International Business Research, Issue: Vol.19, No.4

When Big Data Becomes Green: Organizational Resilience Agility as the Missing Link

Mon, 11 May 2026 08:43:38 +0000

Despite growing evidence that Big Data Capabilities enhance environmental performance, the organizational mechanism through which digital resources translate into sustainable outcomes remains underexplored. Prior research has examined the direct relationship between big data and environmental performance, while separate streams have analyzed resilience and sustainability; however, limited attention has been paid to the integrative role of Organizational Resilience Agility as a dynamic capability connecting these domains. Addressing this gap, this study develops a unified framework grounded in the Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capability Theory, positioning Organizational Resilience Agility as the missing link that channels data-driven capabilities into environmental performance. Using survey data from 304 manufacturing firms and applying Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the study evaluates both measurement reliability and structural relationships. The findings provide empirical support for the proposed capability-based model, offering a theoretically grounded explanation of how digital transformation contributes to environmental sustainability under turbulent conditions.

The Impact of Digital Transformation on the International Competitiveness of Chinese Automotive Enterprises

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 06:29:46 +0000

Against the backdrop of profound global economic changes and the accelerated advancement of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, digital transformation has evolved from an “option” to a “necessity” for automotive enterprises. However, existing literature predominantly focuses on the direct effects of digitalization on production efficiency or domestic performance, with limited systematic investigation into the underlying mechanisms through which it enhances international competitiveness via multiple pathways. Grounded in the resource-based view and dynamic capabilities theory, this study selects Chinese A-share listed automotive manufacturing firms from 2005 to 2024 as the research object, constructs a comprehensive evaluation system for international competitiveness encompassing three dimensions—internationalization capability, operational capability, and profitability—with a total of 12 indicators, determines the indicator weights using the entropy weight method, and employs a two-way fixed effects model for empirical analysis. Special attention is paid to the new policy environment shaped by the “Data Element ×” Three-Year Action Plan (2024—2026) implemented in 2024, as well as the admission review regulations released in 2025, which, for the first time, elevate digital capabilities such as software upgrades, cybersecurity, and data security from encouraging standards to mandatory admission conditions, thereby significantly raising industry entry barriers.

The findings reveal: First, digital transformation significantly enhances the international competitiveness of automotive enterprises, a conclusion that remains robust after alternative variable measurements and sample adjustments. Second, technological innovation and marketing efficiency serve as partial mediators, uncovering the dual pathways of “technology empowerment” and “precise market connectivity” through which digital transformation indirectly boosts competitiveness. Third, heterogeneity analysis indicates that this positive effect is more pronounced in eastern regions and medium-sized enterprises, reflecting the moderating roles of digital infrastructure and organizational flexibility on transformation outcomes. This study systematically unpacks the “black box” of how digital transformation affects international competitiveness, providing theoretical foundations and practical pathways for latecomer automotive enterprises to achieve leapfrog development by leveraging their accumulated strengths in electrification and intelligence, and offers empirically grounded policy references for policymakers during the 2024—2026 critical phase of deep data element application.

From Posts to Loyalty: Understanding the Role of Customer Engagement in Luxury Fashion Social Media Marketing

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 06:09:16 +0000

Luxury fashion brands increasingly depend on social media content marketing to build customer loyalty, but the exact mechanisms remain insufficiently explored. This research investigates how content marketing, viewed as a comprehensive concept, impacts customer loyalty and whether customer engagement acts as a mediator. Based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S–O–R) Model and Uses and Gratifications Theory, we propose a framework in which customer engagement serves as the psychological link between content marketing and loyalty. Analyzing survey data from 376 luxury fashion consumers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo via Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), findings show that content marketing significantly boosts customer loyalty directly and indirectly through customer engagement. Customer engagement partially mediates this relationship, emphasizing its vital role in converting digital interactions into enduring brand loyalty. These insights provide actionable guidance for luxury brand managers seeking to translate social media efforts into sustained customer relationships.

From Resources to Performance: The Role of Cloud ERP Capabilities in Enhancing Supply Chain Outcomes

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:40:53 +0000

This study examines the impact of Cloud ERP capabilities on supply chain performance. Drawing on the Resource-Based View (RBV) and the dynamic capabilities perspective, Cloud ERP capabilities are conceptualized as a multidimensional construct encompassing technological, organizational, and human dimensions. Data were collected through a survey of 113 professionals, including general managers, directors, and managers in supply chain, logistics, purchasing and procurement functions. The research model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that Cloud ERP capabilities have a positive and significant effect on supply chain performance. Among these dimensions, technological capabilities exhibit the strongest influence. This study contributes to the literature by providing a multidimensional understanding of Cloud ERP capabilities and their role in enhancing supply chain performance. It also offers practical insights for managers seeking to leverage Cloud ERP systems to improve operational efficiency and competitiveness.

Are Organisations Ready to Hand Over the Keys to Agentic AI?

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:04:28 +0000

Agentic artificial intelligence represents a significant shift in organisational AI because such systems can interpret goals, plan multi-step workflows, use tools, access data, and execute actions with varying levels of autonomy. This policy paper examines whether organisations are ready to “hand over the keys” to these systems. It argues that the answer is conditional and domain-specific: many organisations are ready to use agentic AI as a supervised assistant in bounded, low-risk and reversible workflows, but most are not ready to delegate broad discretionary authority in high-stakes contexts. Drawing on supplied source materials and recent research on reliability, governance, risk alignment, oversight, security, AI management systems, and enterprise adoption, the paper develops a six-dimensional readiness model that covers technical reliability, authority and identity, data and tool governance, human oversight, accountability, and workforce legitimacy. The main finding is that agentic AI readiness is constrained not only by model performance but also by socio-technical governance gaps, including tool misuse, prompt injection, memory poisoning, privilege abuse, cascading failures and ineffective human review. The paper concludes that organisations should adopt staged delegation, maintain agent registries, assign unique agent identities, apply least privilege, red-team agentic workflows, formalise oversight and prohibit high-stakes autonomy until assurance evidence is substantially stronger.

Reviewer Acknowledgements for International Business Research, Vol. 19, No. 4

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 13:09:32 +0000

Reviewer Acknowledgements for International Business Research, Vol. 19, No. 4, 2026