RISULTATI RICERCA

This paper presents an overview of the measures linked to social and environmental sustainability. Then, it proposes an empirical analysis of these impacts with an example of cotton production in India. The application of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), as outlined by ISO 14040, allows one to quantify both the social and the environmental impact and define a strategy to mitigate both of them simultaneously.Hence, the paper presents a set of trade-offs emerging when companies seek to optimize both environmental and social impact of their businesses. We demonstrate that, through the adoption of LCA, the pair social and environmental impact can be simultaneously optimized and sustainable strategies can be effectively created.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between corporate circular economy (CE) practices and financial performance, and the moderating effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) committee among European listed companies.Based on a sample of 567 firms over the period 2019-2023, the study found that financial performance is positively associated with CE scores, suggesting that it is an important driver of CE practices.Furthermore, the study found that CSR committee positively moderate the association between financial performance and CE scores, facilitating the integration sustainability into companies.

In this study, we investigate whether firms create value in a tradition-led setting, through innovative efforts. Prior research has observed that in such a setting some actors opt for a creative representation of established products (i.e., a song, an opera, a piece of art, a fashion item, and so on); in contrast, others rely on a more traditional interpretation of the same products. Less investigated, to date, has been whether the decision to opt for an innovative behavior in a tradition-led context leads to value creation, or not. To this end, we conducted research in the Italian wine industry between 1999 and 2009 to investigate whether adopting innovative practices (i.e., aging wine in barrique), led to value creation and what other occurrences intervened in the value creation dynamic. Our findings suggest that innovation sustains value creation and that, in a tradition-led context, a firm’s portfolio breadth negatively moderates the above relationship.

This research seeks to highlight a common mistake that researchers in the area of Operations and Supply Chain Management (O&SCM) make when selecting the measurement models in Structural Equation Modelling. In fat, the unproper selection of a measurement model in Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) research can lead to issues of model misspecification and non-valid findings. Therefore, this is the first study in O&SCM that highlights the differences between reflective and formative measurement models in SEM and invites researchers in this field to reflect and pay attention to the measurement model selection before diving into a statistical analysis.

In Italy, the debate on industrial development and economic growth incentives highlights several key themes. Family capitalism celebrated for its resilience, is simultaneously critiqued for curbing innovation and growth potential (Colli et al., 2003; González et al., 2012; Yanagisako, 2020); Medium-Sized Enterprises stand out for their competitiveness, yet their representation - only 0.5% of firms - limits their macroeconomic impact (OECD, 2012). Meanwhile, innovation, a cornerstone of sustainable growth, remains stifled by insufficient entrepreneurial support and inadequate public incentives. Finally, capital shortages perpetuate a systemic barrier to industrial expansion, further constraining the nation’s economic trajectory. Within this environment, High-Growth Firms (HGFs), or "Gazelles," exhibit exceptional competitiveness despite comprising just 0.2% of manufacturing and 0.4% of service firms in Italy. Defined as firms with over 10 employees and annual employment growth exceeding 20% for three consecutive years, HGFs have been extensively studied (Birch, 1981; Henrekson and Johansson, 2010) yet key growth drivers and the role of innovation ecosystems remain underexplored. To address this, a bibliometric analysis of 2012-2021 publications identified 283 highly cited articles, segmented into pre- and post-Industry 4.0/Horizon 2020 periods. Findings highlight three drivers of HGF competitiveness: technology investment for productivity, knowledge networks via open innovation, reskilling initiatives for human capital. Industry 4.0 technologies have expanded expertise access, reduced market entry barriers, and emphasized circular economy practices, fostering ambidextrous growth. To sustain HGFs, industrial policies must adapt and expand to meet innovation demands, leveraging these insights to replicate success across evolving economic landscapes.

The rapid advancement of digital technologies has elevated the importance of innovation, paving the way for digital entrepreneurship. This study contributes to the analysis of digital entrepreneurial intentions among university students by examining micro-level factors (autonomy, self-efficacy, pro-sociality) and meso-level factors (family context, education) using a sample of students from University of Calabria. The findings indicate that autonomy, self-efficacy, and innovative education significantly enhance the intention to launch digital businesses. While gender and age do not appear to be significant factors, positive family perceptions play a supportive role in fostering digital entrepreneurship. This paper highlights the value of innovative teaching methods and pro-social values, offering valuable insights for future research and practical guidance for universities and policymakers seeking to build robust digital entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Understanding how firms finance their activities is crucial for fostering economic growth. The financial life cycle is a critical framework for understanding how firms' financing needs and strategies evolve over time. This paper examines the capital structure choices of Italian SMEs focusing on the role of firm life cycle. Using financial data from 512,027 firms companies over 2012-2023, we observe a nonlinear relationship between age and leverage. Results confirm a lifecycle pattern where younger firms rely more on debt, while mature firms shift towards internal funding. Our evidence supports the persistence of La Rocca et al. (2011)’s findings despite significant economic changes, including the global financial crisis, the coronavirus downturn and recent sustainability challenges. Our findings highlight the importance of tailored financing strategies for SMEs based on their life cycle stage.