Статті в журналах з теми "Inter-firm Engagement"

Modern-day business landscape has been com and chaotic. These are forcing firms to explore and experiment to secure and sustain market advantage. Often collaborative strategies such as strategic alliance (SA) and joint ventures (JVs) are pursued. Corporate social responsibilities (CSR) initiatives have been carried out by firms to justify and legitimize firm social existence. In collaborative strategies, two or more firms’ CSR initiatives get intermingled. Given this background, it is of interest to comprehend how firm CSR initiatives altered because of collaborations (SAs and JVs). The purpose of this conceptual article is to develop a collaborative inter-firm CSR (CIF-CSR) typology based upon a varied base of the extant literature on inter-firm collaboration (SAs and JVs), strategic management (especially resource-based view) and stakeholder theory applied theoretical logical argumentations through assumptions, premises, axioms and assertions. The author incrementally and systematically developed the CIF-CSR typology which consisted of CIF-CSR archetypes. The categorization was based upon post-inter-firm alliance nature of CSR themes, the intensity of dedication of allying firms’ CSR resources and capabilities, CSR management control, CSR process/stakeholder engagement and modular fit of inter-firm CSR initiatives. There were four types of CIF-CSR archetypes based upon post-alliance CSR control, five types of CIF-CSR archetypes based upon resource and capability committed post-alliance, four types of CIF-CSR archetypes based upon CSR process and three CIF-CSR archetypes based upon inter-firm post-alliance CSR initiatives design fit. This is one of the first scholarly works on developing an integrated CIF-CSR typology consisting of archetypes.

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to report the results of a qualitative research on heterarchical coordination within an interorganizational network in the tourism sector. Design/Methodology/Approach – The study follows the qualitative approach and case study research design. The main data collection techniques were semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Data triangulation was used to collect and analyze qualitative research data and narrative form supported the presentation of the results. Findings – The study has shown the nature, strengths and weaknesses of heterarchical coordination within the distributed inter-firm network. Based on the study, heterarchy is an appropriate form of coordination for distributed inter-firm networks with a high proportion of SMEs operating in the tourism sector. Heterarchy supports a high level of engagement of focal firms in joint activities and emergent growth of the whole community. Originality of the research – The study brings a new overview of coordination mechanisms in interfirm networks and identifies the characteristics and conditions of heterarchical coordination in a distributed cooperative network. The results of the study are useful for scholars studying business networks as well as for managers and local authorities responsible for managing and supporting inter-firm networks in tourism destinations.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to disentangle the role of the source and recipient of knowledge in supply chain collaboration by providing evidence that the distributive capabilities of a source, working in conjunction with the absorptive capacity (AC) of a recipient, have direct and significant effects on levels of collaborative engagement between supply chain partners and indirect and significant effects on collaborative operational outcomes. Design/methodology/approach This study utilises 310 surveys and structural equations modelling to provide empirical evidence to support the significance of the source of knowledge in collaborative activities. Findings The study provides evidence for source-based knowledge transfer constructs (distributive capabilities) in supply chain collaboration. Further, this research supports these capabilities working in conjunction with recipient AC both as necessary but insufficient requirements for successful knowledge transfer. Practical implications Firm interdependence within supply chains continues to grow. In today’s environment of outsourcing and increasing levels of inter-firm activities, this research provides a parsimonious model of collaboration that allows firms to understand knowledge transfer better and how to more aptly manage these types of activities and complex relationships. Originality/value Earlier research in this domain has focussed on the abilities of a recipient firm to absorb knowledge in order to understand successful collaborative knowledge transfer. By solely focussing on the recipient firm, the role of the source of knowledge has been largely overlooked in this stream of research.

Construction firms in regional areas face considerable challenges to their competitiveness. Logistics, availability of suitable personnel, unfamiliarity with trading partners, and the tyranny of distance conspire to obstruct profitable engagement beyond their local area. Electronic information and communication technology (ICT) such as web-based project management applications and other forms of collaborative data sharing have the potential to mitigate many of these obstacles, but have yet to gain widespread acceptance, particularly by smaller regional firms who question their cost effectiveness. The attitudes of decision-makers and the impact of their decisions on intra- and inter-firm culture lie at the heart of ICT-mediated innovation. This paper presents a case study of a specialist subcontractor located in regional New South Wales and its involvement in a New Zealand project, whose competitiveness arose from using ICT to integrate its own supply chain. It also provided additional value by triggering collaboration and integration in the broader project team. The case reveals that these outcomes were symptomatic of the organisational culture of the subcontractor, and were achieved through a combination of leadership, collaboration, flexibility and pragmatism, redolent of dynamic capabilities.

