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The brand logo, as a fundamental element of marketing communications, serves as a crucial visual representation of a brand. In the current era of mobile Internet, logo flatness has become a new trend in practice. However, there remains a scarcity of research that explores the effects of logo flatness on consumer perceptions and brand attitudes.

Across four studies, using both observational analyses of real brands and experimental manipulations of fictitious brands, the authors examined the impact of logo flatness on consumer perceptions and brand attitudes.

Results show that logo flatness promotes the perception of modernity due to the simplicity it presents. Consumers will evaluate the brand more positively when their perception of the logo association is congruent with the brand image. Notably, traditional brands using skeuomorphic logos and modern brands employing flat logos can effectively enhance consumers' brand attitudes.

The findings of this study have significant implications for businesses seeking to enhance consumers' brand attitude and foster brand renewal through the strategic selection and design of logos that align with their brand image.

This study provides a theoretical and empirical test of the influence of logo flatness on consumers' perception of brand image, thereby enriching the existing research on brand management.

Small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in e-commerce often invest in information technology (IT) to stay competitive. However, whether and how IT capability (ITC) translates into financial performance requires further research. This paper examines the role of ITC in enabling value proposition innovation (VPI) as an important mechanism that improves financial performance for Chinese e-commerce SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic. We argue that ITC is critical for enabling innovation because it elevates SMEs’ understanding of changing customer needs, especially when SMEs operate on multiple e-commerce platforms (multihome).

We used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and tested the hypotheses that ITC mediated by VPI and moderated by multihoming increases the financial performance of e-commerce SMEs through a survey among 206 Chinese SMEs operating on Taobao.

We find that not only higher levels of ITC lead to better financial performance, but also that the effect is fully mediated by VPI. Moreover, the effect of ITC on innovation is enhanced when vendors operate on multiple platforms.

The study identifies VPI as an important mechanism through which SMEs can leverage their ITC to adapt, innovate and thrive in competition. Our work suggests that using technology to develop innovative ideas and identify opportunities (which are reflected in VPI) is key to success and that doing so is more likely when vendors multihome. Thus, this study contributes to the innovation literature by explicating a concrete link between ITC, multihoming, VPI and increased financial performance. Different e-commerce stakeholders, including SME owners, IT and service providers and e-commerce platforms, can benefit from the findings of this work.

The purpose of this study is to measure the R&D performance of 81 cities in Turkey by using a scientific approach.

A four-step solution approach is developed for this problem. In the first step, a hierarchical structure of 14 indicators (including number of patents, publications, R&D expense, etc.) in three dimensions is constructed. In the second step, explicitly and implicitly spatial indicators such as university location and R&D manpower are mapped by using geographic information system (GIS). In the third step, a hybrid multi-criteria decision making model, namely, DANP that combines decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) and analytic hierarchy process (ANP) techniques is applied to assign different level of importance to the indicators. In the last step, Višekriterijumska Optimizacijai kompromisno Rešenje (VIKOR) method is used to rank the performance of 81 cities. Obtained results are visualized using GIS to show the pros and cons of each city in terms of R&D performance.

Results of the paper show that Istanbul, Ankara and Konya are ordered as contenders of best R&D performances and on the contrary, Igdir, Sirnak and Tunceli are ordered as the worst R&D performances among 81 cities.

One limitation of the study can be the considered criteria. However, all the criteria are obtained from literature and experts; thus, the paper covers as much criteria as possible.

The proposed study may allow Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology of Turkey to formulate more effective strategies to improve cities’ R&D performance. In addition, any country can apply the same methodology for measuring the R&D performance of their cities by using their related data. As the worst R&D city performances belong to the eastern part of Turkey, it can be deducted that the socio-cultural structure of the eastern part of the country needs improvement.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study which applies a GIS-based MCDM approach for R&D performance measurement. Thus, the value of this paper belongs to both literature and real life.

The decision to become international is a highlighted organisational decision that affects all dimensions at all firm levels. Human resources are also among the parts of the organisation affected by this decision. Paying attention to employees can speed up and facilitate this process. Organisational integrity is one of the most significant issues that must be considered. In this regard, identifying, investigating and planning to deal with the destructive effects that may influence the employees of small and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) in internationalisation, are among the subjects that have so far received less attention and should be studied more. The present study explores the destructive influences of internationalisation on the employees of SMEs by a hybrid multi-layer decision-making model-psychological solution. First, by reviewing the literature, the destructive impacts of internationalisation on employees are extracted. In the next stage, these factors are screened according to the condition of the SMEs in an emerging economy by interval-valued intuitionistic hesitant fuzzy Delphi (IVIHF-Delphi). The impact of these factors on each other is then evaluated applying interval-valued intuitionistic hesitant fuzzy DEMATEL-based ANP (IVIHF-DANP). Consequently, the highlighted destructive impacts are determined and the psychological solutions to face them are provided.

