Value Chain Activities Research Articles

Performance implications of outsourcing: A meta-analysis

Although outsourcing remains a dominant strategic choice for managers, the understanding of its implications on the firm remains inconclusive. In this paper we focus on empirical evidence around contingencies that determine whether and how outsourcing impacts firm performance. Specifically, we examine how type of value chain activity (core vs. non-core), industrial nature of activity (manufacturing vs. services), and provider’s location (domestic vs. international) impact performance. We conduct a meta-analysis of 121 samples from 106 primary studies spanning over 28 years (1992–2019). We find that outsourcing–firm performance relationship is positive. But more importantly, our results demonstrate that the association is stronger for non-core outsourcing than core outsourcing. Interestingly the outsourcing–firm performance relationship does not meaningfully vary across manufacturing and services outsourcing. Our results further indicate that the positive relationship is stronger for international outsourcing than domestic outsourcing. We discuss implications of our findings and present opportunities for future research.

DISCOVER THE POTENTIAL OF COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM IN KUTU WETAN VILLAGE

The COVID-19 pandemic and the strategy to Restart Tourism have become a turning point in increasing awareness of the role of sustainability in being more economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable. Tourism in rural areas offers significant recovery opportunities as travelers seek fewer crowds, open-air experiences, and local cultures. This study aims to see the potential of Kutu Wetan Village to be community-based tourism using the 4C (Conservation, Community, Culture, and Commerce) model. Qualitative data collection methods were carried out through in-depth interviews and participatory observations. This study is focusing on the Kutu Wetan Village, Jetis District, Ponorogo Regency, East Java. The result of this study affirms that there is a potential for Kutu Wetan Village to be a community-based tourism village. The community is happy to work together to preserve the existing culture by regularly cleaning the Suru Kubeng meditation location, regularly performing Reog at events on important dates. The beauty of the rice field available is a great potential for tourism development. However, Kutu Wetan Village still has a lot to prepare to create Community-based tourism. A tourism village should also implement tourism value chain activities (TVCA) for competitive advantage creation. This study also provides several recommendations for successfully creating community-based tourism based on World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) (2021)
 Keywords: Community-Based Tourism, Cultural, Commerce, Conservation, Community, Pandemic Tourism

Assessment of knowledge process capabilities toward project management maturity: an empirical study

PurposeThe reasons behind the project management failure of higher education institutions (HEIs) have been researched for the past few years. One of the reasons is the lack of tools to integrate their knowledge process capabilities (KPC) with their project management (PM) to measure maturity by assessing these capabilities. Various project management maturity (PMM) models exist. Yet, there is a limited number of empirical studies that support the four integrations of KPC and PMM. Therefore, this study aims to propose a new heretical model, namely, KPC-knowledge management (KM) and evaluates a research model that includes the four KPC as an antecedent to PMM.Design/methodology/approachThe suggested research model is assessed by using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Furthermore, the study's hypotheses were examined based on a sample of 352 respondents from the project management departments in 10 public universities in Yemen.FindingsAnalysis revealed that the derived PMM status could be benchmarked with the project management maturity model. Also, the study found that integrating the KPC into PM enables the institutions to perform critical tasks and value chain activities and enhance the PM maturity level as well. In contrast, if one of the capabilities does not positively impact PMM, it affects the maturity level of the entire project.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are obtained concerning data collected from public universities and represent the Yemeni context, limiting the generalization on a different geographical area. Also, this proposed model can be evaluated in a practical way like conducting a focus group, a set of interviews with specialists, a case study or action research. The qualitative research will help academics to validate our proposal for future research purposes.Practical implicationsThe proposed approach may be adapted to the characteristics of organizations involved in projects as external performers (project-based organizations) and not just the HEIs projects. This study provides managers and policymakers with insights into assessing PMM and improving their organizational effectiveness when deciding which KPCs to focus on in the future.Social implicationsThis study contributes to the current PM awareness in Yemen and facilitates its success using the knowledge processes capabilities in Yemen's HEIs. It encourages organizations to take this opportunity to revive the projects and achieve a maximum level of maturity.Originality/valueThis study provides new insights into two domains through the link between knowledge management and PM. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is among the first to empirically study the impact of the four KPC toward PMM. It enriches the theoretical perspective of PM. Also, it contributes to the literature on the success factor of KPC, which can be considered to improve organizational performance.

