From Outsiders to Insiders? Strategies and Practices of American Film Distributors in Postwar Italy

ABSTRACTNew business formation is a key driver of regional transformation and development. While we know that a region's attractiveness for new businesses depends on its resources, infrastructure, and human capital, we know little about the role of local business networks in promoting or impeding the birth of new firms. We construct local business networks connecting more than 350 million nodes consisting of managers, owners, and firms using data on the universe of German businesses. Differentiating between firms founded by serial and de novo entrepreneurs and different network measures (average degree and transitivity of the largest component), we show that the connectedness between actors within a region matters for firm entry and individual firm performance. We show a positive relationship between a region's connectedness and firm entry by serial entrepreneurs. Networks are also linked to individual firm performance, especially in terms of larger entry size of de‐novo firms and higher employment growth for both de‐novo and serial entrepreneurship.

Foreign firms' direct investments in Japan increased from about $930 million in 1984 to $2.2 billion in 1987, and are still increasing at a rapid rate. Most of these investments come from the United States and Europe. In this paper a short‐run model for the performance of a foreign parent firm's subsidiary in Japan is presented. The model is based on theories presented by Hymer, Caves, Buckley and Casson, among others, and consists of two equations: one for profitability and the other for growth. Duality is used to relate a parent firm's activities to its subsidiary firm's profitability. The model is estimated using data for US firms' subsidiaries in the Japanese chemical industry. We find that for jointly owned subsidiaries (joint ventures), imports from US parent firms and the R&D spending by both US and Japanese parent firms are major determinants of profitability and growth. US firms' fully owned subsidiaries, however, exhibit considerably different profit and growth behavior than their jointly owned counterparts. Because of the small sample sizes used, it is not possible to ascertain the sources of the observed differences.

Purpose This research advances the conceptualisation of sustainable craft beer branding as network brand identity building, framing the symbolic and narrative function of collaborative business systems. Design/methodology/approach A revelatory case study of an Italian craft brewery located in Northern Italy was conducted. The case, selected for its exemplary and theory-building potential, offers in-depth insights into network brand communication and its role in sustainable branding. Findings Three core brand values emerged as central to the brewery's sustainable brand identity: radical innovation, human passion and place engagement. These values are embedded within the firm's network of partners, which plays a pivotal role in brand storytelling. The analysis identified different types of business partners across knowledge and innovation networks, production and supply chains, and local business networks. While local networks are usually central to craft beer brands, this study found that a geographically unbounded knowledge and innovation network was symbolically the most relevant. Originality/value The originality of this research lies in shifting the perspective from a “stand-alone” brand identity to a network brand identity within sustainable branding studies. This study offers theoretical and managerial insights into how craft breweries and potentially other food firms can leverage their partner networks symbolically and reframe the authenticity-innovation relationship in the sustainable craft beer brand concept.

PurposeThere is no agreement in the network literature about how participating in networks is of value. This article aims to explore the underlying dynamics that form and support the process of value co-creation in networks.Design/methodology/approachThe article draws together symbolic interactionism and organizational ethnography to outline a research approach illustrating how participation in networks becomes valuable. The empirical data were collected through fieldwork over two in two local business networks in Denmark.FindingsThe case study illustrates how participants in local business networks struggle to make participation valuable. The article shows how networks can be considered joint spheres for value co-creation. Three main arguments supporting value in networks stands out from the research: (1) Leadership as a collective achievement supports processes of value co-creation; (2) Develop a shared but dynamic focus and (3) Participation is valuable when supporting participants' daily worklife.Originality/valueThe article builds up a creative analytical framework based on symbolic interactionism making an important contribution about how participants experience value in networks.

The increasing number of Chinese migrants in Ethiopia has created a niche market for Chinese food consumption, turning Rwanda Market into the only urban food market specialising in Chinese products in the city of Addis Ababa. The specific character of this market is that even though it primarily serves the demands of foreign migrants, the food value chain and the business network is predominantly local. Positioned in a relatively conservative business environment in Ethiopia’s food sector, the local business network in Rwanda Market actively adapts to the needs of the migrant community and expands its food value chain. Through daily interactions between the local business network and Chinese food consumers, convivial relations are evolving in and beyond the market. These interactions contribute to reshaping the socio-economic space of the market and the food landscape of the city. This study of Rwanda Market provides empirical material for the developing and diversifying research field of China-Africa encounters.

All that glitters is not gold: Do movie quality and contents influence box-office revenues in China?