China has demonstrated world leading wind energy development in the last five years which can be attributed to the fusion between its design and manufacturing strength in indigenous wind turbine industry and newly emerging wind energy industry in absorption of global best practices. An empirical analysis of China’s wind energy development trajectory over the last decade focusing on the technology sourcing from foreign firms in support of domestic players for accelerating functionality development through enhanced knowledge identification, absorption, assimilation and acclimatization was attempted. Important lessons learned include (i) importance of supply chain in the technology diffusion, (ii) effective technology acquisition and assimilation through early domestic firm engagement, (iii) effect of relevant domestic firms involvement in technology transfer partnership to induce inter-industry spillovers, and (iv) a framework for an emerging nation to develop new functionalities. Similarity and disparity with similar success of fusion in solar industry (JTMGE 3, 2) were also identified.

Humane entrepreneurship postulates an innovative strategic posture assuming that entrepreneurs should concomitantly focus on the enterprise, the human and the societal cycles of the firm to achieve organisational excellence. Scholars have stressed the economic and societal gains triggered by humane entrepreneurship. However, little is known about its implications for work–life balance (WLB). The article fills in this gap, shedding light into the dark side of humane entrepreneurship on the entrepreneurs’ ability to handle the interplay between work and life. Adopting a humane entrepreneurship posture negatively affected the ability to achieve a WLB, paving the way for work-to-life conflicts. Work engagement and subjective well-being moderated the side effects of humane entrepreneurship on WLB. Tailored initiatives are required to address the overlapping between work and life generated by humane entrepreneurship. Inter alia, employees’ empowerment and the improvement of organisational culture are needed to foster the effective implementation of humane entrepreneurship.

PurposeThe purpose ofthis study is to synthesise the findings of existing research on brand-related user-generated content (UGC) in the context of fashion retail and to come up with future research directions.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review of 33 research papers, selected using well-defined criteria, was done. Further, the thematic analysis identified underlying themes and their inter-linkages.FindingsThe inter-linkages of 12 emergent themes were showcased in the form of a causal-chain conceptual framework, highlighting antecedents, mediators, moderators and consequences.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research involves six directions, and researchers should empirically test out the proposed conceptual framework and take the given research directions forward.Practical implicationsRetailers should understand UGC motivators to launch targeted campaigns to amplify UGC with firm-generated content and increase overall engagement and sales of a brand.Originality/valueFirst, this study fills the gap of missing synthesis of existing studies on UGC about fashion retail by analysing the publication distribution, paper types, data collection tools and techniques and data analysis methods. Second, the authors have proposed a causal-chain conceptual framework based upon thematic analysis of the research literature. The emergent themes touch upon three crucial aspects of marketing on enabling technology, consumer behaviour and marketing tactics. Finally, the academic contribution of this study lies in coming up with six vital research agenda for future research.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the importance of a coordinated marketing and operations strategy in goods and service producing business organizations. Customer engagement and co-production are imperative service delivery considerations, and therefore an aligned marketing and operations strategy is essential for the formulation, development, and effectiveness of managerial decisions especially for service sector firms. Design/methodology/approach – The authors present arguments in support of this paper's primary objectives by reviewing past research that have introduced theoretical frameworks, empirical support and applications in support of the close coordination between marketing and operations strategy. The paper then describes how the inter-relationship between marketing and operations strategy impacts several managerial decisions. Findings – The paper discusses several different types of managerial decisions within goods and service producing firms that require active interaction between marketing and operations. These decisions include aligning strategic priorities, new product development, service design, and experience design. Research limitations/implications – This paper is primarily theoretical and therefore does not include any new empirical data. Practical implications – The inter-relationship between the marketing and operations functions is well known to practicing managers. However, they may not have a specific understanding of the academic research described in this paper that shows how firm performance can be further improved by better managing these interactions for specific managerial decisions. Originality/value – This paper is theoretical and provides a comprehensive review of literature and a compelling argument for including marketing and operations strategy in the corporate executive suite. Therefore, this paper should be of interest to researchers and practitioners interested in the functional areas of marketing, operations, and strategy for service organizations.

