Purpose: This paper aims to enhance the small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) ability to develop resilience in the face of any turbulences, addressing the question on how these organizations can maintain business continuity when faced with a critical event. Design/methodology/approach: A mediated regression analysis is conducted to investigate the relationships among big data analytics (BDA) capabilities, coinnovation (CI) and organizational resilience (OR) with reference to 192 big data SMEs in Europe. Findings: Research reveals that the BDA capability and CI are positively associated with OR. Moreover, this study discovers the mediating impact of CI on the relationship between BDA capability and OR. Originality/value: This paper provides important implications for considering CI as a viable strategy especially in a time of crisis and shows how SMEs are more able to recognize business opportunities. The microfoundations of the resilience building capacity of SMEs are also identified. These microfoundations become recommendations for practitioners to enhance SMEs’ responsiveness in light of coronavirus-related crises.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) research in academia has been increasing over time, especially in recent years. Thus, the evaluation of relative research productivity is becoming increasingly relevant due to the current importance of this topic. The paper aims to investigate research productivity in the CSR field by performing a bibliometric analysis. An iterative search strategy was used to firstly identify productive CSR authors and then examine their productivity over a 5‐year period (2015–2020) using the SciVal tool by Elsevier. Drawing on the results from different bibliometric analyses, the study investigates quantitative and qualitative publication performance at the country (macro), institutional (meso) and individual (micro) levels. This study is the first bibliometric analysis on CSR that is not related to a specific journal and has a multi‐level nature by providing the groundwork in determining the knowledge structure of CSR.

Digitalization is prompting small and medium-sized enterprises to structural and strategic transformations, also providing new opportunities to expand and succeed in foreign markets. However, relatively few studies have investigated emergent digital technologies in international business management. Contextually, there is still a dearth of research on the multi-faceted impacts of digitalization on omnichannel strategy characterizing most of the global business environment today. This paper, therefore, aims to examine the impact of digitalization on omnichannel choices adopted by internationalized SMEs. A qualitative approach, based on a single case study methodology, is adopted. An Italian agri-food SME is chosen as this industry is considered a key and distinctive pillar of Made in Italy in the international markets. Findings reveal the potential of digital technologies’ applications in an omnichannel environment, blurring the boundaries between channels, through a synergetic integration of them. This evidence contributes to the existing literature on technology management and omnichannel strategies in the international context by rereading these phenomena through a smart ecosystem lens. In addition, this study provides practical insights on how multiple channels adopted by Made in Italy SMEs can be integrated, managed, and operated synergistically on international markets to sustain a digitalized value creation.

Purpose: The transition towards Quality 5.0 requires a profound redefinition of the very meaning of “quality”, no longer confined to technical or functional performance, but extended to the ethical, social and environmental impact of organizations. This paper explores how purpose governance supports the development of quality management systems within a human-centred and sustainability-oriented paradigm. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopted a qualitative research design based on a Grounded Theory approach and comprised two steps. The first step focuses on a desk analysis of a corpus of foundational normative documents, such as PAS 808:2022 (Purpose-Driven Organizations), ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management Systems), ISO 37000:2021 (Governance of Organizations), ISO 26000: 2010 (Guidance on Social Responsibility) and early public drafts of ISO 37011 (Purpose-Driven Governance). The second step proceeded semi-structured qualitative consultation to a final sample of 13 professionals and academics specializing in quality and purpose. Findings: Five dimensions – “Quality System as Purpose Infrastructure”, “Purpose as Strategic Foundation”, “Purpose as Integrated Governance System”, “Ethical and Performance Enablement” and “Generative and Sustainable Value” – integrate purpose into the design and evolution of Quality 5.0, each activated and reinforced through purpose governance. A conceptual model is proposed to explain how purpose governance humanizes organizations within the Quality 5.0 paradigm through four interconnected cyclical phases – defining purpose, establishing purpose governance, deploying the quality system as infrastructure and sustaining generative value and innovation – linked by feedback loops that ensure continuous learning and improvement. Originality/value: The study contributes to the emerging literature on purpose-driven management by integrating governance and quality into a unified conceptual model that positions corporate purpose as a key mechanism of Quality 5.0. It also provides guidance for the advancement of quality standards by encouraging the integration of explicit purpose governance requirements into future ISO updates.