Yela A ánega, Alba; Alcán a a-Pila , Juan Miguel
A icle
Edi o ial: Inno a ion, knowledge and
digi aliza ion:building us o ace oday's challenges
Eu opean Jou nal o Managemen and Business Economics (EJM&BE)
P o ided in Coope a ion wi h:
Eu opean Academy o Managemen and Business Economics (AEDEM), Vigo (Pon e ed a)
Sugges ed Ci a ion: Yela A ánega, Alba; Alcán a a-Pila , Juan Miguel (2024) : Edi o ial: Inno a ion,
knowledge and digi aliza ion:building us o ace oday's challenges, Eu opean Jou nal o
Managemen and Business Economics (EJM&BE), ISSN 2444-8451, Eme ald, Leeds, Vol. 33, Iss. 4, pp.
389-393,
h ps://doi.o g/10.1108/EJMBE-10-2024-386
This Ve sion is a ailable a :
h ps://hdl.handle.ne /10419/325575
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Edi o ial: Inno a ion, knowledge
and digi aliza ion: building us
o ace oday’s challenges
In he con empo a y global business and economic landscape, he dynamic in e play o
inno a ion, knowledge and digi aliza ion has become a ans o ma i e o ce. Wi hin an
inc easingly in e connec ed and apidly e ol ing wo ld, he impe a i e o cul i a ing us
has eached unp eceden ed signi icance. T us , se ing as a ounda ional elemen o he
sus ainabili y and esilience o socie ies, o ms he bed ock upon which h i ing economies
and lou ishing en e p ises a e cons uc ed. This special issue endea o s o sc u inize he
in ica e mechanisms by which inno a ion, knowledge and digi aliza ion ac as ca alys s,
os e ing and o i ying us o add ess he mul i ace ed challenges con on ing socie ies
oday. Concu en ly, he o emos challenge o i m g ow h esides in he adep in eg a ion
o digi al echnologies wi hin no el business models. Consequen ly, i ms a e p og essi ely
eng ossed in digi al ans o ma ion, in ol ing he digi aliza ion o business models and he
applica ion o echnology o enhance in e nal and ex e nal p ocesses, all while in eg a ing
hese ad ancemen s in o inno a i e business amewo ks (K aus e al., 2022). The e icacy o
such digi al ans o ma ion inhe en ly demands di e se knowledge de i ed om a ious
sou ces wi hin he i m.
Digi al ans o ma ion, a pi o al o ce in he con empo a y global business and economic
landscape, is in ica ely in e wined wi h he dynamic in e play o inno a ion, knowledge
and digi aliza ion. I s ans o ma i e impac ex ends beyond pa icula ly inno a i e
businesses, digi al s a -ups and high- ech gian s, encompassing companies o all sizes and
ope a ing in di e se indus ies. This pa adigm shi , exempli ied by inno a i e companies
like Ube , Ai bnb and Spo i y, e olu ionizes he way companies ope a e and de elop
ela ionships wi hin and ac oss ecosys ems, in oducing new manage ial oppo uni ies and
challenges ac oss indus ies o all sizes and ypes (Di Vaio e al., 2021;Hanel e al., 2021). As
he impe a i e o cul i a ing us gains unp eceden ed signi icance in his e a o apid
change, us becomes a linchpin in na iga ing he complexi ies o mul i-s akeholde
collabo a ions o new p oduc de elopmen (NPD) wi hin he digi al ans o ma ion
landscape. S a egies o NPD mus align wi h he digi aliza ion o business models, whe e
he in eg a ion o echnology plays a cen al ole in enhancing in e nal and ex e nal
p ocesses, and hese ad ancemen s a e seamlessly wo en in o inno a i e business
amewo ks (Bounchen e al., 2021). Digi al ans o ma ion, ma ked by e olu iona y
echnologies such as big da a, a i icial in elligence, 4.0 machines, 3D p in e s and social
media ne wo ks (Bhukya and Paul, 2023;Chen e al., 2022;Li e al., 2021;Raja a hinam e al.,
2022), undamen ally shapes con empo a y business p ac ices. Howe e , despi e he weal h
Eu opean Jou nal
o Managemen
and Business
Economics
389
© Alba Yela A �
anega and Juan Miguel Alc�
an a a-Pila . Published in Eu opean Jou nal o Managemen
and Business Economics. Published by Eme ald Publishing Limi ed. This a icle is published unde he
C ea i e Commons A ibu ion (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may ep oduce, dis ibu e, ansla e and
c ea e de i a i e wo ks o his a icle ( o bo h comme cial and non-comme cial pu poses), subjec o
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Eu opean Jou nal o Managemen
and Business Economics
Vol. 33 No. 4, 2024
pp. 389-393
Eme ald Publishing Limi ed
e-ISSN: 2444-8494
p-ISSN: 2444-8451
DOI 10.1108/EJMBE-10-2024-386
o knowledge, he e emains a c ucial gap in unde s anding how businesses o all sizes can
e ec i ely implemen digi al inno a i e s a egies o g ow h and scalabili y.
