Am I an Entrepreneur? Identity Struggle in the Contemporary Women Entrepreneurship Discourse

Despite extensive research into their identity, women entrepreneurs still struggle to identify them- selves as entrepreneurs and encounter role models. This study shows that one explanation for this struggle is misalignment in the discourses on women entrepreneurs\u2019 identity. Misalignments and fragmentations in discourses on identity prevent women entrepreneurs from nding discursive material with which to lay solid foundations for the social construction of their identity. By compar- ing and contrasting the academic discourse with the discourse from interviews with women entre- preneurs between 2012 and 2017, this study provides evidence that the discourses on women en- trepreneurs\u2019 identity are misaligned. This misalignment may depend on the tendency in academia to address gaps in the literature and devote less attention to revisiting, in new empirical contexts, issues that have been considered in prior studies. This study also highlights several issues that are framed in widely divergent ways in the two discourses. The presence of several such misalignments helps explain current di culties that women encounter in identifying themselves as entrepreneurs

Organizational capabilities in the digital era: Reframing strategic orientation

The digital era is changing consistently the previous marketing scenarios and actual issues have to be addressed in order to close the capabilities gap created by digital innovations. Different authors call for theoretical and empirical contributions that cope with the issues brought out by the digitalization of marketing channels and the consequent ever increasing volume of digital data. This study develops a theoretical framework and propositions through a reframing and reconceptualization of previous theoretical constructs from managerial and marketing literature. The resulting model offers insights about organizational processes and capabilities needed to cope with the actual fast changing, but at the same time, data-rich environment

\u201cYou talkin' to me?\u201d The Italian Taxi drivers rhetoric as strategy of institutional resistance

The study deals with the institutional resistance dynamics, trying to enlighten the actors, contents and modes of the "institutional battle" around the liberalization of Italian Taxi Drivers' license. The article highlights that the main field of the struggle regards the discourse about the legitimacy of what is perceived as privilege of the Taxi Drivers' category. It also tries to delineate the rhetorical patterns that can act as successful strategies of institutional resistance

Understanding the role of food sustainability as a strategic value driver in hotel industry: an Italian perspective

The concept of business sustainability has received considerable attention from both practitioners and academicians in recent times and the concerns related to environmental protection have brought changes in consumer demands and behaviors (Mendleson and Polonsky, 1995; Ottman, 1992). In that context the supply-side of the tourism industry is making effort to adopt sustainable practices (Griffin and Delacey, 2003; Zimmer et al., 1994;) and, gradually, going green is believed to be an effective competitive frame in the hospitality industry (Han et al., 2009; Manaktola and Jauhari, 2007; Wolfe and Shanklin, 2001). As a result, a critical challenge for hotels is to gain a better understanding of current and potential customers! desireandintentionforgreenconsumption(Hanetal.,2009).Withinthatscenario,attemptshave been made in investigating tourists! perceptions of environmentally responsible practices implemented by tourism businesses (Andereck, 2009), in examining how responsible purchasing might influence tourism product purchasing (Chafe, 2007) and in exploring relationships between consumers! sustainable purchasing practices and their related attitudes towards purchasing a tourist product (Pereira et al., 2012). Despite some research efforts have been focused in examining different sustainable practices such as recycling programs, architectural design and construction sensitive to both the local culture and environment, alternative energy usage (Griffin and Delacey, 2003; Mehta et al., 2002), the topic of food sustainability remains largely unexplored in hospitality, although the phenomenon seems to be highly relevant considering the experiential nature of the services and the products offered in the industry. This study aims to address this omission. In fact, food can play a vital role in delivering green services to customers (Jang et al., 2011). Generally the term green is alternatively known as eco-friendly, environmentally friendly or sustainable (Han et al, 2009; Pizam, 2009; Laroche et al, 2001) and, especially in the restaurant industry, the term green food has come to mean organic, local and sustainable food (LaVecchia, 2008), even though an accepted and organizational definition is currently missing (Jang et al., 2011)

Digital analytics and high organizational performance: a fuzzy-set QCA approach

Empirical evidence and previous literature on the effect of customer analytics on organizational performance demonstrate contrasting results. The enormous expansion of digital customer-related data, which is accessible almost freely and in real time, has made this a critical issue for contemporary marketing managers. Employing fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analyses (fsQCA), this study examines which configurations of digital analytics and organizational customer-related culture, processes and capabilities drive high market performance. The evidence finds certain conditions are necessary for achieving high market performance, and other conditions constitute a path of sufficient conditions, depending on the level of environmental dynamisms

Genetic divergence in Northamerican freshwater planarians of the Dugesia dorotocephala group (Turbellaria, Tricladida, Paludicola)

