Purpose: In the most recent years, social, innovative, economic and political changes in the European context have characterized consumers' behaviours. The paper aims to understand if the use of electronic commerce differs in a situation characterized by uncertainty. Design/methodology/approach: An innovative approach to categorising online consumer behaviour considers the self-determination theory and basic psychological needs in an uncertain scenario. The research is based on a quantitative analysis obtained by clustering algorithms on a sample of 1,000 digital users in European countries. A structured questionnaire was administered online and distributed through the leading online social platforms and direct mailing. Findings: The results show online activities during changes in consumer behaviour patterns and retailers' strategies. This research will allow online retail managers and practitioners to obtain important information to help them define appropriate customer-oriented strategic actions to enhance value in the electronic context for both customers and firms. Originality/value: The innovation of this research approaches the categorization of online consumer behaviour by exploiting the self-determination theory in an uncertain scenario. Precisely, the novelty of this research is to highlight three detailed categories of electronic commerce consumers, namely, unwilling, halfback and digital, to collect, store and disseminate information about these categories of Online Consumers Behaviours.

Managing a scientific journal is a critical and challenging service for academics and practitioners. There must be a way for journal editors to gain a clear picture of their publication's performance and gain insight into how they can make improvements to expand the journal's impact. Knowing the journal's performance and its leading contribution to a particular field can be useful for journal managers readers, authors, and science policymakers. This article presents a management framework informed by scientometrics and bibliometrics as a science that uses statistical techniques to analyze information distribution models, to help journals contribute more to the field by optimum engagement of editorial knowledge and expertise and expanding the boundaries of what is known. We examined one prominent journal as a case study in this paper. The outcomes are used to assess the feasibility of the proposed framework. The top contributions of the case journal are identified systematically, and strategies for potential growth are proposed accordingly. Based on the findings, this study not only provides an overview of the benefits of scientometrics-based journal management but also provides recommendations to strengthen the journal's impact on the field as a contribution to practice. As a result, this article is intended to benefit publishers, journal editors, readers, and policymakers. 

Purpose: Augmented reality (AR) technology currently plays a central role in the retail sector, rapidly changing consumers’ behaviours and retailers’ strategies. The purpose of this paper is to identify the behavioural changes that have occurred due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the retail sector, and how AR technology can be used as a valid and useful response to these new consumer habits.

Design/methodology/approach: Exploratory research was conducted to determine how AR has helped people shop differently than they did before the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by evaluating two retail-sector AR applications (apps). In-depth interviews were conducted and assessed using thematic analysis.

Findings: This paper identifies a new paradigm involving COVID-19 and AR by identifying several factors that are related to the rapid spread of COVID-19 and have modified consumers’ shopping habits. Additionally, it shows how interactive technologies, such as AR, are useful tools that can be employed to overcome retailing crises driven by external environmental factors, such as COVID-19, and enhance shopping experiences.

Originality/value: This research reveals the role of AR technologies in transformed economic and social contexts. By investigating the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated consequences, i.e. isolation, quarantines and lockdowns; the fear of contracting the virus and the new needs of people to shop while social distancing, this study enriches AR research with a fourth characteristic, augmented social distance.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, scholars have studied effects caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus in different fields such as management, finance, business, and social science in general. The retailing sector was profoundly affected by several modifications during and after the first and second waves of COVID-19 worldwide. The spread of Covid-19, with the associated restrictions, the fear of social contact and the need to maintain physical distance, influenced both consumers and retailers. However, it was found that there is a lack of studies on key issues in the retail sector. For that reason, this paper aims to study how scholars in the business management research field have analysed this new retailing crisis and the retail field’s subsequent transformation. By adopting a qualitative research method based on a literature review, this paper identifies the main research topics – shopping, consumer behaviour, technology, and digitalization – related to COVID-19 and retailing in the business management research area. In particular, it was found that the above-mentioned topics need to be investigated in light of their connection and interrelation. The study shows the connection between the online shopping behaviours stimulated by the pandemic, the different retailer strategies to overcome the restrictions, and how digital technologies can serve as a bridge between the two.

Corporate communication plays an important role in establishing and maintaining transparent and open dialogues with different stakeholders to foster ethical and socially responsible actions. The advent of the internet not only reorganized the way in which companies collect information, but also redefined stakeholders’ expectations. This paper investigates the potential of internet-based communication tools to disclose CSR topics. The study analyses the extent to which the Dow Jones Sustainability Index companies are using the internet-based tools to foster one-way and two-way communications and, so, to develop a dialogue with stakeholders. The research suggests a prevalence of one-way communication through internet-based tools but, at the same time, a large dissemination of social network channels.

