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Inter‐firm channel relationships have recently attracted great interest in academic research. This paper attempts to make a study of the governance mechanisms in manufacturer‐distributor relationships and the role played by the relationalism perceived by channel members. In particular, the aim is to account for why exclusive dealing and exclusive territories agreements frequently appear in association. Two theories are compared regarding this question. In one of the theories relationalism plays a mediating role between both vertical restraints, whereas according to the other theory the relation between the two is independent of the degree of relationalism. A sample of 96 Spanish manufacturers was used to test the hypotheses proposed, obtaining empirical support for both theories.

The aim of the study is to systematize scientific knowledge regarding the content, identify current trends, and develop tools and mechanisms to ensure the sustainable development of socio-economic systems based on the coordination of activities of business entities with the processes occurring in the national economy. The main productive unit of the national macroeconomic system is the regional economic system, in the process of functioning of which the reproduction of the goods necessary for the region is carried out, and the economic and environmental needs are satisfied. Sustainable development and capacity building of socio-economic systems, being a strategic goal of development, largely depends on the unity and integrity of its constituent elements. At the regional level, the effectiveness of the system of relations between producers and consumers of tangible and intangible goods and services is largely determined by the presence of large businesses. Large business structures operate in a significant number of regions, implement all stages of the reproduction process in almost all sectors of the economy, and are an important component of modern economic development. The study of the influence of the activities of large business structures on regional social and economic systems is extremely important from the point of view of analyzing the consequences of the activities of large business structures on the qualitative and quantitative parameters of the development of both a specific region and the national economy as a whole.

The chapter studies the phenomenon of trans-conflict region. The task of operationalization of the concept of trans-border region is solved. Specific potential of trans-border region is studied through the prism of regionalization and globalization. Similarities and differences of two regions according to spatial, historical, functional, and political characteristics are determined. The chapter analyzes one of the most important characteristics of border – barrier and contact. Peculiarities of functioning of trans-border region (with active conflict) are analyzed as a specific territory and presence of irredentist potential in the trans-border area. Implementation of the concept of trans-border region into the managerial discourse confirms the presence of regional entity with high conflict level.

Starting from a critical analysis of the main criteria currently used to identify marginal areas, this paper aims to propose a new classification model of such territories by leveraging knowledge discovery approaches and knowledge visualization techniques, which represent a fundamental pillar in the knowledge-based urban development process.

The methodology adopted in this study relies on the design science research, which includes five steps: problem identification, objective definition, solution design and development, demonstration and evaluation.

Results demonstrate how to exploit knowledge discovery and visualization to obtain multiple mappings of inner areas, in the aim to identify good practices and optimize resources to set up more effective territorial development strategies and plans. The proposed approach overcomes the traditional way adopted to map inner areas that uses a single indicator (i.e. the distance between a municipality and the nearest pole where it is possible to access to education, health and transportation services) and leverages seven groups of indicators that represent the distinguishing features of territories (territorial capital, social costs, citizenship, geo-demography, economy, innovation and sustainable development).

The proposed model could be enriched by new variables, whose value can be collected by official sources and stakeholders engaged to provide both structured and unstructured data. Also, another enhancement could be the development of a cross-algorithms comparison that may reveal useful to suggest which algorithm can better suit the needs of policy makers or practitioners.

This study sets the ground for proposing a decision support tool that policy makers can use to classify in a new way the inner areas, thus overcoming the current approach and leveraging the distinguishing features of territories.

This study shows how the availability of distributed knowledge sources, the modern knowledge management techniques and the emerging digital technologies can provide new opportunities for the governance of a city or territory, thus revitalizing the domain of knowledge-based urban development.

Cycle tourism is considered as a trendy opportunity of local development that should be taken into consideration by several destinations to (further) increase tourism according to the sustainable development approach. It is a broad and complex phenomenon that involves various social and economic actors. Cycle tourists are looking for new and deep experiences to better benefit from the local identities and the uniqueness of the landscape of a territory. Cycle tourism gives sustainable access to environmental and cultural resources of territories often neglected. Despite its evident potentialities, the lack of studies represents a drawback that could compromise the local development. The aim of this chapter is first to describe the characteristics of this form of tourism both in terms of its contribution to the sustainable development and of demand and supply features. Second, the study focuses on an Italian area that is strongly investing in the development of this form of mobility: an area called “Insubria,” which is located in the Lombardy region, near the Swiss border and includes, as main cities, Varese and Como. The work explores whether the supply of the tourism product in this area is aligned with the current and future demand trends of cycling and tourism. The analysis ends with some suggestions about possible improvements in the area and for the long-term industry competitiveness.

