Investigating the influence of digital technology innovation on land ecological security: Empirical evidence from the city clusters in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River

Feng, Y.; Li, Y.; Nie, C. Journal of Cleaner Production. DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2025.146783

The rapid progression of digital technology innovation has increasingly influenced land ecological security in recent years. Utilizing the Pressure-State-Response framework, this study measures land ecological security of the city clusters in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River from 2006 to 2021 and investigates the effect of digital technology innovation on it. The results indicate that digital technology innovation can effectively promote land ecological security, maintaining its validity following the endogenous and robustness tests. Furthermore, mechanism analysis reveals that digital technology innovation promotes land ecological security by facilitating talent agglomeration, economic agglomeration and digital entrepreneurship agglomeration. The moderation mechanism demonstrates that as digital infrastructure becomes more advanced and public environmental attention increases, the impact of digital technology innovation on land ecological security intensifies. Additionally, the heterogeneity findings show that digital technology innovation plays a pivotal role in enhancing land ecological security within the Wuhan city clusters, as well as in cities with high land ecological security level and the large-scale cities. Further analysis reveals the existence of a boundary effect between digital technology innovation and land ecological security. These findings provide valuable theoretical insights and policy implications for the application of digital technology innovation to promote land ecological security. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Fostering Competitiveness Through Green Business Practices: A Systematic Literature Review

Sugiarto, A.; Nugraha, A.K.N.A. Interdisciplinary Journal of Management Studies. DOI: 10.22059/IJMS.2025.372621.676550.

For companies, implementing green business practices is believed to provide a sustainable organizational competitiveness. Interestingly, there is a lack of systematic literature reviews that encapsulate the various green business practices contributing to business competitiveness. This study applies a systematic literature review approach including scholarly articles on the relationship between green business practices and business competitiveness published between 2014 and 2023. This study utilizes the PRISMA framework to identify various green practices that affect business operations. The findings indicate that green production and operation, innovation, and marketing have become the most discussed aspects. However, the discussions regarding strategic management are limited. These studies indicate the increased role of green business practices in fostering business competitiveness. This study also strengthens evidence that green business practices positively affect business competitiveness in terms of sustainability. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Innovation capabilities and international competitiveness of agro-processing firms in Uganda

Ahimbisibwe, G.M.; Ecel, A.; Nuwagaba, D.; Nakigudde, R.; Mpiriirwe, R.F.; Kiplangat, L. Competitiveness Review. DOI: 10.1108/CR-04-2024-0079

Purpose – This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the relationship between the different innovation capabilities and the international competitiveness of agro-processing firms in Uganda. Design/methodology/approach – This study adopted a cross-sectional research design. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey of 125 firms exporting agro-processed products that are members of the Uganda Export Promotions Board (UEPB). Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS). Findings – The study established that product innovation capabilities and organizational innovation capabilities are positively related to the international competitiveness of agro-processing firms in Uganda while process innovation capabilities and marketing innovation capabilities are not. Research limitations/implications – A structured questionnaire was used to solicit responses and no follow-up interviews were conducted to inform the reasons behind the respondents’ responses. Nevertheless, the study reveals that agro-processing firms in Uganda should concentrate on building product and organizational innovation capabilities if they are to compete effectively in international markets. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the relationship between the four forms of innovation capabilities (product, process, marketing and organizational) and international competitiveness particularly among agro-processing firms from an African country. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Rethinking cluster under coopetition strategy: an integrative literature review and research agenda

Chim-Miki, A.F.; Fernandes, R.L.C.; Monticelli, J.M. Management Review Quarterly. DOI: 10.1007/s11301-024-00434-z