The a icles we e selec ed om he 18 h Academy o Inno a ion, En ep eneu ship, and
Knowledge (ACIEK) Con e ence, which ook place in a hyb id o m. The pape s we e hen
submi ed o a igo ous double-blind e iew p ocess ollowing he jou nal’s e hics, in
addi ion o ha ing po en ial e iewe s in he men ioned a ea. The pape s selec ed o
publica ion in his special issue ep esen a di e se a ay o cu ing-edge esea ch and
schola ly inqui ies, illumina ing he in ica e dynamics be ween inno a ion, knowledge and
digi aliza ion wi hin he ealms o managemen and business economics. F om explo a ions
o dis up i e echnological ad ancemen s o analyses o knowledge-sha ing ne wo ks and
he s a egic deploymen o inno a i e p ac ices, he con ibu ions wi hin his issue
collec i ely o e a comp ehensi e and insigh ul examina ion o he con empo a y
landscape o business and economics.
The i s pape , i led “B anding ashion h ough gameplay: he b anded gaming and he
cool dynamics in he ashion ma ke s. A game- heo y app oach” (DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.1108/
EJMBE-06-2023-0179) by Alshaimaa Bahga Alanadoly and Suha Fouad Salem, explo es he
in luence o imme si e gaming on b and coolness and equi y, speci ically ocusing on
collabo a ions be ween he ashion indus y and gaming. Using game heo y as a concep ual
amewo k, he s udy analyzed he decision-making p ocess o ashion consume s wi hin
gaming en i onmen s, wi h a pa icula emphasis on he mode a ing ole o gende . The s udy
employed a quan i a i e app oach, u ilizing he pa ial leas squa es s uc u al equa ion
modeling echnique and a sample o 160 ac i e Malaysian game s. The indings indica e a
posi i e associa ion be ween b and equi y and pe cei ed b and coolness. O he h ee co e
alues o online games, pe cei ed enjoymen was ound o ha e he s onges co ela ion wi h
pe cei ed b and coolness, su passing sel -exp ession and pe cei ed emo ional challenge. The
analysis o gende di e ences sugges ed ha while emale esponden s we e signi ican ly
in luenced by b anded gaming expe iences, he impac was compa a i ely weake among
male esponden s, implying a po en ial gende -speci ic app oach in ashion gaming ma ke ing
s a egies. The esea ch con ibu es o he exis ing li e a u e by p o iding a comp ehensi e
unde s anding o he impac o imme si e gaming b anding p ac ices on ashion b and equi y.