With the development of society and the improvement of environmental consciousness, the performance of corporate environmental responsibility (CER) has elicited increasing attention in recent years. In previous studies, the exploration of the antecedents of CER is far less evident than the exploration of its results, and only few studies have investigated what determines CER engagement from the perspective of supply chain concentration (SCC). Using data from 2413 firms in China from 2013 to 2019, our study uses the fixed effect model and performs multiple robustness tests to examine the impact of SCC on the fulfillment of CER, its transmission mechanism, and the moderating role of technology uncertainty (TU). Empirical results show that SCC has a pivotal negative impact on CER performance, wherein both supplier concentration (SUP) and customer concentration (CUS) are detrimental to CER performance. Further mechanism analysis shows that such negative effect can be explained by the adverse effect of SCC on the operating cash flow (OCF), in which OCF has a partial mediating effect. Moreover, the negative impact of SCC on CER performance is more significant when the uncertainty of firms’ technological environment is stronger. Our study opens the transmission “black box” between SCC and CER performance and incorporates the behaviors of firms, inter-firm relationships, and environmental factors into the same research framework, and provides a theoretical guidance for management practices.

Purpose Increasing environmental uncertainty, more demanding customers, rapid technological growth and rising capital costs have all forced firms to evolve from collaborating with buyers and suppliers to collaborating with their competitors and that is called coopetition. The purpose of this paper is to better understand the antecedents and outcomes associated with coopetition. Design/methodology/approach Building from the existing literature and three theoretical foundations, resource-based theory, resource dependence theory and game theory, the authors develop a model showing the antecedents and outcomes of coopetition and associated propositions of coopetition. Using a semi-structured interview process of 21 industry executives, the authors offer empirical support for the proposed coopetition model and propositions. Findings Firms are increasingly dependent on the knowledge and expertise in external organizations to innovate, solve problems and improve supply chain performance. This research suggests that there is a value for firms to consider coopetition as a part of their inter-firm strategies. Research limitations/implications The semi-structured interview process used in this research provided a wealth of information and executive experiences in coopetition. The interviews, however, only provide a single perspective of collaborative engagements with competitors. Multiple perspectives of each project would add value to this research. Originality/value Collaboration among buyers and suppliers have been well researched; however, there has not been as much research on coopetition. This research provides a new area for future research for academics and offers suggestions for managers to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their coopetition projects.