L’attività delle fondazioni di origine bancaria è profondamente legata alle peculiarità del territorio di riferimento e si basa su un costante confronto con i soggetti istituzionali e associativi che operano a livello locale. Pertanto, risulta fondamentale stabilire e coltivare relazioni con gli stakeholder, al fine di comprendere i loro bisogni e perseguire gli scopi di pubblica utilità. L’adozione di una strategia di comunicazione fondata sulla corporate communication permette di superare la visione limitata alla sola gestione delle strategie e degli strumenti di comunicazione, adottando un approccio in cui comportamenti aziendali e capacità di networking assumono un ruolo fondamentale. La presente monografia scientifica intende, non solo prendere in rassegna i differenti modelli di corporate communication, ma anche offrire uno spunto di riflessione e possibili strumenti operativi al management delle fondazioni bancarie per una gestione strategica di tutta l’organizzazione.

Tourism is one of the most significant economic sectors in the main countries of the world. In recent years, technological innovations, and changes in tourist behaviour had an impact on the hospitality industry. At the same time, there has been a growing interest at a global level about the sustainability issue, given the increasingly evident negative effects of human activities on climate and environment, which impose the need for short-term actions. To be sustainable, tourism needs to benefit both local communities and tourists, promoting and at the same time protecting the natural and cultural values and resources, local food, history and cultural heritage. Green marketing practices allow the tourism sector to achieve sustainable goals with the dual effect of safeguarding the environment and being economically efficient. Green actions should be implemented and communicated, highlighting not only the company’s environmental concerns but also the financial benefits, to avoid greenwashing actions.

Purpose: The paper focusses on festivals taking place in coastal regions whose central element is seafood. The purpose is to analyse the role of seafood festivals as potential tourist attractions for local development. The decision to focus on coastal areas is based on a perceived knowledge gap regarding the interactions between different sectors of the sea economy.

Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative exploratory case studies of seafood festivals in Italy and Sweden have been performed using an analytical model. The participatory observation methodology contributed to a better understanding of the phenomenon.

Findings: The analysis shows the close relationship between seafood and tourism, and although it takes variable forms, food is a fundamental lever for maritime and coastal tourism and local development. Findings suggest that local food events can help strengthening gastronomic identities, despite there is a different articulation between tradition and marketing in the two countries.

Research limitations/implications: Since this paper represents an exploratory study of five seafood festivals, research needs to be extended and replicated before any findings can be generalized. However, the model is flexible enough to be tested in different food events.

Practical implications: Food events represent a key instrument for the integration of territorial policies in which tourism and food products might be used as strategic instruments for the development of coastal areas.

Originality/value: This paper is a first attempt to analyse and compare seafood events, contributing to filling the gap in event literature referring to coastal areas. The model introduced can be used to determine the articulation of tradition-marketing in different food events.

The relationship between tourism and food is important. Not only because this is essential for the localdevelopment, but also as it represents a basis for the emerging of new businesses in areas related tocreativity and culture. Tourists are looking for unique experiences. They want to explore a destinationthrough new elements, such as the gastronomy found at the destination. Food is often considered anincentive for the development of tourism in the territories whose attractiveness is in crisis (Kivelä andCrotts, 2006). Research has shown that culinary tourism is able to increase the value of the touristexperience; therefore, it is becoming a new market niche that can contribute to development of rural andurban areas (Yun, Hennessey, and MacDonald, 2011). Food festivals aim to promote local gastronomythrough the exploration and tasting of typical food products of the area.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the role of seafood festivals as potential tourist attractions for localsustainable development. The decision to focus on the sea economy is a gap related to the study ofdifferent sectors of the blue economy and the connections and interactions between them. This study willdescribe the phenomenon of food festivals in the blue economy, examining three case studies in theMarche Region (Italy) and Västra Gotland Region (Sweden) during 2016. A qualitative exploratoryresearch approach was used. The participatory observation methodology contributed to an understandingof the phenomenon with an "insider point of view” and to take part in social life of actors. An analyticalmodel based on four perspectives was applied: food presentation, restaurant involvement, entertainmentand petty trade, children’s activities.

