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The purpose of this paper, according to the evolutionary perspective of resilience, is to provide a revised adaptive cycle model that explains how organisations that are embedded in a local system can foster their resilience.

An exploratory case study analysis was carried out. The study adopted the methods and principles proposed by Eisenhardt (1989). Case studies were selected according the match-pair method and consist of two Italian wineries operating into the same wine cluster. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analysed through descriptive statistics and qualitative data analysis techniques.

The study proposes a revised model for the resilience strategies of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which combines firm and cluster level. Findings show that the resilience of SMEs is primarily driven by internal resilience strategies, and their surviving and adapting capacity, from a certain point of the evolutionary cycle, is fostered by internal decisions rather than by the influence of the external environment.

The study has some limitations. In particular, the exploratory survey does not permit the generalisation of results, and further empirical evidence is required. This research represents an initial step toward the development of a more exhaustive understanding of how the relationship SMEs-cluster can positively or negatively affect the resilience of organisations.

The proposed model for the resilience strategies of SMEs offers also insights for managers and entrepreneurs.

This study significantly contributes to theory on resilience in the management field, that is largely related to economic geography, while investigations about the resilience at the firm level are limited and inconclusive.

The aim of this paper is to develop a better understanding of network relationships in local tourism clusters and illustrate inter‐organizational forms in mountain tourism. The networking among mountain tourism resorts, aimed at solving organizational and technological shortfalls, in order to promote integrated but flexible tourist packages, has led to detailed empirical research and study on these topics. The research analysis considered three important Italian Alpine destinations, based on adjacency matrices graphics and analytical indicators, calculated by different algorithms for each variable. The research was based on questionnaires submitted to all tourism operators of these destinations, and in‐depth interviews with important local entrepreneurs. The main findings of the research have resulted in identifying four typical inter‐organizational forms (or structures) in Alpine tourism resorts: ▪ community model, each tourist operator works alone, with no inter‐organizational vision; ▪ corporative model, a highly concentrated organization based on recognised agreements, usually ontrolled by a few people; ▪ governed model, tourists are managed through associations or ‘equity systems’, such as consortiums, where each ‘node’ of the network offers entrepreneurial expertise; ▪ constellation model, high relational density and reciprocal trust allow good coordination and balance of power among the tourism enterprises.

To provide a theoretical explanation of why outsourcing relationships are inherently dynamic, in that the dependence of each party upon the other inevitably changes over time and thus so too will the power asymmetries between the parties.

Our approach is theoretical and draws upon insights from resource dependence theory, transaction cost economics, and the resource-based view of the firm, to focus on the power asymmetries between the focal firm undertaking the outsourcing and its suppliers. We illustrate our arguments using a longitudinal case study of the evolving relationship between Apple and the Foxconn Technology Group.

For supplier firms, the message is to upgrade, develop distinctive resources and capabilities, and diversify the customer base. Otherwise, suppliers will forever be condemned to low operating margins and the threat of being replaced by cheaper, more agile rivals. For focal firms, the message is not to rest on your laurels. The potency of isolating mechanisms may well dissipate, suppliers will no doubt strive to lessen their positions of dependence and competitors will inevitably emerge, with the result that once-profitable outsourcing arrangements may quickly erode.

We highlight the crucial role played by isolating mechanisms to underpin power asymmetries in outsourcing relationships, and thus enable focal firms to appropriate the rents from externalized value chain activities. We argue that the efficacy of many isolating mechanisms will tend to dissipate over time as competitors emerge to imitate successful strategies and products, and as resource and capability asymmetries erode.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue on links between entrepreneurship and resilience.

The authors discuss some key themes in this emerging area of research and reflect on how the papers in the issue contribute to debates in the literature on resilience.

While the papers in the special issue make important contributions, there is still scope for more research.

This is one of the first issues of a journal devoted to investigating this topic.

Technological platforms encourage the exchange of knowledge and creation of new ideas that create new value for participating members who pool and combine their knowledge, facilities, tools and skills, thus contributing to the development of innovative solutions. This paper focuses on hackathon platforms, working as open innovation intermediaries, investigating their role and functions and exploring how they encourage the collaboration and the innovativeness among participants in order to boost their innovative new ideas.

The research method is a qualitative design that includes in-depth interviews of ten stakeholders that play different roles in “Hack for Travel,” the case under analysis. It is a hackathon organized entirely online, as a response to the crisis generated by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Findings revealed six processes developed by the hackathon platform used to effectively organize the event and facilitate participants to cooperate and share knowledge in order to boost the spread of innovative ideas. Results identify how hackathons should be organized and through which processes they work as innovation platforms.

