Purpose This paper aims to examine how publication temporality and citation impact jointly inform the contemporary evolution of organisational capability within the resource-based view (RBV) literature between 2021 and 2025. This study clarifies how theoretical thinking about firm resources has shifted towards novel forms of value-creating organisational capabilities and identifies the consolidation of theoretical themes and future research directions within the field. Design/methodology/approach This study analyses 4,232 peer-reviewed articles published between 2021 and 2025, a period that accounts for nearly 50% of all RBV literature published since 1984. This study uses a quantitative bibliometric and science-mapping methodology, including semantic co-occurrence analysis of author keywords, with overlay and density visualisations in VOSviewer. Overlay maps highlight the temporal relevance of organisational capability constructs, and density maps reveal their structural and conceptual influence. The dual-lens approach provides a diagnostic framework for interpreting the contemporary trajectory of RBV-based organisational research. Findings The findings reveal a structural shift in how RBV scholarship conceptualises organisational capability, through three distinct evolutionary trajectories. Firstly, core renewal, where digital transformation and artificial intelligence fuse with dynamic capabilities to create high-impact internal capability routines. Secondly, emergent experimentation, in which constructs such as entrepreneurship, early-stage resource bootstrapping and blockchain form exploration frontiers. Thirdly, stable influence, in which environmental performance, the natural resource-based view and corporate social responsibility are broadly accepted as baseline pillars. This paper demonstrates that there is an active reconfiguration of traditional resource logic within the RBV field, with organisational capabilities moving along divergent theoretical trajectories. Research implications This study offers a diagnostic framework for positioning future RBV research within organisational theory. It delineates which capability constructs are undergoing renewal, which peripheral themes merit further development and which established organisational vocabularies continue to anchor the field. The dual-lens approach reveals where visibility is rising, but citation influence lags, guiding scholars in prioritising constructs for theoretical extension, consolidation and empirical testing. Practical implications For strategists and corporate leaders, the findings reframe how competitive advantage is created and sustained in volatile, unpredictable environments. Instead of relying on static, capital-heavy physical asset stocks, strategic advantage requires dynamic resource orchestration – coalescing flexible digital capabilities, cross-border relational networks and alliances and ecological stewardship into hard-to-imitate organisational routines that drive resilient value creation. Social implications The findings indicate that contemporary RBV scholarship increasingly aligns firm capability building with societal demands for environmental sustainability, ethical governance and digital inclusion. The results categorise transient, emergent and enduring capability practices – including those within resource-constrained contexts – and provide policymakers with actionable insights to inform initiatives aimed at organisational resilience and sustainable economic development. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper provides the first quantitative dual-lens structural and thematic synthesis of contemporary RBV literature published between 2021 and 2025 – a pivotal period accounting for nearly 50% of all RBV publications and 16% of all RBV citations since 1984. It introduces an integrative diagnostic framework that analyses the evolving theoretical identity of a leading strategic management theory. This study operationalises the divergence between publication recency and citation authority and advances a novel theoretical typology – core renewal, emergent experimentation and stable influence – that reveals how traditional firm resource logic has been actively reconfigured across the contemporary literature in response to technological disruptions, regulatory mandates and global shocks.
This study investigates the rapid centralization of the Ethereum builder market under the Proposer-Builder Separation (PBS) architecture. We argue that existing research, by focusing predominantly on influential order flows, lacks a comprehensive evaluation of order flow behavioral patterns and economic purposes. To address this gap, we analyze Ethereum transactions from September 2023 to August 2025 to characterize Exclusive Order Flows (EOFs) and non-atomic Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) -- the missing components corresponding to these behavioral and economic dimensions, respectively. We introduce a novel exclusivity metric based on Kullback-Leibler divergence and employ supervised learning to identify 75 EOFs and 322 non-atomic MEV flows, which account for 71\% and 23\% of trading-related builder revenue. A longitudinal analysis of builder strategies across these dimensions delineates the market's evolution into four distinct eras, revealing that while EOFs were instrumental in establishing early dominance, incumbents have since decoupled market share from immediate EOF dependency by leveraging entrenched network effects. Ultimately, we conclude that builder centralization is an emergent property of the PBS framework itself, as the architecture systematically violates the fundamental prerequisites of a competitive market.