Becoming a small multinational enterprise: Four multinationalization strategies for SMEs

SME multinationalization is an emerging yet underexplored topic in internationalization research. Previous studies have focused on identifying the key features of one ‘ideal’ multinationalization approach but shed less light on the potential alternative approaches that firms can use in different situations. Based on an empirical multiple case study of eight SMEs, this study identifies four alternative multinationalization strategies that SMEs can use (resource seeking, hub reaching, serendipitous resource leveraging, and controlled expansion) and illuminates their specific characteristics. The findings of this study demonstrate that instead of one ‘ideal’ approach, there are multiple strategies that SMEs can adopt for multinationalization and suggest that each strategy is characterized by different FDI goals, timing, organizational structure and value chain activities. Overall, this study contributes to contemporary international business research by advancing theorization on SME multinationalization.

Impacts of digital transformation on firms' competitive advantages: A systematic literature review

AbstractDigital transformation impacts firms' competitiveness mainly on innovation, efficiency, cost reduction, and impacts global value chains on specialization, geographic scope, governance, and upgrading. According to literature, the impacts of digital transformation over firms' competitiveness, while presenting a more prominent role over more “classical” advantages, present a majority of positively signed impact directions, being, on average, beneficial to the firms that implement such transformations. Industrial processes' digitalization links global value chains' four main dimensions by increasing the firm's focus on more specific value chain activities (specialization) and international expansion opportunities (geographic scope) activity. In parallel, industrial digital transformation is also motivating firms to expand into upstream activities across the value chains (upgrading) and impacting significantly at GVCs' strategy (governance) due to the emergence of digital platforms, disrupting former competitive settings into new networked “extended business ecosystems.”

Value Chain Analysis of Jackfruit Chips in Green Supply Chain Management Perspective Using the Value Chain Operations Reference Method

A green supply chain is a concept that integrates environmental aspects in the supply chain system. This study aims to identify the value chain stages affecting the environment and to determine the level of economic impact on the jackfruit chips value chain at CV XYZ. This research used Value Chain Operations Reference (VCOR) method to analyze value chain activities. Carbon emissions and total costs were calculated at the build, acquire, and fulfill stages from suppliers and enterprises. The analysis results showed that the highest environmental impact was at the build stage which produces carbon emissions of 133,314.8 kg CO2. The frying process contributed the highest carbon emission, which was 117,600 kg CO2. CV XYZ was in the intolerable region condition in the Global Impact matrix. The resulting carbon footprint is 16.84 kg CO2/kg with a unit cost of 0.32 €/kg. The recommendation strategy was substituting firewood with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to lower carbon emissions by up to 40%.

Commercialization Inabilities of Rural Value Chain Activities in Emerging Markets: The Theory of Constraints Approach

Why value chain activities of rural economies in emerging markets are not commercial? Carpenters in rural Tanzania have been working hard to improve their lives, but they remained poor as they cannot create value for customers and capture a sizable value from the activity. This qualitative case study uses the Theory of Constraints to detect the limiting factors for the commercialization abilities of carpenters in rural Tanzania. Access to finance and basic amenities, technology, business management skills, business attitude, and commitment are the weakest links that limit the ability of carpenters to commercialize their activities. Enhancing technology adoption, building business attitude, culture and skills for rural carpenters is important to commercialize carpentry activities in emerging markets. Linking the Theory of Constraints and the Value Chain theory in management sciences sets an empirical suggestion to commercialize rural economies in emerging markets. Commercialization of rural value chain activities can be done by changing the firms’ abilities to create value to potential customers and capture value from the activity.