"Technology transfer has been the vanguard of progress and an inexhaustible fountain for productivity, empowerment, and convenience" (Mings, 1998). Since then, no consensus definition has been presented due to the complexity of the topic that requires time to evolve. (Bengoa et al., 2021). Considering the excellence in business management the process of technology transfer is certainly composed by advantages and disadvantages regardless its great importance on innovation management (Lager Hassan-Beck, 2021).From a broader perspective, research streams and important topics were identified by Bengoa et al. (2021) such as (a) technology transfer in university (academic entrepreneurship, intellectual property, new ventures, technology transfer offices, and university–industry relationship), (b) international technology transfer, (c) intra-firm technology transfer, (d) absorptive capacity, and (e) public innovation policies (Bengoa et al., 2021). Considering the various agents involved in technology transfer (transferors and transferees) and its bidirectional process, the authors highlighted that limited attention has been paid to detecting the difficulties and efforts in an effective university–industry relationship from the perspective of firms (Bengoa et al., 2021).Yet, due to the institutionalization of the technology transfer process in the university context, a wide array of organizational components dedicated to support this process has emerged (Good et al., 2019). Therefore, drawing upon a holistic view, this editorial point out organizational perspectives that support the ecosystem of commercialization of university technological research, hereafter referred to as technology transfer to bring a relevant framework for analyzing the different organizational components that encompass the related challenges.We assume this organizational perspective also considering that a recent literature points to the emergence of new modes for the facilitation of academic entrepreneurship, such as university-based entrepreneurial ecosystems and accelerators (Balven et al., 2018; Schaeffer Matt, 2016; Siegel Wright, 2015) which do rely on an organizational purpose, stablished activities, structure of organization and people to support the process of developing and transferring technologies.Organizational purpose reflects the first perspective of this holistic view meaning the main reason for firms' existence or their conception of the desired ends. From the purpose, firms define the activities, the second perspective, which consist of the different tasks performed to fulfil the purpose. Supporting the performance of these activities, firms design an ownership structure, the third perspective, that formally indicates how activities and tasks are divided between individuals and groups of individuals commonly considered to have a significant impact on technology transfer performance. The fourth perspective, people and organizational culture typically considered to be the shared social knowledge including the values, norms and rules, which in turn can shape individuals behavior (Colquitt et al., 2008; Good et al., 2019; Nadler et al., 1997; Scott, 1992).To cover the different stages of commercialization of technologies and more likely successful outcomes, indeed, technology transfer offices is characterized as an organizational purpose in the literature tend to focus either on licensing technology or forming a firm around a technology (Bozeman et al., 2015; Schaeffer Matt, 2016). While, science parks (Díez-Vial Montoro-Sánchez, 2016), incubators (Bergek Norrman, 2008), and university venture funds (Pierrakis Saridakis, 2019) are purposes more concerned with ensuring that the firm formed around successfully university technologies to build commercial products. Together these organizational purposes are likely to provide a complete coverage of the distinct stages of technology transfer process into an ecosystem.The extent activities in technology transfer led firms at early-stage development (e.g., support for research and intellectual property rights) to later stages (e.g., property management, business support, or network development). However, one activity that appear as a common sense is the substantial extent in internal and external networking with the purpose of supporting the commercialization of technology. According to Good et al. (2019), these boundaries that span network activities may be redundant or complementary and may prevent or foster competitive service providers rather than partners in the effective commercialization of university technology.Regarding the elements of structure, the literature presents overlaps in its components being common in terms of ownership, governance, and physical location. The unity in terms of ownership prevails the university. As standalone structures are quite common, firms prefer to own the others to evolve in technology transfer instead of new emerging structures such as enterprise labs and garages, or offices of engagement (Pauwels et al., 2016; Wright et al., 2017). Further, university' size and location are major differences identified in the literature as structure issues.People and organizational culture elements are important shortcomings in the literature. Some capabilities frequently appear in the research such as capability to understand complex technologies, experience in intellectual property rights, understanding of the academic environment and how technological research is conducted (Jefferson et al., 2017). However, composition of, and evolution in, the teams of technology transfer and their role distribution and identity are critical aspects highlights as absent. Entrepreneurial culture, Intra- and inter-individual micro-processes, the role of leaders in the evolution of the ecosystem to support technology transfer are new avenues for academic research presented by Good et al. (2019).Overall, little is known about the effect of technology transfer from industry’s side and even less from the perspective of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which relatively more adept at absorbing knowledge from external sources, such as universities comparing to large firms (Feldman et al., 2002). Cultural and informational barriers between universities and firms, especially for smaller may be additional impediments for technology transfer (Bengoa et al., 2021; Good et al., 2019) and deserve more attention from researchers.Furthermore, the impact of academic entrepreneurship beyond the activities of licensing, patenting, or creating new ventures, for example, more informal activities and initiatives that may require new structures or management systems to implement them should be part of the new generation of publications (Bengoa et al., 2021). In the future, the challenges associated with information security in society should also impact advances in this research field, since cyber-attacks arise through connectivity with direct implications for technology and knowledge transfer.

Purpose Despite the keen interest in radical and incremental innovation, few studies have tested the varying impact of firm-level factors in service sectors. This paper analyses how collaboration with existing and prospective users and investments in knowledge management (KM) practices can be adapted to maximise the outputs of radical and incremental process innovation in a knowledge-intensive business service industry. Design/methodology/approach Original survey data from 166 information technology service firms and interviews with 13 executives provide the empirical evidence. Partial least squares-structural equation modelling is used to analyse the data. Findings Collaboration with different types of users, and investments in KM practices affect radical versus incremental process innovation differently. Collaboration with existing users influences incremental process innovation directly, but not radical innovation; and prospective user collaboration matters for radical, but not incremental innovation. Furthermore, for radical innovation, investments in KM practices mediate the impact of prospective user collaboration on innovation. Research limitations/implications While collaboration with existing users for incremental process innovations does not appear to generate significant managerial challenges, to pursue radical innovations firms must engage in intensive collaboration with prospective users. Higher involvement with prospective users requires higher investment in KM practices to promote efficient intra- and inter-firm knowledge flows. Originality/value This study is based on a large-scale survey, together with management interviews. Radical and incremental innovations in the service industry require engagements with different kinds of users, and the use of KM tools.