Vahab Esfandani, Mohammad Amin Borghei, Sara Ravan Ramzani, Peter Konhaeusner · 6 authors
The digital economy has expanded organizations’ ability to source ideas, labor and capital through online participation, making crowdsourcing a strategic mechanism for innovation and problem solving. This chapter conceptualizes strategic crowdsourcing as a socio-technical system rather than ad hoc task outsourcing and synthesizes dispersed theory and evidence into a coherent framework for design and governance. It defines major typologies—micro-tasks, open innovation contests, co-creation, crowdfunding, internal crowdsourcing and citizen science—and situates them relative to outsourcing and open-source collaboration to clarify when each approach fits task uncertainty, required expertise and desired ownership of outputs. Building on open innovation, socio-technical systems and participatory governance perspectives, the chapter proposes an integrated model with five linked layers: contextual drivers; input configuration (task specification, crowd definition and call design); enabling infrastructure (platforms and technologies, including AI and blockchain-based mechanisms); process mechanisms (incentive design, validation and quality assurance, data governance and ethical/legal safeguards); and outputs/outcomes (innovation, organizational learning, governance effects and social value with feedback loops). Cross-sector illustrations from technology, healthcare, education, civic tech and sustainability highlight recurring trade-offs around motivation, quality control, fair compensation, privacy and confidentiality and intellectual property rights. The chapter also evaluates emerging hybrid human–AI crowdsourcing and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), emphasizing that their benefits depend on transparent rules, accountable allocation of rewards and decision rights and human-in-the-loop oversight to mitigate bias, concentration of control and trust failures. Overall, strategic crowdsourcing is positioned as potentially democratizing when aligned with organizational goals and governed responsibly. It concludes by outlining research directions for comparative studies, cross-cultural analysis and regulation-aware design.
Benjamin Gillen, Rashmi Ranjan Bhuyan, Gourab Mukherjee, Austin Pollok
The Ethereum blockchain plays a central role in the broader cryptocurrency ecosystem, enabling a wide range of financial activity through the use of smart contracts. This paper investigates how individual Ethereum wallets responded to the collapse of FTX, one of the largest centralized cryptocurrency exchanges. Moving beyond price-based event studies, we adopt a bottom-up approach using granular wallet-level data. We construct a representative sample of Ethereum addresses and analyze their transaction behavior before and after the collapse using an explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) framework. Our proposed framework addresses data scarcity in high-resolution wallet-level daily transactions by employing a calibrated zero-inflated generalized linear fixed effects model. Our analysis quantifies distinct shifts in transaction intensity and stablecoin usage, highlighting a flight to safety within the ecosystem. These findings underscore the value of a bottom-up methodology for quantifying the user-level impact of blockchain-based shocks, offering insights beyond traditional price-level analysis through wallet-level data.
In the rapidly evolving decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem, ensuring efficient and interoperable transaction mechanisms is a critical challenge. This paper introduces a strategic optimization model for a blockchain-based token exchange platform, leveraging Coincidence of Wants (CoWs), multi-chain Automated Market Makers (AMMs), and an on-chain solver auction mechanism to enhance transaction efficiency and cross-chain interoperability in DeFi. In our model, users specify their transaction intents, while solvers, selected through a competitive auction based on game theory principles, compete to find the most efficient execution pathways, considering liquidity availability and market constraints. This approach not only facilitates seamless cross-chain transaction flows, but also optimizes the efficiency of existing solvers and reduces the reliance on centralized mechanisms. Our model’s effectiveness is validated through extensive simulation experiments, where performance with various order inputs and AMM constraints demonstrates a transaction completion rate increase ranging from 26.1% to 46.1% compared to the CoWs-only model, thereby enhancing user welfare and market fairness. The proposed model offers broad applicability for efficient, interoperable cross-chain transactions, positioning it to make a significant impact on the DeFi landscape.
Nidhi Singh, Usama Awan, Sarah Basahel, Rsha Alghafes
This study addresses a gap in the current research by investigating the relationship between BC based financial solutions and SC recoverability and financial resilience. Previous research provides little empirical evidence on how and under what conditions Fintech improves the manufacturing firm's financial resilience. This empirical research draws on the resource base view (RBV) to investigate the role of Fintech as a driver of better relationship transparency and SC production risk management for financial resilience. The data was collected from 295 engineering manufacturers in India. A key contribution of this study is that it provides new insights by highlighting the role of Blockchain Technology (BCT), built on the Ethereum-based system, in strengthening SC recoverability and enhancing relationship transparency. We present a research framework grounded in the Resource-Based View (RBV) that illustrates how blockchain technology (BCT) can provide firms with critical competencies for developing relationship transparency and managing production risks, thereby enhancing financial resilience in the SC. Relationship transparency, essential for SC recoverability, is pivotal in establishing the link between BCT and SC recoverability. Our findings advise SC managers that relationship transparency improves SC recoverability and may be an important source of financial resilience.