Sustainable Development Economics of Enterprises in the Services Sector Based on Effective Management of Value Streams

The world’s economy has been significantly affected by the ongoing pandemic crisis. Its logical reflection is a deteriorating condition of national and regional economies and their vehicles—enterprises. Negative effects of the crisis have influenced both the manufacturing sector and the services sector, where some segments have been hit fatally. In the corporate sphere in general, including in the services sector, there has been a growing need to change the approach to corporate strategy. The strategy should be generated based on management of value-creating processes with the objective to maximize satisfaction of customers while minimizing costs. This is also the topic of this paper. A representative sample of small and medium enterprises from the services sector have been surveyed about their size, using mathematical statistics and models that have been proposed to maximize profit probability. The objective was to propose models that maximize probability of profit and, at the same time, minimize costs for each combination of value chain activities (input logistics, provision of services, output logistics, marketing and sale, servicing, and other accompanying activities, purchasing material management, science-technical development, human resources management and company infrastructure). The main outcome of this paper is the fact that we have been able to prove the functionality of the tested model, which has demonstrated the growing importance of value stream management in relation to the size of enterprises. Such a universal and structured model provides a practical tool for the definition of economic-financial, investment and personnel policies in enterprises.

Sustainable value chain approach for livestock-based livelihood strategies for communities of the southeastern coast of Bangladesh

PurposeThe nature of farm animals in the marginalized group of people is varying hurriedly. Livestock is used to add to cash earnings and increase food security, hence helping as a vital component in the household’s source of revenue strategies, particularly at marginal planter’s level. The present study was conducted to assess the numbers of livestock farmers in the study areas, their livelihood options, the value chain of the farmers in different marketing channels and recommendation for the sustainable value chain of the livestock production cycle.Design/methodology/approachThe study precise the baseline condition of marginal livestock farmers for access to value chain activities in terms of inputs, outputs, support services, production, yield, income and enabling environment to enhance livestock farming in the study area. The study was conducted through stratified random sampling of the context using some research tools like in-depth interviews, household surveys, expert opinions and focus group discussions. Structured questionnaires were developed to address issues, such as current livestock farming practices, access to support services, capacity and income.FindingsThe study revealed that this particular context is lagging behind to establish goat value chain activities in the targeted areas. The farmers do not have basic knowledge of goat farming, and the value chain actors are not working properly. The support services are not appropriate to turn the goat farming production to a standard level. Value chain of livestock and livestock products and their goals are essential to develop an idea on learning, investment, market access, sales assurance and quality. Variation in institutional contexts of end markets is linked to different types of coordination and control of enabling environment throughout the chains.Practical implicationsLivestock is an integral component of the complex farming system in Bangladesh as it serves as not only a source of meat protein but also a major source of farm power services as well as employment. Strong private sector alliance along with public–private ventures can bring sustainable agriculture value chain development in these most vulnerable coastal communities in Bangladesh. Strengthening the weak financial structure, reducing power imbalances in the governance structures and low political intervention in community-level organizations, and resolving socio-cultural and environmental concerns are the major concerns on the development of value chains in Bangladesh.Originality/valueGeographical position and climatic condition of Bangladesh have made her coastal areas one of the highly productive areas for livestock production in the world. The study was conducted through qualitative and quantitative analysis, and after finding the authors recommended for sustainable value chain approach for livestock production to a marketing channel for improving the financial condition and self-employment for the communities.

