Navigating the rise of finfluencers: a multidimensional quality framework for strategic partnerships

Purpose This study aims to investigate the mediating role of distributors in leveraging technological environments to enhance customer collaboration and drive sales innovation through two primary research questions. Firstly, it examines how technological environments influence customer collaboration with distributors serving as mediators. Secondly, it explores the quantifiable impact of distributor–customer collaborations on sales innovation performance. Using dynamic capabilities theory as a framework, the research examines how distributors evolve beyond traditional distribution functions to become strategic facilitators of value creation in modern digital supply chains, addressing a critical gap in understanding the multidimensional value generation by distributors across varied market types and industries. Design/methodology/approach This study examines the influence of technological environments on collaboration between distributors (as mediators) and customers, focusing on the impact on sales performance and innovation. The analysis, executed using Smart PLS 4 software, encompasses 372 European survey responses. The authors used second-generation structural equation modeling-partial least squares (PLS) software. Analysis via Smart PLS 4 is superior to other programs, such as AMOS and LISREL, when there is a complex structural model, exploratory research, but also for a confirmatory context. Findings The findings underscore distributors’ transformative role in facilitating customer engagement, revealing that while technological environments can independently generate value within distributor–customer interactions, active distributor participation considerably enhances this process, leading to notable improvements in sales innovation. This research fills a current knowledge gap concerning the multidimensional value generation by distributors beyond traditional roles, emphasising their crucial contribution to driving sales innovation across varied market types. Therefore, it highlights the essential role of distributors in creating additional organisational value, providing significant insights for both academia and industry. Research limitations/implications The study’s limitations can be categorised into three distinct areas. Firstly, it is important to acknowledge that this study used a correlative methodology, thereby restricting the ability to establish causal relationships between the identified variables. Secondly, while the present study included participants from diverse countries and industries, it is crucial to recognise the innovation perceptions across different industries and countries. Thus, it will be important to conduct comparative studies in the future to gain a more comprehensive understanding. Finally, it is worth noting that the current study relied on self-reported data provided by the research participants rather than empirical data derived from organisational information systems. Consequently, future research endeavours should strive to incorporate data obtained from organisational information systems to increase the reliability and validity of the findings. Practical implications This research provides comprehensive managerial and practical contributions for organisations leveraging distributors in the digital age. It demonstrates that while technological environments drive innovation, distributors mediate between technology and customers. This dual role emphasises building strategic partnerships with distributors to optimise organisational performance and counter supplier intrusions. Modern platforms like Amazon exemplify how distributors can leverage technological capabilities for enhanced market penetration and innovation. The research provides frameworks for implementing technological environments that enhance distributor collaboration, demonstrating effective integration of digital tools for real-time market response and showing how to leverage distributor data analytics for customer insights. Our results guide the development of technological infrastructure supporting distributor–customer interaction, enabling improved product design through distributor market intelligence. The paper also offers strategies for improving sales innovation through distributor insights, facilitating market knowledge transfer and providing a roadmap for market expansion using distributor capabilities. In addition, it demonstrates value creation through collaborative innovation and guiding the development of customer-centric strategies through distributor relationships. These contributions particularly address post-pandemic digital transformation needs. The paper provides actionable frameworks for organisations to leverage distributors as strategic partners in driving innovation and market growth. Emphasising the synergistic relationship between technological environments and distributor capabilities offers practical guidance for enhancing organisational performance through strategic distributor partnerships and technological integration. Originality/value The study uniquely captures how distributors serve as both direct and indirect catalysts for innovation through technology-enabled collaboration. Through examining multiple industries across Europe, the research shows how modern distribution networks create value by integrating technological capabilities with customer understanding. This has particular relevance in today’s marketplace, where platforms like Amazon, Walmart Marketplace and Rakuten demonstrate how distributors can leverage technological infrastructure and customer insights to drive sales innovation, transforming traditional distribution into dynamic innovation ecosystems. The research advances our understanding of distributors’ strategic role in driving sales innovation in the digital age. Rather than focusing solely on operational functions, this study reveals distributors as critical knowledge bridges between technological environments and customer needs. Major digital platforms demonstrate this evolution: Amazon, Alibaba and JD.com have transformed distribution into innovation engines, leveraging technological capabilities to drive sales growth and market development. Similarly, platforms like Shopify and Zalando show how distributors can facilitate innovation through technological integration and market intelligence.

