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The aim of this paper is to study and describe the Industry 4.0 (I4.0) concept in the retail industry by identifying the technology enablers, the benefits and the challenges involved in adopting these technologies.

The work is built on a systematic literature review (SLR) about the I4.0 concept within retail studies through the enablers codified by the Industry 4.0 literature.

The concept of Industry 4.0 within the retail context is presented through three relevant technology enablers I4.0 emerges as a latent concept represented by technologies adopted to study customer behaviour and manage customer relationships and, partially, to optimise retail management. Furthermore, the paper highlights the benefits and challenges stemming from the adoption of I4.0 technology enablers in the retail industry.

The use of a SLR to describe the I4.0 concept in the retail industry identifying the relevant technology enablers and their relations. The article lays the foundations for future studies on the integrated effects of the contemporary actions of multiple technologies on retail management.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the characteristics of actors that allow them to relate to others actors in the system through shared intentionality (orientation) and the nature of the A4A relationship and the results that such interactions bring to the emergent system based on this shared purpose (finality).

The topic is approached by theoretical analysis and conceptual development of three integrative frameworks: the sociological perspective, service-dominant logic and a particular perspective of system thinking: the viable system approach (vSa).

The A4A relationships involve value co-creation based on actors integrating their resources and acting with intentionality to obtain value by providing benefits to other parties and by belonging to the emergent viable system; actor acts for other actors directly involved in the relationship generating positive effects for the whole system in which it is contextualized.

Future empirical research might better support findings.

Many social implications deriving from an augmented role of actors engaged within social relationships in co-creation exchanges. From the title of the paper A4A over on the manuscript describes numerous social inferences of actors in co-creation.

A4A is a relationship formed by actors that interact for the benefit of the whole system in which are involved. They find own benefit from the benefit created for the system in which they live and act. In A4A relationships the value of the single actor comes from the participation to the viability of the whole system.

The purpose of this paper is to show the relevance of the interest in sharing the common purpose and in searching for a common survival of emerging eco-system (ES) as an entity that “is not” but emerges by the viable actors interaction.

This conceptual paper contributes to the research by defining the ES building on the contributions of SD logic and viable systems approach (VSA), with a particular focus on the VSA perspective.

An ES emerges as a viable “system of systems” by an observer’s interpretation of the simultaneous interactions between different viable actors/systems that are sharing a common purpose (the survival of the ES), exchanging resources following a viable value co-creation model. Each actor/system could represent a level of quality of belonging to the ES looking for the opportunity to be resonant with the ES.

The ES features and the role of each actor inside could be deepened through different theoretical perspectives and the same VSA to the ES could be reached with empirical explorations.

Understanding the nature of the ES, the practitioners are able to explain better their position in relation to partners and competitors. It is possible to be a part of several emerging ESs looking for the will to contribute to the ES’ survival and to the sharing of the purpose of the interactive systems/actors. In a medium and long run, the measure of the resonance is useful to understand the quality in interaction.

The work provides a definition of the ES and the actors inside focusing on the perspective of VSA, by integrating the concept of viable value co-creation and solidarity-based logic; in particular, the concept of Centro Commerciale Naturale is used to show the emergence of the ES in a relational context generated by the interaction between city, service and retailers in a city center.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the dynamics of the relationships between sales and internal and external environmental drivers in a retail company using a systems perspective in order to support retail management decisions with nonlinear methods.

The research and results are presented in two parts: the collection and explorative analysis of the data; and discussion of the managerial implications following a systems perspective. The exploratory analysis is conducted using a statistical comparison of linear and nonlinear models of sales data from a retail company. The data, which comprise two data sets, come from 45 retail stores located in different regions of the USA.

Specifically, nonlinear models provided a better explanation of variation in retail activity (R²=46 per cent) than linear models (R²=16 per cent). In such a situation, the nonlinear analysis captures the influence of internal and external environmental drivers on retail sales.

With a limited variety of external and internal drivers, the exploratory analysis aims to describe a general situation in which retailers are managing activities in complex environments as opposed to reflect on a particular retail chain.

