Purpose

The paper aims to illuminate the platform created by a cluster organization to facilitate its internationalization and thereby enhance its regional innovation system partners' competitiveness by providing access to global value chains and boosting innovativeness.

Design/methodology/approach

The study draws upon the interaction approach, focusing on the interaction process, interaction partners, relationship atmosphere, and relationship environment. A qualitative study was conducted at Future Position X, a Swedish cluster organization. A total of 58 interviews were conducted, including 48 face-to-face in-depth interviews between 2017 and 2019 with six key informants at FPX, representatives from 28 SMEs, ten members of regional innovation systems to which FPX belongs, and four process leaders of regional and local networks, in addition to online interviews with ten members of the regional innovation systems conducted via Microsoft Teams in March 2021. The time span of the study provides a longitudinal perspective.

Findings

The FPX cluster collaborates with actors in the quadruple helix, maintaining a mindset that has led to a number of new partner agreements in the global arena to secure the resources and expertise necessary for cluster activities, and thereby ensuring firms in FPX networks access to platforms for international expansion. Internationalization thus expands the cluster's knowledge base beyond the traditional environment of its member firms.

Research limitations/implications

Very few innovations arise from the isolated work of a lone genius. Instead, most innovation is achieved through complex, interactive, iterative and cumulative learning processes in which a variety of actors are involved. The FPX cluster organization's internationalization platform is therefore vital to the internationalization of its partners since cluster actors lack the time, resources, knowledge, experience, and networks required to break into international markets singlehandedly.

Practical implications

This study suggests that, for practitioners and researchers alike, the growing importance and relevance of the regional innovation system cannot be overemphasized. It also holds policy and societal implications in that FPX's global network helps regional SMEs to internationalize, in addition to inspiring international firms to establish operations in the Gävleborg region, thereby helping to strengthen the overall GIS environment. Internationalization also expands the FPX cluster's knowledge base beyond the traditional environment of its firms, an example of this being the construction start of a Microsoft data centre in the region in 2020.

Social implications

FPX is financed through taxation and grant funding. By initiating projects, creating relationships and building collaborations, FPX thus contributes to collaboration between business, academia and the public sector. FPX also contributes to knowledge development of new technology by creating meeting places and networks around digital issues, such as GIS, AI, the IoT and blockchain technology.

Originality/value

While earlier research has concentrated on endogenous gaps critical to cluster dynamics, comparatively little attention has been paid to exogenous gaps, i.e. linkages between regional clusters and innovation partners elsewhere in the world. This study showcases the richness of interactions in the cluster against the background of wider, global innovation interactions. Future research should examine other vital questions that remain unanswered, e.g. by measuring and exploring the extent to which regional innovation systems can contribute to long-term economic growth for society.

We present an interdisciplinary exploration of technostress in knowledge-intensive organizations, including both business and healthcare settings, and its impact on a healthy working life. Technostress, a contemporary form of stress induced by information and communication technology, is associated with reduced job satisfaction, diminished organizational commitment, and adverse patient care outcomes. This article aims to construct an innovative framework, called The Integrated Technostress Resilience Framework, designed to mitigate technostress and promote continuous learning within dynamic organizational contexts. In this perspective article we incorporate a socio-technical systems approach to emphasize the complex interplay between technological and social factors in organizational settings. The proposed framework is expected to provide valuable insights into the role of transparency in digital technology utilization, with the aim of mitigating technostress. Furthermore, it seeks to extend information systems theory, particularly the Technology Acceptance Model, by offering a more nuanced understanding of technology adoption and use. Our conclusion includes considerations for the design and implementation of information systems aimed at fostering resilience and adaptability in organizations undergoing rapid technological change.

There are calls in the extant literature for further exploration into the factors influencing customer satisfaction in industrial vending solutions (IVS), a distinct vendor-managed inventory method. This study delves into these factors, identifying primary drivers of satisfaction, perceptions of service quality, and indicators of trust and commitment in B2B IVS. It examines how IVS execution impacts perceived service quality through in-depth semi-structured interviews with B2B customers, focusing on efficiency, user-friendliness, and timeliness as key satisfaction drivers. Trust in the customer–supplier relationship positively affects commitment to the supplier. Successful IVS implementation enhances inventory control, customer service, and cost management. Supply chain managers can use these insights to evaluate vending solutions. Future research could explore supplier perceptions of vendor-managed inventory (VMI) success and conduct larger quantitative studies. This study distinguishes itself by focusing on the primary drivers of customer satisfaction and the perception of service quality in B2B IVS environments. It offers a conceptual framework for managing customer satisfaction, product development, and marketing strategies in IVS, addressing a gap in the literature on IVS within VMI contexts.

Previous studies show that although financial technologies (Fintech) bridge the financial inclusion gap, its rate of adoption is low. This study aims to develop understand of factors that influence consumers’ intentions to adopt financial technologies (Fintech) for savings, loans, and investment by testing a model that integrates the unified theory of acceptance and usage of technology (UTAUT) and task-technology fit (TTF) model. Data was collected from a cross-section of 324 respondents online. Structural equation modelling via smart PLS 3.0 was used to test the hypothesised relationship. The result showed that the TTF and UTAUT integrative model is robust and adequately explained Fintech adoption. Performance expectancy and social influence significantly affected behavioural intentions, and effort expectancy significantly predicts performance expectancy. Interestingly, TTF predicts use behaviour but not significant on adoption intention. Finally, task characteristics strongly predict effort expectancy and performance expectancy. Focusing on user perceptions of the technology and neglecting the effect of the task technology fit, as commonly done in extant literature, may be not enough. Thus, this study fills this gap and integrates both UTAUT and TTF to facilitate understanding of illuminate factors that influence consumers’ intentions to adopt financial technologies in an emerging country context.

