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Purpose The ecosystem view is a fascinating perspective which provides management scholars with innovative conceptual tools to investigate the functioning of complex service systems. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the “mega” level of the education service ecosystem in an attempt to explain the relationships between education attainments and income disparities across Europe. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions. Data trends over the time period (2007-2010) were investigated, involving 27 European countries. Unobserved time-invariant heterogeneity was controlled and dynamics over time were investigated. A random effects model was estimated for each country. The semi-log functional form is informed by Mincer’s (1974) human capital models. Findings Education levels were found to be a predictor of income inequality in all the countries included in this research, i.e. higher education level leads to higher income and vice versa. However, the effect of education attainments on individual earnings was irregular. Eastern European countries, inter alia, revealed a strong relationship between education attainments and individual earnings, whereas Scandinavian countries showed a weak link between education levels and income. Practical implications Education has the potential to affect income inequalities in Europe. Policy makers should develop tailored strategies to deal with the consequences of education levels on individual earnings. Both education services’ quality and the interaction between education and moderating socio-demographic variables may influence income inequality in European countries. Originality/value This is one of the first attempts to investigate the relationship between education and income inequalities drawing on the service ecosystem perspective. Further conceptual and practical developments are needed to better explain the effects of education attainments on income inequality.

Purpose This paper reports a study that compares two different team-building approaches. The first one is the traditional top-down management approach. The second one is a hybrid bottom-up approach based on the consensus model. The aim of this paper is to determine which of the two approaches is the most effective across a number of performance measurements. Design/methodology/approach A case study is presented using data collected and analysed from a small family-owned vehicle maintenance firm. A mixed methods approach to data collection is utilized, including participant observation, focus groups, survey questionnaires and organizational performance reports. A convenience sample of eight routine maintenance jobs was selected for team performance comparison purposes. The measures used for comparing the two team approaches were lead time, customer satisfaction ratings and employees’ satisfaction ratings. Findings The teams assembled using the consensus approach performed better than those selected using the traditional top-down approach across all three performance measures, i.e. the jobs were completed faster and both customers and employees were more satisfied. Research limitations/implications This is an exploratory case study limited to one small family-owned business and, as such, findings may not be generalizable. Practical implications As an alternative to manager selected work teams, managers should involve and empower employees to select their own teams. This has the potential to offer benefits for both customers and employees of faster delivery times and increase satisfaction, as well as increase productivity for the firm. Originality/value This is the first field study to compare the performance of a hybrid, bottom-up approach to team building with the performance of a more traditional management, top-down approach to team building. It paves the way for a wider study to be conducted in the future to test the findings’ generalizability.

In the age of sustainability, the fashion industry is very concerned about environmental and social issues; nevertheless, it is considered not completely sustainable. This study investigated the sustainable orientation of the complex and under-investigated footwear industry. This paper presents the results of an exploratory, case-based research highlighting the internal and external drivers that footwear companies perceive as relevant in terms of sustainable configuration of their supply chain and the subsequent impact on their business. The study analyzed all the stages of the footwear supply chain to better define which processes and decision-making practices can lead companies to make their supply chains sustainable. The findings showed the existence of different approaches and a different influence on the internal and external drivers; the relevant roles of corporate values and the values of entrepreneurs are highlighted.

Seaport management holds great interest for both scholars and practitioners, given its growing economic relevance. In theory, scholars are seeking a single conceptual framework within which to shape the issue clearly. In this respect, the purpose of the paper is to conduct a preliminary literature review on seaport handling from a supply chain management perspective. Three categories in particular are investigated: actors and services, flows and operations, strategy and value creation. Drawing on the findings from the research, several academic and managerial implications are advanced.