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The study here responds to the view that the crucial problem in strategic management (research) is firm heterogeneity – why firms adopt different strategies and structures, why heterogeneity persists, and why competitors perform differently. The present study applies complexity theory tenets and a “neo-configurational perspective” of Misangyi et al. (2016) in proposing complex antecedent conditions affecting complex outcome conditions. Rather than examining variable directional relationships using null hypotheses statistical tests, the study examines case-based conditions using somewhat precise outcome tests (SPOT). The complex outcome conditions include firms with high financial performances in declining markets and firms with low financial performances in growing markets – the study focuses on seemingly paradoxical outcomes. The study here examines firm strategies and outcomes for separate samples of cross-sectional data of manufacturing firms with headquarters in one of two nations: Finland (n = 820) and Hungary (n = 300). The study includes examining the predictive validities of the models. The study contributes conceptual advances of complex firm orientation configurations and complex firm performance capabilities configurations as mediating conditions between firmographics, firm resources, and the two final complex outcome conditions (high performance in declining markets and low performance in growing markets). The study contributes by showing how fuzzy-logic computing with words (Zadeh, 1966) advances strategic management research toward achieving requisite variety to overcome the theory-analytic mismatch pervasive currently in the discipline (Fiss, 2007, 2011) – thus, this study is a useful step toward solving the crucial problem of how to explain firm heterogeneity.

The purpose of this study is to re‐examine the nature of the sergeant‐officer attitudinal relationship. Using person‐environment fit as a framework, the current study tests the influence that sergeant‐officer attitudinal congruence concerning role orientations has on officer role ambiguity.

The study uses survey data from 765 patrol officers and 146 sergeants across five police departments. Polynomial regression, calculated values, and response surface plots were used to examine the effect of sergeant‐officer attitudinal congruence on role ambiguity.

First, there was modest empirical evidence that the relationship between sergeant and officer views toward order maintenance and role ambiguity was nonlinear. Second, role ambiguity was lowest for officers supervised by sergeants who highly accepted order maintenance activities. Finally, role ambiguity was higher when both officers and sergeants failed to view order maintenance and law enforcement as important functions of the police role.

The findings highlight the need to incorporate additional research approaches that capture differences in officer and sergeant views toward police work. Such differences might impact other attitudinal outcomes or officer discretionary behaviors.

When looking at attitudinal congruence, the results show that sergeants have the capacity to attenuate or amplify officer role ambiguity. This emphasizes the need for police administrators to ensure that sergeants communicate job expectations to their subordinate officers that are in line with the department's values.

The study adds to the limited body of research on frontline supervision by examining the nature of the sergeant‐officer attitudinal relationship from an alternative theoretical approach.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the driving factors of user innovation behaviors using the case of smartphone applications to estimate the indirect and direct effects of consumers’ attitudes toward user-generated content (UGC).

This study proposes a structural model to examine the relationship between user innovation behaviors toward UGC and three attitude factors: involvement, consumer knowledge and customer orientation. The empirical analysis is based on a consumer survey that examines the commonalities and differences between Japan and China. In each country, two social media services are chosen as representative cases of the UGC business model to measure user innovation behaviors toward the quality and quantity aspects.

Customer orientation is the most significant driving factor of user innovation behaviors toward UGC. It positively affects both the number of followers and the frequency of information transmissions. In particular, for the quality dimension of user innovation, customer orientation has a more significant effect on the number of followers than does familiarity.

This study emphasizes the quality aspect of user innovation. Previous research has focused on the quantity of user innovation behaviors by measuring the amount of information. However, this research measures both the quality and the quantity aspects with the number of followers and the frequency of uploading content. The findings of this study suggest that companies should maintain relationships with highly customer-oriented users to manage content quality.

The impact of web site interactivity on e‐commerce has been emphasized in industry and empirical literature. The purpose of this paper is to focus on image interactivity technology (IIT) of a web site and apply the technology acceptance model (TAM) to examine factors influencing consumers' attitude toward an online retailer.

Data were collected from 206 respondents using a between‐subject experimental design and were analyzed using LISREL 8.54 to examine a proposed model.

Results of the present study support the positive effect of web site IIT on attitude and behavioral intention toward the online retailer and show TAM aspects help explain the effects of IIT on consumer responses. All three aspects of TAM, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and perceived enjoyment, significantly enhanced consumer attitude and behavioral intention towards an online retailer. Hedonic shopping orientation had a significant effect on one aspect of TAM (perceived enjoyment) and utilitarian shopping orientation had a significant effect on two TAM aspects (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use).

