This timely Handbook investigates the many perspectives from which to reconsider teaching and learning within business schools, during a time in which higher education is facing challenges to the way teaching might be delivered in the future. Bringing together a diverse range of expert contributors, this Handbook fills gaps in current knowledge and research, whilst expanding and exploring new fields. Topics covered include the use and value of learning technologies, leadership education and continuous professional development of research-based teachers. Crucially, the Handbook considers how faculty at all levels of seniority will be forced to challenge their own modus operandi in designing and delivering teaching. This is especially important during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, where blended learning should be carefully assessed before it is adopted as part of any course design. Offering both practical suggestions and cutting-edge research into the field, this Handbook will be a key resource for academics, practitioners and students in business and management education who wish to consolidate their teaching and learning and further understand the broader issues surrounding it.

Offering invaluable insights into technologically-driven change in Africa, this incisive book envisions myriad positive economic changes brought about by new technologies and innovations. Rooted in original research from contributors who have worked and taught in Africa, it encapsulates developments and breakthroughs throughout the continent. Technological Leapfrogging and Innovation in Africa details research and data on leading African economies and companies, illustrating the current achievements of these key players. With contributions by authors from a broad variety of fields including law, economics and journalism, it considers unique circumstances such as Africa’s post-pandemic recovery. It provides contextualised examinations of the challenges involved in technological leapfrogging for sub-Saharan Africa. This timely book will be essential for students and academics of entrepreneurship, development economics and innovation. It will additionally be of great benefit to policy makers interested in expanding their awareness of innovation and research in Africa.

Bringing together different theoretical perspectives on brand co-creation and discussing their practical applicability and ethical implications, this Research Handbook explores emerging notions of brand construction which view brands as co-created through collaborative efforts between multiple stakeholders. Chapters contribute to clarifying the ontological and epistemological assumptions underlying brand co-creation, gaining deeper insights into the co-creation of intangible and tangible brand assets, as well as uncovering the ethical implications of brand co-creation. The impressive selection of contributors also foreshadow and critically reflect on possible future developments related to brand co-creation, and illustrate practical applications in the form of case studies. In an ever more interconnected business environment, this timely Research Handbook will be an ideal read for students studying courses related to branding, marketing, innovation and business ethics. It will also be welcomed by scholars conducting research in these fields, as well as practitioners and managers implementing co-creation strategies.

It is an old cliche that leading and managing academics is like herding cats. This book challenges this myth and presents a way to deal with the many challenges of academic leadership, from managing departments, research groups and teams to managing tensions between research and teaching. The book is a practical and stimulating guide to different pathways to successful academic leadership, both in personal and organizational terms.

This important book considers the ways in which small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can thrive in the age of big data. To address this central issue from multiple viewpoints, the editors introduce a collection of experiences, insights, and guidelines from a variety of expert researchers, each of whom provides a piece to solve this puzzle. Contributions address the limitations faced by SMEs in their access to data and demonstrate that the key to overcoming this issue is to be aware of these limitations, to work within them, and to use them to think creatively about how to overcome obstacles in new ways. They discuss Artificial Intelligence, revenue blueprinting, GDPR compliance, and other key topics related to the relationships between SMEs and data. Offering ideas to inspire big data-driven success by SMEs making smaller investments, the book argues that there must be a place for "ordinary" data-driven journeys that are available to firms of any size. Stimulating further thought and action, Big Data in Small Business will be of great interest to academics, researchers, and practitioners in areas such as strategic management, organizational and innovation studies, marketing, and sales. The ideas and information in this book will help fill knowledge gaps related to important aspects of capabilities, functions, and transformations of big data that drive business growth.

It is an old cliche that leading and managing academics is like herding cats. This book challenges this myth and presents a way to deal with the many challenges of academic leadership, from managing departments, research groups and teams to managing tensions between research and teaching. The book is a practical and stimulating guide to different pathways to successful academic leadership, both in personal and organizational terms.

Sustainability is a top priority for organizations and a key strategy in corporate agendas, but the effective deployment of any strategy demands that the strategy is consistent, functional, and aligned. This Handbook advocates sustainability strategies that encompass environmental, social, and economic dimensions at department-level. Split into sections covering business strategies in marketing, innovation and entrepreneurship, operations management and information systems, finance and accounting, and human resources, this Handbook provides a comprehensive view of the development and deployment of sustainability-driven business strategies across an entire organization. The last section uses case studies to provide a better understanding of the features and tools needed to develop and implement a sustainability-driven business strategy in practice. Distinguishing the important role of each functional area, this Handbook will be a key reference for those researching on sustainability-related topics across business and management. Beyond the academic contributions, this Handbook also provides practical guidelines for managers interested in implementing sustainability-driven business strategies in their workplace.