Abstract Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) are attracting interest from various disciplines, particularly business and economics, and computer science. However, much like the parable of the blind men and the elephant, where each observer sees only part of the phenomenon, DAO research has largely remained fragmented across disciplines, limiting a comprehensive understanding of the potential of DAOs. This paper investigates to which extent DAO scholarship has achieved meaningful interdisciplinary integration. We address this question through an analysis of knowledge flows between Business and Economics and Computer Science, using citation network analysis, topic modelling, and outlet analysis. We find that while DAOs generate vibrant interdisciplinary discourse, the interactions remain predominantly applied and case-driven, with limited theoretical integration. By mapping interdisciplinary exchanges, we highlight key gaps and opportunities for greater synthesis across fields. We argue that strengthening the alignment between organizational and technical insights is crucial for advancing DAO research and fostering a more cohesive interdisciplinary framework.
This chapter examines how Web3 technologies like blockchain and the metaverse are transforming organizational functions and business models. The metaverse is enhancing human resource processes such as recruitment through immersive job previews, virtual interviews/job fairs, and innovative training via VR simulations, gamification, and AI assistants. In manufacturing, the industrial metaverse enables cost savings, quality improvements, flexibility, faster delivery, and sustainability by leveraging capabilities like digital twins and real-time facility reconfigurations. Web3 and the metaverse are reshaping business models by providing immersive digital marketing channels and virtual product testing grounds, especially appealing to Gen Z. Companies are generating new revenue streams through metaverse initiatives like Nike's Nikeland featuring virtual goods sold as NFTs. The blockchain's trustless verification can prevent opportunistic behavior in interorganizational relationships by transparently enforcing agreements. Examples include using NFTs to certify product data impacting resale value and incentivizing authorized after-sales service channels.
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have emerged as a transformative innovation within blockchain ecosystems, enabling decentralized ownership, governance, and community formation. However, their sustainability remains uncertain due to reduced community engagement, waning public interest, and declining market valuations. This thesis investigates the socio-technical transitions of NFT ecosystems to address these challenges using the multi-level perspective (MLP) framework, integrating insights from human-computer interaction (HCI), computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW), and visual analytics (VA). Employing a mixed-methods approach, this thesis explores the sustainability of NFT innovation across three socio-technical levels: At the niche level, it explores how collective intelligence emerges through stakeholder collaboration and algorithmic coordination in early-stage NFT communities. Content analysis of 776 social media posts, 223 survey responses, and 22 interviews identifies hybrid governance mechanisms that combine decentralized participation with intermediary facilitation, supporting bottom-up innovation. At the regime level, it examines how dominant cultural values, particularly Confucian traditions in our case, shape trust-building within Chinese NFT communities. Qualitative analysis of WeChat group discussions and 21 stakeholder interviews reveals culturally embedded guidelines for establishing trust within blockchain’s “distrust infrastructures.” At the landscape level, it investigates how broader socio-economic forces—such as market volatility, project migration, and social media trends—reshape the rise, competition, and substitution of NFT projects. This analysis is supported by the Minimal Substitution (MS) model and NFTracer, an interactive visual analytics system that maps substitutive relationships between NFT projects using multi-attribute-aware node-link graphs and mechanism-based simulations. This thesis contributes by (1) empirically characterizing collaboration, trust, and migration across MLP levels; (2) developing tools to support stakeholder needs; and (3) extending MLP to algorithm-driven blockchain environments. These contributions provide a comprehensive understanding of NFT ecosystems and actionable strategies for sustainable development.
