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Agile methods are increasingly being applied in the contexts of innovation beyond traditional information technology (IT) and physical product development projects, such as when process improvements are being implemented. Nevertheless, this phenomenon is still recent and little addressed in the literature, with few descriptions of empirical cases. This study aims to address this gap.

This multiple case study aims to present and discuss the application of Agile practices embedded in large companies’ innovation value chains, focusing on improvements of business processes. The following research question is pursued: How are large companies applying elements of Agile methods to their innovation processes when implementing incremental improvements in their operational processes? Based on the idea that the Agile-Stage-Gate model is an alternative to this challenge, this study investigates the application of this hybrid model in two large Brazilian companies by presenting their idiosyncrasies, lessons learned, adaptations, challenges and benefits.

Overall, it was observed that the experience with the application of the Agile-Stage-Gate model is positive for these companies, with better customer engagement, easier project control and increased productivity of the project team.

For those aiming to implement the Agile-Stage-Gate model, this paper identifies the main adaptations made in order to combine the purist approaches and critical success factors for its implementation.

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive view of the different competition-based approaches that policymakers can exploit to foster external knowledge search and their positioning among innovation policy measures. A growing number of companies have implemented initiatives to access external knowledge to increase their innovativeness, consistently with the open innovation paradigm. Competition-based approaches have received increasing attention by the private sector as a way to access external knowledge. However, despite their potential role as innovation policy measures, a limited attention has been devoted so far to investigate them from the policymakers’ perspective.

To this aim, a two-stage empirical analysis has been carried out to develop a taxonomy of competition-based approaches. The first stage leveraged a multiple case study methodology including a sample of 20 competition-based approaches, while the second one leveraged interviews with Italian and European key informants.

This paper proposes a novel taxonomy including eight competition-based approaches, which differ among each other in terms of policy strategy, scope breadth and output required. Moreover, this paper enriches a well-established taxonomy of innovation policy instruments with the identified competition-based approaches.

This study contributes to the current debate on innovation policy by providing a taxonomy that includes eight competition-based approaches that can be exploited by policymakers to foster external knowledge search as well as their positioning among the innovation policy instruments. The taxonomy will hopefully support policymakers in identifying of the most suitable instruments in the light of their policy strategy and objectives.

Collaboration and operational capabilities are two strengths for managing supply chains to achieve operational performance. In this context, this study aims to analyze the mediating effect of operational capabilities on the relationship between collaborative supply chain management and operational performance.

The study design consisted of a theoretical framework to estimate the mediation paths by latent variable structural modeling methods. A survey of 138 respondents from Brazilian capital goods companies was conducted.

The study revealed that operational capabilities partially mediate the relationship between collaborative supply chain management and operational performance. The findings provide important guidance for managers to strengthen the relationship with suppliers to continuously improve operational capability.

As the sample size was made up of 138 respondents, it was impossible to revalidate the theoretical–empirical model. New data need to be collected to re-evaluate the structural model and expand them to other economic segments.

By examining the theoretical insights and empirical findings, the study expanded knowledge about collaborative management and the understanding of the importance of operational capabilities in the relationship between collaborative management and operational performance for management practices.

The study developed a theoretical–empirical measurement model, reliable and statistically validated, to test the mediating effect of operational capabilities in the relationship between collaborative management and operational performance.

Building upon the insights of the resource-based view and internationalization theories, the purpose of this paper is to examine the role networks play in SMEs' readiness for internationalization. By investigating three different types of knowledge sharing, namely economic-setting, market-specific and customer-specific, the study analyzes their effect on SMEs' readiness for internationalization.

The four research hypotheses derived by from the analysis of the literature have been investigated by applying the multiple regression technique. By means of an online survey, 300 valid questionnaires were collected and information from a sample of Italian SMEs belonging to 11 agro-food consortia have been analyzed.

The results suggest that SMEs' readiness for internationalization could be supported by sharing customer-specific, market-specific and economic-setting knowledge with other firms operating within the same agro-food consortium. Additionally, data analysis highlights a negative relation between the risk perception in the process and readiness for internationalization, suggesting the importance of knowledge sharing in reducing the criticality issues of being a newcomer entering international markets.