Purpose There is a view that strong preventative contracts are essential to control supplier opportunism and delivery during an outsourcing implementation. The purpose of this paper is to test the proposition that contractual project environments, typical of outsourcing engagements, are essentially conflictual and that context and circumstance can act to overwhelm formal contractual and project control and lead to poor outcomes. Design/methodology/approach The paper reports on a supply case study focussed on the outsourced delivery of an application development in the defence sector. Data were gathered by a participant observation in situ for a period of three years. A grounded analysis from observations, diaries, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, documentary analysis, and e-mails was carried out with six case organisations within the extended supply chain. Findings Collaboration between suppliers and buyers can be blocked by preventative fixed price contracts and as a result when requirements are incomplete or vague this adversely impacts success. Practical implications Strong contractual control focussed on compliance may actually impede the potential success of outsourcing contracts especially when collaborative approaches are needed to cope with variability in demand. Originality/value The research raises the important practical and conceptual notion that an outsourcing can be a conflictual inter-firm phenomenon especially where multiple actors are involved and business uncertainty is present.

The Church of St. Stephan, in this paper, belonged to a medieval residential complex above the confluence of the River Piva and the River Tara, in the extreme northeast of the present-day Republic of Montenegro. The central part of the complex consisted of Soko-grad, a castle with the court of the prominent, aristocratic, Kosaca family, which, at the end of the 14th century, right until the Turkish conquests in the sixties and seventies of the 15th century, ruled the regions later known as Hercegovina. At the foot of the castle, on Scepan polje, is the suburb with the Church of St. Stephan the endowment of the grand duke, Sandalj Hranic (+1345). At the foot of the northern slope, beneath the castle, in the area of Zagradja, is another church erected by the grand duke's successor, Herzeg Stefan Vukcic Kosaca (+1465). After the Turkish conquest, the complex of the Soko castle with its suburb was destroyed and the churches became deserted and were never renewed. The ruins of St. Stephan were discovered, investigated and then conserved from 1971-973, however, the results of this research have not been published until now. In reviewing the results obtained in the course of the archaeological excavations, it is possible, in a considerable measure, to comprehend the position and former appearance of the Church of St. Stephan and establish roughly, the time when it came into being. This was the largest church erected in the regions governed by the powerful, Kosaca noble family, during the 15th century. The total length of the church exceeded 25 metres and its width was approximately ten metres. In the preserved body of the construction, of which the remaining walls rise to a height of four metres one may see three basic stages of building. A narthex was later erected beside the church, and subsequently a small parakklesion was added, on the northern side. The original church had a single nave, a cruciform base and a gently, horseshoe-shaped apsis, facing east, flanked by rectangular choirs. The interior of the church, with two pairs of small pilasters, was articulated in three bays of almost equal dimensions. The altar, encompassing the apsis and the eastern bay, was separated from the naos by a constructed altar partition-wall, the essential appearance of which can be assumed on the basis of whatever was found. The entire surface of the constructed iconostasis was covered with frescoes. The floor of the naos was a step lower than the floor of the altar. Flooring made of mortar, like in the altar area also existed in the choirs. As opposed to these spaces, in the central and western bays, the floor was made of large, hewn stone slabs. The finds discovered in the debris, offered an abundance of data about the upper, now collapsed, structures of the church, and about the stonemasonry that decorated this building. The church did not have a dome but all three bays were topped by a single vault of carved calcareous stone, reinforced by two arches, resting on the pilasters. We may assume that the roof structure was of the Gothic type, and ribbed at the base. Above the choirs were lower semi-spherical vaults, perpendicular in relation to the longitudinal axis of the church. They were covered by gabled roofs that ended in triangular frontons on the northern and southern fa?ade, like the main vault on the eastern side above the altar apsis. The roof of the church was made of lead. A belfry, of unique construction, existed on the western side of the original church. It stood about one meter in front of the western wall and was linked by a vaulted passage to the main body of the building. All these parts were structurally inter-connected, indicating that they were built at the same time. The position and appearance of the original church windows can almost certainly be determined according to the preserved traces on the remaining sections of the walls, and the finds of the relevant stonemasonry. In the interior of the naos, along the southern wall of the western bay was the grave of the donor of the church of St. Stephan, Grand Duke Sandalj Hranic. This was the traditional position where the donor was buried, according to the custom or rather, the rule that had been practiced for centuries in the countries of the Byzantine Orthodox Christian world, and particularly in the Serbian lands. The duke's grave, marked by a stele in the form of a massive low coffin on a pedestal, was prepared while the church was being built given that it would have been impossible to install this large monolith that weighed approximately 2.5 tons in the church, later. Generally speaking, the donor's grave in the church of St. Stephan, is eloquent testimony of the donor's aspirations and beliefs. Besides the undoubtedly local feature of a funerary monument in the form of a stele, all its other characteristics emulate earlier models from the region of the Serbian lands. In front of the original church, at a later stage, which apparently followed soon after, a spacious narthex with a rectangular base was added on. Pylons of the belfry substructure were fitted into its eastern wall, which seems to have made that wall much thicker than the other walls of the narthex. This later erected narthex was not vaulted, which we concluded after analysing the preserved walls and the finds in the debris. Apparently, it had a flat ceiling construction, supported by massive beams that rested on consoles along the length of the northern and southern walls. The side entrances when the narthex was built were of the same dimensions as its western portal. However later, before installing the stone doorposts, both these entrances were narrowed down on their western, lateral sides, while the southern portal, in a later phase, was completely walled up. In the course of exploration, no reliable data was discovered regarding the position of the windows in the narthex. One can only assume that monophoric windows existed on the lateral walls, one or two on each side, similar to the monophores in the western bay. Apart from the narthex, another, later construction was observed next to the original church. On its northern side, along the western bay and the lateral side of the choir, a parakklesion, that is, a small funerary chapel was added on, in the middle of which a large stele once stood, of which now only fragments exist. The entire interior of the church of St. Stephan was deco-rated with frescoes. Rather small fragments of the wall painting were discovered in the debris, not only of the original church but also of the narthex, as well as