Emerging technologies in Indian mining industry: an exploratory empirical investigation regarding the adoption challenges

PurposeEmerging technologies have been transforming most industries. A wide range of emerging technologies such as blockchain, internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), robotics and many others have changed the way in which firm value chain activities or processes were executed traditionally. The mining industry has also witnessed the introduction of these emerging technologies in various processes from the exploration stage to the final processing of ores. The purpose of this paper is to understand the pace of adoption of emerging technologies in the Indian mining industry and identify the challenges that managers confront while adopting emerging technologies.Design/methodology/approachThe authors undertook qualitative research. Data collection was done in two stages. Secondary research was conducted to arrive at a repository of use cases of the adoption of emerging technologies in the global mining industry. Primary data collection was also done. The insights on emerging technology adoption and challenges faced in the Indian mining industry were captured by in-depth interviewing of subject matter experts. The authors interviewed 21 mining subject matter experts with a semi-structured open-ended questionnaire. The responses were content analyzed by thematic content analysis. Technological-organizational-environmental (TOE) and diffusion of innovation (DOI) frameworks were applied to segregate different factors affecting the adoption of emerging technologies in the Indian mining industry.FindingsEmerging technologies such as blockchain, IoT, AI, ML, robotics has been applied across various mining engineering value chain activities such as in drilling, blasting, excavation and ore hauling. However, emerging technologies adoption was hindered because of a lack of managerial awareness, cultural inertia, substantive upfront investments and the nature of intangible benefits in the short run.Research limitations/implicationsThe research applied technology adoption frameworks in the mining industry. The authors used TOE and DOI frameworks to understand the challenges faced by Indian mining firms. The research findings, thus added to the conversation of TOE and DOI frameworks in the context of the Indian mining industry.Practical implicationsThe research finding would help mining firm managers to anticipate the challenges with respect to technology adoption. This would allow mining executives to create a proper technology adoption plan and intervene proactively. The research would also provide information about the steps taken by competing firms with respect to emerging technologies adoption. The research would help managers to decide technology implementation steps in drilling, blasting, excavation and ore hauling to be undertaken for successful adoption of emerging technologies. Technology firms could gain insights into the issues faced by mining firms in adopting emerging technologies. This research would help managers to influence organizational technology policy and endorse the addition of pro-technology policies in mining activities. Policymakers involved in the mining sector could also incorporate industry-level policy decisions so as to facilitate the adoption of emerging technologies among mining firms and remove the barriers to the adoption of emerging technologies. This would create an opportunity for technology providers to redesign product offerings, which could be a good fit for Indian mining firms.Originality/valueIndian mining industry contributed significantly to the Indian economy. Despite this, limited focus has been put regarding the adoption of emerging technologies in the mining industry. Mining managers did not have any framework to understand the challenges faced in the adoption of technologies across the mining value chain that is in drilling, blasting, excavation and ore hauling. This study focused on identifying those challenges through the use of technology adoption frameworks. This research was one of the first studies to gain insights on emerging technologies adoption in the context of the mining industry through the theoretical lens of TOE and DOI frameworks.

Business strategies responding to COVID-19: experience of Chinese corporations

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives adopted by Chinese firms during the outbreak of COVID-19. Facing this unknown, unexpected and devastating disease, Chinese corporations demonstrated their CSR in different approaches. The purpose of this paper is to explore how CSR influences the decisions of the corporations that respond to a severe incident and how corporations can achieve their mission or strategic objectives by responding to a serious incident.Design/methodology/approachBased on secondary data and thematic analysis, this paper examines six Chinese corporations which are the leading firms in their respective industries.FindingsThis paper finds that firms adopted a mixed approach to conducting their CSR initiatives, including altruistic, strategic and citizenship CSR initiatives. This paper also confirms that strategic CSR initiatives were in line with the five dimensions of strategic CSR including centrality, specificity, proactivity, visibility and voluntarism. In addition, this paper also shows that a company could create its competitive advantage by carrying out CSR initiatives that are able to strengthen its value chain activities or the competitive context. This is based on the partnership built by the firms with their stakeholders to recognize the shared value.Practical implicationsThis paper shows the implication that business leaders should understood the role of a business in society and the importance of stakeholders’ expectations. The underlying philosophy is that CSR could strengthen the resilience of society; business organizations need to operate in a healthy society.Originality/valueThis paper provides insights of Chinese corporations responding to a severe social incident. It highlights the strategic perspective of CSR initiatives and the linkage between CSR activities and a firm’s competitive advantage.

