This paper aims to explore how corporate brands co-create value with their multiple stakeholders in a B2B2C marketplace. Main data sources stem from in-depth interviews with top managers of a technology corporation in the financial sector. Findings depict a model that conceptualises the successful value co-creation process as the careful management of six specific drivers, namely: interdependency, direct approach, trust, strategic alignment, adaptive modus operandi, and knowledge sharing. Hence, the study offers new food for thought for scholars and practitioners who wish to improve their knowledge and understanding on brand value co-creation and corporate marketing.

Purpose: This paper aims to enhance understanding of how sustainable entrepreneurship (SE) contributes to sustainable development in the tourism sector. To do so, specific factors that act as enablers or inhibitors of SE are identified according to a co-evolutionary lens.Design/methodology/approach: A co-evolutionary explanation of the firm? Environment relationship is adopted to undertake a qualitative empirical study of the Castelli Romani tourism destination (Italy), via 23 semi-structured interviews according to a narrative approach.Findings: The paper demonstrates that entrepreneurs play a crucial role in sustainable development but cannot act in isolation. In fact, according to the co-evolutionary approach, they influence and are influenced by 20 factors. Accordingly, SE can be conceptualised as resulting from effective co-evolutionary interactions between micro (i.e. entrepreneurs and their firm), meso (i.e. the destination where tourism firms are based) and macro (i.e. the wider socio-economic and natural system) levels.Practical implications: Several actions are suggested to entrepreneurs and policymakers to help achieve specific sustainable development goals. These actions focus on: (1) training courses, (2) investments in technologies, (3) creation of innovative business models, (4) exploitation of cultural and natural resources, (5) community involvement and (6) multi-level partnerships.Originality/value: This is the first study that adopts a co-evolutionary lens to investigate the influencing factors of SE in tourism, shedding light on the effects of their dynamic interdependence. Thus, it provides a more nuanced SE conceptualisation that takes a holistic and dynamic view of sustainability.

Technology is changing the traditional approach to museums, i.e. ‘looking and no touching’, encouraging visitors to adopt the new ‘playing and interacting’ notion. However, previous qualitative literature has focused attention on this phenomenon for large museums, without: providing insights on small museums (SMs), which form the majority worldwide; identifying whether technology adoption differences exist according to SM ownership; and, identifying enablers and inhibitors of technology adoption. To fill these gaps, directors/curators of 194 Italian SMs took part in a survey that was analysed through a mixed quantitative (Chi-squared tests and t-test) and qualitative (mixed thematic analysis) approach. Results show that: (i) the most used technologies by SMs are the website, online presence on non-proprietary channels, and social media; and (ii) public and private SMs have an equal level of technology adoption. Moreover, the co-evolutionary interpretation of enablers and inhibitors provides a framework for technology adoption in SMs, also substantiating the existence of a co-evolving technology paradox.

Purpose: – The purpose of this paper is to explore how knowledge management systems can support the adoption of the servitization strategy in a manufacturing firm.Design/methodology/approach: – In order to reach the paper aim, an inductive single-case study has been adopted. The analysis focuses on the IBM Corporation.Findings: – In spite of the paucity of studies that simultaneously address both servitization and knowledge management topics, the case study findings show five connections points between the two streams of research, proving not only that they are closely connected to each other, but also how the adoption of a good knowledge management system can facilitate the implementation of a servitization strategy.Research limitations/implications: – As far as the adoption of a single-case study is concerned, this could create biases that can affect the final product in terms of reliability, validity, and generalizability. However, as stated by Erickson (1986), the general lies in the particular and, as argued by Flyvbjerg (2006), the strength of a single example is underestimated in its contribution to scientific progress. Thus, even though this paper is based on a single-case study, it is reasonable to believe that it could be considered as a representative case of companies of the time and its findings sufficiently generalizable.Practical implications: – Case study findings could guide managers towards understanding if their knowledge management tools and practices are appropriate, or if they need to be modified in order to successfully implement the servitization strategy adopted.Originality/value: – This study represents the first attempt to fill the paucity of studies contemporaneously addressing both servitization and knowledge management topics, and could be used as a pilot case for future research works.