Bringing together different theoretical perspectives on brand co-creation and discussing their practical applicability and ethical implications, this Research Handbook explores emerging notions of brand construction which view brands as co-created through collaborative efforts between multiple stakeholders. Chapters contribute to clarifying the ontological and epistemological assumptions underlying brand co-creation, gaining deeper insights into the co-creation of intangible and tangible brand assets, as well as uncovering the ethical implications of brand co-creation. The impressive selection of contributors also foreshadow and critically reflect on possible future developments related to brand co-creation, and illustrate practical applications in the form of case studies. In an ever more interconnected business environment, this timely Research Handbook will be an ideal read for students studying courses related to branding, marketing, innovation and business ethics. It will also be welcomed by scholars conducting research in these fields, as well as practitioners and managers implementing co-creation strategies.

This important book considers the ways in which small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can thrive in the age of big data. To address this central issue from multiple viewpoints, the editors introduce a collection of experiences, insights, and guidelines from a variety of expert researchers, each of whom provides a piece to solve this puzzle. Contributions address the limitations faced by SMEs in their access to data and demonstrate that the key to overcoming this issue is to be aware of these limitations, to work within them, and to use them to think creatively about how to overcome obstacles in new ways. They discuss Artificial Intelligence, revenue blueprinting, GDPR compliance, and other key topics related to the relationships between SMEs and data. Offering ideas to inspire big data-driven success by SMEs making smaller investments, the book argues that there must be a place for "ordinary" data-driven journeys that are available to firms of any size. Stimulating further thought and action, Big Data in Small Business will be of great interest to academics, researchers, and practitioners in areas such as strategic management, organizational and innovation studies, marketing, and sales. The ideas and information in this book will help fill knowledge gaps related to important aspects of capabilities, functions, and transformations of big data that drive business growth.

This timely Handbook investigates the many perspectives from which to reconsider teaching and learning within business schools, during a time in which higher education is facing challenges to the way teaching might be delivered in the future. Bringing together a diverse range of expert contributors, this Handbook fills gaps in current knowledge and research, whilst expanding and exploring new fields. Topics covered include the use and value of learning technologies, leadership education and continuous professional development of research-based teachers. Crucially, the Handbook considers how faculty at all levels of seniority will be forced to challenge their own modus operandi in designing and delivering teaching. This is especially important during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, where blended learning should be carefully assessed before it is adopted as part of any course design. Offering both practical suggestions and cutting-edge research into the field, this Handbook will be a key resource for academics, practitioners and students in business and management education who wish to consolidate their teaching and learning and further understand the broader issues surrounding it.

'A must read for all entrepreneurship scholars because it helps us to understand and appreciate the real and many roles of women entrepreneurs, their relevance and importance to societies across the World, as well as the challenges and issues women entrepreneurs can face. An exciting and interesting read which presents us with critical questions for the future - thank you.' - Sarah Jack, Lancaster University Management School, UK Taking a fresh look at how performance is defined by examining the institutional power structures and policies, eminent scholars herein explore ways to overcome constrained performance and encourage women?s entrepreneurial activities through a variety of methodological approaches and geographical contexts. Significantly, this book adds a critical perspective to defining ?success? and ?performance?, shattering misconceptions of underperformance in women-owned enterprises. The contributing authors raise questions on the limiting concept of the ?entrepreneur? and have valuable insights into policies to facilitate female entrepreneurs. Instead of taking a one-sided and narrow approach with regards to understanding the entrepreneurship performance phenomenon, this book argues that future researchers should take a fresh look at business performance, considering structural constraints, definitions of success and other socio-political factors. Scholars in the fields of entrepreneurship, gender studies, and institutional theory, as well as those who have a general interest in critical research, will benefit from this progressive step in entrepreneurship research. Contributors include: R. Aidis, A. Akdeniz, H. Baiya, M. Boddington, D. Brozik, J.O. De Castro, L. Delgado-Marquez, S. Dewitt, W. Farraj, A. Fayolle, A.T. Hailemariam, C. Henry, C. Hoyte, B. Irene, J. Johansson, N. Jurik, R. Justo, A. Kamau, P. Kamau, G. Khoury, B. Kroon, A. Lindgreen, J. Lockyer, M. Malmstroem, M. Milliance, D. Muia, R. Narendran, J. Ndung'u, S. Saeed, N. Sappleton, S. Sheikh, F. Sist, S. Sultan, A. Voitkane, J. Wincent, S. Yousafzai, A. Zapalska

