A persuasive research proposal helps interested lecturers clearly understand the research objectives of novice researchers. This chapter focuses on research proposals in management science, particularly those employing qualitative methodologies to explore new topics. By drawing on practical examples, the authors aim to provide a guide to assist novice researchers in crafting a persuasive research proposal. In this chapter, the authors conducted a literature review from two databases to identify relevant documents on research proposals. A total of 14 documents were selected and analyzed. The findings of this research contain three key elements. The first summarizes the qualitative methods used in the selected literature. The second provides the main structure of a research proposal. The third discusses the essential elements to make the research proposal persuasive. Overall, the authors have sought to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on research proposals that utilize qualitative methods in the field of management.

SMART cities realized through public-private partnership projects is a topic that requires further exploration in the field of management. Many researchers have contributed to this topic, each conducting their research from a distinct perspective and employing diverse methodologies. The goal of this article is to present a Structured Literature Review of the most relevant publications on SMART cities developed through PPP projects, by examining their impact, contributions, limitations, and future research directions.

In a rapidly evolving world, open social innovation, enhanced by digital technologies, is crucial for revitalizing and sustaining tourist destinations. This chapter explores how open social innovation (OSI) and digital technologies are transforming local tourism. It highlights how tourism destinations are rapidly evolving thanks to digitalization and collaboration between local stakeholders. The aim is to show how OSI, supported by digital technologies, can strengthen the resilience and sustainability of tourism destinations. To do this, we analyzed academic research and peer-reviewed studies. The results show that OSI and digital technologies enhance the resilience of organizations and enable sustainable solutions to be co-created with local communities. In conclusion, this study proposes a conceptual framework for assessing the impact of OSI and digital technologies on sustainable tourism development.

This research addresses a critical gap in the Public–Private Partnership (PPP) research field by analysing risk allocation in an emergent African context: Morocco. Based on semi-structured interviews with six selected practitioners, along with lexicometric and sentiment analysis, this study identifies the major risks and the determinants influencing their allocation. Findings show a risk profile dominated by commercial, political, and industrial uncertainties. In addition, the research uncovers that risk allocation is not simply a technical task, but a multidimensional negotiation influenced by project characteristics, partner capabilities, macro-environmental imperatives, and transaction dynamics. Moreover, sentiment analysis reveals a vocabulary mainly reflecting the emotions of fear, anticipation, and trust, which points to the affective side of the contract. This study provides a qualitative framework that is sensitive to the context and that challenges standard economic models; it gives clear directions to policymakers handling complicated PPP arrangements in emerging markets.

This study explores the relationship between public–private partnerships (PPPs) and smart cities in the literature that use information and communication technologies (ICTs) for sustainable urban development. This study explores, based on VOSviewer software 1.6.20, thematic and geographic patterns in academic articles (from Scopus) to identify central themes and knowledge gaps. The key findings highlight a lack of consideration of the African context in studying this subject and the prioritization of technological, governmental, and financial aspects more than social dimensions. The aim of this research is to guide policymakers, planners, and researchers by addressing these gaps to use as future recommendations.