This study proposes a conceptual model of smart innovation to examine internationalization processes in traditional, territorially embedded industries, with a focal empirical focus on Sogrape, Portugal’s leading wine company, situated within the Vinho Verde wine sector. While digital transformation is increasingly recognized as a driver of competitiveness, its role in shaping internationalization strategies within regional agri-food systems remains insufficiently theorized. To address this gap, the study adopts a modified Delphi-based qualitative approach involving a panel of experts composed mainly of Sogrape managers and complemented by independent producers from the Vinho Verde wine sector. Through two iterative rounds of structured expert inquiry, the research identifies key mechanisms linking digital transformation, organizational capabilities, territorial identity, and international market expansion. The findings are synthesized into an integrative conceptual model that articulates how smart innovation, understood as the strategic alignment of digital capabilities, organizational processes, and territorial assets, may support internationalization processes in territorially embedded settings. The model emphasizes the role of digital platforms, data-driven decision-making, and narrative-driven place positioning in translating territorial identity into competitive value in global markets. Importantly, the study does not claim to provide representative evidence of the Vinho Verde wine sector as a whole. Rather, it develops a focal-case-based analytical architecture, grounded primarily in Sogrape’s organizational context and qualified by complementary insights from independent producers. The study contributes to the literature by bridging digital transformation, internationalization, and territorial value creation within a unified conceptual framework. From a managerial perspective, it offers analytically grounded insights that may inform strategic reflection in wine firms and other territorially embedded agri-food sectors, subject to contextual adaptation and further empirical validation.

Tourism growth in the Azores has generated significant economic benefits but also challenges related to sustainability and the risk of overtourism. This qualitative study analyzes how the adoption of emerging technologies can contribute to creating a smart and sustainable tourism ecosystem in the region, reconciling innovation with environmental preservation and sociocultural valorization. The research was based on semi-structured interviews with professionals from the Azorean tourism and business sector, complemented by a case study of a local hotel unit. The results show the growing implementation of technological practices such as consumption sensors, automation, digital platforms, and sustainable resource management solutions, but also reveal structural obstacles, such as resistance to change, infrastructural limitations, and digital skills deficits. It is concluded that the Azores have the potential to position themselves as a smart tourism destination, provided that coordination between public and private entities is strengthened, investment in training is increased, and integration between digital strategies and sustainability practices aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is enhanced. The study contributes to advancing knowledge about smart tourism in island contexts, proposing replicable frameworks for digital sustainability and strategic communication. Limitations include the lack of long-term data and the absence of tourists' direct perspectives, highlighting avenues for future research.

The present study was developed to understand the consumer's perception of purchasing wine online, verify whether Social Networks are a good source of information about wine, identify the main sources of information that consumers use to search, and finally assess the importance of Social Networks for SMEs in the wine sector. As a methodological approach, we implemented qualitative and quantitative research, including an in-depth interview with a marketing professional from a company in the wine sector, providing valuable insights into how they manage their brands and the challenges faced by the company in the digital scenario. We also prepared an online questionnaire survey, which investigated the purchasing and consumption behavior of buyers and consumers of Portuguese wines. The conclusions of this study presented significant practical implications for companies in the wine sector in Portugal. Therefore, we also see that these companies will be able to add efficiency to their digital marketing strategies, promoting their products in a more targeted and engaging way. In a complementary way, by recognizing the crucial role of Social Networks, companies will be able to establish a stronger and more authentic digital presence, building solid relationships with consumers.

In this article, we briefly present the outlines of a research project on the challenges of managing communication among startups in Portugal. The exploratory study was based on the combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies and sought to analyze how crucial it is for startups to invest in branding and activate their brands through a planned communication strategy. It is universally recognized that the brand represents the most valuable intangible asset for the organization (Aaker, 1996; Kotler et al, 2012; Huseynli, 2022), currently having all the potential of technology to discover patterns of behavior and communication, but without ever compromising the humanization of the brand, despite the fascination with the digital lifestyle (Kotler et al., 2021). In 2014 a brand management methodology for agile companies emerged, Lean Branding (Busche, 2014) that teaches 21st century entrepreneurs the "way to create, communicate and sell a brand, constantly measuring its performance" (Busche, 2014). Startups cannot neglect this methodology. The big challenge is precisely the crossing of this business area, which is in affirmation, between the branding, since the literature review has shown that we are facing a little explored theme. Also, understanding how Portuguese entrepreneurs deal with the challenges of brand communication in such a competitive ecosystem, even with more modest budgets, and bringing more knowledge about branding applied to Startups, are the major contributions of this study.

This study aims to analyze whether small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) recognize knowledge management (KM) as a factor that generates competitive advantage. To this end, a qualitative approach was adopted, through a multisectoral multi-case study based on semi-structured interviews with managers from four SMEs in the manufacturing, software development, construction sector and specialised technical services in the field of electricity sector. The results show that KM is widely recognised by managers as a strategic element essential to creating differentiation and strengthening organizational competitiveness. It was also found that factors such as professional experience, the level of qualification of managers and the competitive intensity of the sector of activity seem to positively influence the valuation of KM as a strategic resource. The conclusions obtained are in line with the existing literature, reinforcing the importance of systematic investment in human resource training and the consolidation of organizational knowledge as a condition for competitive sustainability. However, the study has limitations due to the small sample size, which limits the generalization of the results. We therefore recommend future research with larger samples and complementary methodologies to further explore and empirically validate the evidence identified.