The purpose of the research was to examine the part a creative environment plays in creating the foundation for BPR efforts. A comparison between creative environments in US and Japanese companies was used to address the research question. The creative environment of each company was examined by looking at four categories of factors—people, process, output, and environment. These categories were used to organize and systematically analyze the data. In general, the researcher found that Japanese companies tend to adopt incremental business process improvement (BPI) rather than BPR. BPI is a way of life. Emphasis is placed on the ‘group’ rather than the individual. Since the group is emphasized, individual innovation and creativity is not generally nurtured by management. However, some Japanese companies are beginning to see the value of individual creativity. They are starting creativity training programmes for key employees. Nevertheless, it will take some time before a paradigm of individuality is generally accepted. Since US companies want to change quickly and radically to become more competitive, many are experimenting with BPR. However, a critical success factor of BPR is teamwork and cooperation. Although US companies have historically been very individualistic, teaming and nurturing is beginning to make its way into the culture of many organizations. Successful BPR hinges on changing to an environment conducive to change. Organizations that understand the importance of a change-oriented environment will have the best chance of success. It appears that US and Japanese companies are converging on similar paradigms of work. US companies are moving from ‘‘rugged’’ individualism to cooperation and teamwork. Japanese companies are moving from a group consensus paradigm to one that encourages individual creativity. Although US companies have a long way to go, it might be more difficult for Japanese companies. The culture in Japan is much more homogeneous. In addition, free flow of ideas has not been a part of the Japanese culture. Whether or not companies in the US embrace teamwork and individual creativity, the basic culture of the US has always been democratic and has encouraged free speech.Copyright 1998 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Cornwallis Emmanuel Ltd.

In conclusion to our 2013 book, Reframing Italy, in which we considered new trends in Italian women’s filmmaking, we broach the topic of the marginalisation and stereotyping of women in a highly patriarchal film industry and the problems involved in articulating an aesthetics that speaks directly to female audiences. While our book highlights the exceptional, often invisible, production by Italian women filmmakers, for most women filmmakers in Italy their opportunities in the film industry are still limited and their films appear against all odds. In our contribution to this volume, we expand on our previous work and focus more directly on the ongoing struggle for gender equality in the Italian film industry. A recent 2017 report by DEA (Donne e audiovisivo) confirmed our own findings that Italian women directors find themselves less likely to attract funding or to gain the confidence of producers. In fact, the study shows that only 12% of public financing for films goes to women, 21% of the films produced by the state agency RAI are directed by women, and only 9.2% of the films directed by women reach mainstream movie houses.

This study analyses the effectiveness of vertical integration for motion pictures’ box office revenues and the moderating effects of environmental uncertainty on China’s film industry, where a market economy was introduced in 2002. We analyzed a sample of 1,824 films released between 2005 and 2016 using a PROCESS model. We found strong evidence that vertical integration positively influenced box office revenues, which were higher under greater environmental uncertainty post reforms than under relative stability. We also found films that (1) had major producers or distributors, (2) were based on intellectual property, (3) belonged to the action or fantasy genre, or (4) featured superstars performed better. This study demonstrates the current operating level of the market economy in China’s film industry and offers a unique, fresh dataset comprising almost all films released in Mainland China and produced by enterprises in Greater China.

The purpose of this study is to figure out how WOM and critical reviews impact weekly box office revenues, and how the impact is different on mainstream and non-mainstream movies. The data of this study is from the motion picture industry of South Korea. 118 movies data was collected and movies were categorized into two groups by their distributors. The results show that the volume of WOM was positively significant to box office revenue, while the valence of WOM had no significant effect. The number and attitude of critical reviews had no consistent significances to weekly box office revenue, but the number of critical reviews was statically significant to the aggregate box office revenue. The effects of WOM were not statistically different between mainstream and non-mainstream movies. The effects of critical reviews, however, were different between mainstream and non-mainstream movies.

PurposePrevious literature on WOM has consistent findings on the positive and significant effect of WOM volume on product sales, but the literature on WOM valence has been mixed. In this study, the authors aim to explain the reason for the mixed effect of WOM valence on product sales by considering heterogeneous characteristics of products, especially in the movie market, by segmenting products into mainstream and non‐mainstream movies.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses empirical data from the motion picture industry, such as box office revenue, WOM volume and valence, and other variables of movie characteristics. The hypothesis is tested using OLS and panel data analysis in econometric methods.FindingsThe authors find a significant effect of WOM valence on box office revenue only in the case of non‐mainstream movies, which have relatively smaller marketing budgets than mainstream movies. The findings suggest that as marketing communication channels become more diverse, with larger marketing budgets, the effect of online WOM valence on product sales can be diluted. In addition, it is found that the effect of WOM volume on box office revenue is greater for mainstream movies, suggesting that consumers build higher credibility on products with larger sales or WOM volume, especially for experience goods with uncertain quality.Practical implicationsThe findings explain the weak relationship between WOM valence and product sales, which has been controversial in the WOM literature, and broaden the understanding of the effect of WOM on product sales.Originality/valueThe relationship between WOM valence and sales and, consequently, the revenue of a good has not been clearly understood, considering the heterogeneous characteristics of consumers in previous literature. In this study, it is found that WOM volume and valence have different effects on product sales, corresponding to differences in product category. The findings suggest a reason for the weak relationship between WOM valence and product sales, which has been controversial in the WOM literature.

