Search

The objective of this paper is to assess the impact of brand values and their components on smart city brand image (SCBI) from the residents' perspective. The authors want also to formulate recommendations regarding the management of a smart city brand image in cooperation with inhabitants. Today, smart city branding is an important aspect of public management because it can facilitate better engagement with citizens, leading to a more successful implementation of public authorities' initiatives and consequently to smart city development. The research was conducted on 250 French respondents and a self-administered questionnaire was the research tool. This study makes it possible to indicate values and their components creating the smart city's brand image to properly manage a smart city brand in cooperation with inhabitants. We confirmed the positive impact of smart (SV), functional (FV), and emotional (EV) values on a smart city's brand image from the residents' perspective. Considering together the importance of these three categories of values for building the smart city's image, it should be noticed that on the first place, there are the smart values followed by the functional and emotional ones. The smart city's brand image is changing with residents' time living in a city. The longer residents live in the city, the stronger particular values impact a smart city's brand image. Taking into account the relational and participatory nature of the city's brand management, citizens -- who have lived in a city for a long time or since birth -- can be more involved in the cities. Research results concerning French citizens can provide references for other countries. The results of the study contribute to both the theory of city branding and smart city management as a part of modern public management. From the managerial perspective, our findings can be useful for smart cities' authorities in the management of the smart city brand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trust and distrust are considered as crucial elements in the management of hybrid interorganisational relationships with a view to helping to deal with their uncertainty and unpredictability. In this regard this paper seeks to conceptualize and clarify the interorganisational element of organizational trust and distrust and develop scales on which to measure it. The dimensions of the constructs have been tested on a sample of 400 respondents owners or top management on a representative sample by employment size. The research also attempts to identify the relationship between trust and distrust in inter-organisational relations. As a result of the research approach adopted, a one-dimensional scale for examining inter-organisational trust has been developed, as well as a two-dimensional scale for examining distrust in inter-organisational relations. The measurement scales developed and their validation conducted in this study represent a step forward towards the effective and reliable measurement of interorganisational trust and distrust. This is one of the few attempts at empirical verification of these constructs and the relationship between them, providing a comprehensive, operationally valid measure of interorganisational trust and distrust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management & Innovation is the property of Wyzsza Szkola Biznesu-National Louis University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Nowadays, the idea of firms' atomization is rejected and companies are perceived as entities embedded in inter-organizational relationships and their configurations, including dyads and networks. The relational view in strategic management thus prompts research on a firm's relational strategy. This paper taps this gap considering links between strategic choices and attributes of a company's inter-organizational relationships, as well as the outcomes achieved by collaboration with different groups of stakeholders. We test the model based on research carried out on a representative sample of 400 enterprises operating in Poland and on international markets. The results of structural equation modeling show that 1) the outcomes of collaboration reflect market benefits and are dependent on the durability of the inter-organizational relationships and the heterogeneity of the supply chain relationships, 2) durability as an attribute of the relational strategy depends on the choice of how to create and appropriate value, and 3) in turn, the attribute of heterogeneity of the relational strategy depends on what type of partners are selected. Thereby, we deliver managerial implications on how to create a relational strategy to achieve a relational rent and better a company's market position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the mechanism by which pro-environmental self-identity (PESI) affects green energy purchase intention (GEPI) through different dimensions of consumption values. The concept of pro-environmental self-identity is rarely discussed in the context of green energy purchase intention. Additionally, the amount of research concerning consumers' attitudes and behaviours towards photovoltaic panels is limited. We fill this cognitive gap by testing a relation between pro-environmental self-identity and green energy purchase intention. The data collection was carried out based on an indirect method of gathering information—using an online survey. Research was conducted among 250 Polish customers. The partial least squares structural equation modelling technique was applied. The research results show that the relations between PESI and GEPI is mediated totally by social and partially by emotional values. The mediating impact of functional values was not confirmed. The results of this study illustrate the importance of intangible—social and emotional—values and its impact on the consumer behaviour toward green energy. This study can help marketers more efficiently promote the installation of photovoltaic panels in European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy sources help in decreasing negative environmental impacts and in reducing energy-import dependency. Among all renewable energy segments, photovoltaic panel (PV) installations are one of the fastest-growing. Growing concern about climate change, as well as public policies promoting the development of PV installations, have changed consumers' behaviors and attitudes. This study uses the theory of consumption values to identify factors influencing consumers' choice behavior regarding photovoltaic panel installations. There is little research on consumers' perception of value related to green energy in Poland, especially in the case of photovoltaic panels. We fill this cognitive gap by testing an extended green consumption values model that includes functional, social, emotional, conditional, epistemic, and environmental values. The research was conducted on 250 Polish consumers using a self-administered questionnaire as the research tool. The results of structural equation modeling showed that only functional value and environmental value had a positive impact on consumers' choice behavior toward photovoltaic panels. Photovoltaic panel installations are an important investment for Polish households; however, our research results showed that consumers are able to pay for high quality, environmental protection, and future savings. Individuals' environmentally positive attitude related to environmental concern, environmental knowledge, and responsibility was the strongest determinant of adopting photovoltaic panel installations. New findings concerning Polish consumers' behaviors can provide references for other countries, especially in Central and Eastern Europe. Our results can be useful for marketing managers and policy marketers in developing strategies concerning the successful promotion of the installation of photovoltaic panels in European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to cooperate with others in interorganisational dyads and networks is a source of competitive advantage for firms today. However, the question arises as to whether managers are aware of this and implement relational orientation as a strategy in their firms to obtain relational rent. The purpose of this paper is to provide an answer to this question. The research was conducted on 53 companies based in Poland using semi-structured interviews with executives. On one hand, the research results allowed recognition of the importance of and reasons for firms forming, developing, and withdrawing from interorganisational relations, and on the other hand, confirmed a relationship between a managers’ network awareness and the strategic relational orientation of their firms. The higher the manager’s network awareness, the more interorganisational relations a company forms with different partners, and the better the manager’s knowledge about their partners’ expectations and needs, which are then included in a company’s strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the ability of network structures to reduce the risks arising from the economic crisis on the basis of studies' results conducted in 50 companies, operating in the 10 network structures. Methodology/findings The direct survey method was applied and respondents were members of top management. The findings show that the main advantages of such structures, especially in an economic crisis are the mutual support partners, the greater potential for market expansion, sharing resources, and more beneficial position in dealing with economic and administrative environment. Other hand the basic weaknesses of these structures include: a reluctance to co-operation between the network partners, autonomous thinking, focused only on partners' own individual interests and conflicts between the central network and partner companies. Originality: The studies appear to be important, especially in the face of continued economic crisis in Poland and abroad and still emerging new forms of network organizations. The advantages and weaknesses of the functioning in the network structures during the economic crisis provide the originality of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]