Limitations of the present study include sampling, which prevent the generalization of our results to all internet users.

IIT may be a valuable strategy for online retailers; however, these retailers need to develop useful, easy to use, and enjoyable IIT features that appeal to both hedonic and utilitarian shoppers.

The study was the first attempt to examine the role of TAM in explaining the relationship between IIT and resulting consumer responses.

Scholars have emphasized intellectual capital’s importance for universities in obtaining competitive advantages and creating value. The purpose of this paper is to identify the influences of two components of intellectual capital, relational and human capital at the international level, and psychological capital on international orientation of academic entrepreneurs, and the mediating effects of international relational and human capital.

On the basis of a literature review, a theoretical model is proposed to explain the relationship between the studied variables. Our hypotheses are tested on a sample of 173 academic spin-offs of Spanish universities using bootstrapping methodology.

The results show that the international market relational capital and international human capital of academic entrepreneurs influence their international orientation, and that their psychological capital is directly, and indirectly, related to international orientation through international human capital and international market relational capital.

This study provides a better understanding of the antecedents of the international orientation of academic entrepreneurs, which would provide an important contribution to the literature on intellectual capital, academic entrepreneurship and internationalization. The achieved results highlight important implications for training of academic entrepreneurs and for managers and management teams of companies willing to enter, or even those already operating in, international markets.

In this study, the international orientation of academic entrepreneurs is explained through the psychological capital that is studied jointly with two components of intellectual capital, relational and human capital at the international level. Although some recent work has focused on the study of the internationalization of academic spin-off, this line of research is still incipient.

Organizational change involves optimizing a firm’s sustainability performance. The purpose of this paper is to explore how strategic orientations concerning the interface between business and society influence organizations’ sustainability performance. To explain how different strategic orientations – especially stewardship and instrumental orientations – impact sustainability performance, dynamic managerial capability theory is explored.

Ours is an inductive, qualitative study based on the template analysis of interviews conducted among sustainability managers from stock-listed multinational corporations headquartered in the Eurozone.

Corporations with a stewardship orientation develop different dynamic managerial capabilities underlying sustainability performance than corporations that apply a more instrumental orientation. Results also show an “in-between” position: an equidistant orientation.

This study proves the emergence of different dynamic managerial capabilities that depend on companies’ strategic orientation, but follow-up research based on appreciative inquiry is needed to investigate the development of these capabilities over time.

For achieving a higher level of sustainability performance, a stewardship orientation offers a stronger foundation than an instrumental orientation. Also companies with an equidistant orientation have a better sustainability performance than companies with an instrumental orientation, but based on a more central corporate level. The strategic orientation must be grounded in the development of fitting dynamic managerial capabilities that include an emphasis on shared cognition of long-term objectives, inclusion of stakeholders and setting objectives. Also strong internal and external ties, leadership of the CEO, educational background and how to deal with lack of knowledge are important aspects of managerial social and human capital.

Due to its focus on the sustainability performance of companies and the identification of the supporting dynamic managerial capabilities, this paper is socially highly relevant.

Previous research has focused on strategic orientation, but little to no research has investigated how various strategic orientations toward the interface between business and society impact sustainability performance or what role dynamic managerial capabilities might play in the related change process.

The central tenet of this paper is that a firm's efforts to nurture a long-term relationship with a third-party logistics (3PLs) will be influenced by its strategic orientation toward its own customers. The purpose of this paper is to propose that there will be a spillover effect of a firm's relationship marketing orientation (RMO) toward its customers on the nature of a firm's relationship with its 3PL, positively impacting its logistics performance.

A survey was administered to logistics managers in Brazilian firms that employ the services of a large 3PL. The model was tested via structural equation modeling.

Results of this research suggest that a firm's RMO toward its customers has a positive impact on the long-term orientation (LTO) toward the relationship with its 3PL, ultimately improving the firm's operations performance. Additionally, the findings reveal that the positive effect of RMO on LTO is stronger for higher levels of a firm's dependence on its 3PL.

The results provide initial evidence that when a RMO is embedded in a firm's strategies toward its customers, there will be spillover effects on both the nature and outcomes of relationships with other partners, such as 3PLs. Research limitations include the survey implementation in an emerging market, and surveying clients of a single 3PL.

From the perspective of the 3PL, when selecting new clients, it is important to investigate how these potential clients relate to their own customers. In other words, 3PLs should investigate whether these potential clients embrace RMO toward their downstream customers. If that is the case, the client will be more likely to have LTO with the 3PLs with which it works.