In the contemporary globalized world, the concepts and theories of partnership emerge as fundamental development strategies for various organizations and sectors of their activity. Given the rapid technological changes, new challenges, and the emergence of novel opportunities in the digital era, models and methods of strategic partnership are becoming increasingly pertinent. Both global and Ukrainian practices of regulatory and legal frameworks for strategic partnerships underscore the necessity for clear rules and standards to ensure efficiency and trust among partners. Ukraine’s chosen Eurointegration trajectory in strategic partnerships introduces new challenges and opens new opportunities, demanding adaptation to international standards and fostering mutual understanding among partners. Within the context of Eurointegration and the growing global challenges and opportunities, strategic partnerships are becoming increasingly international. This implies that enterprises, institutions, and organizations are focusing on the development of international partnerships and adapting not only to international standards and derivatives but also to sustainable development and corporate social responsibility, which necessitates the consideration of environmental, social, and ethical dimensions. Moreover, cross-cultural communications play a pivotal role in strategic partnerships, ensuring the success of joint projects and the prevention of conflicts. With the advancement of cross-cultural communications within strategic partnerships, it becomes crucial to account for the cultural characteristics and differences among partners. Consequently, industry trends in the evolution of strategic partnerships are in constant flux, reflecting new market demands and requirements, which necessitates the continuous updating of strategies and approaches to partnership—a matter to which the authors of this monograph have devoted significant attention. The findings presented by the authors regarding contemporary trends influencing the development of strategic partnerships will substantiate the necessity of strategic transformations in the management of enterprises, institutions, and organizations and will be instrumental in shaping new managerial competencies. This monograph will prove to be of interest and utility to educators and students of higher education institutions, attendees of business schools, and senior management of organizations, particularly in the context of reviewing and updating strategies to ensure prompt responsiveness to changes in both internal and external environments.

In the context of the digital economy, establishing close strategic partnerships to cope with market uncertainties is an important strategic choice for firms seeking to achieve sustainable development in developing countries, particularly in Eastern culture. However, research on how strategic partnerships affect enterprise performance remains controversial. To address this issue, based on the supply chain management practices of Chinese enterprises in the era of the digital economy, and according to resource dependence theory, social network theory, and transaction cost theory, a chain multiple intermediary model was constructed and 243 Chinese enterprises information was collected for an empirical test. The results show that strategic partnership has a significant direct positive impact on information sharing, supply chain flexibility, and enterprise performance. Information sharing has a significant direct positive impact on enterprise performance and plays a partial mediating role between strategic partnership and enterprise performance. Supply chain flexibility was also found to positively impact enterprise performance and plays a partial mediating role between strategic partnership and enterprise performance. The findings also showed that information sharing and supply chain flexibility play a chain mediating role between strategic partnership and enterprise performance. This study explores the effects of strategic partnership on enterprise performance, which provides an important supplement to theoretical studies of supply chain management. The results help provide targeted solutions on how to effectively implement supply chain management for enterprises in emerging and developing nations.