This study aimed to integrate the dimensions and elements of intra-cluster coopetition, identify the emergence of a complementary theoretical perspective to cluster theory and create an integrative research agenda to support the rethinking cluster approach based on coopetition. It is an integrative Systematic Literature Review that generates insights to move the topic forward. Results showed coopetition as context, process, or outcome. The research focus was grouped into six dimensions of intra-cluster coopetition: Strategic Adjustment, Perceived Benefits, Mediated Coopetition, Social Interaction, Coopetitive Orientation, and Temporality of Coopetition. Four hundred eighty-six elements used by scholars created a second-order coding to represent the variables of coopetition in clusters. From the integrative literature overview, a theoretical framework emerges with four dimensions: Conditional factors, Policies, Market commonality, and Formal supporting structure. These dimensions act as drivers, markets, or intensifiers of the intra-cluster coopetition strategy. At the same time, the dimensions suffer the influence of external, internal, and ecosystem contexts. Our literature review builds theory to advance cluster coopetition research and complement the Porterian perspective. The framework suggests the main elements to manage clusters under the coopetition strategy. These findings rethink cluster theory and deliver the business co-evolution perspective, considering the cluster as a business ecosystem with an open system based on coopetition. Findings offer an inductive-deductive pattern system to further research that represents the evolutionary trend of the topic itself. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Mechanism analysis of collaborative innovation in strategic emerging industry clusters: a tripartite evolutionary game perspective

Kong, M. Technology Analysis and Strategic Management. DOI: 10.1080/09537325.2025.2559785

This study investigates how government and cluster governance organizations jointly promote sustained collaborative innovation in China’s strategic emerging industry clusters (SEICs) through internal and external intervention mechanisms. The findings indicate that combining government intervention with governance constraints significantly enhances ongoing collaborative innovation. Government intervention is most effective at the initial stage, whereas governance organizations play a leading role in ensuring long-term stability as the system develops. Joint intervention produces the most substantial effect: a ‘high government–low governance’ approach is beneficial in the short term, while ‘low government–high governance’ is key for long-term collaboration. By introducing cluster governance organizations as dynamic and independent participants, this study provides a novel perspective on the configuration and evolution of collaborative innovation in SEICs, clarifies the distinct roles of different intervention mechanisms, and deepens the theoretical understanding of multi-actor collaboration. The study recommends strengthening co-governance, dynamically optimizing incentives and constraints, and enhancing governance capacity to improve the sustainability of innovation ecosystems within SEICs. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Emergence and Organization of a Creative Place in the Middleground: Acceleration, Collateral Effect and Critical Mass

Oliver, A.L.; Sydow, J.; Cohendet, P.; Blonski, T.; Poinsignon, P. Research in the Sociology of Organizations. DOI: 10.1108/S0733-558X20250000091017

Abstract – The relationship between territorial concentration and dynamism in the creative industries has been highlighted and studied extensively. The role of places or organizations in a territory’s creative dynamism has been analyzed with the notion of middleground. These crucial intermediary groups connect informal communities with institutionalized players. This paper discusses the dynamics of the emergence and organization of a place within the middleground. We study the case of POUSH, a place located in Paris suburbs renting studios to artists and providing spaces dedicated to artistic exhibition. Our research sheds light on the internal dynamics of the middleground. As fruitful interactions between players cannot be foreseen, the role of creative places is not to create them from scratch. Instead, they need to gather a critical mass of diverse players in a limited space. Such a hub creates an acceleration effect (increase in chances of fruitful partnerships) and a collateral effect (recognition of an artist by the institution benefits to the other artists in the creative place). Both trigger a virtuous circle of social perception: because enough players consider the place as creative, new players are attracted to the place. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Enhancing green competitiveness: the role of buyer-supplier integration in automotive supply chains

Kumar, D.; Goyal, P.; Kumar, I.; Kumar, V. Management and Sustainability. DOI: 10.1108/MSAR-07-2024-0078

