Tommaso Pucci

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.

Modelli di business e strategie di marketing nelle medie imprese. La gestione della crisi tra continuità e cambiamento

Gli autori propongono un’analisi longitudinale di due casi di medie aziende toscane del settore moda con l’obiettivo di verificare se e come le recenti crisi economiche internazionali abbiano condizionato i modelli di business e le strategie di marketing delle due imprese. A tal fine viene sviluppato un modello teorico per l’analisi dei modelli di business e della relativa evoluzione che gli autori utilizzano come framework per lo sviluppo della metodologica di caso. L’evidenza empirica ci mostra che le medie imprese reagiscono alla crisi adattando le loro strategie al differente scenario competitivo; il modello di business originario non viene stravolto, ma vengono introdotti alcuni cambiamenti nei suoi sotto-sistemi critici.

Firm capabilities, business model design and performance of SMEs

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between firm capabilities, business model (BM) design, and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach The study provides a quantitative assessment of the proposed model using a sample of 411 small- and medium-sized enterprises. Heckman’s sample selection model is employed as an econometric framework. Findings The outcomes demonstrate that the adoption of a given BM is endogenous with respect to firm capabilities, different capabilities spur the adoption of different BM, and that different BM designs have variable impacts on firm performance. Research limitations/implications Some investigated variables were operationalized using proxies, and firm performance was measured based on a self-assessed scale. Practical implications Since different types of capabilities are at the bases of different BM designs that eventually reverberate on firm performance, SMEs should carefully balance their financial resources invested in the development of capabilities. Originality/value This study represents one of the first attempts to investigate the relationships between firm capabilities, BM design, and firm performance.

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.

Marketing imprenditoriale, gestione degli intangibles e competitività. Un'analisi nel settore dell'abbigliamento infantile

Gli autori analizzano le conseguenze sulla competitivita dell’impresa di politiche di valorizzazione delle risorse intangibili riconducibili all’adozione di un approccio di marketing imprenditoriale. L’obiettivo e verificare l’esistenza di una correlazione tra l’adozione di alcune politiche di marketing, valore degli intangibili e competitivita, nonche analizzare il ruolo di un approccio imprenditoriale orientato al mercato nel successo delle imprese. La ricerca mostra che: a) specifiche politiche di marketing contribuiscono ad accrescere il patrimonio immateriale delle imprese; b) uno sviluppo aziendale che fa leva sul patrimonio di asset intangibili ha un ruolo fondamentale nella generazione di redditivita; c) il coinvolgimento dell’imprenditore in questo processo di sviluppo prende avvio dal marketing per poi estendersi a tutta la gestione aziendale.

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)...

The role of actors in interactions between “innovation ecosystems”: drivers and implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the role of the actors (especially firms) in interactions between contexts defined as “innovation ecosystems.” Design/methodology/approach The paper presents a conceptual framework. A review of the literature to frame the concepts of innovation ecosystems and the Industrial Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) approach is presented. A possible integration of the two concepts is then discussed. Findings The paper adds new discursive inputs to the concept of innovation ecosystem that validate its use in the context of the knowledge economy and extends the theories of knowledge, by analyzing the role that various actors who populate an innovative ecosystem play in the creation, learning, use, and dissemination of knowledge. Originality/value The paper furnishes an approach to the research on knowledge management and innovation, in the attempt to relate the IMP Group approach with the perspective of the “innovation ecosystems” concept.

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.

Explaining firms' performance through the resources and capabilities allocation in strategic groups: the case of Italy's cosmetic sector

The strategy literature encompasses studies that have investigated the existence of different strategic orientations as related to firm performance as well as studies that analyse the relationship between industry structure, the presence of strategic groups and firm performance. In contrast, very few studies attempted to evaluate the relationship between strategic orientations, resources, strategic groups and a firm performance. The aim of this paper is to analyse the relationship among strategic orientations, resource and capabilities allocation, strategic groups and firm performance. To test our hypotheses, we conducted a focus group and a survey on the Italian cosmetics industry employing a sample of 80 firms. The results show that participants did not adopt exclusively one strategic orientation. Participants applied a hybrid strategy, blending different mixes of the market–based and technology–based orientations. Though different in their orientation, ultimately each grouping might yield a similar level of performance.