International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development (6 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Causal Effect between Digitalisation and Agility: The Leadership Mediating Role  
  by Samah Chemli Horchani  
  Abstract: Digitisation is an essential aspect concerning various academic fields and affecting practice. Digital contribution was the subject of multiple research streams. The present study seeks to examine relationships among digitalisation towards organisational agility through the mediating effect of leadership. To achieve the purpose, we conducted a quantitative study on 347 companies from the industrial sector. Data was gathered using a questionnaire survey. Based on structural equation modelling, the findings demonstrate that digitalisation is an important driver of organisational agility. The results confirm a positive mediating role of leadership on the verified link. The study highlighted that leadership is more than an individual behaviour. Leadership depends on the collective and it is dispensed across the entire organisation during the digital change management. The findings give original support for practitioners and academicians. The study contributed to the knowledge field by providing empirical evidence and therefore a valuable knowledge repository about the leadership and its effect on agility in a digital word.
  Keywords: digital; organisational agility; leading; mediated model.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMED.2024.10057842
   
  
• Acceptance and effectiveness of Industry 4.0 internal and external organisational initiatives in Malaysian firms  
  by Luigi Pio Leonardo Cavaliere, Rameshwaran Byloppilly, Swapna Datta Khan, Bestoon Othman, Iskandar Muda, Rupa Khanna 
  Abstract: High-diversity processes, including industrial growth and technological advancement, affect work forms, vocations, job profiles, and fintech’s role. These effects raise social policy questions. This in-depth literature review summarises the latest findings on how the Industry 4.0 Revolution has affected human and consumer capital development. The Malaysian retail sector is declining. This is because people prefer internet purchasing over brick-and-mortar stores. However, online buying has drawbacks. Younger generations have different shopping expectations due to their digital sophistication. They want a seamless shopping experience across all platforms, including brick-and-mortar stores, online merchants, and bricks-and-clicks (web rooming and showrooming). Technology-driven stores are also popular because they offer a unique and exciting shopping experience. Technology has boosted corporate performance before. Therefore, employing Industry 4.0 technologies in retail should boost productivity. This study will evaluate merchant performance using monetary and non-metric variables. A proposed online poll will collect primary data for this project. For statistical analysis, approximate least squares-structural equation modelling will be used. This study’s approach can help the Malaysian retail industry solve its difficulties and improve performance.
  Keywords: Industry 4.0; innovation; Retail industry; technological advances; performance; Malaysia; information technology; communication technology; work economy.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMED.2024.10059705
   
  
• Bridging the gap: The mediating effect of cloud-based ERP adoption intention on entrepreneurial orientation and marketing performance in south Indian SMEs.  
  by Manigandan R, Naga Venkata Raghuram J 
  Abstract: This study investigates the impact of entrepreneurial orientation and cloud-based ERP adoption intention on marketing performance. Based on the previous literature, the conceptual model was developed. The study uses the diffusion innovation theory. The data collection from owners and managers in South Indian SMEs. A non-probability purposive sampling technique was used in this study. Data analysis was performed through Smart PLS 4.0 software. The hypotheses were tested through structural equation modelling. The results show that cloud-based ERP adoption intention significantly mediates between Entrepreneurial orientation and marketing performance. This study contributes to a further understanding of cloud-based ERP adoption intention and entrepreneurial orientation strategies in South Indian SMEs, especially the marketing performance for firm growth and its significance to firms in an industry ecosystem. This research highlights the importance of cloud-based ERP adoption intention, and SME owners or managers should develop their skills toward achieving marketing performance in South Indian SMEs. The limitation and implications are discussed, and recommendations for future research are also presented.
  Keywords: cloud-based ERP adoption intention; entrepreneurial orientation; marketing performance; structural equation modelling; SEM; South Indian SMEs.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMED.2024.10061050
   
  
• Growth management of digital service startups in the Brazilian context  
  by Laura De Amorim Lana Dib, Matti Muhos, Veronica Freitas De Paula, Verica Freitas, Martti Saarela 
  Abstract: Even though growth management in digital startups has been researched in developed countries, there is a relative paucity in the context of emerging economies. This study aims to bridge the above-described gap by clarifying the growth management priorities of digital service startups in Brazil by analysing the experiences of the owner-managers of and reflecting these through a thematic framework of service business growth management. A multiple-case study was conducted using the critical incident technique on nine startups. As a result, this study opens the contextual aspects of growth management in Brazilian digital service startups from the perspectives of digital service business and Brazilian startup ecosystem. The findings can be used as propositions for theory building and as a benchmark for the owner-managers, intermediaries, and policymakers. The research strategies presented in this study can be used reference for opening new contexts.
  Keywords: startup; digital service; startup stage; service business; Brazil; growth management; enterprise development; digitalisation; contextual characteristics;multiple case study; emerging economies.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMED.2024.10062888
   
  
• The mediation role of top management support in the adoption of cloud computing in Malaysian SMEs  
  by Raymond Teh, Anusuiya Subramaniam, Jo Ann Ho, Norazlyn Kamal Basha 
  Abstract: With only 3.63% of total IT spending on cloud computing and a growth rate of 13.13%, Malaysia’s adoption of cloud computing is lower than others. The purpose of this study is to find out the mediation role of top management support together with the DOI’s innovative characteristics and TOE’s contexts on cloud computing adoption among Malaysian SMEs. This study was able to determine the relationships between IV and DV in a more accurate way and the findings are crucial to understanding how to drive a higher cloud computing adoption rate among Malaysian SMEs with top management support as the mediator, which eventually can drive better firm performance. An empirical cross-sectional research paper that was conducted on Malaysian SMEs with 352 participants was carried out with a quantitative online survey with a five-point Likert scale and systematic sampling technique to collect the primary data. It was concluded and proven that top management support has a significant mediating effect on cloud computing adoption and DOI’s innovative characteristics and TOE’s contexts have positive influences on the adoption of cloud computing.
  Keywords: cloud computing; top management support; TOE; DOI; technology adoption.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMED.2024.10063221
   
  
• Start-up development issues in business incubators  
  by Jamal Hussain, Himadri Barman 
  Abstract: Business incubators (BIs) are organisations meant for nurturing nascent businesses. The BIs bestow vital resources to the start-ups necessary for their development. Notwithstanding, little focus has been given to understand start-ups’ expectations from the BIs and their satisfaction on support services during the process of their development in the BIs. The present study sheds light on this issue by conducting a survey on 279 start-ups incubated during 2010-2020 in seven BIs. The study unveils that the start-ups’ key purpose of joining BIs are access to funding, alliance building, legal assistance, business mentoring and coaching services and that the satisfaction level is short of expectation. This study provides valuable insights to enhance the start-ups’ development process in the BIs. The issues that are identified can be vital in formulating business incubator’s service management and development strategies.
  Keywords: incubatee; tenant; start-up development; small business development; entrepreneurship; support services; developing nations; business incubator; satisfaction; expectation.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJMED.2024.10063601