The analysis shows that the entertainment and petty trade are disturbing for tourists looking forauthenticity, but at the same time, they are enjoyable for many local residents and attract more visitors,which generate a better economy for the event. Moreover, festivals provide an opportunity to promotelocal food and food brands. In general, these findings suggest that there is a balance between economicand social objectives in terms of generated value.

References

Ab Karim S. and Chi C. G.Q. (2010). Culinary Tourism as a Destination Attraction: An EmpiricalExamination of Destinations' Food Image, Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 19(6), 531-555.

Hennessey, S. and Yun, D. and MacDonald, R.M. (2014). Segmenting and Profiling the Cultural TourismMarket for an Island Destination, International Journal of Management and Marketing Research, 7(1), 15-28.

Kivela, J and Crotts, J. (2006), Tourism and Gastronomy: Gastronomy’s Influence on How TouristsExperience a Destination, Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 30(3), 354-377. 

The new generation of entrepreneurs is operating in contexts where technological progress requires constant attention to innovation. Often the concept of start-up is associated with the digital economy, but it has a wider application than that and including also the sectors of the green economy (Bellagamba, P. Palanga, L. Pizzichini, 2016).

The research aim is to provide a theoretical contribution to the study of start-ups, particularly to identify drivers of innovation and the elements differentiating the green econonomy that guide the creation of start-ups by young entrepreneurs, with a specific focus on the territory of the Marche Region.

A literature review and database analysis was performed to define innovative and green start-ups. These companies, born in the higher knowledge based sectors, have their own specific characteristics and problems. Therefore, it was considered appropriate to use a qualitative research, developed through three focus groups, in which were involved different individuals and economic operators, such as "innovative" start-up, "green" start-up, incubators, spin-offs, representatives of trade associations.

The purpose of this study is to identify the unique characteristics of innovative and green start-ups of the Marche Region; the main opportunities and barriers for these organizations; the difficulties in delivering services and products related to innovation; the reasons that pushed start-ups operating in the green sector and if this resulted in an advantage or a disadvantage for the development of business. Moreover, the research aims to investigate the role of territory in the growth of start-up, analyzing in particular limits and opportunities, the inclination to the internationalization and the possible measures of the institutions to support the growth of the "new" organizations.

The analysis shows that a major problem is the capacity to communicate "innovation" to the market, that is, to make understand the value proposition of the idea. This problem is most evident for intangible assets. A further obstacle to the development of start-up is the difficulty to protect know-how and, in general, the relationship capital.Territory is not a restriction, but an opportunity, because it provides innovative start-ups, particularly in the manufacturing sector, the possibility of finding a small and a medium-sized enterprises, highly flexible and specialized, for outsource processes. Furthermore, the characteristics of the territory reduce the costs of research and contact of potential clients and suppliers, thanks to the network of relationships building by traditional companies over the years. 

References

[1] Arvanitis, S., Stucki, T. (2012). What determines the innovation capability of firm founders?, Industrial and Corporate Change. Vol. 21, Number 4, pp. 1049–1084.

[2] Bellagamba, A., Palanga, P., Pizzichini, L. (2016). L’imprenditoria giovanile nel contesto marchigiano, start-up innovative e “green economy”. CLUA, Ancona.

[3] Gans, J. S., Hsu, D. H., & Stern, S. (2000). When does start-up innovation spur the gale of creative destruction, National bureau of economic res No. w7851.

[4] Frey, M. (2009). Green Economy e competitività, Eco-News, n. 5.

[5] Fondazione Symbola (2014). Green Italy, Rapporto 2014.

[6] Lam, P. T., & Law, A. O. (2016). Crowdfunding for renewable and sustainable energy projects: An exploratory case study approach. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 60, 11-20.

[7] Perrini, F. (2007). Social entrepreneurship. Imprese innovative per il cambiamento sociale. Egea, Milano.

[8] Peters, L., Rice, M., Sundararajan, M. (2004). The Role Of Incubators In The Entrepreneurial Process. Journal of Technology Transfer, Vol. 29.

[9] Petretto, L. (2008). Imprenditore ed Università nello start-up di impresa. Ruoli e relazioni critiche. Firenze University Press.

[10] Sala, S., Castellani, V. (2011) Atlante dell’ecoinnovazione, FrancoAngeli.

[11] Sapienza, H. J., Grimm, C. M. (1997). Founder characteristics, start-up process, and strategy structure variables as predictors of short-line railroad performance. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Vol. 22, No. 1.