Lyudmyla Alekseyenko, Marta Dmytryshyn, Oksana YURKEVYCH
Introduction. Scaling the innovation ecosystem requires a digital transformation of publicprivate innovation management (PPIM). Transactional policies that guarantee the exchange of resources shape the international contours of the development of a globalized economy with local preferences. PPIM faces geopolitical, regulatory and communication challenges that require international cooperation to ensure digital transformation in the face of epistemic uncertainty. There is a growing academic discourse on decentralized finance (DeFi) and cryptocurrencies, which seek to replicate the core economic functions of traditional finance (TradFi), but their unique characteristics create new risks to financial stability. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the theoretical concept of scaling innovations with a focus on trends in public-private management of innovation transformation in the context of the epistemic nature of international transactional politics. Results. Digital transformation promotes synergy between the state and business, especially in Ukraine, where the PPIM activates innovation in the modernization of the defense sector. Transactional policy ensures the protection of intellectual property and the harmonization of standards through Horizon Europe innovation development programs, which can be adapted and scaled to achieve national security guarantees. It is argued that blockchain and DeFi are transforming financial content, but they also create regulatory challenges. The gravity model reveals the speculative role of native cryptoassets and the transactional role of stablecoins, highlighting the adaptability of regulation to reduce risks and support innovative technologies. The application of the latest regulatory measures, in particular the embedding of rules in smart contracts, will comply with the principles of technologically neutral regulation, which allows for a balance between innovation and stability. Prospects. Further development of PPIM requires research into the communication of DeFi with traditional finance, in particular asset tokenization and smart contracts, to minimize systemic risks. It is important to diagnose the stability of stablecoins and their impact on financial inclusion in developing countries. Regulating decentralized systems like DAOs will contribute to financial stability and define the framework for interaction with regulators. The implementation of AI requires ethical standards to ensure transparency and security. In Ukraine, the Brave1 cluster demonstrates the potential of PPPs for innovation in conditions of uncertainty, and the modernization of CSR taking into account transactional policy trends will harmonize economic and defense goals, contributing to sustainable development and adaptation of global standards to local dimensions.
In increasingly decentralized organizations, aligning innovation governance with strategic decision-making has become a growing challenge. This study explored how a global industrial company, comprising hundreds of autonomous business entities, could enhance its product development methodology to better support executive-level product investment decisions. The current system, anchored in a linear waterfall process, has remained largely unchanged for a long period of time despite significant growth in organizational complexity and demand for newer methodologies. Using surveys issued to top-level decision-makers, follow-up interviews, and internal documentation, the study identified key decision criteria for go/no-go investment decisions and revealed key areas for organizational improvement. The criteria were evaluated and ranked using a tailored fuzzy analytical hierarchy process. The findings indicated that executive leadership should review criteria related to financial impact; strategic fit; product value, market, and customer understanding; and risk awareness. Identified improvement areas included increased project flexibility, better decision timing, stronger strategy alignment, and deeper customer insight. The thesis provides a foundation for revising product innovation practices and tools to strengthen executive governance, improve decision quality, and support sustainable growth.
Introduction Decentralized autonomous organizations in decentralized science face unique organizational and scientific demands. This study examines core challenges encountered by DeSci DAOs and how these challenges affect governance and research practice. Methods Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with co‐founders, working‐group leads, and long‐term contributors. Transcripts were analyzed using Kuckartz’s six‐phase qualitative content analysis. Categories were developed and refined to synthesize recurrent themes across interviews. Results Nineteen sub-categories clustered into six domains: governance, financials, contribution, onboarding, operations, and science. Findings highlight tensions between token‐weighted decision making and domain expertise, labor‐intensive hybrid accounting practices, persistent talent shortages, steep Web3 onboarding curves, fragmented project coordination, and science‐specific issues that include negotiations with technology transfer offices and the tokenization of research assets. The resulting category system provides a diagnostic baseline for understanding how decentralized governance intersects with scientific rigor. Discussion DeSci DAOs progress most effectively when blockchain-enabled transparency is paired with clearly defined coordination roles, structured onboarding pathways, and credible mechanisms for scientific validation. These features help balance organizational experimentation with proven practices and support more reliable scientific workflows.