The indings shed ligh on he c i ical ole o gaming expe iences in shaping consume
beha io and o e aluable insigh s o ashion b and manage s seeking o le e age gaming
collabo a ions o enhance consume pe cep ions. The a icle’s heo e ical implica ions ex end
he concep ualiza ion o b and coolness o inco po a e Web3 imme si e gaming expe iences,
unde sco ing he signi ican in luence o gende in he con ex o b anded gaming. The s udy
emphasizes he pi o al ole o pe cei ed enjoymen , sel -exp ession and emo ional challenge in
shaping pe cep ions o b and coolness, wi h hese ac o s collec i ely explaining a subs an ial
po ion o he a iance in pe cei ed ashion b and coolness. P ac ical implica ions sugges ha
ashion b and manage s should ocus on in eg a ing enjoyable gaming expe iences in o hei
ma ke ing s a egies, emphasizing cus omiza ion op ions and in e ac i e elemen s o enhance
playe engagemen . C ea ing oppo uni ies o playe s o showcase hei sel -image wi hin he
game en i onmen can con ibu e signi ican ly o pe cei ed b and coolness. Mo eo e , he
indings emphasize he po en ial o b anded gaming as a means o os e b and loyal y and
connec ion among consume s. In conclusion, he a icle unde sco es he signi ican po en ial o
gaming collabo a ions in shaping b and pe cep ions and highligh s he need o a nuanced
unde s anding o he ole o gende in he con ex o ashion b anding wi hin gaming
en i onmen s. The insigh s p esen ed in he s udy o e aluable guidance o p ac i ione s
seeking o op imize hei ma ke ing and b anding s a egies wi hin he inc easingly
in e connec ed ealms o gaming and ashion.
In he second con ibu ion, i led “Expanding ca ee adap abili y: connec ions as a c i ical
componen o ca ee success” (DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.1108/EJMBE-06-2023-0185) w i en by
EJMBE
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Ani a Gaile, Ilona Baumane Vi olina, Agnis S ibe and Ku me Ki ip~
old, he au ho s del e in o
he ela ionship be ween ca ee adap abili y and social connec ions wi hin he con ex o
subjec i e ca ee success. They a gue ha p o essional achie emen hinges no only on
adap abili y bu also on he ne wo ks indi iduals cul i a e in hei p o essional sphe es.
Conduc ed in La ia wi h 390 esponden s, he s udy u ilized he Pe cep ion o Ca ee Success
measu e and he Ca ee Adap -abili ies scale. Findings unde sco e he pi o al ole o wo kplace
ela ionships in subjec i e ca ee success and iden i y 12 mode a o s in luencing his
ela ionship. Wo kplace connec ions demons a e a mo e subs an ial in luence on subjec i e
ca ee success compa ed o ca ee adap abili y ac o s. Va iables such as enu e in he cu en
posi ion and cu en mon hly sala y exhibi no signi ican in luence on he model’s
ela ionships. Highe educa ional c eden ials show a nega i e mode a ing impac on he
ela ionship be ween connec ions and subjec i e ca ee success, indica ing ha highly-educa ed
indi iduals ely less on wo kplace connec ions o ca ee ul illmen . Beha io s associa ed wi h
sel -assu ance and u u e planning do no signi ican ly mode a e subjec i e ca ee success.
Adap abili y beha io s seem less in luenced by mode a o s han wo kplace connec ions,
po en ially due o hei mo e in e nal ocus, in con as o he ex e nal social beha io s
ep esen ed by he la e . P o essionals wi h ex ensi e wo k expe ience p io i ize wo kplace
ela ionships, while hose wi h limi ed expe ience emphasize adap abili y beha io s.
Connec ions appea o compensa e o indi iduals acing ini ial job dissa is ac ion.
Indi iduals wi hou p io unemploymen expe ience a ibu e g ea e signi icance o
wo kplace connec ions in de e mining hei ca ee success. Ma i al s a us plays a ole, wi h
ma ied indi iduals a ibu ing mo e signi icance o wo kplace connec ions han unma ied
indi iduals. The numbe o child en in a amily diminishes he impac o bo h connec ions and
con idence beha io s on ca ee success. The a icle highligh s he moun ing impo ance o
in e pe sonal bonds in p o essional se ings when e alua ing ca ee achie emen s. I challenges
he con en ional ocus on indi idual ca ee adap abili y, emphasizing he pi o al ole o
p o essional collabo a o s in shaping ca ee ajec o ies. The di e se mode a ion e ec s on he
ela ionship be ween connec ions and ca ee success unde sco e he in ica e na u e o ca ee
de elopmen s a egies. Fac o s such as educa ional backg ound, p o essional enu e, ini ial job
con en men , unemploymen his o y and amilial con ex s collec i ely shape indi iduals’
pe cep ions and a ainmen o ca ee success. The s udy sugges s ha ca ee de elopmen
s a egies may di e ge based on an indi idual’s li e s age, amilial ci cums ances and
sociodemog aphic ac o s. This s udy emphasizes ha wo kplace in e pe sonal ela ionships
exe a mo e subs an ial impac on subjec i e ca ee success han ca ee adap abili y alone,
in oducing he concep o he “ i h C,” Connec ions, as a pi o al ac o in luencing ca ee
achie emen s. The esea ch p o ides esh insigh s, pa icula ly ega ding he in e play o
amilial ci cums ances wi h wo kplace connec ions, adding nuance o ou unde s anding o he
complex dynamics linking ca ee achie emen s and social a ilia ions.