Purpose – The present study aims to expound on a hidden and intrinsic mechanism that forms green competitiveness for firms. This study establishes a link between buyer-supplier integration and green supply chain (SC) practices in relation to green competitiveness. It highlights how green SC practices shape both operational and marketing competitiveness (MKC). Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected using the survey method from automotive component manufacturing firms listed with the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India. A total of 226 responses were received, which were analyzed using structural equation modeling to test the proposed associations. Findings – The study’s outcome revealed that buyer-supplier integration enhances green SC practices, which in turn substantially impact MKC more than the operational competitiveness (OPC) of the SC. However, no direct relationship was found between OPC and MKC. Practical implications – This study will help automotive managers leverage buyer-supplier integration through green SC practices that will not only enhance operational outcomes but also result in better marketing-related outcomes. Moreover, the managers will be motivated to invest in green awareness and supplier integration programs to achieve economic and environmental benefits. Originality/value – This study uniquely addresses the role of green awareness and buyer-supplier integration as antecedents of green competitiveness, integrating resource-based view and stakeholder theory to fill key conceptual gaps in green SC literature. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Entrepreneurial ecosystems and the persistence of regional high-growth firm shares: A reply to van Dijk, Leendertse, Stam, and van Rijnsoever (2025)

Coad, A.; Srhoj, S. Research Policy. DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2025.105325

Van Dijk et al. (2025) attempt to replicate our previous study. Major problems are discussed. First, their replication (in Study 1) uses three datasets, but none of the three are suitable for the task. Second, there is confusion about the time period covered by the data, and confusion about whether growth is measured over three years or two years. Third, ideally, the replication should use an indicator that has the same denominator, and also the same numerator. Fourth, the proposed indicator of persistence in Study 2 seems incapable of distinguishing between cases of positive persistence and negative persistence, which is of course a fundamental requirement of a persistence indicator. To summarize, we refer the reader instead to our own recently-published replication on 20 EU countries, that finds different results. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Entrepreneurial ecosystems governance: critical perspectives and steps forward

Nave, E.; Torres, P.; Querido, A.R.; Ferreira, J.J.; Fernandes, G. Journal of Technology Transfer. DOI: 10.1007/s10961-024-10172-9

This article examines the literature on the governance issues prevailing within entrepreneurial ecosystems (EE) from a critical perspective, providing an integrative framework that consolidates the existing knowledge and a future research agenda. We conducted a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach, focusing on 99 articles from the Web of Science database. We applied bibliographic coupling techniques, resorting to VosViewer software to identify the main thematic groups in the field of EE governance, namely: (1) government support policies and the role of institutions, (2) the metamorphosis of EE (network governance, sustainability, and innovation), (3) the role of leadership in fostering EE, (4) institutional accelerators for EE, and (5) the role of entrepreneurs in EE governance. This study reports that this field remains relatively new and fragmented, presenting good prospects for evolution. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of aligning various governance actors, adopting different mechanisms and strategies based on visible (top-down) approaches to generate new EE and ensure both their growth and sustainable development, increasing its impact on the regional economic context. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Giving something back: how reciprocal motivation drives entrepreneurs to contribute to their entrepreneurial ecosystem

Hähnlein, J.; Baum, M.; Durst, C. Small Business Economics. DOI: 10.1007/s11187-025-01110-6

Entrepreneurial ecosystems thrive on the contributions of diverse actors, among whom entrepreneurs play a pivotal role. Interestingly, previous research on entrepreneurial ecosystems has remained silent on how to encourage entrepreneurs to “give back” to their ecosystem. This study probes the phenomenon of downward causation, aiming to unravel the motivations and mechanisms driving entrepreneurs to actively contribute to the evolution and stability of their ecosystems. Drawing on qualitative analyses of 32 in-depth interviews with startup entrepreneurs in Germany, our findings unveil the characteristics of contribution behavior and highlight the heterogeneous nature of entrepreneurs’ motivations. Reciprocal motivation emerges as a central driver, influenced by a complex interplay of interactions. Experiences with ecosystem actors shape diverse interpersonal relationships, impacting entrepreneurs’ gratitude and fostering a sense of affiliation. Individual characteristics, such as entrepreneurial passion and altruism, along with the situational context, can reinforce or constrain this motivation. These insights converge into a dynamic model, enhancing theoretical foundations of downward causation within entrepreneurial ecosystems. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Orchestrating entrepreneurial ecosystems through transactive memory systems: a learning-based framework

Dutta, D.K.; Khurana, I. Small Business Economics. DOI: 10.1007/s11187-025-01121-3