Purpose There is a knowledge gap regarding the determinants of open innovation processes and outcomes in a joint value creation context, as well as what role artificial intelligence (AI) and data management play in facilitating open innovation processes. One strategy to better understand joint value creation through open innovation, supported by AI and data management, is to conduct studies on the digital business ecosystem (DBE). The purpose of this paper is to improve our current knowledge of this urgent issue in contemporary management through the lens of an ecosystem-based theory by conducting an empirical study on two DBEs (called ecosystem micro-communities (EMCs)), developed by Haier, as well as multiple literature reviews on the key concepts “Haier EMC” and “digital business ecosystem”. Design/methodology/approach By building on multiple literature reviews and empirical data from a multi-year and ongoing research program driven by Haier, this study examines Haier’s EMC model for AI-driven DBEs. Secondary data were collected through iterative literature reviews on DBEs, the EMC concept and the two selected EMC cases. The empirical data were collected through a qualitative study of two Haier EMCs in China. Findings Haier's ecosystem micro-community concept represents a radical shift towards a more flexible, responsive and innovative cross-industry organizational structure, offering valuable lessons for business leaders and scholars. Haier’s ecosystem micro-community model, part of their RenDanHeYi philosophy and here viewed as a DBE, is a pioneering management concept that not only redefines the management of the firm and the traditional corporate structure, but also the traditional view on innovation management, business strategy, human resource management and marketing (customer centricity). The concept has therefore an important and big impact on traditional management. For scholars, the gap in understanding innovation processes in open business ecosystems is addressed by the concept. However, the concept also opens new areas for academic research, particularly in innovation management, business strategy, human resource management and marketing. The concepts further encourage more interdisciplinary research. Research limitations/implications The DBE is a relatively new research area that will need more research. While the EMC model is promising as an effective version of a DBE, its effectiveness across different industries and organizational cultures needs to be explored further. Future research should investigate its applicability and impact in diverse business environments. To understand the EMC’s long-term impact, longitudinal studies are needed. These should focus on the sustained competitive advantages, potential market disruptions and the evolution of customer value propositions over time. Finally, considering increasing concerns about data privacy and security, future research should also explore how DBEs solve the issue of data protection and IP while promoting open innovation and value sharing. Practical implications For managers and practitioners, the EMC concept could inspire leaders to learn how to foster innovation by creating smaller, autonomous teams that can respond quickly to market changes in the form of a DBE. The concepts exemplify how value creation and capture could be enhanced for any company and even could be a new strategy in the company’s digital transformation and repositioning into a more competitive, high-end player on the market. The concept also emphasizes employee empowerment and ownership, which can lead to higher job satisfaction and retention rates. The concept can further improve companies’ adaptability and resilience by decentralizing decision-making. Finally, the micro-communities allow businesses to be more customer-centric, developing products and services that better meet specific customer needs. Social implications The social implications could be positive, as complex social problems commonly need an ecosystem approach to develop and deliver impactful solutions. In addition, Haier’s ecosystem micro-community model seems inherently scalable and culturally adaptable. Originality/value Haier’s EMC model is well-known in the research literature and is a novel approach to DBEs, which has been proven successful and replicable in different countries and industries. Providing insights from multiple literature reviews and two unique Haier EMC cases will contribute to a better understanding of highly effective data- and AI-driven business ecosystems, as well as of determinants of open innovation processes and outcomes in a joint value creation context, as well as what role AI and data management play in facilitating open innovation processes.
Vahid J. Sadeghi, Alexeis García-Pérez, Demetris Vrontis, Denise Bedford
The transition from an industrial to a knowledge-based economy, accelerated by the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0), has fundamentally transformed the business landscape (Ardito et al., 2021). This shift has brought unprecedented challenges and opportunities for organizations, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as they navigate the complexities of digital transformation and international expansion (Denicolai et al., 2021; Jafari-Sadeghi et al., 2021). In this context, the concept of digital resilience has emerged as a critical capability for firms to not only survive but thrive in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) business environment (Annarelli et al., 2020).This special issue of the Journal of Enterprise Information Management focuses on the intersections of digital resilience, new business models and international entrepreneurship, particularly emphasizing the importance of digital resilience for SMEs, the adaptation of business models in the digital age and the specific challenges SMEs face in international markets. By exploring these themes, the issue aims to provide valuable insights into how SMEs can leverage digital technologies to enhance their resilience, innovate their business models and successfully pursue international opportunities.The landscape of international business has undergone a profound transformation in recent decades, driven by the rise of the knowledge economy and the rapid advancement of digital technologies (Hanelt et al., 2020; Vaio et al., 2021). This evolution has given birth to new forms of international entrepreneurship and necessitated the development of novel capabilities, particularly digital resilience, for firms operating in the global marketplace (Dillon et al., 2020). As Oviatt and McDougall (2005) presciently observed, the intersection of international business, entrepreneurship and technological advancement has created a new paradigm for how firms operate across borders.International entrepreneurship, once characterized primarily by the gradual expansion of firms into foreign markets as described in traditional