The Influence of Digital Technologies on Born Global Business Models

This study aims at understanding the impact of digital technologies in shaping the Born Global companies’ business models and the influence on their internationalization path. To develop our study, we adopted an approach based on interviews with key informants from two Italian Born Global companies that have developed their internationalization path by relying on digital technologies. Our findings highlight how digital technologies and collaborative design tools can represent the basis for new business models which exploit the opportunities coming from the increasing connectivity of people and businesses. According to this perspective, new types of born global companies can be identified, with a role of “digital-based process coordinator”, which support with a pivotal role the management of complex projects

Gen Z and wine consumption: A comparative study of Italian and Spanish consumers

This study explores the consumption patterns of Gen Z towards wine. The methodology involves an online questionnaire administered to Italian and Spanish respondents aged 18 to 25 years. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA are employed for data analysis. The results show that both Italian and Spanish Gen Z consumers exhibit interest in sustainability and health-related values when it comes to wine consumption. Sustainable wine options are highly regarded, indicating a strong concern for environmental and personal well-being issues. However, an attitude-behaviour gap exists, with conventional wines still being consumed more frequently. Wine is seen as a social product, integrated into consumers’ lifestyle and the impact of online content on their purchasing decisions is relatively low

Metabolic Modifications in HIV-Infected Women

To assess metabolic alterations and/or abnormal fat distribution in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-infected women undergoing Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), a case-control study was carried out in a population of twenty-two HIV-infected, normal weight, non-diabetic, normotensive women. Twenty-five healthy non infected subjects matched for sex, age and Body Mass Index (BMI) were also included as a control group. Blood samples were collected for leptin and insulin measurements. Fasting glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol were also measured. Insulin resistance was determined using the homeostasis model assessment index (HOMA-IR). Body fat distribution was evaluated using waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), Bioelectric Impedance Analysis (BIA) and abdominal CT-scan. Immunologic and virologic parameters included CD4- and CD8-T cell counts and HIV-RNA levels. HIV-infected patients showed higher levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides (P<0.05), higher fasting insulin and HOMA-IR (P<0.001), lower levels of HDL-cholesterol (P<0.001) and serum leptin (P<0.001) than the control group. With regard to body fat distribution, no statistically significant difference between cases and controls was found. Among the control women leptin levels were positively correlated with body fat distribution parameters (P<0.001)