Has The sweet pepper value chain benefitted farmers? a case study in Pasuruan Regency, Indonesia

Sweet pepper farmers in Indonesia produce such a potential amount that contributes to the need of export and domestic demands. The high potency of sweet pepper development can be supported by farmers in Pasuruan, East Java. However, they are still in a low level of welfare as they always get the lowest income in every agricultural commodity value chain activities. This study aimed to understand: 1) feasibility analysis by farmers, 2) actors involved in sweet paper chain activities; and 3) its value chain analysis. The sampling technique used was non-probability approach with purposive method. Primary data was obtained by interviewing value chain actors. Data analysis was carried out in descriptive quantitative to analyze the costs and revenues of farming, to describe the value chain that was formed and to count the added value by using Hayami Method. The feasibility analysis showed that sweet pepper conducted by farmer in Pasuruan is feasible. There were 6 value chains which actors are farmers, middleman, wholesaler, retailer, collector, and consumers. Most respondent did 2 types of chain and among all of them, the biggest added value added was provided by farmers.

Does Participation in Agricultural Value Chain Activities Influence Smallholder Fruit Grower Production Performance? A Cross-Sectional Study of Apple Farmers in Shandong, China

The value chain comprises several factors and activities useful for strengthening production and distribution by connecting producers with suppliers, intermediaries, and marketplaces and collaboratively creating added value for products or goods. However, the values of agricultural products mostly depend on various factors and actors, which should be linked together for fostering added values. Thus, there may be strong ground for facilitating a smooth transition of the agricultural value chain (AVC) within the prospects of emerging countries. It could be a key means of promoting a profound connection between smallholder farmers and modern agriculture facilities. It could be especially crucial for the highly perishable and high-value product such as fruits. The main aims of the study are to evaluate the factors influencing smallholder apple farmers’ participation in the agricultural value chain and determine whether participation in AVC improves farmers’ production performance. The empirical setup of the study was chosen based on survey data of apple growers in Shandong, China. The propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability weighted regression adjustment (IPWRA) models were employed to craft the study’s outcomes. The main conclusions are as follows. (1) Fruit farmers’ gender, total household expenditure, housing value, planting scale, planting years, degree of specialization, days of family labour input, and total days of employment have significant effects on their participation in AVC activities. (2) Fruit farmers’ usage of improved fertilizers and organization participation supports a higher yield and net income per acre. (3) Participating in two kinds of AVC can significantly improve the yield per acre and net income per acre compared with only using one type of AVC (improved fertilizer). Policy makers should improve the existing policy by eliminating institutional barriers and enhancing human factors for farmers to participate in high-value chain activities. Governments should extend technical support, and enhance training facilities, and comprehensively promote the AVC among smallholder farmers. Finally, farmers’ organizations (e.g., cooperatives and credit organizations) should come forward to help facilitate the effectiveness of AVC.

Imposing versus Enacting Commitments for the Long‐Term Energy Transition: Perspectives from the Firm

Imposing versus Enacting Commitments for the Long‐Term Energy Transition: Perspectives from the Firm

China’s FTA Trade Partner Selection from the Perspective of Global Value Chain: Base on the Data of Trade Value Added