internationalization theories (Johanson and Vahlne, 1977), has been revolutionized by digital technologies. Today’s international entrepreneurs can leverage digital platforms and ecosystems to engage with global markets from inception, often without significant physical presence abroad (Elia et al., 2020). This phenomenon, termed “born-global” firms by Rennie (1993) and further developed by Knight and Cavusgil (2004), has fundamentally changed our understanding of how firms internationalize.The digital landscape has redefined how opportunities are discovered, evaluated and exploited across national borders (Cenamor et al., 2019). Zahra et al. (2005) highlight how digital technologies have enhanced entrepreneurs' ability to recognize international opportunities, while Autio et al. (2018) demonstrate how digital affordances enable new forms of value creation in international markets. International entrepreneurs now have unprecedented access to global customer bases, can tap into international talent pools through virtual collaboration and can participate in global value chains with greater ease than ever before (Coviello et al., 2017).However, this digital transformation also brings new challenges. As Reuber and Fischer (2011) point out, the increased accessibility of international markets has led to heightened competition, with firms facing rivals not just from their home country but from around the globe. Additionally, the rapid pace of technological change means that consumer preferences and market conditions can shift swiftly, requiring entrepreneurs to be ever vigilant and adaptable (Nambisan, 2017). Moreover, navigating diverse digital ecosystems and regulatory environments across different countries adds layers of complexity to international operations (Banalieva and Dhanaraj, 2019).In this context, digital resilience has emerged as a critical capability for international entrepreneurs. Building on the concept of organizational resilience (Linnenluecke, 2017), digital resilience extends beyond mere technological robustness; it encompasses an organization’s ability to adapt, innovate and thrive in the face of digital disruptions and opportunities. For international entrepreneurs, digital resilience is multifaceted, involving technological adaptability, organizational flexibility and strategic agility (Garousi Mokhtarzadeh et al., 2020; Warner and Wäger, 2019).Technologically, digital resilience requires the ability to integrate, update and secure digital systems in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. This includes maintaining robust cybersecurity measures, ensuring data protection across international operations and swiftly adopting new technologies (Annarelli et al., 2020; Wylde et al., 2022) that can provide competitive advantages in global markets. As Kshetri (2014) emphasizes, the increasing prevalence of cyber threats makes this aspect of digital resilience particularly crucial for firms operating across borders.Organizationally, digital resilience demands the cultivation of a digitally savvy workforce and an innovative culture that can quickly respond to international market shifts (He et al., 2022; Wang and Chen, 2022). It involves developing digital competencies across the organization, fostering a mindset of continuous learning and adaptation and creating structures that allow for rapid decision-making in response to global digital trends. Fitzgerald et al. (2014) highlight how this organizational dimension of digital resilience often requires significant cultural and structural changes within firms.Strategically, digital resilience for international entrepreneurs means the capacity to sense and seize opportunities arising from digital innovations on a global scale. Teece (2007) describes these as dynamic capabilities, which are particularly crucial in fast-moving international digital markets. It requires the ability to reconfigure business models in response to international market demands, leverage data for cross-border decision-making and navigate the complexities of global digital ecosystems. As Autio and Zander (2016) note, this often involves creating and managing platform-based business models that can scale rapidly across international markets.The importance of digital resilience for international entrepreneurship is particularly pronounced in the era of the knowledge economy. In this economic paradigm, as articulated by Powell and Snellman (2004), value creation is increasingly driven by intellectual capital, innovation and the application of knowledge to solve complex problems. For international entrepreneurs, success in the knowledge economy requires not just the ability to create and leverage knowledge, but to do so across national boundaries and diverse cultural contexts (Mudambi et al., 2018).Digital resilience enables international entrepreneurs to effectively manage knowledge flows across borders, facilitating learning and innovation in international contexts (Arfi and Hikkerova, 2019; Shen et al., 2018). It allows firms to tap into global knowledge networks, collaborate with international partners and rapidly disseminate innovations across markets. Kogut and Zander’s (1993) seminal work on the evolutionary theory of the multinational corporation underscores the importance of this knowledge transfer capability, which has only been amplified in the digital age.Moreover, digital resilience enhances an organization’s ability to gather, analyze and act upon data from diverse international sources, improving strategic decision-making in global operations. As George et al. (2014) demonstrate, the ability to leverage big data analytics can provide significant competitive advantages in international markets. This data-driven approach allows firms to personalize offerings for different markets, optimize global supply chains and identify emerging trends across borders.The convergence of international entrepreneurship and digital resilience in the knowledge economy has given rise to new forms of value creation and capture. Digitally resilient international entrepreneurs can create platform-based business models that scale rapidly across borders, offer knowledge-intensive services to global markets and participate in international innovation ecosystems (Nambisan et al., 2019; Sukumar et al., 2020). They can also more effectively navigate global crises, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, by quickly pivoting to digital operations and identifying new opportunities amidst disruption (Soto-Acosta, 2020).Furthermore, digital resilience is crucial for addressing the sustainability challenges that are increasingly central to international business (Miceli et al., 2021). It enables entrepreneurs to leverage technologies for sustainable innovation, meet evolving global standards and contribute to solving global challenges through their international operations. As emphasized by George et al. (2016), digital