Elena Casprini

Business model shifts: a case study on firms that apply high technology to cultural goods

Business models (BMs) in high-tech industries are analysed from a dynamic point of view in the context of cultural goods. Despite the increased interest in BMs, there is still a gap in terms of the generally accepted definition and of how BMs are analysed within an integrated framework. The aim of this paper is twofold: to provide a theoretical framework to understand BMs and how they change over time, and an empirical investigation of the characteristics of firms that apply high technology to cultural goods (HTCGs). Having defined what an HTCG firm is, within- and cross-case analyses are carried out on 30 firms that operate in the field of the cultural goods in Tuscany (Italy). The results showed interesting patterns of evolution of BMs, thus providing useful insights into the unexplored field of HTCGs.

How family firms execute open innovation strategies: the Loccioni case

Purpose This paper aims to shed light on how family firms execute open innovation strategies by managing internal and external knowledge flows. Design/methodology/approach First, through a comprehensive literature review, the paper identifies the barriers to the acquisition and transfer of knowledge in open innovation processes. Second, it presents and discusses the results of an exploratory case study on Loccioni, an Italian family firm providing high-tech measurement solutions, highlighting how this family firm managed to overcome the barriers in executing an open innovation strategy. Findings The case study shows that Loccioni faced specific challenges in acquiring and transferring knowledge in its open innovation processes and developed two idiosyncratic capabilities – labelled imprinting and fraternization – that helped the firm overcome the barriers to knowledge acquisition and transfer. The analysis shows that these two capabilities are enabled by the distinctive goals and social capital characterizing family firms. Originality/value The paper creates a link between open innovation and family business research with an empirically grounded model illustrating how the idiosyncratic capabilities of a family firm help overcome the critical barriers to the acquisition and transfer of knowledge in executing an open innovation strategy.

How are companies facing the social media (r)evolution

As well as it happened in the first digital revolution led by Web 1.0 technology, the advent of the second digital revolution led by Web 2.0 has forced firms to rethink at both their business models and strategies. On the basis of both theory and empirical examples, this paper shows that strong similarities exist between the two digital revolutions. Consistently with old economic and managerial models found in the first digital revolution, we find that companies can choose among three strategies in facing the second digital revolution: to deny, to react or to reinvent themselves. However, as the empirical examples described shown, only outliers are leading the transformations and are redefining business models and practices in their industries.

One country, multiple country-related effects: An international comparative analysis among emerging countries on Italian fashion products

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to understand whether the impact of country image and product-specific country-of-origin over the willingness to pay premium prices is different among consumers from different emerging countries. After a review of the literature shedding light on the heterogeneity of country-related cues, the paper provides first empirical evidence of a cross-national analysis based on data gathered from 2364 consumers belonging to 4 emerging countries (China, India, Thailand and Brazil) and the domestic country (Italy). The data-set was used to verify whether country image (i.e. the image consumers have of Italy as a country) and product-specific country-of-origin image (i.e. the image consumers have of “Made in Italy” fashion products) impact in a different way on the willingness to pay premium prices for Italian fashion products. Results show that country image and product-specific country of origin are country-specific, presenting different roles in the countries considered. Country-related cues in marketing strategies are still an important factor affecting consumer behaviour, especially for certain products. This paper sheds light on how country-related effects for fashion products differ across countries, with implications for both practitioners and researchers.

Case Studies on Open Innovation in ICT

This report synthesizes the results of 13 case studies on innovative ICT and ICT-enabled companies across Europe. It aims to assess the impact of Open Innovation strategies (OISs) on their innovation processes and to highlight the role played by ICT.

I choose my business model! A cross-national analysis of business model choice in family firms

Purpose – Drawing on family-business and business model (BM) literature the purpose of this paper is to explore whether a relationship exists between the family involvement in the management (i.e. closed or mixed management) and BM choice. Design/methodology/approach – A multiple case study analysis of family-owned wineries in Chianti (Italy) and Cotes du Rhone (France) has been conducted. Findings – The analysis surprisingly reveals that no relationship exists between the BM ideal type chosen and the type of management composition. Rather, it seems that the choice of hiring non-family managers is dictated by the willingness to reinforce the BM chosen by the owner and that the role played by non-family managers is not revolutionary but reinforces the owner’s BM choice. The authors propose that the stewardship theory can contribute in explaining the findings. Originality/value – A twofold contribution is offered by this study: first, it links the strategic management research on BMs to family business (FB)...

When regulatory changes become a driver for business model innovation: an illustrative case in an Italian airport

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of how an airport’s business model (BM) has been innovated. In particular, it considers a BM innovation owing to an exogenous driver, i.e. a change in the legislative environment. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents an in-depth case study. It analyses the case of an Italian regional airport that has been renewed by changes in the National Plan of Transport. Findings The paper extends previous research on BM and air transport industry in two ways. First, the authors contribute to Gillen’s (2011) framework, via introducing a new kind of ownership/governance structure, that of long-term concession, characterized by the concession of the comprehensive management to a private company for 30 years. Second, the authors look at how a BM has been implemented and used as a manipulating device over the two phases of the airport development, namely, incubation and generation. Originality/value The paper provides an in-depth case study on an airport BM innovation.

Place branding-exploring knowledge and positioning choices across national boundaries: The case of an Italian superbrand wine

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of the product-specific region-of-origin (ROO) and product-specific country-of-origin (COO) on the willingness to pay a premium price for a wine label designated as a superbrand by the Italian Government: the Chianti Classico. Design/methodology/approach The paper introduces the concept of “ROO-COO distance”, defined as the importance attributed to a product-specific ROO as compared to its COO. In order to better understand whether the construct “ROO-COO distance” influences the willingness to pay a premium price, the paper considers consumers’ cross-national differences and their knowledge, distinguishing among three types of knowledge: consumers’ subjective general product knowledge, consumers’ subjective country product knowledge and consumers’ regional product experience (PE). Four hypotheses were tested focussing on Chianti Classico – a premium wine – as related to its ROO and COO (Tuscany, Italy). The authors employed a sample of 4,254 consumers originating from New World countries (Australia, USA and Canada) and Old World countries (Germany, UK, Sweden and Belgium). Findings The findings confirm that a place-of-origin influence on price-related product evaluations is country specific. Furthermore, the moderating role of consumers’ subjective product knowledge and consumers’ region-related PEs differ across countries. The ROO-COO distance was found to positively affect only Old World consumers. It was established that respondents’ subjective country/product knowledge and consumers’ regional knowledge or PEs positively moderate this relationship. Originality/value The paper links the COO and ROO effects in a single framework and analyses it at the cross-national level, while also considering the moderating effect of consumer’s knowledge.