The construction of free trade areas （FTAs） is an important strategic measure to promote China’s opening up since the 21st century. By the end of January 2021, China had signed 19 FTAs, and the construction of FTAs had begun to take shape. From the perspective of global value chain, how does the development of FTAs affect China’s foreign trade and economic growth? How should China choose the next FTA country objects? Based on the trade value added data of domestic and foreign countries in ADBMRIO and OECDICIO, this paper studies the impact of the number and level of FTAs on China’s trade value added through the expanded trade gravity model.The research shows that the establishment of FTAs has further enhanced the level of trade liberalization and trade facilitation between China and its members. At present, the role of the quantity of FTAs in China’s foreign trade is mainly driven from extensive margin, and the intensive effect of the depth of FTAs on the trade value added needs to be further deepened. Compared with the traditional trade activities, FTAs play a more prominent role in the global value chain activities of China and its member countries. Further studies on the heterogeneity find that, from the perspective of global value chain, the establishment of FTAs between China and developed countries and regions has the greatest driving effect on China’s foreign trade; the countries and regions with a high degree of FTA participation and established FTAs with China after the 2008 financial crisis have also significantly contributed to the improvement of China’s participation and competitiveness in the global value chain; the establishment of FTAs with neighboring and similar countries is still conducive to the improvement of China’s trade value added; but with the development of science and technology, the impact of geographical distance on foreign trade is gradually decreasing. Therefore, China should speed up the global strategic layout of FTAs, further improve the depth of FTA construction while increasing the number of FTAs, and accelerate the pace of FTA negotiations with major economies in the world.The main contributions of this paper are as follows: （1）Based on the traditional literature on the impact of FTAs, it reexamines the impact of FTAs on China from the perspective of global value chain, and analyzes the relationship between FTAs and the global value chain.（2）It expands and improves the existing methods and indicators of FTA hierarchy division, applies them to the analysis of China’s FTA construction, and explores the development and evolution path of China’s FTAs from the text interpretation of each FTA.（3）Based on the global input-output database and global value chain accounting database, it points out the direction of China’s next FTA trade partner selection through the heterogeneity analysis on the impact of the quantity and level of FTAs on China, and makes up for the lack of research in the field of FTA strategic choice.

Sales to centre stage! Determinants of the division in strategic sales decisions within the MNE

Extant international business (IB) literature on Headquarter (HQ)-subsidiary relationships has established that where decision-making occurs, it influences a firm’s performance. Existing studies propose that the degree of autonomy in decision-making at subsidiary level is not the same for all value chain activities, paying more attention to upstream activities. This paper contributes by exploring decision-making autonomy in downstream strategic sales activities. Sales has rarely been centre stage in IB investigations and we therefore lack thorough understanding of its role and importance within the MNE decision-making processes. Conducting a mixed methods exploratory study in the fast-moving consumer goods sector in Germany, we test for antecedents and outcomes of subsidiaries’ strategic sales decision-making autonomy. Results confirm external and internal embeddedness as antecedents, and the dominant role played by the local context, but provide insights into potential risks of internal embeddedness. Results challenge existing theory inasmuch as subsidiary importance is not a significant driver. A critical implication of this finding is that, compared to upstream activities, the HQ may not have the option of mandating a subsidiary to transfer sales strategy skills and knowledge across the network. Our results show that, in an era of globalisation of sales, and internationalisation of retailers, HQ managers must pay heed to directly interacting with subsidiaries and to sharing strategic sales decision-making across the network to consolidate the MNE’s global sales strategy.

Evaluating the Impacts of Smallholder Farmer’s Participation in Modern Agricultural Value Chain Tactics for Facilitating Poverty Alleviation—A Case Study of Kiwifruit Industry in Shaanxi, China