This is one of the first attempts to study the increasing phenomenon of hackathons, providing theoretical contribution and practical implications about their role in developing innovation.

This study investigates to what extent strategic flexibility of international strategic alliances (ISAs) affects export performance of emerging market small and medium-sized enterprises (ESMEs) via international marketing capability in crises. It also examines whether these ESMEs’ adoption of digital technology strengthens the impact of strategic flexibility of ISAs on international marketing capability.

Based on the international alliance and dynamic capability perspectives on strategic flexibility, the authors develop a conceptual model and empirically examine the mediation and moderation effects between strategic flexibility of ISAs, international marketing capability, export performance and adoption of digital technology. The authors collected survey data from 129 ESMEs located in Pakistan between May 2021 and August 2021 and tested the conceptual model with hierarchical-moderated regression analysis.

The findings suggest that strategic flexibility of ISAs positively impacts on export performance of ESMEs in crises. Moreover, the authors found that international marketing significantly mediates the relationship between strategic flexibility of ISAs and export performance of ESMEs. Also, the adoption of digital technologies significantly moderates the relationship between strategic flexibility of ISAs positively and international marketing capability.

The authors take strategic flexibility of ISAs in the context of the emerging market and how ESMEs enhance export performance in a time of crisis, which extends the prior ESMEs’ international marketing strategy and crisis management literature. In particular, the authors show that strategic flexibility of ISAs is a vital dynamic capability to enhance export performance of ESMEs via international marketing capability and adoption of digital technologies.

This research aims to provide a conceptual framework with the scope to assist in establishing sustainable supply chain clusters (SCCs) by providing an instrument for organisations to enhance the three sustainability dimensions in a dynamic environment.

This research proposes a conceptual framework to enhance sustainability and organisational performance through three theoretical lenses: the system theory, extended resource-based view and the dynamic capabilities (DCs) theory. This approach is carried out through a comprehensive review of the existing literature on SCCs.

Four main propositions are formulated and demonstrated using the developed framework, which expands the discussion about SCCs and their key characteristics in a dynamic environment. This is particularly relevant as it allows empirical testing of the theories in an SCC context.

It can be noted that more extensive research is needed to further understand the issues faced in establishing sustainable clusters. Drawing on the theoretical lenses to establish the framework helps to enhance the understanding and operational capabilities of sustainable SCCs during and after disruptions, such as the global disruption created by COVID-19.

This research paves the way to help organisations improve their adaptability to the dynamic business environment by emphasizing the importance of clustering and linking it to sustainability through DCs to establish a sustainable cluster.

This research aims to guide organisations' use of SCCs as tools to enhance sustainability in a dynamic environment, given that the relationship amongst supply chain cluster design characteristics (SCCDCs), DCs and sustainability remains unexplored. The combination of the three theoretical lenses in developing the proposed framework will assist in further understanding the applicability of these theories when they are considered together.

Sustainable development involves companies on an individual, organizational and social level requiring the adoption of business models or innovations capable of privileging the co-creation of mutual value with a view to sustainability. From an organizational perspective, this paper aims to show that knowledge brokers, by making explicit their roles as mediators of interactions and acting on dynamic capabilities (DCs), can generate a proactive approach to the three dimensions of sustainability and specifically allows capabilities to positively impact the propensity toward sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices.

This study offers an empirical analysis of 200 companies in the agro-food sector participating in a knowledge brokerage system activated by protection consortia. It uses a multiple regression technique that allows for observing relationships between DCs and SSCM.

Absorptive, adaptive and innovative capabilities, when understood and brokered, have a positive and direct impact on the SSCM.

As there have rarely been frameworks developed that correlate knowledge brokerage, DCs and sustainability, this paper suggests that DCs, when adequately valued by the knowledge broker, allow for identifying the requirements of the various stakeholders regarding sustainability and changes in market scenarios to generate sustainability practices along the supply chain.

This study aims to investigate the logic between digital transformation and export performance by analysing a large sample of Vietnamese exporters. The theoretical model is further extended by investigating the driving role of digital transformational leadership and mediating effects of firm digital capabilities and employee exploration and exploitation innovation.

The study sample comprised 364 middle managers at 107 export firms in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The data are analysed using a partial least square-structural equation model (PLS-SEM).

Digital transformation may be an indispensable tool for enhancing the export performance of businesses. Moreover, digital transformational leadership may drive digital transformation through the mediating mechanisms of firm digital capabilities and employee exploration and exploitation innovations to achieve high export performance.

This initial study contributes significantly to international business theory through the lens of dynamic capabilities theory, which reveals the role of digital transformation in export performance via mechanisms of digital transformational leadership, firm digital capabilities and employee exploration and exploitation innovation.