[12] Schoof, U. (2006). Stimulating Youth Entrepreneurship: Barriers and incentives to enterprise start-ups by young people. SEED Working Paper No. 76, International Labour Office, Geneva, Switzerland.

Food tourism is an important element that contributes to strengthening the gastronomic identity of a destination (Andersson, Mossberg, 2016). It often enhances the visibility of tourist destinations through the organization of events dedicated to food which are able to leverage on the local culture and its specificity (Marchini, Riganelli & Diotallevi, 2016).

Food festivals aim to promote local gastronomy through the exploration and tasting of typical food products of the local area. Moreover, food events could help developing tourism by improving the relationship between guest and host, and introducing tourists to local flavors and traditions during their vacation. (Getz,1991, 2000; Ciani & Diotallevi, 2013; Mitchell & Mitchell, 2001; Sidali, Kastenholz, & Bianchi, 2013). Generally, existing research on food events concentrate mainly on rural areas (Hall & Sharples, 2008; Hollows, J., et al. 2013).

The aim of the study is to contribute to the food events literature by focusing on a maritime environment. Qualitative research and case studies on sea food festivals in Italy and Sweden have been performed to understand how different approaches related to tradition and marketing can influence the process leading to the creation of sea food festivals. Moreover, the purpose of the research is to investigate the ideas of the stakeholders involved and the relationship between them, interviewing the organizations managing these events

Purpose: This paper aims to contribute to overcoming the gap existing in the supply chain literature related to digital servitization by bridging digital servitization with knowledge management and identifying the rise of digital knowledge servitization as a driver for changes in the supply chain business model towards open innovation.

Design/methodology/approach: The study follows an inductive grounded theory approach for theory building. To analyse the impact of digital knowledge servitization, in-depth interviews of managers in the main business units of the Volvo Group supply chain ecosystem were carried out.

Findings: The results show how the digital servitization process affects the supply chain business model, highlighting the central role of knowledge in the service ecosystem and the rise of the theoretical concept of digital knowledge servitization. In particular, through the Innovation Lab (Volvo Group) study, the paper contributes to bringing together the theoretical knowledge-based view of servitization with the digital servitization concept, which demonstrates the role of this combined perspective in the transformation of the supply chain; this is carried out by introducing a new business model based on open innovation in inbound and outbound processes.

Practical implications: The research offers interesting insights from a managerial perspective, as increasingly advanced and complex digital solutions require shorter times in supply chain management (SCM). Companies need to be able to quickly manage information and knowledge flows deriving from internal and external interactions and involvement with external actors upstream and downstream of the supply chain ecosystem. Therefore, the digital knowledge servitization of the supply chain also highlights implications for managers in terms of human resources management.

Originality/value: The novel research goal is to contribute to the supply chain literature by integrating the digital servitization with the knowledge view and analysing the impact on the inbound and outbound supply chain through the introduction of an open innovation business model.

Purpose: This paper aims to identify what ethical attributes tourists associate with national parks’ brands shown on food souvenir labels and the influence of such attributes on purchase motivations.

Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory study was carried out involving a total of 102 Italian tourists, who were interviewed at two different souvenir shops in Italy. Respondents were first asked to describe what images and values they were associating with the visited Italian National Park. The second level of questions related to the association of food products with national parks and the purchase motivations of food products branded with the national park’s label. The ethical attributes associated with the national parks’ brands and their relevance in purchase motivations were detected and analyzed through content analysis.

Findings: The analysis of the national park brand allows highlighting the food souvenir role in communicating ethical values that influence the perceived quality of food as well as tourists’ purchase motivations. The analysis reveals interesting implications for the enhancement of local productions in tourist destinations, more specifically, how the place brand can act as a valuable communication tool. Particular attention is given to the crucial role that national parks’ brands play in strengthening the value proposition of small businesses located within parks. This vision must be implemented from the perspective of mutual promotion of local food and tourism in these parks.

Originality/value: The results of this paper contributed to the literature by filling the gap regarding the role of place brands in promoting food souvenirs. 

Professional training has become increasingly more important as the tourism industry grows and evolves. It plays a particularly vital role in supporting business competitiveness in the traditional distribution system. This has encouraged a growing focus on e-learning and on the interesting advantages that it opens up in training activities. However, it has been given limited attention as a useful tool for marketing purposes. This paper aims to analyze the use of e-learning in the marketing perspective, with specific reference to the relationship between tour operators and travel agents, using the case study of the e-learning platform, Go Academy.