Search results
1 – 10 of 10Francesco Paolone, Mohammad Albahloul and Riccardo Tiscini
The purpose of this paper is to identify the application of the fundamental principle of accounting conservatism within the EU food and drink industry. Furthermore, the authors…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the application of the fundamental principle of accounting conservatism within the EU food and drink industry. Furthermore, the authors would also investigate in-depth the above relationship in two different subsamples (income smoothers and non-income smoothers).
Design/methodology/approach
All EU-listed companies of the food and drink industry were identified covering the year 2019. Eckel's model was used to classify listed companies as smoothing or non-smoothing, and Basu's model was adopted to test the degree of conditional conservatism.
Findings
The results indicate that conservatism is strongly present in food and drink industry and also in its subindustries. We also showed that non-smoothing firms had higher levels of conditional conservatism in terms of more opportunity to recognize future economic losses because the market could use the stock return data to anticipate future losses contained in the information regarding profits.
Research limitations/implications
One limitation of this work is the small size of the investigated companies. The authors demonstrate that the likely increased use of conservatism produces better credibility in the EU markets. Practical implications indicate a higher degree of monitoring of the accounting practices adopted by firms. Regulators have to set accounting policies to enhance the quality of the informational environment, investors and shareholders might exercise control over executives' decisions, and lenders might impose contractual clauses requiring the timely disclosure of “bad news.”
Originality/value
This industry is “belted” from any external speculations. This research made it possible also to observe theoretical relationships between the financial information provided by the EU food and drink industry that contributes to the market distinction between smoothers and non-smoothers.
Details
Keywords
Rosa Lombardi, Riccardo Tiscini, Raffaele Trequattrini and Laura Martiniello
The purpose of this paper is to explore the characteristics and personal values of a successful entrepreneur in order to understand the quality of such characteristics. Thus, this…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the characteristics and personal values of a successful entrepreneur in order to understand the quality of such characteristics. Thus, this paper aims to investigate how these characteristics and personal values impact strategic decision-making and outcomes driving the success and growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Design/methodology/approach
The research question is answered through a single case study approach based on the case of the charismatic and flourishing entrepreneur and owner of Gemar Balloons, a balloon-manufacturing company established in the centre of Italy a century ago.
Findings
The paper shows how the success of SMEs in a dynamic environment is influenced by the central resource, “the entrepreneur”, whose entrepreneurial mindset, culture and leadership are essential and partially replicable. They allow strategic management to seek opportunities and develop innovation, achieving competitive advantages and creating wealth.
Practical implications
This paper contributes to an understanding of how values and specific personal characteristics establish an entrepreneurial mindset, culture and leadership, and whether and how these factors are exportable and repeatable. In this way, it allows a better understanding of how possible it is to establish an entrepreneurial mindset and culture by working on a younger generation's values and characteristics. Moreover, it explains why and how entrepreneurial SME leaders are best able to make decisions and manage resources strategically to create competitive advantages.
Originality/value
The paper is new because it shows the distinctive values and characteristics influencing the emerging strategic decision-making model and corporate outcomes.
Details
Keywords
Maria Federica Izzo, Marco Fasan and Riccardo Tiscini
This paper aims to explore the role played by digital transformation (DT) in enabling continuous accounting (CA) and its impacts on intellectual capital (IC). In so doing, the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the role played by digital transformation (DT) in enabling continuous accounting (CA) and its impacts on intellectual capital (IC). In so doing, the paper provides momentum for the emerging trends of the DT movement in the field of accounting.
Design/methodology/approach
The analysis relies on the exploratory case study of Oracle, a multinational computer technology corporation that is constantly involved in DT processes. Data sources include semi-structured interviews and internal documentation.
Findings
The paper shows how CA is facilitated by DT, a process that allows collaborative relationships, learning and transparency. These activities contribute to IC empowerment through three main mechanisms: empowerment through dialogue, empowerment through learning and increased reliability of data.
Practical implications
The findings have practical implications by showing how DT applied to accounting provides a highly transparent way to collect, manage and analyze financial data, freeing time for high-value activities, optimizing decision-making processes and increasing IC.
Originality/value
DT and digital technologies have created new opportunities for companies – worldwide – to elaborate and communicate accounting information. The originality of this research derives from connecting DT to the relatively innovative topic of CA.
