Foreign markets entry mode decision for SMEs. Key factors and role of industrial districts.

The principal aim of this paper was to examine the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in regard to the entry mode selection process. To successfully accomplish this, a resource-based view model was used to investigate the primary factors influencing a SMEs’ international entry mode. Data was obtained during direct interviews with owners/managers of SMEs in Italy. The results revealed that entry mode decisions were primarily influenced by firm specific factors, above all organizational culture. The study also illustrated that SMEs were not influenced by their belonging to an industrial district.Small and medium sized enterprises; Resource based view; Entry modes; Industrial Districts

The Status of the Gulf of Sirte in International Law

This article examines whether Libya\u27s declaration that the Gulf of Sirte is part of its territory is lawful

Changes In Entry Mode Strategy For Italian Smes

The purpose of this paper is to examine the internationalization of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) with a particular focus on the factors that influence changes in entry mode strategy that occur during the process, after the first foreign market entry and from the perspective of firms belonging to the mechanical sector. To achieve this, a quantitative research has been performed through a survey of 60 entrepreneurs and managers of Italian SMEs operating in the mechanical sector. The main findings confirm that, although existing business and social relationships have always had a great influence in the internationalization strategies, when it comes to analyze the SMEs perspective it is also necessary to take into account the influence of other factors, regardless of relationships, like the entrepreneur’s perception of the need to change mode strategy in a specific market

Structure and Description of the Prison Notebooks

This is an English-language guide to Gramsci’s Prison Notebooks. The original guide (see the previous article) was originally modified and made available in English for an exhibition in Moscow earlier in 2019, in which some of the Notebooks were on show. The English-language version for the Moscow exhibition was more generic in nature than the Italian one on which it was based. The current English version contains integrations from the Italian text to bring it more into line with the original text (see previous article). The guide illustrates the structure of the Notebooks, lists the general contents of each of them and, as far as possible, indicates why given notes are found in given sections of the Notebooks, often special sections set aside on purpose, sometimes with Gramsci’s own titling, for second draftings. Such notebook titles and section sub-titles, if in italics, are Gramsci’s own; otherwise they are later editorial additions. Particular attention is paid to the division between miscellaneous, special and translation notebooks; the article includes the most up-to-date information available on when and where each notebook was written

Soil CO2 emissions and C stock as Ecosystem Services: a comparison between transhumant and conventional farming systems

I Servizi Ecosistemici (Ecosystem Services) sono definiti come i benefici che il genere umano riceve dagli ecosistemi. I sistemi transumanti ovini ricoprono tuttora un ruolo determinante in molti paesi dell’area mediterranea ed hanno la capacità di fornire una moltitudine di servizi ecosistemici. Tuttavia i contributi scientifici che prendono in esame tali servizi necessitano di analizzare ulteriori fattori come tradeoff e relazioni tra Ecosystem Services e biodiversità. Il presente lavoro ha l’obiettivo di fornire nuove conoscenze circa i Servizi Ecosistemici forniti dai sistemi transumanti del centro Italia. La struttura della tesi è composta da una review della letteratura sugli Ecosystem Services forniti dai “livestock grazing systems” e da due capitoli che indagano le dinamiche di carbonio del suolo ponendo a confronto sistemi agrari convenzionali con sistemi transumanti. Tali analisi sono state effettuate lungo un transetto (dalle aree costiere alle aree montane) seguendo gli spostamenti stagionali delle greggi transumanti. Dai risultati della tesi emerge la necessità di preservare il sistema transumante ovino al fine di mantenere il “soil carbon sink” come servizio ecosistemico. Questo in virtù del fatto che il sistema transumante garantisce la presenza di medicai di lunga durata i quali sarebbero altrimenti sostituiti da sistemi agricoli convenzionali. Tuttavia, in sistemi assai complessi come quello in esame, la presenza di trade-off tra servizi appare inevitabile. Per cui, in accordo con quanto emerso dalla review, la ricerca e lo sviluppo di indicatori basati non esclusivamente su parametri bio-fisici ma che tengano in considerazione anche il valore estetico degli ecosistemi è di fondamentale importanza per la massimizzazione dei benefici ottenibili dagli Ecosystem ServicesEcosystem Services are defined as the benefits that human being receive from ecosystems. Sheep transhumant systems are still of major importance in Mediterranean countries and have the potential to deliver a wide array of Ecosystem services. On the other hand, the main difficulty on this research topic is to take in consideration trade-offs and the relation between the Ecosystem services and biodiversity. This thesis aims to provide new insights on the Ecosystem Services provided by sheep transhumant systems in Central Italy. The body of the thesis includes three chapters: a literature review on Ecosystem Services provided by livestock grazing systems and two chapters focused on the comparison of Soil C dynamics of transhumant and conventional farming system along a transect (from the coastal area to the mountain area of Central Italy) following the seasonal movements of transhumant flocks. From the researches emerge the need to preserve sheep transhumant system in order preserve the regulating ecosystem services of soil carbon sink. That is the presence of transhumant allows the presence of long-lasting alfalfa fields in areas where otherwise conventional cropping systems (e.g. wheat) would take place. Despite this, trade-offs between services are likely to occur within especially in such complex systems. However, in accordance with the main results of the review, the inclusion of cultural Ecosystem Services seems to be paramount. Therefore, future research should go in this direction with the development of indicators based not only on bio-physical parameters but that take in consideration also the aesthetic value of ecosystems. nce of transhumant allows the presence of alfalfa fields in areas where otherwise conventional cropping systems (e.g. wheat) would take place. Despite this, trade-offs between services are likely to occur within especially in such complex systems. However, in accordance with the main results of the review, the inclusion of cultural Ecosystem Services seems to be paramount. Future research should go in this direction and the development of indicators based not only on bio-physical parameters but that take in consideration also the aesthetic value of ecosystems must be developed

Beer Tourists: Who Are They?

Craft beer as an industry has been growing rapidly across the United States over the past decade. This growth and interest has created an emerging niche market in tourism, beer tourism. The purpose of this study is to expand on the knowledge of who a beer tourist is based on demographics, psychographics, and motivational factors. Also, this paper explored if this miconiche could be further divided into more specific segments. Results from the study show that the main motivation for beer tourists to visit a brewery is related to experiencing/ tasting new beers and learning more about the beer, brewery, or industry. It was also found that visitor’s whose main travel purpose was to visit the brewery were statistically significantly different on 5 motivational items than those visitors who had an alternative main purpose to their visit

MVM’s Nonlinear Internationalization: A Case Study

This paper aims to contribute to the international business literature by discussing the nature of nonlinear internationalization based on a case study of an Italian firm MVM Meccanica Valle Metauro S.r.l. that had activities in Central and Eastern Europe and other countries and identifying causes of nonlinearities. It shows that nonlinear internationalization may be caused by different internal and external factors and actors; that it can occur once or several times, that foreign market exit may be temporary (followed by re-entry) and permanent and that de-internationalization does not always mean a failure for the firm

Drivers of SMEs’ exporting activity: a review and a research agenda

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic and updated assessment of studies on key exporting stimuli for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and to propose a research agenda on this topic. Design/methodology/approach The authors develop a review of empirical articles on SMEs’ exporting stimuli and outline future research directions based on key emerging drivers. Findings Research on SMEs’ exporting drivers focuses mainly on human resources’ competences, skills and subjective characteristics and on the role of relevant network actors (customers, intermediaries). Originality/value This paper provides an original contribution with regard to updating the framework on export drivers by Leonidou et al. (2007), highlighting an emerging research perspective based on internal/external network dimensions and proposing future research directions on internal individual and organisational actors and on new external network actors