Despite the increased confidence in e-commerce, consumers remain skeptical when shopping online and therefore rely on electronic word-of-mouth generated by other consumers to aid their brand or store choice. Because eWOM can have detrimental or beneficial effects on brands and is beyond the control of firms, measuring the extent to which consumers use this information source to inform their decisions is a major challenge facing scholars and practitioners. This study examines the influence of eWOM on customers’ behavioral intentions and tests the role of brand familiarity. Five hypotheses are developed and tested based on the accessibility-diagnosticity theory and the elaboration likelihood model. A sample of 432 participants was recruited from a university in Southeastern Nigeria to participate in a 2×32×3 between-subject factorial experiment. The results show that the positive or negative sentiments conveyed in eWOM messages and the familiarity of a brand affect customers’ behavioral intentions independently, and that the volume of eWOM messages interacts with brand familiarity to impact these behavioral intentions such that unfamiliar brands benefit more from high volume than familiar retailers do. The implication is that firms can overcome the problem of familiarity and performance risk by motivating and displaying as many eWOM communications as possible in their social media and advertisements.

Purpose

We examined the internationalization process of business promotion organizations. We focused on the key stages and strategies and how the networks formed during this process can support their partners, particularly SMEs, in facilitating international expansion.

Design/methodology/approach

The theoretical lens: We combined the experiential learning-commitment interplay of the Uppsala model with a similar mechanism focused on business network relationships. A qualitative methodology: We used it to explore the question and the various forms of embeddedness within networks, offering an in-depth examination, particularly in the challenging natural settings of a cluster organization in geographic information systems (GIS).

Findings

We found that the cluster organization’s internationalization began regionally, forging connections with clusters in the Nordic and Baltic countries and Europe. Over time, the cluster recognized the importance of innovation leadership, leading to the integration of its core competencies with complementary technologies from other global geospatial technology hubs.

Research limitations/implications

The study fills research gaps by examining global linkages between regional clusters and international partners, focusing on external gaps. We explored how clusters can leverage global innovation systems and networks for matchmaking, capitalization and investment. Moreover, we addressed the need for more research on cross-cluster gaps and barriers to global market interaction. By providing insights into expanding beyond local interactions, the study enhances understanding of how clusters can increase the global reach and competitiveness of firms within them.

Originality/value

The platform established during the internationalization process was crucial, as SMEs within clusters often lack the resources, time and expertise to enter international markets alone. This platform helps SMEs overcome barriers such as size, resources and unfamiliarity with foreign markets.

The purpose of this paper was to study the relationship between marketing mix strategies, marketing culture and sales performance of Ugandan manufacturing firms. The study used a cross-sectional and quantitative design. Data was collected at a particular point in time. We employed firm-level data collected by means of a questionnaire survey sent to a sample of 118 of a total population of 178 manufacturing firms. The primary data was collected, coded; correlations and regression analysis were done using SPSS Version 21. Findings revealed a significant positive relationship between marketing mix strategies and sales performance, marketing mix strategies and marketing culture, and marketing culture and sales performance; marketing culture explains more of the variation in sales performance. The use of cross-sectional and quantitative methodology limits the researcher’s ability to make causal inferences and to examine behavioural change over time. Nevertheless, the insight gained from the conceptual framework and ideas posited are useful for developing a future research agenda. There is need for manufacturing firms to promote and recognize marketing culture and marketing mix strategies among CEOs and sales representatives.

This study examined whether the relationship between service recovery and customer loyalty was statistically significant, and to examine the influence of firm responses on customer loyalty. Descriptive cross-sectional survey and stratified random sampling were used to produce a sample of 384 phone subscribers. Pilot study established reliability and validity of the questionnaire and testing for parametric assumptions performed. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (factor analysis, correlations, and regression tests) were used to analyze the data. Results indicated that these relationships were all positive and statistically significant. Moreover, combined impact of service recovery, firm responses, and service quality on customer loyalty was the strongest. Based on the findings, policymakers, and managers of mobile phone companies in Uganda should focus more on service quality, which showed the highest beta values and had a relatively high predictive value for customer loyalty. This study contributes to extant literature by illuminating firms’ responses to service recovery, by offering more explicit clarification of the relationship between service recovery, firm responses and customer loyalty. Mobile phone companies should improve how customer complaints are handled by considering the various dimensions of firm responses. Because of the study’s cross-sectional design, there remains a need to expand our knowledge by conducting similar but longitudinal studies.

The aim of this study is to understand what factors influence companies to customise products international customers and markets. A qualitative case study with semi-structured interviews was conducted at one multinational corporation to gain insights into its product customisation strategy. The findings demonstrate how internationalisation can impact product customisation and identify four factors in the customisation process: culture, internationalisation, knowledge transfer, and product strategy. Tailored marketing strategies that influenced the international product customisation strategy (IPCS) were used. This study augmented on our understanding of how product customisation impacts internationalisation and vice versa, revealing the importance of knowledge transfer in IPCS and its growing impact due to digitalisation. It also shows how both B2B marketing and a tailored marketing strategy are overarching themes in international product customisation, making it one of few studies to recognise the relevance of omnichannel strategy in the B2B market segment.