While most studies in logistics outsourcing demonstrate that interorganizational conditions are key determinants of long-term and collaborative relationships with 3PLs, this study provides initial evidence that when a strategic orientation – RMO – is embedded in a firm's strategies and operations toward its customers, there will be spillover effects on both the nature and outcomes of relationships with 3PLs as well.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature of market orientation that exists in the Islamic financial institutions. The study further aims at identifying the antecedents and consequences of such market orientation.

Considering the explorative nature, the study uses qualitative research approach, collecting data in words using in-depth interview technique, drawing sample from Islamic financial institutions of both Bangladesh and United Arab Emirates. Data were coded and categorized using inductive reasoning method and similar responses were identified from a prepared data matrix. The results were presented in a narrative way using simple frequency for the agreements and disagreements of respondents considering “street language” without being mediating the meaning of the responses.

A different nature of market orientation called Islamic market orientation has been identified by the results of the study. The study identifies five elements (orientation on Islamic customer, orientation on information, orientation on integration, orientation on competition, and finally orientation on responsiveness) that embody the formation of Islamic market orientation. The study also identifies a different set of antecedents (attitude toward Islamic values, Islamic leadership, risk partaking, inter-relationships, government legislations, and management training) that are responsible for determining the extent of Islamic market orientation. The study further identifies a set of consequences (profitability, customer satisfaction and retention, gaining new customers, increase of employees’ team spirit and satisfaction, service quality improvement, increase of market share, and increase of work efficiency) when market-oriented behavior is being adopted by the Islamic financial institutions.

To the best of the knowledge of the authors of this study, the results offer a different kind of market orientation along with its antecedents and consequences which can be considered as completely original and unique.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the effects of religiosity on attitude and personal orientation toward luxury brands and on purchase and repurchase intentions. Determining the effects of religiosity on the consumers’ behavior toward luxury has proved to be a crucial matter. As far as the authors know, academic research on this topic is almost non-existent. This is an exploratory study at the level of the direct effects of religiosity. Following a literature review, a model was constructed to represent the various interrelationships between the variables investigated in this research.

A quantitative study was conducted among 227 individuals having varying levels of religiosity. The authors verified, before, that those interviewed have purchased a luxury brand.

The findings show that religiosity does not hinder the consumption of luxury brands. Indeed, the authors detected a positive relationship between attitude and personal orientation toward luxury brands and the level of religiosity. The effect of religiosity on attitude and personal orientation is stronger for persons having higher incomes. Moreover, this effect is slight more marked among women.

Just as for all other research work, it is important to identify the limitations of this study. The authors need only to acknowledge its exploratory nature for these relationships to be identified as preliminary ones and as the first elements of proof rather than as a conclusive demonstration. This research suffers from certain other limitations, especially concerning its convenience sampling and the fact that it covered only a limited geographical area, namely, the capital, Tunis, and its adjacent suburbs.

This research has shown that whatever the level of religiosity, its effect is stronger among persons having a high income. Therefore, Muslims, whatever their religiosity, can be a target for marketers and luxury brand.

Islam is not against luxury brand but against ostentation.

It is the first research, as the authors know, that study the relationship between religiosity and consumer luxury behavior, especially among Muslims.

This study is aimed to measure and understand the relationship between individual entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) and entrepreneurial intention (EI) among students of higher learning institutions (HLI’s) in India. This study is focused on understanding IEO dimension of proactiveness, innovativeness and risk-taking attitude and EI across gender, academic background, and regions. Many recent and past studies confirm that there is an apparent gap in the literature to understand this phenomenon among students of higher learning institutions.

The study is based on a sample of 393 students studying in 35 different universities and institutions in the North, South and Western regions of India. The data were analyzed using hierarchical regression and ANOVA.

The empirical result shows a relationship and a positive impact of individual entrepreneurial orientation dimensions upon entrepreneurial intentions. Controlling for gender, males depict higher perseverance toward individual entrepreneurial orientation and entrepreneurial intentions. The same result was found for management and entrepreneurship students who also depict a higher (mean) t-value than science, engineering students. The findings of this study reveal a significant contribution to the academic literature by highlighting the influencing role of gender, academic background, and region upon entrepreneurial intentions.

The study reveals that institutional culture, lack of academic rigor, regional difference, economic gaps, gender perception, and overall culture may be considered as bothering forces for entrepreneurship to grow via institutions. These forces, if eliminated, can help build an institutional environment helpful for entrepreneurial progression in the country.

There are limited studies available in the context of individual entrepreneurial orientation and entrepreneurial Intention relationship. This study provides the analysis for Indian regions and uses data collected from different universities and institutions of India.