Great Britain is a laboratory for new techniques of public management; it is therefore an interesting place to look at for people willing to get involved in large public organisations. The French ‘institute for local studies’, trains future professionals, selected after graduation or after a working experience, in order to take high positions in local authorities nationwide. Three pairs of trainees belonging to the 2012–2013 group spent two weeks in three local authorities in England, with the purpose of analysing the performance management in these organisations.

British and French scholars dedicated to public organisations provided the six trainees with a global view of local government and reforms in the United Kingdom. After that, each pair exchanged information with the local authority they would visit; during the two weeks they spent there, an officer followed their works. They interviewed numerous professionals, elected members and unionists, attended meetings and events. Back in France, they presented their findings in several documents. The original subject was measuring and managing performance; in fact, the three pairs went farther and looked over many aspects of the organisations’ functioning.

Local authorities are facing important budget reductions and appear fragile; they put forward the idea of resilience to express the necessity of using all their resources to deal with a difficult situation. Elected members have a role of political initiative, but they also focus a lot on control, which is much more developed in Britain than in France; managers experience a very difficult period, with a lot of threats on their jobs, teams and projects. In this context, professional networks are very important; peer review is an interesting example of the role of professional exchanges in the search for new solutions. At last, unions don’t seek conflicts but try to accompany changes, lessening their negative consequences on people.

This work is not an academic one but an approach of the reality of organisations analysed by professionals or future professionals of the public sector, in a kind of ‘peer review’ between different countries. This international dimension is interesting, seeing that few in-depth comparisons between local authorities are made, especially between France and Britain.

This paper aims to evaluate the impact of competitor entry on efficiency outcome in two‐sided network context.

The context is the population of incumbent firms making up the local exchange segment of the telecommunications industry in the US over a 14‐year period from 1988 to 2001.

The results show that encouraging the entry of competitors had led quite substantially to the enhancement of efficiencies for the incumbent firms.

A policy conclusion would be to enhance the incentives for new firms to enter two‐sided markets and also suppress anti‐competitive behavior by incumbents in such contexts with a firm hand so as to enhance efficiency levels.

This is a comprehensive analysis of policy changes in one of the world's largest telecommunications markets and the results have applicability across several other country contexts.

The purpose of this study is to investigate contemporary changes in the education system. In particular, an analysis of the mechanisms of coordination and communication involved in the process can show how different geographical factors with different relational mechanisms may contribute to the creation of a new academic entrepreneurship.

The authors propose a methodology with two-step approach. In the first part of the paper, they use a theoretical approach to carry out a longitudinal study of academic literature on the topics of “entrepreneurial university,” “academic entrepreneurship” and “spin-off organizations.” In the second part, they use cross-database analysis to theorize the main aspects of recent developments in higher education in Italy. To this end, the authors use three public and open-access databases on spin-offs, universities and higher education institutions and incubators in Italy.

First, issues relating to the formation and best practices of entrepreneurial universities are discussed, based on the works of researchers from 25 countries. Second, a hypothesis is put forward to suggest that the organizational model of entrepreneurial university affects microeconomic competitiveness. Third, a case study of Italian spin-off organizations suggests that the number of incubators and spin-offs, and the type of academic knowledge, all directly affect the entrepreneurial university.

This paper aims to examine the role of the university in the modern economic system. The originality of this investigation lies in its ability to offer a picture and first analysis of the main actors and of the entrepreneurial university system.

In this paper an analysis is offered of the history and, more briefly, present situation, of an Anabaptist movement as it manifested itself in the form of the French Anabaptist Mennonite Assemblies. The paper is divided into a consideration of political, legal, economic and social aspects of French Mennonitism on the one hand, and of religious and ethical aspects on the other.