of the northern funerary chapel. It was observed that they were all of the same quality, painted on mortar of a uniform texture which suggests that all the painting was done as soon as the additional buildings were finished. On the discovered fragments, one can recognise the dark blue back-ground of the former compositions, and the borders painted in cynober. On several fragments, there were preserved sections of or whole letters from Serbian Cyrillic texts. On several fragments that may have originated from the aureoles or parts of robes, traces of gold leaf were visible, which would indicate the splendour and representativeness of the frescoes that decorated the endowment of the grand duke, Sandalj Hranic. With the shape of the foundation of a single-nave church, divided into three bays and with rectangular choir spaces, the church of St. Stephan continued the tradition of the early Rascia school of Serbian architecture (13th beginning of 14th century), which represented a significant novelty at the time when it appeared. In Serbia, in the last decades of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century, the predominant plan of the churches, the triconche, was based on the Holy Mount models. The decision by the donor, the grand duke Sandalj, to give his endowment the features of the earlier, Rascia heritage, in the times when the Serbian territories had been broken up and were exposed to pressure from external enemies, undoubtedly had a deeper significance. By relying on the earlier tradition, which is also reflected in the dedication of the church to St. Stephan, the patron saint of the state and of the Nemanjic dynasty, the donor expressed the aspiration to consolidate his authority more firmly in the regions that had previously formed part of the Serbian state. By erecting an endowment, and a funerary church that he wished to be his eternal resting-place, Sandalj was also demonstrating that he ranked among his predecessors, the Serbian rulers and nobility. One can see this from the choice of the traditional burial position, along the southern wall of the western bay, as well as from the tomb he had prepared for himself during his lifetime. Apart from the basic idea and plan of the church based on the Rascia tradition, the features of its architecture also exhibit other influences. Of crucial importance here was the choice of builders, who undoubtedly came from the coastal area, which is reflected both in the structural solutions, as well as in the decorative stonework. However, local master-craftsman undoubtedly took part in this achievement. One can see this particularly when observing the stonework which, besides some admittedly rather rare, better-carved pieces, consists of a great deal of carving by less experienced artisans. The assumptions about the origin of the architecture and the builders are substantiated by observing the preserved traces of the frescoes, which show that the decoration of St. Stephan's and the adjacent narthex was also entrusted to one of the coastal painters. Perhaps it was the well-known Dubrovnik painter Dzivan Ugrinovic, who is known to have been commissioned by the grand duke Sandalj in 1429. There is no direct or reliable record of the date when the endowment of the grand duke Sandalj Hranic or its later annexes were built. The stylistic analysis of the stonework makes it possible only roughly to attribute it to the first half of the 15th century. The year 1435 provides a slightly narrower span of time, which is the time of Sandalj's funeral, when it would appear that the church of St. Stephan was already finished. The data mentioned earlier regarding the engagement of builders from Dubrovnik and the possible later decoration, enables us to date it more exactly. Therefore, we may assume that the church itself was erected before the end of the second decade of the 15Lj century. The additional construction of the narthex may have followed soon after the completion of the church itself, as indicated by the stylistically uniform stonework. If we accept the possibility that the church was decorated at the end of the third decade of the 15S century, and that this was finished both in the church and the narthex at the same time the year 1429 would be the terminus ante quem for the completion of the additional construction. The Kosaca endowment, erected beside the Soko castle, offers new evidence about this prominent, noble or ruling family, and particularly about their religious affiliation. Historians, almost as a rule consider the Kosaca family to have been Bogumils, or people whose religious convictions were not particularly firm. Such views were based on the fact that Sandalj Hranic, the grand duke of Rusaga Bosanskog (of the Bosnian kingdom) and his successor, the duke and subsequently the herzeg, Stefan Vukcic, were tolerant towards the Bogumils and were often surrounded by people who upheld such religious beliefs, which was the political reality of the times in which they lived and functioned. On the other hand, the enemies of the Kosaca family made use of this to depict them to the Western and Eastern Christians as heretics, which was not without consequences. The distorted view of their religious conviction not only accompanied them during their lifetime but persists even today, not only in historiography but in present-day politics, as well, particularly after the recent wars in ex-Yugoslavia. The origin of the Kosaca family is connected with the region of the Upper Drina, that is to say, the region that had always been a part of the Nemanjic state, where there were no Bogumils, nor could there be. As owners of part of what had always been the Serbian lands, which went to Bosnia after the tragic division between Ban Tvrtko and Prince Lazar, the consequences of which are still felt today, the Kosaca very soon became independent rulers of this territory, forming a specific territory that later came to be known as Herzegovina. Another element that also bears weight in this respect is the fact that, in contrast to central Bosnia where the Bogumil heresy was influential, the population in the Kosaca lands was Orthodox Christian, with a certain number of Catholics in the western parts. The fact that the regions they ruled were nominally within the Bosnian kingdom, where the ruling class were predominantly Bogumils for a long time did not have any fundamental bearing on their religious affiliation. Significant records have been preserved of their unconcealed Orthodox Christian orientation. Without going into the details of this complex circle of problems, which requires a separate study, especially after the more recent discoveries and facts that have come to light, we shall dwell only on some facts. During the rule of Grand Duke Sandalj and his successor, Herzeg Stefan, which lasted almost seventy years, a whole series of Orthodox Christian churches were erected. During the first half of the 15th century, a kind of renaissance of the Rascia school of architecture came about in this area. In the words of V.J. Djuric, the endowments of the Kosaca family 'are different from the average buildings of their time by virtue of their size sometimes the unusual solutions, and the great beauty of form and proportions'. The wealth of the family and the continual relations with aitists from the southern Adriatic coastal cities imbued their architecture with buoyancy and significance. The western stylistic features of the churches of the Kosaca, and the Gothic language of the stonemasons, reveal the centres where these master craftsmen had learned their trade. With the erection of the endowment in the 'ruling seat' beneath Mt. Soko and the churches intended as their final resting-places, the Kosaca distinguished themselves as the last continuers of the Nemanjic tradition of earlier centuries, in the time that preceded the final Turkish conquest of the Serbian lands. The memory of their work is preserved in the church of St. Stephan and the nearby church at Zagradja, as well as in the rains of the Soko castle, which still lies waiting to be researched.