The purpose of this paper is to explore key factors or criteria of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) influencing Indonesian coal companies, using “adoption, implementation, and performance” (A-I-P) of SSCM, thru three means: first, to investigate which criteria have higher weight to achieve SSCM in Indonesia; second, to see whether there are any differences between the Indonesia case and existing literature of SSCM; third, to highlight any causal relationships between the Indonesia case and the SSCM theory.

DEMATEL-based analytic network process (DANP) questionnaire survey with a theoretical SSCM model is applied to conduct an empirical test for the coal production and supply chain companies in Indonesia.

The “performance” dimension out of the A-I-P of the SSCM is the most important one, while the “adoption” dimension is the least. Out of the 12 criteria under the three dimensions, the “operational, economic, environmental, and social” factors under the category of the performance dimension and the “ISO 14001 certification” criteria belonging to the dimension of “implementation” are the top five key factors in the SSCM.

There are some limitations in this study. First and foremost is the relatively small sample size with a limited geographic area, although they are unavoidable owing to one country case study.

The test results are helpful to draw guidance for sustainable supply chain managers in implementing efficient SSCM in the wave of tough competition and changing marketplace.

This study contributes first to developing a theoretical framework for SSCM under the A-I-P model and second, to applying DANP to an empirical case of SSCM of the coal industry in Indonesia. As a result, the authors draw helpful guidelines and policy implications for SSCM of the coal industry, referring to the A-I-P dimension as drivers and enablers for the SSCM performances of the industry.

The purpose of this paper is to apply a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework to evaluate distribution strategies for an e-tailer. An application of MCDM method, the hybrid DANP–VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) model, is used for e-tailers’ distribution strategy evaluation. The choice of distribution strategies under various dimensions is evaluated.

The authors used a hybrid MCDM model to solve the decision-making framework, which combines Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL), DEMATEL-based analytic network process and VIKOR method. Data were collected from the experts (e-tail manager, logistics manager, operations manager and distribution center (DC) manager) using two questionnaires, first for the influential relationship among the criteria and dimensions and second for a performance rating of each alternative (distribution strategies) against each criterion.

DANP with VIKOR method prioritizes the distribution strategies in the following order: DC shipment, drop shipment, click and collect, store shipment and click and reserve. Performance gap was calculated based on the VIKOR method to provide distribution strategies to an e-tailer under different situations. The authors infer that in developing country, product characteristics and transportation have a major influence on deciding the distribution strategy.

Decision-making framework will provide e-tail mangers a knowledge-based understanding to select the distribution strategy under the different situations related to the performance, product, e-tailer and external characteristics for smooth order fulfillment process. The insights developed by this research provide a framework for rational decision making in distribution strategy selection in e-business.

This is the first kind of a study which offers a decision framework for e-tail managers on how to choose distribution strategies under different situations which are related to the performance, product, e-tailer and external characteristics.

The purpose of this research article is to investigate the critical risk factors associated with the digitalization impact on the Indian construction industry, as these firm plans to implement digitalization in order to improve their construction management processes.

In this research article, risk factors and dimensions are taken from diverse industries and validated in the construction domain by industry and academic experts. Further, multi-criteria decision-making techniques are employed to assess the Indian construction sector scenario quantitatively. The interrelationship and weightage of risk factors and dimensions are determined by the Fuzzy Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory Analytic Network Process (DANP) method. However, the method Grey Technique for the Order of Prioritization by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is used to determine the ranking of each risk factor.

This study finds 14 critical risk factors along with four risk dimensions. Operational and financial dimensions are significant risk dimensions. Whereas the threat of high outlay and low yield is a significant risk factor in construction. Besides that, the interrelationship among risk factors, the weightage of each factor and the ranking of critical risk factors are also identified.