This insightful book considers the challenges faced by researchers pursuing an academic career. From applying for grants to supervising PhD students, it utilises practical research and real experiences to illustrate how marketing scholars can strike a healthy working balance between teaching and research to find success in academia. Experienced scholars outline the key stages towards building an effective and varied academic portfolio, incorporating pragmatic insights into generating ideas, building research groups, and drafting funding applications. The book describes the processes involved in both collaborating with peers and engaging with research students, paying close attention to the ways in which scholars translate research into teaching. Offering crucial advice based on practical knowledge, the book guides early- to mid-career scholars to publication success and highlights the most effective ways to maintain relevance, impact and societal value throughout one's career. Providing a holistic view of research culture, this cutting-edge book is critical reading for early- to mid-career scholars. The book will also be useful for recent graduates planning their careers in academia.

Following recent growth of ethical consumerism, customers and other stakeholders increasingly pressure organizations to be socially responsible and minimize their negative impact on the environment. Accordingly, a plethora of firms have integrated corporate social responsibility (CSR) at the center of their business strategies and actions. Whilst this has resulted in many firms meeting their broader responsibilities toward society and the environment, some firms have used CSR in a manipulative and insincere way. As stakeholders become aware of such misuse of CSR, largely thanks to the rapid evolution of information technologies, they start to penalize firms by spreading negative word of mouth about them, and specifically about their CSR knowledge, values, and actions. Now, more than ever before, stakeholders are increasingly critical and cautious in their assessments of firms’ CSR knowledge, values, and actions. On this background, this edited volume sheds light on different internal and external perspectives spanning CSR knowledge, values, and actions. It shares theoretical, practical, and case-based insights on the broader topic and can be of interest to researchers, academics, practitioners, and advanced students in the fields of CSR and business ethics, knowledge management, strategy, and marketing.

Women entrepreneurs are indeed a formidable force of economic growth and social change, though we still often question the "how" and "why." For the readers who seek to understand the spectrum of gender influences in the context of entrepreneurship, Understanding Women’s Entrepreneurship in a Gendered Context: Influences and Restraints widens the contextual focus of women’s entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship research by providing powerful insights into the influences and restraints within a diverse set of gendered contexts including social, political, institutional, religious, patriarchal, cultural, family and economic, in which female entrepreneurs around the world operate their businesses. From recognition of a seventh-century businesswoman in Mecca to the construction of a gendered scientific Business Model Canvas, this collection of studies will inspire readers to think differently about theory, patriarchy, trade systems, adoption or transformation and strategies to create inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems. In doing so, the contributing authors demonstrate not only the importance of studying the contexts in which women’s entrepreneurial activities are shaped, but also how female entrepreneurs, through their endeavours, modify these contexts. This book will be of great value to scholars, students and researchers interested in women’s entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial ecosystems, gender hierarchy and the transition to gender equality. It was originally published as a special issue of Entrepreneurship & Regional Development.

Sole reliance on traditional marketing practices can cost a lot of money for little gain. That's why establishing, developing, and maintaining market relationships with customers and other stakeholders is often hailed as an effective means to achieve a sustained competitive market advantage. Despite this, the benefits of relationship marketing remain uncertain, and efforts in this arena often fail. Managing Market Relationships explains what relationship marketing entails, how it is implemented, how it evolves, and how it is controlled. Building on research with colleagues, Adam Lindgreen argues that companies must add value - either through their products and services or through their relationships, networks, and interactions. Readers are introduced to the buyer-seller market exchange model that recognizes the importance of relationship marketing but argues that it should co-exist with traditional marketing. The book offers guidance on how to develop, involve, and evaluate management and employees in relationship-building market activities. To avoid the one-size-fits-all approach to relationships, that so often leads to the premature death of managers' efforts, a relationship management assessment tool is provided that helps companies to question, identify, and prioritize critical aspects of relationship marketing. This timely and comprehensively researched book is essential reading for researchers, those involved in the professional training and development of marketers, and higher level students and practitioners who will want to learn more about relationship marketing, relevant research methodologies and how to use sound managerial models and tools.

Strategic Renewal is an original research anthology offering insight into a subject area which, although critical for the sustained success of organizations, has received relatively little attention as distinct from the more general phenomenon of strategic change. Firstly, by providing a summary of the literature, this research anthology helps graduate students and new researchers grasp the current state of affairs in the field. Secondly, this research anthology will help update the knowledge base of the existing researchers in the field. By bringing together various studies, the research anthology determines the core concepts of the field and elucidates the key gaps and future research areas. Through contributions building on the knowledge bases of other disciplines, this research anthology develops an interdisciplinary research agenda, giving the reader an in-depth understanding of the mediating, moderating, and antecedent variables concerning strategic renewal. Strategic Renewal aims to provide a state-of-understanding to the subject, as well as a clear picture of the cross-disciplinary landscape that informs the subject. Thus, this research anthology is essential reading for managers, consultants, and other practitioners, as well as students and scholars of business.