technologies offer unprecedented opportunities for firms to contribute to sustainable development goals while pursuing international growth.The interplay between digital resilience and international entrepreneurship also has significant implications for how firms overcome the liabilities of foreignness and newness in international markets. As Zaheer (1995) originally conceptualized, the liability of foreignness refers to the additional costs and challenges a firm faces when operating in a foreign market. Digital resilience can help mitigate these liabilities by enabling firms to gather market intelligence more effectively, adapt their offerings quickly to local preferences and build virtual networks that bridge cultural and institutional distances (Brouthers et al., 2016).As we move further into the 21st century, the ability of firms to build and maintain digital resilience while pursuing international opportunities will likely become a key determinant of success in the global marketplace. This special issue represents an important step in developing our understanding of this critical intersection between digital technologies, international entrepreneurship and the knowledge economy.In this special issue, we received a total number of 43 original submissions of which 12 were accepted (rejection rate 72%). Each paper makes unique additions to our theoretical and empirical understanding of digital resilience in the international entrepreneurship domain. In total, this special issue found interest from different locations on the planet as the diversity of submissions spread from 19 countries on diverse continents. Among accepted papers (corresponding) authors from seven different countries have contributed to this special issue. Table 1 highlights the country of origin for the submissions in this special issue.Several common themes emerged from the submissions, reflecting the current priorities and challenges faced by SMEs in the context of digital transformation and international entrepreneurship. This included:Digital transformation and resilience: Many papers emphasized the critical role of digital transformation in building resilience. This included discussions on how SMEs can leverage digital technologies to enhance their operational efficiency, innovate business models and improve their competitive edge in international markets.Innovative business models: A significant number of submissions explored innovative business models that SMEs are adopting to thrive in the digital economy. These models often integrate digital platforms, data analytics and new value creation mechanisms that support international expansion.Cybersecurity and risk management: Given the increasing digitalization, several papers addressed the importance of cybersecurity and effective risk management strategies. These studies highlight the need for robust digital infrastructures and practices to protect against cyber threats and ensure business continuity.The submissions also showcased a variety of innovative approaches, offering fresh perspectives and practical insights, including:Use of advanced technologies: Many authors investigated the application of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and the Internet of Things (IoT). These technologies are seen as pivotal in driving digital resilience and enabling SMEs to tap into global markets with greater agility.Case studies and empirical research: A notable trend was the use of detailed case studies and empirical research to illustrate successful digital transformation strategies. These provide valuable and insights for SMEs to enhance their digital papers approaches, insights from business systems and entrepreneurship. 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This special issue represents an important step in developing our understanding of this critical intersection between digital technologies, international entrepreneurship and the knowledge that this special issue will as a for further research in this to into the complexities of building digitally resilient international and valuable to In an era change is the only digital resilience not just as a capability but as a of innovation, and competitive in international It has to the of the that the and Digital resilience, new business models and international entrepreneurship in the era of in Journal of Enterprise Information was with for The is of of of Management of The was in the and has now been in the The for these and for
Mohd Amirul Helmi Ismail, Syamsul Bahrin Zaibon, Mohd Noor Abdul Hamid, Siti Irna Mustajap · 5 authors
This study investigates how consumer perceptions affect decision-making in the purchase of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), providing a detailed analysis of the factors driving consumer behavior in this emerging market. Using a mixedmethods approach, this study conducted surveys and interviews with NFT purchasers to capture a comprehensive view of their decision-making processes. Our findings reveal that factors such as perceived value, trust in blockchain technology, and the influence of community engagement significantly impact purchasing intentions. These insights contribute to the existing literature by delineating specific consumer behaviors and motivations in the NFT space, highlighting the importance of community trust and perceived technological robustness. Additionally, the study offers practical implications for businesses in the NFT sector, suggesting that establishing strong, credible relationships within the NFT community, and staying abreast of technological advancements are pivotal strategies for maintaining a competitive advantage. By integrating with NFT communities and leaders, businesses can glean trends and collaborative opportunities, fostering innovation, and market leadership in the dynamic NFT landscape
Elona Marku, Maria Chiara Di Guardo, Gerardo Patriotta, David G. Allen
Drawing on complexity theory, we investigate the structuring processes and underlying mechanisms underpinning the emergence of a new technology. Empirically, we track the emergence of blockchain technology by examining international patents issued between 2009 and 2020. Our results indicate that technology emergence follows an evolutionary trajectory that progresses from disordered to structured interactions among the technological elements, culminating in the formation of a technological core that acts as a pole of attraction for further interactions and delineates boundaries within the technological domain. Technology structuring is fueled by what we term “technology fitness” and “self-reinforcing” mechanisms that progressively transform primitive structures into more complex, self-organized configurations. Our study offers a novel framework of technology emergence, highlighting how dispersed bits of technological knowledge gradually aggregate into complex structures that define the specific trajectory of a particular domain.