Market-based initiatives like agriculture value chain (AVC) are becoming progressively pervasive to support smallholder rural farmers and assist them in entering larger market interventions and providing a pathway of enhancing their socioeconomic well-being. Moreover, it may also foster staggering effects towards the post-era poverty alleviation in rural areas and possessed a significant theoretical and practical influence for modern agricultural development. The prime objective of the study is to explore the effects of smallholder farmers’ participation in the agricultural value chain for availing rural development and poverty alleviation. Specifically, we have crafted the assessment employing pre-production (improved fertilizers usage), in-production (modern preservation technology), and post-production (supply chain) participation and interventions of smallholder farmers. The empirical data has been collected from a micro survey dataset of 623 kiwifruit farmers from July to September in Shaanxi, China. We have employed propensity score matching (PSM), probit, and OLS models to explore the multidimensional poverty reduction impact and heterogeneity of farmers’ participation in the agricultural value chain. The results show that the total number of poor farmers who have experienced one-dimensional and two-dimensional poverty is relatively high (66.3%). We also find that farmers’ participation in agricultural value chain activities has a significant poverty reduction effect. The multidimensional poverty level of farmers using improved fertilizer, organizational acquisition, and using storage technology (compared with non-participating farmers) decreased by 30.1%, 46.5%, and 25.0%, respectively. The multidimensional poverty reduction degree of male farmers using improved fertilizer and participating in the organizational acquisition is greater than that of women. The multidimensional poverty reduction degree of female farmers using storage and fresh-keeping technology has a greater impact than the males using storage and improved storage technology. Government should widely promote the value chain in the form of pre-harvest, production, and post-harvest technology. The public–private partnership should also be strengthened for availing innovative technologies and infrastructure development.

Protecting Intellectual Property and Appropriating Value from Innovations in Weak Appropriability Regimes

Overview: How can multinational enterprises (MNEs) protect their intellectual property (IP) when patents are weakly enforced? An imitator will only take action to appropriate an innovator’s value if the imitator has the financial motivation, opportunity, and ability to copy and commercialize the innovator’s product/service. If the innovator can decrease one of these conditions to a level that demotivates or inhibits the imitator from taking action, the innovator will have protected its IP. In this article, we introduce the constructs of barrier to imitation and barrier to commercialization, two separate hurdles that can block imitators from appropriating MNE rents. We prescribe MNE IP strategies contingent on country characteristics, local imitator capabilities, an MNE’s barriers to imitation and commercialization, and the value chain activities the MNE desires to locate in the country of interest.

Can radical innovation mitigate environmental and animal welfare misconduct in global value chains? The case of cell-based tuna

Organizational misconduct, defined as illegal, unethical or irresponsible organizational behavior, concerning the environment can lead to resource depletion, threats to biodiversity, animal suffering and environmental damage. Some chains have been scrutinized due to the massive depletion of environmental resources caused by illegal exploitation, such as the tuna chain. In search for solutions, regulations and product traceability have been used. Despite the urgency of the subject, less attention has been given to how radical innovations may lead to preventing animal welfare and environmental misconduct. Technological radical innovations are characterized by their uniqueness, novelty, and potential to promote significant transformations in a chain. Thus, we adopted an exploratory approach to analyze the case of a radical technological innovation – cell-based meat – which can substantially transform the meat value chain and, more specifically, mitigate overwhelming environmental and animal welfare misconduct in the tuna global chain. The case illustrates how radical innovation can significantly change global value chain's activities and redefine its geographic scope; it may also represent a shift from natural resource-intensive to technology-intensive activities. More importantly, by substituting animal-based inputs, severe environmental and animal welfare issues will be mitigated.

A transition toward localizing the value chain of photovoltaic energy in Saudi Arabia

The present paper draws attention to the importance of localizing the value chain of photovoltaic solar energy in Saudi Arabia based on the country’s vision for 2030 to meet the expected increase in energy demand. This paper describes various obstacles and enablers and shows the critical factors that restrain the development of the value chain of photovoltaic solar energy. In this paper, different phases of upstream and downstream activities of the photovoltaic industry value chain related to the current situation in Saudi Arabia were examined and analyzed. This paper further examines the capabilities of the local content of photovoltaic solar energy to determine the scenarios that can be adopted to enhance the photovoltaic solar energy industry. This paper analyzes the expected significant positive impact of localizing the value chain of the photovoltaic solar energy industry on the socioeconomic development, job creation, and technology transfer in Saudi Arabia. The paper concludes with recommendations to facilitate the expansion of the photovoltaic solar industry in Saudi Arabia.