The genetic differentiation between the members of the Dugesia (Girardia) dorotocephala group was analyzed by means of multilocus electrophoresis, and comared to that of another planarian secies, D. tahitiensis, also belonging to the subgenus Girardia. The species examined were: D. dorotocephala s.s (2n = 16), D. arizonensis (2n = 8), D. jenkinsae (2n = 8), and the above mentioned D. tahitiensis (2n = 16). The former three species inhabit North America, and show different proportion of fissiparous and sexual individuals; the latter species inhabits Polynesia and is fully asexual. A total of 11 enzyme loci were genetically analyzed: Mdh-1, Mdh-2, Zdh-1, Idh-2, G3pdh, Got-1, Ck, Pgm-2, Ada, Mpi, and Gpi. Low values of observed mean heterozygosity per locus (Ho) were found in the populations studied, ranging from 0 to 0.18 (average 0.08. In asexual populations (except that of D. tahitiensis) fixed heterozygosity was observered in all the individuals for 1 or 2 loci. The genetic divergence between the species examined is very high, with many loci showing discriminating alleles in different taxa (Nei's genetic distance varies from 0.871 to 1.759). The populations of D. dorotocehala s.s., on the contrary, appear to be genetically quite homogenous average D= 0.019), and the genetic distance values are apparently unrelated to their geographic location and to their way of reproduction. The genetic distance between D. tahitiensis, a species not included in the D. dorotocephala group and D. dorotocephala s.s. is 1.314 and hence similar to the D value between two members of;he dorotocephala group: D. dorotocephala and D. jenkinsae (D = 1.303). The genetic relationships among the populations studied were established by UPGMA cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling. The descendence of the North American species with 2n = 8 from a dorotocephala-like ancestor with 2n = 16 is considered. It is suggested that the latter, as well as a tahitiensis-like line, also having 2n = 16, have originated from a common ancestor by geographic isolation

Crisis Management on Social Media: a framework

Purpose. Scholars should investigate organization model of companies that successfully manage their Social Media presence, in every circumstance. The main purpose of our research is to provide a network perspective to the relevant topic of Social Media Crisis Management. Methodology. Following an exploratory qualitative approach, Authors have conducted 5 in-depth interviews with key Informants (internal and external to the Company) designated to the task of \u201csocial media crisis management\u201d, linked in a client/suppliers relationship. All the material has been reviewed through a content-analysis. Findings. According to our preliminary research, many are the issues and the topics that companies and digital agencies/consultants must control in their collaboration to face a Social Media crisis. Even if the topic is compelling, many of those elements are unexpected and underestimate. Practical implications. Managerial implications concern three different point of view: how companies and their suppliers interact in facing challenges online and how a network approach could be useful for Social Media Crisis Management. Originality/value. From the best of our knowledge, this study could be the first in analysing how companies and agencies must be organized to face a crisis on Social Media. Moreover, it will allow investigating in an empiric way the sense making approach to the crisis management topic

People-related TQM practices: the role of metaperceptions

Purpose– The authors investigate the role of people-related Total Quality Management (TQM) practices, specifically metaperceptions, in hearing care students’ vocational decision-making. In Italy, audiologists are health professionals and must hold a degree in hearing care. They operate according to clinical principles but must also develop marketing and commercial skills. While employers take these aspects for granted, the expectations of hearing care students often differ from reality. Thus, the authors aim to investigate the vocational expectations of hearing care students. Design/methodology/approach– A survey was distributed to 600 hearing care students. Multiple regression analysis with bootstrapped confidence intervals was employed to test the hypotheses. Findings–Studentswhoperceivedaudiologyastheircallingweremoreinterestedintheclinicalaspectsthan the marketing and commercial aspects of audiology. Moreover, those desiring a meaningful career path in audiology were more interested in becoming a store owner or franchisee. Social implications– Universities and recruiters should consider the influence of relevant others’ metaperceptions on students’ self-perceptions of their aptitudes for different careers. Universities should assist studentstoidentifyaptitudesthatare relevanttocareer-related decision-making.Inthis context,people-related TQMcanhelp students avoid incorrect aspirations and expectations. Originality/value– This study is the first to investigate the role of metaperceptions from a people-related TQMperspective. Metaperceptions play a crucial role in determining the correct course of study as well as job satisfaction and expectations

Food Sustainability as a Strategic Value Driver in the Hotel Industry

This paper aims at exploring the impact of green food on consumers’ purchase attitudes toward a hotel stay and on consumers’ behavioral intentions (i.e., intention to visit the hotel, intention to offer positive recommendations to others and willingness to pay a premium price), focusing on an Italian perspective where the food is a worldwide famous cultural element. This research employed a survey sent out by email to a database of contacts provided by an Italian company that operates in tourism. Data collection was completed in four weeks and the initial dataset counted 3586 of target respondents. A total of 302 surveys were completed and the data were analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM). Firstly, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed, followed by a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) that leads to the estimation of the structural model. The results show that personal beliefs toward green food are positively associated with respondents’ purchase attitudes toward green food. Moreover, stronger purchase attitudes toward green food lead to more favorable purchase attitudes toward hotels that offer green food, further substantiating the investigation about whether or not consumers’ attitudes employ similar concerns on sustainability for their daily purchases as well as for vacation products and services. In turn, the latter purchase attitudes are positively associated with individual behavioral intentions toward hotels that offer green food

Enhancing employees' remote work experience: Exploring the role of organizational job resources

The improvement of well-being and working conditions for remote employees has long been a topic of discussion in management literature. The COVID-19 lockdowns have brought this topic back to the forefront, with remote work becoming not just an option but a necessity in some cases. Therefore, understanding the organizational and individual-level variables that contribute to enhanced remote work experience for workers is critical today. However, academic research on the topic remains incomplete. The present study contributes to this topic by building a comprehensive research model, including relevant organizational variables connected to individual-level experiences of stress in remote work contexts. An examination of 471 observations of remote workers was conducted to test a moderated mediation model, which showed the significant role of participative leadership, goal clarity, and job resource adequacy in enhancing remote work self-efficacy as stress-coping mechanisms