PurposeTo further extend the understanding of the aggregating functions of an entrepreneurial business network, this paper attempts to explore the antecedents enabling the organisation of diverse entrepreneurs to engage in a collaborative inter-firm business network project. This paper also elucidates the development of the relational capabilities and performance of entrepreneurial business networks.Design/methodology/approachAn explorative, longitudinal case study design is employed to analyse an Italian agricultural business network, which comprised a group of local small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Using the network as the focus of analysis, the case study draws insights from key informants comprising the network management team and the entrepreneurs who make up the membership of the business network.FindingsThe results of the study provide critical factors for successful organisation of inter-firm engagement. Although these factors are not mutually exclusive, the results show that organising for inter-firm engagement in an entrepreneurial business network context positively influenced the network relational performance and entrepreneurs' innovation capabilities.Originality/valueThe paper extends current understanding of inter-organisational engagement and illuminates the antecedents enabling the development of network relational dynamics capabilities. The empirical results provide unusual insights into the aggregating roles of an entrepreneurial business network, giving practitioners practical insights into managing a successful inter-organisational collaborative project. Using the relevant theoretical frameworks, the study empirically tests the organisation solutions relevant to literature on inter-firm engagement in a business network context and addresses the organisation solutions' interrelationship and linkages to entrepreneurial network relational performance in terms of knowledge practice, information and resources sharing and innovation.