Valeska V. Geld es-Weiss, Ca olina Nicolas and Na haniel P. Massa a e he au ho s o he
c i ically e iewed on ood eco-labels in he esea ch domain a eas o business and
managemen i led “Towa d a sus ainable esea ch agenda on ood eco-labelling in he
business and managemen esea ch domain” (DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.1108/EJMBE-08-2023-
0246) aiming o iden i y esea ch gaps and con ibu e owa d a u u e esea ch agenda in he
ield. This pape p esen s a hyb id in eg a ed e iew combining bibliome ic analysis wi h
an in-dep h amewo k-based s udy o heo ies, con ex s, cha ac e is ics and me hodology
(TCCM), e iewing quali y esea ch published o e he 21 yea s be ween 2002 and 2022. The
indings sugges ha u u e esea che s should u he explo e ood eco-label dynamics and
phenomena in a eas ela ed o consume beha io , in o ma ion, consume knowledge,
en i onmen al conce n, us , packaging and willingness- o-pay as an eceden ac o s.
Mo eo e , iden i ying he key esea ch hemes and knowledge s uc u e o ood eco-label
esea ch, his e iew con ibu es and adds alue o he li e a u e in he domain esea ch a eas
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o business and managemen in e ms o quan i ica ion o ex an publica ions and
consolida ion o esea ch e olu ion. The s udy acknowledges limi a ions in i s esea ch
scope, ocusing exclusi ely on he Web o Science da abase and he ield o business and
managemen . P ac ical implica ions highligh he need o be e communica ion and
dissemina ion o knowledge abou eco-labels o consume s. The a icle concludes wi h
ecommenda ions o u u e esea ch, emphasizing he impo ance o solid heo e ical
ounda ions, c oss-cul u al conside a ions and he expansion o esea ch o di e en ood
ca ego ies and ypes o eco-labels. The s udy unde sco es he signi icance o e ec i e
communica ion and in o ma ion dissemina ion abou eco-labels o consume s, emphasizing
hei ole in p omo ing sus ainabili y in he ood indus y. I calls o he ha moniza ion and
s anda diza ion o eco-labels bo h na ionally and globally o add ess consume con usion
and p omo e sus ainable p ac ices. This pape ep esen s a no el app oach wi hin eco-label
esea ch by in eg a ing bibliome ic analysis wi h a comp ehensi e heo e ical amewo k
(TCCM), p o iding a aluable pe spec i e ha will con ibu e o he con inued ad ancemen
o his e e -e ol ing ield.