Despite a growing body of literature on entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs), little is known about how ecosystem orchestration occurs. Building on the theoretical foundations of transactive memory systems (TMS), we propose a conceptual framework to explain the potential role of an ecosystem-wide TMS in facilitating ecosystem orchestration through learning. Drawing upon insights from two streams of literature: (i) the structure, process, and knowledge characteristics of the TMS and (ii) the 4I organizational learning framework, we delineate the orchestration role of such a TMS. Ecosystem actors can leverage their organizational-level TMS to help build a TMS at the ecosystem level. In turn, the ecosystem-wide TMS serves as a primary mechanism for orchestrating the ecosystem, based on learning within and among ecosystem actors. The resulting TMS-based process framework, along with the series of testable propositions we offer, can provide pathways for future empirical research on EE evolution and change. Plain English Summary When entrepreneurs and other actors in the entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE) collaborate, they exchange knowledge, information, and other network resources. At the same time, given the dynamic and voluntary nature of these arrangements, governance challenges arise. Therefore, what becomes extremely important is that a collective memory system develops that spans the entire ecosystem and functions effectively. This is an ecosystem-wide transactive memory system (TMS). It serves as the “brain” of the ecosystem. Even though the TMS offers many benefits, it can also be highly challenging for actors to operate, especially due to the ensuing complexities associated with the memory system’s structure, processes, and the knowledge to be exchanged. We offer a conceptual framework and a set of guidelines that can help entrepreneurs and other ecosystem actors engage in such endeavors in an effective and supportive way, leading the ecosystem to transform and succeed. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Shaping knowledge ecosystems through University–industry collaboration: exploring the ‘second-order’ impact of knowledge sharing

Abu Sa′a, E.; Yström, A. Industry and Innovation. DOI: 10.1080/13662716.2025.2560932.

While several studies have outlined university-industry collaboration’s (UIC) direct impact in creating value for the participating actors, few have addressed its indirect and long-term effect on the surrounding context or ecosystem level. This study examined how collaborative knowledge-sharing activities in UIC contribute to shaping the surrounding knowledge ecosystems. It also explored knowledge sharing’s influence that surpasses the involved organisations, called its ‘second-order’ impact, through the identification of mechanisms that contribute to shaping the surrounding knowledge ecosystem(s). It builds on an embedded case study of Swedish university-industry collaboration, centring on three competence centres and an affiliated industrial organisation. This paper outlined how the collaborative knowledge-sharing activities in UIC influence the surrounding ecosystem as manifested in three shaping mechanisms: nurturing human capital, building educational structures, and leveraging research beyond UIC. Further, it elaborated and discussed a model of ecosystem shaping showing UIC’s double impact in a bi-directional process. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Incentive alignment in ecosystems: The role of complementarity types and multi-sided bargaining

Chatain, O.; Plaksenkova, E. Strategic Management Journal. DOI: 10.1002/smj.70012

Research Summary: Alignment of incentives to improve value creation in ecosystems is crucial to their growth and survival. We examine how two fundamental ecosystem features affect alignment: types of complementarities and their interplay with multi-sided bargaining over value. Using a formal model, we find that multi-sided bargaining typically causes misalignment, in patterns that vary dramatically depending on the type of complementarities. For instance, we find that multiplicative complementarities typically entail weak alignment among participants. In contrast, when value creation is constrained by the weakest component, alignment can be alternatively very strong or very weak. We also find that the starting levels of participants' functionality matter. This suggests new avenues for assessing ecosystem performance and the potential for alignment among participants. Managerial Summary: Managers of firms operating in ecosystems need to understand the factors that make their partners aligned with the objective of increasing the ecosystem's value creation. Our research shows that, under multi-sided bargaining, a major driver of incentive alignment is the type of complementarity between ecosystem's components, that is, how the different pieces of the ecosystem contribute to value creation. Depending on the complementarity type (multiplicative, additive, and weakest-link), and ecosystem partners' starting levels of functionalities, we show which combinations are intrinsically favorable for aligning development incentives and which ones may undermine alignment. These findings can serve as a guide to diagnose the potential for misalignment among ecosystem partners and how much value creation is at stake. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.