From a theoretical perspective, this study aims to fill the gap in knowledge management and international relationship marketing literature. Since proposes a combination of different kinds of knowledge that contribute to reducing the criticalities SMEs must face by identifying useful information to be conveyed within the network. From a managerial perspective, the study provides useful insights for the agro-food sector, highlighting how experiential and network knowledge constitutes a pre-condition for managing internationalization complexity and discovering opportunities on foreign markets.

This study aims to highlight the impact of altruistic-self and hunger awareness on socially responsible food consumption through the lens of self-awareness and self-congruity theories due to the great challenge of Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger.

A survey was conducted with a sample of 812 respondents. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) confirm each variable's structure through the measurement model and test the hypothesis to support a structural model.

The results highlight that the combination of altruistic-self and hunger awareness (AS-HA congruence) drives consumers to execute socially responsible food consumption. Meanwhile, consumers' food-saving attitude mediation translates to the attitude towards responsible and ethical use increasing socially responsible food consumption, a contextual development in the theory of congruence. Conversely, hunger awareness is not confirmed as significantly influencing socially responsible food consumption.

This research provides valuable insights for academicians and practitioners in developing food waste management strategies that can be implemented to reduce food wastage.

Food waste is a global concern and is challenging for many manufacturing, distribution and individual wastage levels. However, food wastage by consumers is one of the most critical problems which can be minimised with awareness and attitudinal changes in behaviour as a form of socially responsible consumption.

This study aims to demonstrate the application of computer-aided text analysis (CATA) software in identifying primary associations and impressions of a specified tourist destination.

The Leximancer software is applied on primary information to analyze the concepts evoked by a destination. Because no specific planning has been done for destination image marketing strategies for rural tourism in Andalusia, this study visualizes and determines clusters of the main attributes associated with this destination.

The analysis identifies the main clusters among associations and impressions of the destination that can be useful in developing strategies.

Only a target segment is studied, with a relatively small sample size.

Leximancer can not only be applied to online user-generated content, but primary information can also be mapped to generate a holistic destination image. Furthermore, identification of the relevant attributes and impressions can serve to identify unique assets to help tourism organizations develop a destination.

Several implications concerning destination marketing are outlined.

Although previous studies have applied Leximancer and other CATA software, the present research uses a new approach. Deriving the primary information on destination image using an unstructured methodology, the concepts evoked by a destination are mapped. Because there is a lack of research on rural tourism in Andalusia and its destination image, its associated attributes are studied.

本论文展示如何使用CATA分析软件来确定一个具体旅游目的地的主要关系和印象。

Leximancer软件主要用于分析一个目的地引发的相关概念。因为安达卢西亚至今未有确定的乡村旅游目的地形象营销策略, 本论文视觉化和决定与此目的地相关的主要因素群。

研究结果指出了此安达卢西亚目的地的主要相关群和印象群, 这些对于指定战略计划有很大帮助。

本论文只研究了单一市场群, 分析样本量较小。

Leximancer不仅可以用来分析用户生成内容, 还可以分析主要信息, 以展示整体旅游目的地形象。此外, 分析指出的相关因素和印象群可以用来确立独特的资源组合, 帮助旅游机构开发旅游目的地。

本论文结构指出了多个旅游目的地营销的相关启示

尽管文献中有关Leximancer和其他CATA软件的使用文章, 本论文创立了新的使用方法。基于对旅游目的地形象的主要信息进行非结构性研究, 本论文对于旅游目的地的概念进行展开论述。由于至今未有针对安达卢西亚的乡村旅游研究以及旅游目的地形象研究, 本研究论述了其相关因素。

关键词 安达卢西亚、旅游目的地形象、旅游目的地因素、CATA软件、Leximancer

Combining sensory evaluations and hypothetical valuation mechanisms, this study aims to investigate the impact of consumers' product sensory attributes on willingness to pay (WTP) and overall liking for a new apple cultivar.