In he las pape , i led “Explo ing lexible wo king p ac ices and he digi al di ide in a
pos -lockdown e a” (DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.1108/EJMBE-08-2023-0247) by Lebene
Richmond Soga, Yemisi Bolade-Ogun odun and Anna De Amicis conduc a
comp ehensi e analysis o he in ica e dimensions cha ac e izing he digi al di ide
wi hin he landscape o lexible wo king p ac ices (FWPs) du ing he pos -lockdown pe iod,
u ilizing an ac o -ne wo k heo y (ANT) pe spec i e. Thei esea ch highligh s he need o
anscend he adi ional unde s anding o he digi al di ide me ely as a ma e o access o
digi al ools, emphasizing he b oade ange o challenges ha impede he e ec i e
u iliza ion o echnology wi hin he domain o FWPs. The au ho s b ing o ligh how he
implemen a ion o FWPs, made easible h ough digi al echnologies, has exposed
unde lying inequali ies, unde sco ing he c i ical signi icance o comp ehending he
di e se use esponses embedded wi hin dis inc echnological con ex s. In a no able
heo e ical con ibu ion, he pape ede ines he digi al di ide as a complex in e play o
he e ogeneous ne wo ks, shedding ligh on he dynamic na u e o FWPs which su passes he
ealm o me e echnological access. This concep ual e aming o e s a nuanced
unde s anding o he in ica e p ocesses and nego ia ions ha indi iduals na iga e wi hin
hei speci ic wo k en i onmen s, poin ing o he in e wined ela ionship be ween
echnology and socio-economic ac o s. Fu he mo e, he s udy unde lines he p ac ical
implica ions o hese indings, ad oca ing o a holis ic es uc u ing o o ganiza ional
sys ems, cus om- ailo ed assessmen mechanisms and s a egic egula o y in e en ions o
e ec i ely add ess he mul i ace ed challenges a ising om he digi al di ide. The au ho s
unde sco e he p essing need o p oac i e in e en ions om o ganiza ional leade s and
human esou ce manage s o ca e o he needs o employees who may silen ly g apple wi h
he epe cussions o he digi al di ide, s essing he impe a i e o os e ing a suppo i e and
inclusi e wo k en i onmen . Addi ionally, he pape ou lines key di ec ions o u u e
esea ch, emphasizing he impo ance o del ing deepe in o he di e se ne wo ks
in luencing indi idual pa icipa ion in FWPs, pa icula ly as o ganiza ions na iga e he
ansi ion back o physical wo k se ings and hyb id wo k models. The au ho s ad oca e o
a comp ehensi e explo a ion o he mo i a ions and expe iences o ma ginalized wo ke s
wi hin he amewo k o FWPs, u ging a nuanced unde s anding o hei esponses wi hin
di e se echnological landscapes. Mo eo e , he s udy unde sco es he pi o al ole o acing
di e se ac o s, bo h human and non-human, wi hin hese ne wo ks, emphasizing he need o
comp ehend he nuanced nego ia ions indi iduals unde ake wi hin he complex and
e ol ing e ain o he digi al di ide. Ul ima ely, his esea ch se es as a c ucial call o
ac ion o o ganiza ions o adop p oac i e measu es ha os e equi able access and
oppo uni ies o all employees, e ec i ely add essing he challenges exace ba ed by digi al
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dispa i ies in he pos -lockdown e a. The comp ehensi e analysis p o ided by he au ho s
con ibu es signi ican ly o he ongoing discou se on he e ol ing na u e o wo k p ac ices
and hei in ica e ela ionship wi h digi al inclusion, emphasizing he c i ical impo ance o
a holis ic and inclusi e app oach in add essing he mul i ace ed dimensions o he digi al
di ide wi hin con empo a y wo k en i onmen s.
We in i e ou eade s o imme se hemsel es in he ich apes y o insigh s p esen ed
wi hin his special issue, wi h he hope ha he di e se pe spec i es and nuanced analyses
con ained he ein will inspi e new a enues o enqui y and engende a deepe app ecia ion o
he ans o ma i e powe o inno a ion, knowledge and digi aliza ion in os e ing us and
esilience in he ace o oday’s mul i ace ed challenges. Wi h his special issue, he Eu opean
Jou nal o Managemen and Business Economics ea i ms i s commi men o os e ing
igo ous schola ly dialogue and p omo ing inno a i e esea ch ha add esses he complex
and e ol ing landscape o con empo a y business and economics.
We since ely hope ha his collec ion o a icles se es as a ca alys o u he
explo a ion and collabo a i e endea o s aimed a shaping a mo e esilien and p ospe ous
u u e o ou in e connec ed global communi y.
Alba Yela A �
anega and Juan Miguel Alc�
an a a-Pila
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