In this paper, we argue that a fruitful approach to the analysis of inter-organizational power in multinational corporations (MNCs) is to model the organization as a federation. In the federative MNC, the headquarters and the subsidiaries are involved in a perpetual bargaining process. Thus, a crucial issue is what power bases are there that the different actors in the federative MNC can use to influence strategic decisions. In this paper, we focus the power bases associated with the local business network in which the different subsidiaries are embedded, and the headquarters' knowledge concerning these networks. A causal model is developed and tested with data from 97 subsidiaries in 20 MNC divisions. The results indicate that the strength and influence of a subsidiary's local business network are determined by the extent to which a subsidiary provides technology within the MNC. The fact that the business network is strong does not suffice to augment the intra-organizational power of a subsidiary. In addition, our investigation also provides support for the idea that when the headquarters has a sound knowledge of the subsidiaries' business networks it is better able to balance or moderate the influence of strong subsidiaries. The paper concludes by pointing out a potential dilemma facing the headquarters of the federative MNC : externally embedded subsidiaries can provide access to a variety of competencies, but they may also reduce the subsidiaries' interest in contributing to the overall performance of the MNC.

BackgroundThe dairy industry has undergone substantial structural changes as intensive farming has developed during recent decades. Mastitis continues to be the most common production disease of dairy cows. Nationwide surveys of mastitis prevalence are useful in monitoring udder health of dairy herds and to study the impact of structural changes on the dairy industry. This survey on bovine subclinical mastitis was the first based on cow composite milk somatic cell count (SCC) data from the Finnish national health monitoring and milk recording database. A cow with composite milk SCC ≥200,000 cells/ml in at least one of the four test milkings during the year was considered to have subclinical mastitis and a cow with composite milk SCC ≥200,000 cells/ml in three or in all four test milkings during the year to have chronic subclinical mastitis. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of subclinical mastitis and chronic subclinical mastitis in Finland in 1991, 2001 and 2010 and to investigate cow and herd factors associated with elevated SCC.ResultsPrevalence of subclinical mastitis in Finland decreased over recent decades from 22.3% (1991) and 20.1% (2001) to 19.0% (2010). Prevalence of chronic subclinical mastitis was 20.4% in 1991, 15.5% in 2001 and 16.1% in 2010. The most significant cow and herd factors associated with subclinical mastitis or high milk SCC were increasing parity, Holstein breed, free-stalls with an automatic milking system and organic production. Milk SCC were highest from July to September. Main factors associated with chronic mastitis were increasing parity and Holstein breed.ConclusionsPrevalence of subclinical mastitis in Finland decreased over recent decades, the greatest change taking place during the first decade of the study. Prevalence of chronic subclinical mastitis significantly decreased from 1991. The most significant factors associated with both types of mastitis were increasing parity and Holstein breed, and for subclinical mastitis also free-stalls with automatic milking. National surveys on mastitis prevalence should be carried out at regular intervals to monitor udder health of dairy cows and to study the impact of the ongoing structural changes in the dairy industry to enable interventions related to udder health to be made when needed.

From a historiographical point of view, the Italian diva Eleonora Duse (1858–1924) as an actress-manager offers an original case study in relation to her only film performance in Cenere ( Ashes, 1916). This is a film adapted from the eponymous novel by Grazia Deledda (Nobel Prize for Literature in 1926). In the 1910s, when Duse decided to work in the Italian film industry, she was a celebrity and her name was a guarantee of success for the Ambrosio Company in Turin. The film producers wanted to use her celebrity in order to ensure success at the box office. As an actress-manager with a long and acclaimed international career in the theatre, Duse knew this mechanism very well, but her position was contrary to their expectations. In fact, she aimed to present herself as an anti-diva, with her wrinkle-furrowed face and white hair, proposing a fascinating artistic creation based on the ‘mother roles’ that she had created for the theatre. This paper explores new elements concerning the position of Duse as an actress-manager for the Italian film industry in the 1910s. It is focused on her strategy of reiterating her stage success in playing a mother. On film, she did not want to be an instrument used for commercial purposes, and she did not want to create a common popular diva film. With Cenere, Duse's capability as an actress-manager can be seen in her creation of this non-conventional, poetic role for the silent film industry in wartime Italy.

The social and economic institutions of a country provide a framework shaping the performance of individual firms. The introduction of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) in the UK provides a key illustration of the weakness of institutions and the ways in which they might be strengthened. Evidence from 81 small firms in three sectors reveals limited responses to the NMW. It points to the potential role of local business networks in filling the gap between individual firms and the government's business support services. Existing evidence on the difficulties which firms have using these services is reviewed, and the example of local support for the Coventry clothing industry is discussed to illustrate the potential role of local networks. The constraints are, however, formidable and if the benefits are to be realized the government needs to pursue a much more active industrial policy.