Details
Keywords
Laura Broccardo, Paola Vola, Safiya Mukhtar Alshibani and Riccardo Tiscini
Digitalization is affecting business management and pushing for new strategies, innovative products, new ways to communicate with stakeholders and new channels. This phenomenon is…
Abstract
Purpose
Digitalization is affecting business management and pushing for new strategies, innovative products, new ways to communicate with stakeholders and new channels. This phenomenon is unavoidable, and companies have to face it in a holistic and integrated way. One holistic and interconnected approach, when studying enterprise challenges, is represented by the business process management method, a fitting mechanism when digitalization needs to be amalgamated in business practices, enhancing the intellectual capital (IC), therefore, this study researches digitalization under business process lens, in a sample of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), that constitute an under-explored set, as regard digitalization, process management and IC. The research aims to explore the digital tools and business processes link and the related impact on performance, benefits and IC.
Design/methodology/approach
In exploring digitalization, a sample of Italian SMEs was scrutinized. The data were elaborated using two types of tests: (1) the binomial tests for the categorical questions and (2) the zeta test was used for quantitative variables. Furthermore, the partial least square (PLS)-SEM model was applied.
Findings
Findings reveal that some digital tools are more adopted in the sample analysed, and also some particular digital tools are more inclined to support certain business processes. Furthermore, not only performance benefits emerge, but also benefits in terms of better communication and faster decisions, supporting the decision making process of managers, also considering that business processes approach is one way to manage IC.
Practical implications
Thanks to the conducted research it is possible to make aware managers and owners of SMEs to consciously choose the right type of digitalization investments, without neglecting training programme, to realize the company digital transformation, providing a map and bearing in mind the value added creation, protecting their IC.
Originality/value
The paper's originality is represented by the contribution in opening the black box about digitalization, business process management and IC in small and medium companies.
Details
Keywords
Riccardo Tiscini, Silvia Testarmata, Mirella Ciaburri and Emanuele Ferrari
The purpose of this paper is to strive to close the current research gap pertaining to potential implications of the blockchain (BC) for sustainable business models (SBMs) in the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to strive to close the current research gap pertaining to potential implications of the blockchain (BC) for sustainable business models (SBMs) in the agri-food industry.
Design/methodology/approach
To answer the research question, the authors utilised the Value Triangle framework by Biloslavo et al. (2018) in order to explore the potential innovation of BC for SBMs in the agri-food industry. Then, the authors apply it to an in-depth exploratory case study of the Placido Volpone winery. The authors draw data from strategic plans, annual reports, corporate website and a semi-structured interview with the winery's founder.
Findings
The authors show how BC technology could be a source of SBM innovation in the agri-food industry.
Research limitations/implications
BC technology has the potential to significantly change SBMs. Given the huge set-up investments by the industry, academic research investigating potential implications and supporting companies in their application of BC is needed. This paper explores how the implications of BC as source of innovation on SBMs can be investigated.
Practical implications
The research results of this study can be used by company leaders and managers to support the development of SBMs through the introduction of BC technology in their business activities.
Originality/value
The paper is novel because it investigates the relationship between SBM innovation and BC providing theoretical justification to SBM technological innovation in an agri-food setting. Additionally, the paper provides an empirical application of the framework by Biloslavo et al. (2018) for understanding the development of SBM through BC in the agri-food industry.
Details
Keywords
Francesco Paolone, Nicola Cucari, Jintao Wu and Riccardo Tiscini
This study aims to contribute to international doctrine by testing how environmental social governance (ESG) pillars can affect marketing performance in the pharmaceutical…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to contribute to international doctrine by testing how environmental social governance (ESG) pillars can affect marketing performance in the pharmaceutical industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors follow a pioneering approach, using a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis and data from the largest European listed companies belonging to the pharmaceutical industry in 2019. Specifically, the authors contribute to international doctrine by testing how ESG pillars can affect marketing performance by presenting two configurational paths that may help to clarify not only the individual role of the pillars but also how their interrelationships predict marketing performance.
Findings
The results identify two different causal configurations that lead to higher marketing performance. These configurations allow us to think more carefully about the role of ESG pillars in the pharmaceutical sector. These results could help managers reflect upon and justify their choice to invest in specific ESG pillars, highlighting the importance of the governance pillar.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to use configurational analysis to investigate combinations of ESG pillars that lead firms to achieve higher levels of marketing performance.
Details
Keywords
Riccardo Rialti, Anna Marrucci, Lamberto Zollo and Cristiano Ciappei
The aim of this research was to explore the mechanisms underpinning open innovation (OI) success and its sustainability in agrifood businesses. First, the authors explored the…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this research was to explore the mechanisms underpinning open innovation (OI) success and its sustainability in agrifood businesses. First, the authors explored the importance of 4.0 technologies in data collection from crowds, subsequently examining how new technologies might drive forward the development of collaborative strategies with suppliers. Reductions in resource wasting were observed. The role of 4.0 technologies in increasing supply chain sustainability overall was the main focus of the study.