This research article uses Fuzzy DANP and Grey TOPSIS techniques as exploratory research methods with a limited group of construction professionals from a leading Indian construction firm. Furthermore, comprehensive confirmatory research can also be performed with a large group of construction experts using advanced analytical techniques to validate the ranking of critical risk factors.

The findings of this study provide insight into the knowledge of construction firms by emphasizing significant risk factors related to digitalization in construction operations. Another finding of this study shows that the risks associated with digitalization in construction are similar to those in manufacturing, where high outlay and low yield hold a significant role in the transformation process.

The research is unique since there have only been limited studies in the Indian construction scenario to analyze the significant risks associated with digitalization. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that the combination of Fuzzy DANP and Grey TOPSIS techniques may be used successfully to prioritize risks in construction digitalization, which is still in its early phases.

Knowledge management seeks collaborative practices among organisations to generate technical, adapt and share knowledge to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage in cross-border business activities. This paper aims to disentangle the crucial determinants of knowledge management in inter-organisational arrangements settings.

In the first stage, after an in-depth literature review, the main knowledge management drivers are identified. In the second stage, based on the identified drivers, the importance and relationship between the drivers are evaluated by expert opinions from academic and executive activists. Eventually, in the last stage, a multi-layer decision-making approach has been proposed and used to determine the relationship and the importance of the drivers.

The findings of this paper assess the ranking of the different elements from experts’ opinions and discuss important theoretical and managerial implications. The influential factors were identified through an extensive literature review, which combined with the views of experts from academia and industry (international firms). Furthermore, the ranking of factors based on the experts’ overall opinion was used to discuss theoretical and managerial contributions.

This research provides a better understanding of the interrelationships between the key drivers of knowledge management, which helps management draw more effective strategies to address the cultural differences between firms. Moreover, understanding of the importance of the systems and structures that define the nature of the collaboration in inter-organisational settings, as well as the risks related to those are presented in this research.

The purpose of this paper is to find and prioritize human factors affecting entrepreneurial resilience.

The statistical population consists of prominent Iranian university professors in this field, and the statistical sample is ten of them randomly. A researcher-made questionnaire was used for data collection. After a comprehensive review of the theoretical foundations, the research model was formed with 5 main indices and 21 sub-indices. Fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL)-based (DANP) technique and MATLAB software was used for analysis.

Indicators of Values and Beliefs (A3) and Motivation Index (E5) as Influential Indicators and indicators of personal attributes (S1), formal and informal relationships (R²) and human capital (C4) are effective indicators of entrepreneurial resilience. In the final rankings, formal and informal relationships had the highest weight with 0.263 and the lowest with priority and motivation index with 0.080. In addition to the final rankings of the sub-indices, the indicators of first-hand experience, recognition of opportunities and consulting services were given the highest weight.

This study proposes that resilience is a real-life process and not just a list of each characteristic. All human beings have an innate ability to be resilient, but resilience is a learned and learned behavior, and the emphasis of experts is on the learning of various resilience skills.

This study contributes to the field of entrepreneurship by examining the institutional backgrounds of entrepreneurship resilience.

The purpose of this study paper is to identify and prioritize the factors affecting the knowledge flow in high-tech industries.

This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey in terms of data collection method. This research has been done in a qualitative–quantitative method. In the qualitative part, due to the nature of the data in this study, expert interviews have been used. The sample studied in this research includes 35 managers and expert professors with experience in the field of knowledge management working in universities and high-tech industries who have been selected by the method of snowball. In the quantitative part, the questionnaire tool and DANP multivariate decision-making method have been used.

In this study, a multicriteria decision-making technique using a combination of DEMATEL and ANP (DANP) was used to identify and prioritize the factors affecting the knowledge flow in high-tech industries. In this study, the factors affecting the knowledge flow, including 8 main factors and 31 subfactors, were selected. Human resources, organizational structure, organizational culture, knowledge communication, knowledge management tools, knowledge characteristics, laws, policies and regulations and financial resources were effective in improving knowledge flow, respectively.

By studying the research, it was found that the study area is limited, and the previous work has remained at the level of documentation and little practical use has been done. In previous research, the discussion of knowledge flow has not been very open, and doing incomplete work causes limited experiences and increases cost and time wastage, and parallel work may also occur. Therefore, to complete the knowledge management circle and fully achieve the research objectives, as well as to make available and transfer the experiences of people working in this field and also to save time and reduce costs, the contents and factors of previous models have been counted. It is designed for high-tech industries, a model for the flow of knowledge.