This paper introduces a novel theoretical model aimed at elucidating the impact of strategic partnerships on organizational performance, particularly tailored to the dynamic landscape of emerging markets. In today's global economy, strategic partnerships have emerged as pivotal mechanisms for organizations seeking sustainable growth and competitive advantage. However, the effectiveness of such partnerships varies significantly across different contexts, especially in emerging markets characterized by rapid change, resource constraints, and cultural diversity. This paper proposes a comprehensive framework that integrates insights from strategic management, international business, and emerging market studies to delineate the intricacies of strategic partnerships and their implications for organizational performance. By elucidating the underlying mechanisms and contextual factors influencing partnership dynamics, this model seeks to provide practical guidance for organizations navigating the complexities of emerging markets. The proposed framework integrates insights from strategic management, international business, and emerging market studies to delineate the intricacies of strategic partnerships. It aims to shed light on the underlying mechanisms and contextual factors that influence partnership dynamics in emerging markets. By doing so, the model seeks to provide practical guidance for organizations navigating the complexities of these environments. At its core, the model recognizes that successful strategic partnerships in emerging markets require a nuanced understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities inherent in these contexts. It emphasizes the importance of factors such as cultural sensitivity, regulatory environments, and resource availability in shaping partnership dynamics and outcomes. By leveraging insights from diverse disciplines, the model offers a holistic perspective that goes beyond conventional approaches to partnership management. Through a rigorous review of existing literature and empirical evidence, the model aims to provide actionable insights for organizations seeking to optimize their strategic partnerships in emerging markets. By elucidating the complex interplay of factors influencing partnership dynamics, it offers valuable guidance for organizations navigating the intricacies of these dynamic environments and harnessing the full potential of strategic collaborations for sustainable growth and competitive advantage.
 Keywords: Strategic Partnership, Performance, Emerging Markets, Model.

As discussions of a ‘new cold war’ between China and the West intensify, it has never been more important to understand how China engages internationally. Crucially, as of 2022, China has established 110 ‘strategic partnerships’, without stipulating any formal treaty of alliance, but we know little about strategic partnerships and how China uses them, despite their centrality as a foreign policy tool. Departing from the assumption of the state as a unitary and monolithic actor in international affairs, this article proposes a new framework of strategic partnerships which incorporates sub-state entities as well as an ideational component, highlighting the image-building purpose that these partnerships serve. Empirically, the analysis focuses on the evolution of the Sino-Italian strategic partnership, drawing on a critical discourse analysis of 1294 news articles published as part of the agreement between the Chinese and Italian news agencies Xinhua and ANSA.

Au cours de près de quatre décennies, l’énorme progrès dans l’institutionnalisation de la relation sino-européenne peut être considéré comme un excellent exemple de l’évolution des relations bilatérales. À partir de motifs principalement économiques, donc pragmatiques, en passant par des préoccupations plus sophistiquées et globales, la relation sino-européenne a atteint le niveau de partenariat stratégique. Toutefois, ce genre de politique nécessite un réseau complexe d’interdépendances et un cadre institutionnel bien développé. Le nouveau système à trois piliers, qui incarne l’architecture construite au travers des relations UE-Chine, est très impressionnant, mais est-il efficace dans la poursuite des objectifs du partenariat stratégique ? Cet article met en lumière la définition de la politique de partenariat stratégique, qui pose ses principaux éléments dans le contexte de la relation UE-Chine. Il examine également l’architecture institutionnelle existante et tente de donner une réponse au sujet de l’efficacité d’un tel cadre en termes des objectifs de la politique de partenariat stratégique.

Co-operative partnership and ‘total’ IT outsourcing: From contractual obligation to strategic alliance?

While EU strategic partnerships have gained prominence as an essential EU foreign policy tool, their meaning has remained largely vague and unspecified. This is related to a lack of institutional ownership in the EU foreign policy system. This chapter considers how the activity of key institutional actors such as the European External Action Service, the High Representative and the European Commission have shaped the meaning and role of EU strategic partnerships. This institution-centric perspective provides the background for the rest of the edited volume in that it scrutinizes the policy-setting and institutional framework of strategic partnerships. Its analysis is focused on the period after the 2009 Lisbon Treaty, as this was meant to enhance the EU’s capacity to act as a strategic and coherent foreign policy actor. The chapter focuses on institutional roles in shaping strategic partnership goals, the development of frameworks, as well as the influence of institutional complexity on their management. It ultimately argues that there is little institutional leadership on the strategic partnerships, as the presence of bureaucratic politics facilitated by the complex institutional set-up in Brussels has hindered a consideration of these in the context of the EU’s wider foreign policy.KeywordsInstitutionsBureaucratic politicsEEASEuropean CommissionStrategic partnershipsEU treaty negotiations