Women entrepreneurs are indeed a formidable force of economic growth and social change, though we still often question the "how" and "why." For the readers who seek to understand the spectrum of gender influences in the context of entrepreneurship, Understanding Women's Entrepreneurship in a Gendered Context: Influences and Restraints widens the contextual focus of women's entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship research by providing powerful insights into the influences and restraints within a diverse set of gendered contexts including social, political, institutional, religious, patriarchal, cultural, family and economic, in which female entrepreneurs around the world operate their businesses. From recognition of a seventh-century businesswoman in Mecca to the construction of a gendered scientific Business Model Canvas, this collection of studies will inspire readers to think differently about theory, patriarchy, trade systems, adoption or transformation and strategies to create inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems. In doing so, the contributing authors demonstrate not only the importance of studying the contexts in which women's entrepreneurial activities are shaped, but also how female entrepreneurs, through their endeavours, modify these contexts. This book will be of great value to scholars, students and researchers interested in women's entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial ecosystems, gender hierarchy and the transition to gender equality. It was originally published as a special issue of Entrepreneurship & Regional Development.

Food and agribusiness is one of the fastest changing global markets; change that is driven by technology, developments in manufacturing and supply, and a growing consumer engagement. The success of the agri-food industry and many of our household brand names will depend on how much you understand about these changes and the extent to which you can deliver secure and competitive products in the face of growing expectations about food safety and quality, as well as changing attitudes about the environment, human diet and nutrition, and animal welfare. The Crisis of Food Brands offers perspectives on many key aspects of these changes including the role of business, policy-makers, and the media in communicating with and engaging stakeholders about: o relevant and dynamic models of risk and crisis management; o the value of innovative and, sometimes controversial, food systems; o their buying behaviour and attitudes to movements such as organic and fair trade; o how and where we source and buy our food now (and in the future). The quality of the original research that underpins this book and the imagination and practicality with which the authors address its applications for the industry is first rate. Anyone with responsibility for marketing food, communicating about the food industry, or engaging with consumers will find this an important source of ideas and inspiration.

Scholars from various disciplines have studied humor since antiquity. Yet, over the centuries, these researchers have also struggled to conceptualize a viable, well-accepted notion of humor. Beyond pleasure and amusement, people use humor for a variety of social functions. On the one hand, humor can cause others to like the humorous source more, attract regard, ease conversations, promote expression and the exchange of ideas, introduce new topics of discussion, or smooth interactions. On the other hand, in aggressive forms, humor can halt verbal interactions, modify the usual rules of conversation, communicate critiques, or contribute to the creation of subversive environments. Not All Claps and Cheers: Humor in Business and Society Relationships is an original research anthology that considers different angles from which to address the use of humor by individuals, groups and business actors in their interactions within, around, and across organizations-that is, at the interfaces of business and society. Accordingly, the research anthology is organized in four sections-"Humor, Business and Society," "From Society to Business: Humor's Use and Roles in Activist Movements," "From Business to Society: Humor's Use and Roles in Marketing, Corporate Communications, and Public Relations," and "Society within Business: Humor's Use and Roles in the Workplace and in Organizations." This ground-breaking research anthology draws on material from marketing, communications, human resources and stakeholder theory to throw light on this poorly understood facet of human business behavior.

This research anthology explores the concept of food production and supply, from farm gate to plate, bringing together contemporary thinking and research on local, national, and global issues from a stakeholder perspective. A Stakeholder Approach to Managing Food includes a number of sections to represent these challenges, opportunities, conflicts, and cohesions affecting relevant stakeholder groups within food production and supply and their reaction to, engagement with, and co-creation of the food environment. For some, local, national, and global interests may seem at odds. We are in an era of growing and pervasive multi-national corporations, and these corporations have significant influence at all levels. Rapidly growing economies such as China are a focus for the global brand, but is this a scenario of adaptation or homogenization of food? Alongside this trend toward national and global development in food, this volume presents the counter-reaction that is taking place (especially in developed countries) toward local speciality and culturally bound foods, with emphasis on the importance of the inter-connection of local communities and agri-food culture and economy. With an in-depth analysis of agricultural businesses, this book shows that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in rural communities with often renewed and engaged connection with consumers and imaginative use of new media. This book will be of interest to students, researchers and policy-makers concerned with agriculture, food production and economics, cultural studies.