The systems perspective is used to interpret the managerial implications of the nonlinear analysis fits, particularly in cases where retail decision-makers are adapting, transforming and restructuring sources of competitive advantage in complex environments.

The paper provides an alternative perspective (the systemic one) of how retailers could interpret the relationships between internal and external variables in the dynamic environment of the retail chains with nonlinear models.

This paper aims to present the seven organizational principles for developing value-dominant logic (VDL) thinking and advancing it toward making a business purposeful and open to a lifestyle of value for humanity at large.

VDL considers value as rooted on axiology, actor-network theory, the hygge concept and is deployed through seven organizational principles deriving from the original eight VDL principles (Mahajan, 2017).

It is necessary to consider value in its polysemous meanings as an emergent element and a result of people’s interpretation based on norms and beliefs. At the same time, managers conceptualize businesses to create stimuli for the markets and society and favoring the emergence of a positive and sustainable value. This study explains how organizations and managers can be driven by norms and beliefs and a purpose to make decisions and assume postures and behaviors capable of stimulating the emergence of positive and sustainable value, creating opportunities for humanity at large; this managerial behavior creates conditions for value creation, and it is framed in VDL.

A research agenda is provided that can spawn fruitful research in VDL.

This study develops the theoretical roots for a management approach that will support organizations and managers in interpreting their role as stimulators of value.

The study focuses on the well-being and happiness of all the stakeholders.

The study developed organizational principles deeply rooted in the VDL.

Purpose: Provide insights on how social entrepreneurship (SE) knowledge can be more effectively generated by universities through the entrepreneurial creation and effective management of a knowledge network centered on international collaborative research; illuminate how one such network has enabled Latin American researchers to advance the knowledge and practice frontiers in the hemisphere and globally. Methodology/Approach: Retrospective analysis of the two-decade evolution of the Social Enterprise Knowledge Network, a pioneering international research collaboration (IRC) of Ibero-American management schools. Findings: Documents factors and dynamics enabling the successful creation and operation of international knowledge networks. Analyzes the key mechanisms for capturing synergies in collaborative research. Identifies specific effectiveness determinants for successfully operating an international social enterprise knowledge generation network. Identifies multiple impacts of a knowledge generation network. Research Implications: Advances understanding of IRCs. Provides a model for assessing knowledge network multiple impacts. Identifies a series of future research opportunities and needs. Practical Implications: Provides operational guidance for researchers developing or operating collaborative international knowledge networks. Social Implications: Reveals the value of collaboration in international research and factors that contribute to effective collaboration. Originality/Value: Provides unique retrospective study of an IRC network operated by developing country schools of management. Expands the scope of recent comparative research on SE education to include a set of countries in Ibero-America. Documents an approach to assessing the impacts of a knowledge network. Identifies important areas for advancing future social enterprise research and teaching.

The paper aims to investigate the existence of typical preferred behaviours that might characterize Brazilian women’s entrepreneurial profile and whether this profile influences their motivation to undertake a venture.

Following the evolution of the literature on women entrepreneurship, the study criticizes the rational view that conceives entrepreneurship as a universal phenomenon and immune to gender. A quantitative approach based on multivariate data analysis (structural equation modelling) was applied to a sample of 418 women entrepreneurs with regard to six hypotheses associated with a specifically conceived conceptual model.

The behavioural categories tested in the model that most influence Brazilian women’s entrepreneurial profile are planning, identifying opportunities, sociability and leadership, corroborating the results of other international studies. Behaviours connected with persistence did not correlate to Brazilian women’s entrepreneurial profile. The hypothesis that women’s entrepreneurial profile positively influences their entrepreneurial intention was confirmed.

As the study is based on an intentional, non-probabilistic sample, further research needs to be conducted using other forms of sampling, extending the findings to other contexts internationally and to other Brazilian regions.

Women can perceive whether their behavioural profile is suited to embracing entrepreneurship challenges, helping them to make effective career choices.

The study provides a robust model with high explanatory value. It contributes to the women’s entrepreneurship literature from the perspective of a Latin American developing country, offering valuable insights regarding the impact of entrepreneurial behavioural profile on women’s entrepreneurial activities.