Purpose: This research was to explore how strategic partnerships impact bank performance in Kenya, specifically focusing on evaluating the effect of these partnerships on the performance of commercial banks within Nairobi City County. Methodology: The research utilized a mixed-methods design combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study employed structured questionnaires to gather quantitative data from 108 branch managers and operational managers. Qualitative insights were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 38 Chief Executive Officers. Stratified random sampling was used to select participants. Data collection adhered to ethical guidelines and included a pilot study to test the instruments for reliability and validity. Quantitative analysis involved descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analyses, while qualitative data were thematically analyzed for comprehensive insights.. Findings: The study on strategic partnerships within commercial banks in Nairobi City County revealed high respondent agreement on their importance, with the highest mean score of 4.16 (SD = 0.69) for proactive engagement in partnerships. A simple linear regression analysis demonstrated a strong positive correlation (R = 0.653) between strategic partnerships and bank performance, explaining 42.7% of the variance (R² = 0.427). The relationship was statistically significant (F(1, 184) = 137.842, p < 0.001), with an unstandardized coefficient of 0.585, indicating that each unit increase in strategic partnerships leads to a 0.585-unit increase in performance. Overall, these findings underscore the critical role of strategic partnerships in enhancing bank performance in a competitive environment. Unique Contributions to Theory, Policy and Practice: The study provides critical insights for banking leaders, policymakers, and academic scholars regarding the importance of strategic partnerships for enhancing strategic flexibility and fostering sustainable growth in the banking sector. It also offers practical recommendations for commercial banks in Kenya to actively pursue strategic partnerships and enhance their responsiveness to market trends.

Purpose This study examines the impact of AI-driven personalization and FinTech accessibility on consumer financial decision-making, while exploring how technostress factors, complexity, overload and insecurity affect decision quality and the overall user experience in digital banking. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a mixed-methods approach to integrate PLS-SEM, experimental design and PLSpredict to assess the effects of AI personalization, accessibility, affordability and technostress on decision-making outcomes and cognitive strain. Findings AI personalization and accessibility significantly enhance decision quality, while affordability also plays a positive role, though to a lesser extent. Technostress, particularly techno-complexity and techno-insecurity, negatively impacts decision-making, while techno-overload has a minimal effect. Practical implications Effective AI systems should prioritize user-friendly designs, offer personalized recommendations, ensure seamless access across devices and provide transparent pricing. Reducing cognitive complexity and enhancing data security measures are crucial to minimize technostress and improve consumer decision-making in AI-enabled financial services. Originality/value This study integrates Media Synchronicity Theory with technostress theory, providing a comprehensive model that predicts how AI-driven personalization and FinTech accessibility influence consumer decision-making, offering a deeper understanding of psychological factors in AI-powered financial services.

The article is dedicated to the study of the features of the strategic partnership between Russia and China in the military sphere. The aim of the proposed research is to determine the degree of maturity and development trajectory of the strategic cooperation between China and Russia in the military realm. The tasks of this work include examining the characteristics of the relativistic approach to military cooperation in bilateral relations, as well as an empirical analysis of military cooperation between Russia and China. The author categorizes interstate military relations into three degrees of maturity: low, medium, and high. Each degree of maturity corresponds to specific indicators of strategic partnership. Low maturity includes confidence-building measures and consultation mechanisms. Medium-level military partnership involves military-technical cooperation and regular military exercises, while high maturity cooperation includes joint military command, joint troop deployment, and a common defense policy. The methodological foundation of the research is the relativistic approach, which allows for examining the complex of Russian-Chinese relations in the military sphere within the framework of strategic partnership. Analyzing these criteria in the strategic partnership between Russia and China reveals that after the Cold War, the two countries established comprehensive military cooperation, with all aspects having developed over the past two decades. A comprehensive and multi-level mechanism for inter-military consultations has been implemented and institutionalized, taking into account international circumstances. Large-scale exchanges in the field of military-technical cooperation, including technology exchange, have increased the compatibility of the armed forces and defense-industrial complexes of both countries. In conclusion, the author notes that since the end of the Cold War, China and Russia have established extensive military cooperation, the various aspects of which have evolved over the last two decades. Overall, the military cooperation between Russia and China, occurring within the framework of strategic partnership, has begun to transition into an advanced stage of maturity.