A sample of non-expert participants (n = 122) evaluated the overall liking and just-about-right (JAR) attributes. A variable transformation approach was applied to make linear and interval regression models between the JAR attributes, overall liking scores and participants' WTP.

The study reveals the high consumer appreciation for the new apple in both hedonic and economic terms. After controlling the anchoring effect's bias, the predicted mean WTP for the new apple cultivar was €3.26 per kilogramme. Crunchiness and flavour significantly affect both participants' overall liking and WTP.

The main limitation is the non-probabilistic sampling procedure, which does not allow for the generalisation of the results. Penalty analysis for JAR attributes in monetary and hedonic terms is beneficial for optimising the product and evaluating its potential in the marketplace.

The findings provide helpful directions for product optimisation in future breeding programmes to ensure the long-term sustainability of the new apple cultivars in the marketplace.

This study provides evidence of the beneficial synergy of mixing sensory-oriented research with the behavioural economics field of study.

This research aims at analyzing the antecedents of absorptive capacity (ACAP) in the companies incubated in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. In this context, 111 incubated companies took part in the research.

The methodology used the confirmatory factor analysis and the multiple linear regression to analyze the relationship of the dependent variables (ACAP) with the dependent variables (interaction with other companies, professionals' knowledge (PK), knowledge use (KU) and knowledge acquisition).

The results highlight that external KU was the construct that most influences the ACAP. Among the dependent variables suggested, only the construct concerning the incubators' PK presented no model significance, which shows that the PK is not an antecedent of ACAP in the incubated companies.

This study is relevant due to pointing out that the incubators may not be providing their professionals with knowledge properly, or that this knowledge is not being accessed by the incubated companies, which allows actions turned to encouraging businesses in this context.

The objective of the study is to explain how health orientation influences attitude towards paying attention to nutrition claims (NCs), intention to pay attention to NCs, and willingness to buy products containing NCs.

In the first study, conducted amongst 770 respondents using the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) method, the authors investigated the role of health orientation in explaining intention to pay attention to NCs and willingness to buy products with NCs. The theory of planned behaviour was used as the main theoretical framework. In the second online experiment, carried out amongst 485 respondents, the impact of health orientation on attitude towards the label containing NC and on NC product purchase intention was studied.

The authors revealed that health orientation plays a significant (direct and indirect) role in explaining attitude towards paying attention to NCs, and intention to pay attention to NCs, as well as NC product purchase intention.

Health orientation appeared to be an important determinant of selecting products with NCs. Consumers' intent to choose products containing claims is mainly determined according to their attitudes driven by health orientation and outcome expectancy. Consequently, intention to pay attention to NCs is strongly related to intention to buy products containing claims.

The purpose of this research is to demonstrate the effectiveness of pictorial warning labels that leverage the risk of obesity as a deterrent against alcohol abuse. It evaluates the impact of three different kinds of warning labels that can potentially discourage alcoholic drinking: (1) a claim, in text format, that cautions consumers about the product (i.e. a responsibility warning statement); (2) a textual warning label, text-format information on the content of the product or the consequences of excessive consumption (i.e. a synthetic nutritional table); (3) a pictorial warning label, an image depicting a food product with a caloric content equivalent to that of an alcoholic beverage.

In Study 1, a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design is used to evaluate the intention to buy different alcoholic cocktails. The stimuli comprised two cocktails that are similar in alcoholic volume, but different in their caloric content. The images of the products were presented across eight warning label conditions and shown to 480 randomly selected Italian respondents who quantified their intention to buy the product. In Study 2, a different sample of 34 Italian respondents was solicited with the same stimuli considered in Study 1, and neuropsychological measurements through Electroencephalography (EEG) were registered. A post hoc least significance difference (LSD) test is used to analyse data.

The results show that only the presence of an image representing an alcoholic beverage's caloric content causes a significant reduction in consumers' purchase intentions. This effect is due to the increase in negative emotions caused by pictorial warning labels.

The findings provide interesting insights on pictorial warning labels, which can influence the intention to purchase alcoholic beverages. They confirmed that the use of images in the warning labels has a greater impact than text, and that the risk of obesity is an effective deterrent in encouraging consumers to make healthier choices.