Abstract This article examines Chinese engagement in Ethiopia's telecommunications sector. It argues that while theories of developmental state and global production networks contribute important insights on the roles of state agency and inter-firm relations in the rise of global lead firms from East Asia, they are insufficient to interpret the recent overseas ventures of Chinese companies in Africa. A case study of one flagship Chinese telecommunications company in Ethiopia advances the existing literature by highlighting the influences of host government intervention and inter-firm competition in shaping firms’ local operations. Specifically, this article analyses a myriad of changes in the case company's organizational structure and business practices in response to increased market competition administered by the Ethiopian government. Findings reveal that despite benefiting from official inter-state cooperation, Chinese overseas companies are neither static nor merely state-driven players but are flexible in adjusting strategies to improve their competitiveness in the local market.

Abstract Two broad, complementary approaches have defined the literature on interlocking directorates. Inter-organizational theories see them as an outgrowth of firms’ efforts to monitor and manage their commercial environment. Intra-class theories focus on their functionality in harmonizing and coordinating the political action of different segments of the capitalist elite. But comparative work on network formation has drawn almost exclusively on the first of these approaches—linking variation in typologies to the economic institutions that shape patterns of inter-firm engagement. Here I deploy a synthesis of inter-organizational and intra-class theories to understand the evolution of the South African corporate network over the post-Apartheid period. I trace out a broad trend of fragmentation as a hierarchical business system gave way to one modeled on Anglo-Saxon lines. But I also demonstrate the persistence of a cohesive core in the network, firstly centered around the historically dominant social bloc, and subsequently around the personal networks of politically connected black directors. The results show the potential of intra-class theories to enrich our understanding of how corporate networks form and change.

Firms are increasingly held accountable for their suppliers’ environmental misconduct and often face significant stakeholder pressure to respond or even end their affiliations with misbehaving suppliers. Despite the importance of the subject, we know little about antecedents to supplier exclusion. In this article, we build on the assumption of stakeholder expectations being a core mechanism—and adopt an expectancy-violation theory lens. Drawing also on complementary insights into signaling theory, we argue that the severity of the misconduct affects the decision to cut ties. Furthermore, we argue that the engagement in environmental partnerships of client firms as well as suppliers moderates this relationship. To test our hypotheses, we use a unique sample of 434 client firm–supplier dyads, including 27 focal firms pressured by Greenpeace to remove “dirty” palm oil suppliers, accused of illegal deforestation. The study’s findings provide contributions to several literature streams related to inter-organizational dynamics and environmental sustainability.

Purpose The main goal of this paper is to shift the focus from the symbolic and aesthetic features of iconic projects to the complex process of their actual materialisation. Hereby, the authors conceptualise iconic projects as the “collaborative performance” of a wide range of built environment professionals. The authors seek to unravel the complexity of organisational action, professional practices, knowledge and expertise, and the inter-firm networks required for the creation of iconic architecture. Design/methodology/approach The analysis is based on an in-depth case study of the Elbe Philharmonic Hall, Hamburg's new icon. This included 26 semi-structured interviews with a broad range of interview partners, which were conducted by an interdisciplinary team. Findings Besides by spectacular architectural design, iconic buildings are characterised by the meticulous execution of even the smallest details as well as of more hidden building elements unlikely to be seen by the public. Execution is usually contingent on the specific building processes and construction practices and requires the continuous engagement of project architects, as well as trusting collaborations with their partners in the construction industry. Yet the making of iconic projects is challenging and (financially) risky, and the interfaces between project partners cannot be easily translated into contractual agreements, which potentially compromises the collaboration between architects and construction firms. Originality/value This paper advances a cross-sectoral view on professional practices by providing in-depth insight into the work of less prominent project architects and their partners in the construction industry. This paper hereby bridges design and construction practices and provides a more holistic understanding of how iconic projects are constructed on the ground.

The U.K. listed firms are used to investigate whether auditor attributes (fixed effects for audit firms, audit offices, and audit partners) add incrementally to baseline models with client controls in explaining audit quality. We document that accounting firm fixed effects add significantly to baseline models. To the extent an accounting firm can standardize its audits, there should be no differences across engagements. However, we find significant interoffice differences, and also significant inter-partner differences within offices. R2 analyses, hierarchical linear models, LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) regressions, and R2 decomposition analyses all show that partners are the most important auditor-related characteristic. To better understand the cause of partner variation, we test a set of partner demographic variables (in lieu of partner fixed effects), but we find that they explain little variation, once we control for firm and office differences. We conclude that partner variation is important in explaining audit quality, but understanding the causes requires going beyond existing publicly available demographic data.