markets, which would explain the preponderance of business groups and loose alliances found.

We propose a framework based on social network analysis for crowdfunding projects.

Our approach is based on the strength of both weak and strong ties of the social network established by the project proponents. Our approach also considers not only the characteristics of the target population and the close social circle of the proponent but also mainly the community of potential backers strongly and weakly attached to his or her network of friends.

Supported by a literature review on social networks, crowdsourcing and crowdfunding, we have established a framework with five constructs (Extension, Cohesion, Centralization, Clustering, and Power) that can help entrepreneurs to raise funds through crowdfunding platforms.

Structural properties of these social networks such as size, cohesion and centralization may prove useful for applicants and platforms interested in succeeding in their projects and for stimulating the interest of scholars in the growing crowdfunding phenomenon.

This study aims to explore the entrepreneurial marketing (EM) behaviour of Swedish born globals entering the Chinese market through their international networks. Drawing from the network theory of small firm internationalisation, this study is positioned in the domain of EM, and thus captures the relevance of EM behaviour to explain how born globals internationalise through their networks.

A qualitative case study approach of two Swedish born global companies active in the Chinese market is used. The network theory helps analyse the data in the three phases of firm internationalisation processes.

The study shows the importance of networks for the enactment of EM for born globals. The study traces the evolution of network development in the market entry process of born globals and highlights the importance of aligning network leverage with contextual factors for market performance.

The generalisation of the findings is limited due to the exploratory nature of the study and the size of the research sample.

Management of different types of networks is essential in the entry process and further growth of born globals in the Chinese market. In addition, born globals operating in psychically distant and complex institutionally contexts can especially gain support from intermediary networks.

This study extends knowledge of international entrepreneurship by demonstrating that born global managers can enact EM behaviour by leveraging networks to gain rapid entry into the Chinese market. It further highlights the role of firms’ networks in the EM activities in their internationalisation. The conceptual underpinnings of EM and network theory provide greater understanding of how born globals enter and grow their psychically distant markets.

The purpose of this paper is to outline the research work of managing returnable assets such as pallets by radio frequency identification (RFID) methods on a national scale.

The project is an extension of an earlier project which tracks pallets and cartons through a fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) supply chain. This extension project investigates how RFID information can be applied for integrating business processes. The project team developed a national business information network with electronic product code (EPC) compliance devices and systems. To implement an effective pallet management business process, the project team carried out detailed process modelling study of the effect of RFID processes and measured the improvement in performance and efficiency.

The key to success in the extension project is the adoption of EPC compliance technology that enables efficient communication of business data across platforms and companies. The project found that there is an average 18 per cent improvement in system efficiency should an EPC compliance technology be adopted for supporting paperless proof of delivery. There are also additional administrative and unquantifiable savings in support systems and services.

The research is related to the FMCG industry sector. The business processes in this sector can vary significantly. The project is conducted under a controlled business environment on the condition that the changes would not affect main business activities of the partners. The system efficiency improvement and savings estimated from the project findings should be taken as reference figures only.

The combination of process modelling approach and validation of system performance data by simulation in this paper provide a basis for generalisation of the methodology in similar national scale research studies. The estimated data could be used as reference for preliminary feasibility studies of similar EPC applications.

With the proliferation of e-commerce companies, express delivery companies must increasingly maintain the efficient expansion of their networks in accordance with growing demands and lower margins in a highly uncertain environment. This paper provides a framework for leveraging demand data to determine sustainable network expansion to fulfill the increasing needs of startups in the express delivery industry.

While the literature points out several hub assignment methods, the authors propose an alternative spherical-clustering algorithm for densely urbanized population environments to strengthen the accuracy and robustness of current models. The authors complement this approach with straightforward mathematical optimization and simulation models to generate and test designs that effectively align environmentally sustainable solutions.

To examine the effects of different degrees of demand variability, the authors analyzed this approach's performance by solving a real-world case study from an express delivery company's primary market. The authors structured a four-stage implementation framework to facilitate practitioners applying the proposed model.

Previous investigations explored driving distances on a spherical surface for facility location. The work considers densely urbanized population and traffic data to simultaneously capture demand patterns and other road dynamics. The inclusion of different population densities and sustainability data in current models is lacking; this paper bridges this gap by posing a novel framework that increases the accuracy of spherical-clustering methods.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating role of international networking in the relationship between entrepreneurial mindset and small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) internationalization using evidence from exporting SMEs in Uganda.

This study adopted a cross-sectional research design. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 206 exporting SMEs that are members of the Uganda Export Promotions Board. Data was analysed using SPSS and SmartPLS.

The study established that international networking mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial mindset and SME internationalization. This suggests that international networking is a conduit through which entrepreneurial mindset relates to SME internationalization.

This study was conducted within the particular national context of Uganda. Replication of this research within other settings is needed to cross-validate the present findings. The study reveals that the entrepreneurial proclivity of managers and owners of exporting SMEs in Uganda can be enhanced through establishing networks in foreign markets to realize international expansion. SMEs should therefore initiate, build and strengthen partner relationships in foreign markets for successful international expansion.

The study reveals that the entrepreneurial proclivity of managers and owners of exporting SMEs in Uganda can be enhanced through establishing networks in foreign markets to realize international expansion. SMEs in Uganda should, therefore, strive to support entrepreneurial-oriented individuals to initiate and establish foreign market partnerships for successful international expansion.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the mediating role of international networking in the relationship between entrepreneurial mindset and SME internationalization from a developing country of Uganda.

This exposition explains how Elementary Theory works and how it has been developed over the last two-and-a-half decades. Both increased scope and heightened precision are covered.

Theoretic methodology is explained. Using that method formal models are constructed analogous to empirical events. Those models predict events, design experiments, and guide applications in the field.

There is a widely held belief in sociology that theory becomes more vague and imprecise as its scope broadens. Whereas broader generalizations are more vague than narrower ones, this exposition shows that abstract theory becomes more precise as its scope broadens.

Here implications and limitations are closely connected. Regarding implications, this exposition shows that scientific explanations and predictions are viable today in sociology but only when exact theory is employed. Regarding limitations, the theory and research included in this exposition make clear why the empiricist search for regularities that dominates sociological research is so very limited in its results.

This exposition demonstrates that theory is the method of all the sciences and in particular the science of sociology.

A vital job for one sharing business is dynamically dispatching shared items to balance the demand-supply of different sharing points in one sharing network. In order to construct a highly efficient dispatch strategy, this paper proposes a new dispatching algorithm based on the findings of sharing network characteristics.

To that end, in this paper, the profit-changing process of single sharing points is modeled and analyzed first. And then, the characteristics of the whole sharing network are investigated. Subsequently, some interesting propositions are obtained, based on which an algorithm (named the Two-step random forest reinforcement learning algorithm) is proposed.

The authors discover that the sharing points of a common sharing network could be categorized into 6 types according to their profit dynamics; a sharing network that is made up of various combinations of sharing stations would exhibit distinct profit characteristics. Accounting for the characteristics, a specific method for guiding the dynamic dispatch of shared products is developed and validated.

Because the suggested method considers the interaction features between sharing points in a sharing network, its computation speeds and the convergence efficacy to the global optimum scheme are better than similar studies. It suits better to the sharing business requiring a higher time-efficiency.