In China's Internet finance industry, companies face a complex and uncertain environment that poses significant adaptive challenges. The strictness of regulatory policies, the rapid development of technological innovation, and the sharp changes in consumer preferences have profound implications for the survival and development of enterprises. Many Internet finance companies have struggled to cope with these challenges, leading to hindered business development, a significant decline in profits, and even withdrawal from the market. This thesis focuses on how Internet finance companies make strategic adjustments to adapt to the complex and variable external environment and investigates the role of dynamic capabilities in this process. The research categorizes the strategic adjustment process into three phases: strategic analysis, strategic planning and selection, and strategic implementation and evaluation. Throughout this process, the three components of dynamic capabilities - sensing capability, seizing capability, and transformation capability - have been identified as crucial success factors. Sensing capability assists the company in rapidly and accurately identifying changes in the external environment. Seizing capability enhances decision-making and execution efficiency through decentralized management and resolution mechanisms. Transformation capability mitigates the challenges of resource acquisition by facilitating flexible resource allocation and effective training mechanisms, expediting the deployment of new strategies. The findings indicate that Internet finance enterprise, through effective strategic adjustments, has sustained business growth and core competitiveness despite the impact of external environmental changes and regulatory policies. This study also reveals how dynamic capabilities ensure the success of the strategic adjustment process and their indispensable role throughout it.
Open access
Innovation and Knowledge Management
Organizational Leadership and Management Strategies
This teaching case describes, based on publicly available material, the transition of the A. P. Moller Maersk shipping company from a logistics-based organization to an information and technology-based organization. Multiple digital technologies, including distributed ledger, robotic automation, digital platforms, and big-data analytics offered opportunities for Maersk. Although the company was a relatively late starter in digital transformation, its journey so far has been successful. The challenge is how to enact sustained digital transformation in an environment of rapid technology change. Some theoretical lenses are offered to assist with analyzing and framing Maersk’s digital strategy, including business models, organizational ambidexterity, and dynamic capabilities.
This research examines the changes and effects of digital transfer in creative industries on the music market strategies for digital entrepreneurship. This study uses the transfer of digital technology, such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and Artificial intelligence (AI), by entrepreneurial producers and suppliers to illustrate how new technologies transform market dynamics through audience personalisation and decentralised business models. In addition to addressing how these new technologies open up opportunities, this paper provides industry stakeholders with practical strategies to negotiate challenges successfully. These changes change market access and generate entrepreneurial ideas by increasing the strategies' efficiency. At the same time, the results of this research show how the new business models presented in the new decentralised markets lead to the democratisation of the market and, thus, to the increase of entrepreneurship and the cultivation of new ideas. This study uses a questionnaire of music projects presented as NFT, the researcher's experiences participating in NFT projects, and a questionnaire conducted by the researcher with project agents. For this purpose, this research has used the 217 responses it received as statistical data from the questionnaire. This research examines identifying the results of using new technologies and their relationship with the theories of digital entrepreneurship strategy. It answers how using entrepreneurial strategies to apply new technologies, especially artificial intelligence and NFTs, creates new opportunities in entrepreneurship.