Silvio Cardinali

Product Returns and Customer Value: A Footware Industry Case

Managing the flow of product returns is increasingly recognized as a strategically important activity that spans different functions within and across firms, especially in terms of marketing and operations. We focus specifically on managing returns in the shoes industry. In order to explore the phenomenon of returns management, a qualitative research methodology was chosen to generate an in-depth analysis given the currently limited understanding of the present research topic. Our results suggest that returns management is recognized an increased role in inter-functional alignment and that this phenomenon is linked to different elements of the relationship value.

A strenuous path for sustainable supply chains in the footwear industry: A business strategy issue

Abstract In the age of sustainability, the fashion industry is very concerned about environmental and social issues; nevertheless, it is considered not completely sustainable. This study investigated the sustainable orientation of the complex and under-investigated footwear industry. This paper presents the results of an exploratory, case-based research highlighting the internal and external drivers that footwear companies perceive as relevant in terms of sustainable configuration of their supply chain and the subsequent impact on their business. The study analyzed all the stages of the footwear supply chain to better define which processes and decision-making practices can lead companies to make their supply chains sustainable. The findings showed the existence of different approaches and a different influence on the internal and external drivers; the relevant roles of corporate values and the values of entrepreneurs are highlighted.

Open innovation and the human resource dimension: An investigation into the Italian manufacturing sector

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand if and how the adoption of an open innovation (OI) strategy, that is acquiring externally developed knowledge, influences the innovation performance of firms and how this relationship is moderated by the recruitment of highly educated employees and the implementation of employee training activities. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted an analysis based on the results of the 2010-2012 Italian Innovation Survey and considered only manufacturing firms. Accordingly, the econometric analysis was based on 2,836 firm-observations. Findings The study reveals that acquiring externally developed knowledge positively affects the innovation performance of firms. Additionally, while the moderation effect due to recruiting highly educated employees is not statistically significant, the implementation of training activities negatively moderates the investigated relationship. Research limitations/implications The present research confirms the positive effects of the adoption of OI strategies on the innovation performance of firms and, additionally, shows that implementing employee training activities may negatively influence the abovementioned relationship. Practical implications The present study suggests that firms acquiring externally developed knowledge should be careful in performing employee training activities, since they may hinder the positive effects of adopting OI strategies. Originality/value This study contributes to the OI literature, by showing the positive effects of the acquisition of externally developed knowledge on the innovation performance of firms and by analysing the moderating role of human resources management practices, which is an aspect scantly discussed in the literature.

Exploring antecedents of social media usage in B2B: a systematic review

This paper aims to review the state-of-the-art literature on social media adoption in business-to-business (B2B) contexts to propose an inclusive and theoretical viewpoint to understand the antecedents of this phenomenon.,This paper presents the results of a systematic literature review. For this purpose, 29 studies published in academic journals, books and conference papers in the field of marketing and management from 2001 to 2017 were analysed.,The results show that the number of studies has increased in the past five years. Three different groups of antecedents are identified by considering the nature of these factors (personal, organisational and external) and analysed at two different levels of adoption: individual and firm/function. Managerial implications and future research insights are provided.,This research area deserves much more attention, both theoretical and empirical, to analyse the existing classifications and develop new categories of antecedents of social media adoption in B2B. Further studies are needed on the individual level of adoption, on new skills and capabilities required to use social media as well as on the social factors influencing usage.,The literature review allows to understand the role of personal, organisational and social antecedents and suggest ways to improve the level and quality of adoption.,Despite a considerable interest in research on social media, this paper provides the first complete framework in the new field of study concerning social media adoption in B2B.

Exploring sustainable behaviour in international footwear supply chain management

The fashion industry is commonly considered to be unsustainable, being responsible for several economic, social and environmental burdens in which companies and their supply chains are involved. Scholars refer to fashion as a cross-sector, grouping companies active in different and highly competitive businesses, such as clothing, accessories, eyewear, jewellery, textiles and footwear. Among these, fashion footwear is still under investigated. Consequently, this study aims at exploring a fashion footwear companys orientation towards sustainability, and the way it affects the configuration and management of its supply chain. More in depth, the paper aims to explore the main drivers of a fashion footwear companys sustainable behaviour and their influence on the emergence of new business opportunities. The findings have revealed the importance of particular capabilities embedded in sustainable behaviour. These capabilities are constantly developed through synergistic actions with employees, suppliers, business clients, consumers and NGOs, which are able in this way to nourish the business sustainability. Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) orientation has led to a general reshaping of both inbound and outbound supply chains, configuring an integrated supply chain in which a new sustainable business model is configured.

The evolution of fundraising in the Italian non profit context: The Lega del Filo d’Oro case

The discipline of fundraising sees increasing attention from the scholars due to the worldwide growing of the nonprofit sector and the subsequent competition for private funds. Despite that, many of the studies on fundraising are still limited to the Anglo-Saxon context. This paper thus aims to examine how an organization carry out its fundraising activities in a context where fundraising does not represent the routine procedure for the vast majority of the players. The proper implementation of fundraising can substantially contributes to the organizational success of a non-profit organization. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether and how the fundraising activities have been carried out and which are the stages of evolution crossed by a proficient charity in a Latin context. This study was conducted by using a qualitative methodology; helped by semi-structured interview to the fundraising managers of the organization. The findings showed how the development of fundraising practices has been pushed by international organizations leading to an increasing isomorphism reflected by the phases of fundraising evolution crossed which resemble those highlighted in literature. Recommendations for future advancement in research are made as well as management implications.

Internet adoption and usage: evidence from Italian micro enterprises

This study aims to fill a gap in the literature of internet adoption and usage within a micro enterprises (MEs) context. The aims of the research are twofold: a) to investigate the factors that influence the adoption of internet in MEs in developed countries; b) to characterise the MEs in term of internet usage and tools adopted and benchmark different typologies of them. After a thorough analysis of the literature, a research model is created. It consists of two parts. In the first part, four hypotheses are developed in order to investigate the different factors relevant to internet adoption (company size, geographical location, type of industry, and level of internationalisation). In the second part of the research, through a cluster analysis, we analyse the main differences related to internet usage. The statistical analysis was carried out on a sample of 600 Italian MEs. The research shows that the use of the internet is still not widespread. As shown from the regression analysis, the decision to use this technology is influenced by the size of the company, the sector it operates in, and the level of internationalisation, while location is not a significant factor. Cluster analysis shows three different groups of firms related to internet usage.

Il ruolo dei giovani nei processi di transizione imprenditoriale

Meno di un’azienda familiare su quattro supera lo scoglio della prima generazione e solo una su sette raggiunge la seconda generazione. Il passaggio generazionale rappresenta quindi un vero e proprio ostacolo. E un momento critico nella vita di un’azienda, ma puo essere una sfida in merito alle opportunita che possono emergere e alle nuove strategie di sviluppo. Come ad esempio quelle relative alle innovazioni di processo o alla creazione di una nuova start up o spin off. Questo processo puo sottolineare una crisi, ma allo stesso tempo puo essere una risorsa importante in quanto richiede che vengano valutate le strategie aziendali, le risorse umane e le competenze disponibili in relazione alle prospettive di sviluppo futuro del business. Pochi studi sono stati effettuati sul passaggio generazionale ma quelli svolti rivelano diversi modelli di business e case history di successo. Il lavoro proposto mira ad inserirsi nel dibattito teorico connesso alla necessita delle aziende di famiglia di formulare una strategia di business che sia in grado di garantire la continuita aziendale e la loro sopravvivenza nel mercato.