This research is intended to investigate the effect of digital transformation, strategic partnerships, and service innovation on partnership performance. The population in this study is made up of 95 organizations that are partners of the Ministry of Finance in receiving state revenues. The research is explanatory research with a quantitative approach that collects data by distributing questionnaires to 95 managers from different organizations. The data was analyzed using structural equation modelling and partial least squares with SmartPLS software. The results show that digital transformation has an insignificant effect on partnership performance, while the other variables, namely strategic partnership and service innovation, have a significant effect on partnership performance. However, with the mediating variable service innovation, the effect of both digital transformation and strategic partnership becomes significant. The results of this study suggest that organizations must apply digital transformation to service innovation to obtain the desired partnership performance.

BackgroundThe Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin has as one of its goals, strengthening health systems in developing countries. In realising this goal we work across more than 40 countries with third-level, civil society, government, private sector and UN partners. Each of these requires that different relationships be established. Good principles must guide all global health research partnerships.An exploratory research project was undertaken with research partners of, and staff within, the Centre for Global Health. The aim was to build an evidence-based framework.MethodsAn inductive exploratory research process was undertaken using a grounded theory approach in three consecutive phases: Phase I: An open-ended questionnaire was sent via email to all identified partners. Phase II: A series of consultative meetings were held with the staff of the Centre for Global Health. Phase III: Data sets from Phases I and II were applied to the development of a unifying framework. Data was analysed using grounded theory three stage thematic analysis - open, axial and selective coding.ResultsRelational and operational aspects of partnership were highlighted as being relevant across every partnership. Seven equally important core concepts emerged (focus, values, equity, benefit, leadership, communication and resolution), and are described and discussed here. Of these, two (leadership and resolution) are less often considered in existing literature on partnerships.ConclusionsLarge complex partnerships can work well if all parties are agreed in advance to a common minimum programme, have been involved from the design stage, and have adequate resources specifically allocated. Based on this research, a framework for partnerships has been developed and is shared.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12992-016-0152-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

In a bid to accelerate the modernization of its economic and social structures, Saudi Arabia has recently embarked on a set of ambitious reforms, including those aiming to advance the role of Saudi women in the economy and society. This study explores both how and the extent to which human resource (HR) managers are involved in undertaking a strategic role in advancing women’s careers amidst the changing legislative mandates. In so doing, we draw upon semi-structured interviews with HR managers and capitalize on the strategic human resources management partnership model and insights from Institutional Theory. Accordingly, we present empirical evidence detailing how the Saudi HR managers are experiencing a slow transformation away from strictly administrative tasks toward strategic partnerships in terms of reducing gender discrimination and further developing women’s careers. However, this transformation is hindered by the varying speed of change among the cognitive-cultural, normative, and regulative institutions, along with disconnects between policy makers, senior managers, and HR managers. These disconnects unfold as institutional challenges hindering the transformation of macroeconomic goals into social progress and managerial practices that further advance the progression of Saudi women’s careers.

This study aims to examine the conceptual framework and reasons of strategic partnership, mergers and acquisitions in recent years in Turkey. Another purpose of the study is to evaluate future prospects of the issue in terms of Turkey by making general assessment of the transactions between the period of 2006-2014. This study based on the data of Price Waterhouse Coopers (2006-2009 report), Ernst & Young (2009-2014 reports) and Deloitte (2008-2014 reports) indicates that whole transactions emerge in the form of acquisition and there is no merger in Turkey pharmaceutical sector between the period of 2006-2014. This study also suggests that 71% of total 38 acquisitions activity was made by foreign countries and pharmaceutical companies generally purchased by European countries. Since there has been no report about strategic partnership in pharmaceutical industry, data was obtained by making content analysis of internet news in “ Google ” search engine. Content analysis shows that 18 strategic partnerships were made by Italy, Russia, Algeria, Belgium, Japan, Denmark and Saudi Arabia. As a result, more comprehensive policy is needed for price regulations on pharmaceutical sector and domestic production of generic drugs. This study recommends the examination of acquisition and strategic partnership in the side of provision of health care services (hospital, medical center, etc.).