Business and Development Studies: Issues and Perspectives provides a comprehensive collection of cutting-edge theoretical and empirical contributions to the emerging field of business and development studies. Compared to more traditional business-school accounts of business in developing countries which focus on the challenges and opportunities of doing business in developing countries, this anthology explores whether, how, and under what conditions business contributes to the achievement of economic, social, and environmental goals in developing countries. The book consolidates the current status of academic work on business and development, identifies state of the art in relation to this academic field, and establishes a future research agenda for 'business and development studies' as an emerging academic discipline within the social sciences. The book will be of interest to researchers and students, including economists, geographers, sociologists, political scientists, corporate social responsibility specialists, and development scholars who are seeking an in-depth overview of current debates about the role of business as a development agent in the Global South. The book is also of relevance to practitioners that are engaged in work with the private sector seeking to enhance the positive effects and minimize the negative economic, social, and environmental consequences of business activity in the Global South.

Corporate social responsibility has grown into a global phenomenon that encompasses businesses, consumers, governments, and civil society, and many organizations have adopted its discourse. Yet corporate social responsibility remains an uncertain and poorly defined ambition, with few absolutes. First, the issues that organizations must address can easily be interpreted to include virtually everyone and everything. Second, with their unique, often particular characteristics, different stakeholder groups tend to focus only on specific issues that they believe are the most appropriate and relevant in organizations' corporate social responsibility programs. Thus, beliefs about what constitutes a socially responsible and sustainable organization depend on the perspective of the stakeholder. Third, in any organization, the beliefs of organizational members about their organization's social responsibilities vary according to their function and department, as well as their own managerial fields of knowledge. A Stakeholder Approach to Corporate Social Responsibility provides a comprehensive collection of cutting-edge theories and research that can lead to a more multifaceted understanding of corporate social responsibility in its various forms, the pressures and conflicts that result from these different understandings, and some potential solutions for reconciling them.

Marketing orientation is both the key objective of most food producers and their biggest challenge. Connecting food and agricultural production with the changing needs and aspirations of the customer provides the means to ensure competitive advantage, resilience and added value in what you produce. But market orientation is not something that you can just buy in or bolt on to what you do. Market orientation is a matter of changing the culture of your organisation; finding ways of learning more about your customers and understanding their needs; changing your development and reward systems to educate your employees; it may also involve significant changes to your production processes. This comprehensive collection of original research explores the challenges and opportunities associated with market orientation along the food supply chain; from the animal feed industry to meat retailing and from organic foods to old world wines. All the chapters provide exceptional insight into understanding how market orientation can benefit food suppliers and how it is essential for long-term success.

Food is an extraordinary expression of culture; the assortment of flavours, smells, colours and appearance match the diversity of the cultures from which they come and provide very visible evidence of the migration of populations and of the growing multiculturalism of many countries. Adam Lindgreen and Martin K. Hingley draw on research into European, Latin American and (Near and Far) Eastern markets to provide a comprehensive collection of original, cutting-edge research on the opportunities that the changing landscapes of ethnic, religious and cultural populations present for businesses and marketers. The New Cultures of Food uses the perspective of food culture to explore the role of food as a social agent and attitudes to new foodstuffs amongst indigenous populations and to indigenous food amongst immigrant communities. Opportunities and routes to market for exploiting growing demand for ethnic food are also investigated. This is an important book for food and consumer businesses, policy makers and researchers seeking to understand changing global markets and the significance of food as an indicator of social and religious attitude, diet and ethnic identity.

Food and agribusiness is one of the fastest changing global markets; change that is driven by technology, developments in manufacturing and supply, and a growing consumer engagement. The success of the agri-food industry and many of our household brand names will depend on how much you understand about these changes and the extent to which you can deliver secure and competitive products in the face of growing expectations about food safety and quality, as well as changing attitudes about the environment, human diet and nutrition, and animal welfare. The Crisis of Food Brands offers perspectives on many key aspects of these changes including the role of business, policy-makers, and the media in communicating with and engaging stakeholders about: o relevant and dynamic models of risk and crisis management; o the value of innovative and, sometimes controversial, food systems; o their buying behaviour and attitudes to movements such as organic and fair trade; o how and where we source and buy our food now (and in the future). The quality of the original research that underpins this book and the imagination and practicality with which the authors address its applications for the industry is first rate. Anyone with responsibility for marketing food, communicating about the food industry, or engaging with consumers will find this an important source of ideas and inspiration.