Design/methodology/approach
This research builds on a single inductive case study method. The authors performed an in-depth analysis of data from an Italian agritech distributor. Data – aside from multiple semi-structured interviews – were collected via several different sources. The results have been summarized in an integrated holistic conceptual framework.
Findings
The findings show that 4.0 technologies allow for swift information exchanges between consumers, the agritech business and suppliers. As a result, consumers might demand new products and, consequently, the agritech business can arrange new offerings with suppliers, completing the OI and shared value creation circle. Likewise, the possibility of adopting a just-in-time approach of sorts may reduce the wasting of resources. The absorptive capacities and knowledge management capabilities of the agritech business play a fundamental role in OI performance, sustainability and success.
Originality/value
This research seminally explores how 4.0 technologies and knowledge management techniques can enable OI in agrifood businesses. Additionally, the ways in which OI may foster the development of sustainability-orientated supply chain strategies have been conceptualized.
Details
Keywords
Antonino Galati, Demetris Vrontis, Benedetto Giorlando, Marcella Giacomarra and Maria Crescimanno
This study aims to explore and describe the main enabling factors affecting the implementation of blockchain technology (BCT) in a strategic sector such as the wine industry, as…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore and describe the main enabling factors affecting the implementation of blockchain technology (BCT) in a strategic sector such as the wine industry, as well as the motivation behind this choice.
Design/methodology/approach
In light of the novelty of the phenomenon studied, a case study approach was adopted analyzing three Italian wineries. A conceptual framework, based on the dynamic capabilities, absorptive capacity and dominant logic theories, was developed. Primary and secondary data were collected.
Findings
Results show that wineries working in a highly dynamic and competitive market invest more in knowledge acquisition and internal assimilation and less in transformation and exploitation of acquired knowledge, in particular preferring to outsource the application phase of BCT. The particularity of the wine industry, indeed, demonstrates the existence of hybrid alternatives in which exploration and exploitation processes can be balanced. These findings confirm the value of the conceptual framework developed to explain how wineries implement BCT in their business.
Research limitations/implications
The present work must be considered in light of the research scope and its qualitative nature.
Practical implications
Findings suggest that the adoption of BCT depends on the wineries’ ability to invest more in effective knowledge management systems to acquire and assimilate knowledge internally and in managerial skills and dominant logic that become strategic resources that can improve their innovation performance.
Originality/value
Compared to previous studies on BCT adoption in the wine industry, this work helps us to better understand how wineries implement BCT as it focuses on their ability to acquire, manage and capitalize on the flow of knowledge, as a strategic resource, which forms the basis for creating dynamic capabilities and value. Findings are of interest to develop strategies aimed to ensure the effectiveness of this innovation in a strategic sector.
Details
Keywords
Francesco Scarpa, Riccardo Torelli and Simona Fiandrino
This paper aims to understand how companies addressed and revisited their sustainable development goals (SDGs) engagement during COVID-19.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to understand how companies addressed and revisited their sustainable development goals (SDGs) engagement during COVID-19.
Design/methodology/approach
The study conducts semi-structured interviews with the sustainability managers of 16 Italian listed companies acting for the accomplishment of the SDGs. Then, the interviews’ transcripts and the companies’ sustainability reports were thematically analysed to tease out relevant findings.
Findings
The findings show that companies have intensified their SDGs efforts during COVID-19, implementing an approach closer to the “Sustainability for Braving Crisis”. The findings unveil the transformational mechanisms which determined and facilitated this improvement at three levels of the business SDGs engagement: “WHY” (general awareness and motivations), “HOW” (governance mechanisms, organizational structure and stakeholder dialogue) and “WHAT” (SDGs identification and prioritization and actions for the SDGs). These findings uncover the mechanisms through which a global crisis may prompt and catalyse sustainable business practices, acting as i) an inspirational and empowering event, ii) an organisational lever and iii) a reference point.
Practical implications
This research has important implications for practice and policy, as it offers managers and stakeholders guidance to understand how companies have reshaped their sustainability practices during the pandemic and drives future corporate responses in times of crisis.
Social implications
This study shows that a crisis may be a powerful lever to intensify business sustainability practices towards a better contribution to the SDGs.
Originality/value
This study focuses on how companies have revised their SDGs practices when faced with a global crisis such as COVID-19.
Details