Journal of Business Management
Year:2025 | Volume:17 | Issue:2|Papers Count:12

Objective Consumer decision-making, particularly the purchase decision process, is a fundamental aspect of consumer behavior and holds significant importance in this field. Advancements in technology have transformed lifestyles, including the buying process. Today, virtual and online shopping, along with shopping through internet platforms, are widely popular due to their convenience and advantages in meeting consumers' needs. As a result, online shopping has become a central aspect of modern consumer culture, with the online shopping decision now recognized as an integral part of consumer behavior. Understanding consumer buying behavior and decision-making is crucial for companies, particularly in online businesses and e-commerce, as it plays a key role in achieving high productivity and customer satisfaction. "In the digital age, where media and social networks play a central role in our lives, the concept of the virtual ideal self-image has become a significant factor in consumer behavior, particularly in online shopping. With the rapid rise of virtual spaces and social media, people's perceptions of their real and ideal selves have extended into this virtual realm. As individuals engage in dynamic interactions and activities on social media, defining both digital and ideal identities within this virtual space has become inevitable. One of the basic issues in consumer behavior is how consumers develop, adapt, and use strategies and decision-making processes. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that influence the decision-making process of online shopping, with a particular emphasis on the virtual ideal self-image and cognition approaches. The research aims to answer the question of what factors are effective in the decision-making process of online shopping, with a focus on the virtual ideal self-image.   Methodology To identify the effective components of the decision-making process of online shopping with an emphasis on the virtual ideal image, a meta-synthesis research method was employed. The strategy and process for searching and selecting articles were determined, and relevant and validated articles were extracted between 2000 and 2023. After refining the articles, content analysis was performed on the final 74 articles.   Findings The research identified sub-codes that represent the factors influencing the online shopping decision-making process, with an emphasis on the virtual ideal self-image. Using these codes and based on the similarity of their meanings and concepts, 19 core codes (themes) were identified and defined. In the final stage, these core codes were organized into seven main clusters: identity and real and ideal self-concept, body image, and gender differences, cultural, social, and demographic factors, shopping behavior and marketing and commercial factors, internal and psychological factors, online platforms and virtual and communication technologies, mental, and cognitive processes.   Conclusion The popularity of online shopping and the increasing trend of this type of purchase of goods and services has greatly increased in the past few years and has changed the way consumers make decisions. Although traditional brick-and-mortar stores are still used by consumers, consumers are increasingly turning to online shopping to make purchases that meet their various needs while enjoying the advantages of online shopping. This research identified a range of factors that influence the decision-making process of online shopping, including real and ideal identity and self-concept factors, body image and gender differences, cultural, social, and demographic factors, shopping behavior and marketing and commercial factors, internal and psychological factors, online platforms and virtual communication technologies and processes, and mental and cognitive factors. Understanding these factors is crucial for analyzing consumer behavior and improving the customer experience in online stores and virtual shopping. By taking these factors into account, businesses can enhance consumer psychology, facilitate successful and satisfactory shopping experiences, optimize product and website design, and ultimately increase sales and profitability in the e-commerce field.

Objective In today's business world, rapid advancements in technology and digitization, along with the growing use of digital media by consumers, have led many companies to adopt digital marketing to reach their target markets. These developments have also posed challenges to the skillsets of individuals in online businesses. In such a dynamic environment, running a business without developing competent managers and employees is nearly impossible. Given the importance of this issue, the present study aims to provide a framework for the competencies of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) specialists within the digital marketing ecosystem of Business-to-Business (B2B) internet businesses. The key research question is: What competencies do SEO specialists need in the digital marketing department of B2B internet businesses?   Methodology This study is exploratory, fundamental, and applied research, ontologically grounded in the interpretive paradigm. It employs a qualitative approach based on the Strauss and Corbin method. Data collection was conducted through in-depth semi-structured interviews, with 14 SEO specialists in B2C businesses selected through targeted sampling. Upon reaching theoretical saturation, the interviews and qualitative data were analyzed in three stages: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding.   Findings Research findings were categorized into 276 open codes, 195 concepts, 43 subcategories, and 17 main categories based on six dimensions: causal conditions (ecosystem competitiveness, environmental requirements, technological requirements), contextual conditions (organizational conditions, individual conditions), core category (technical competencies, interpersonal competencies, managerial competencies, individual competencies, perceptual competencies), strategies (training and development, work policies), intervening conditions (external factors, organizational factors, individual factors), and outcomes (business-related consequences, individual consequences).   Conclusion Based on the research findings, the paradigmatic model of SEO specialists' competencies was designed and identified according to the research field, using Strauss and Corbin’s systematic model. In this model, the relationships between each component are illustrated through communication lines, where the connections between key components indicate the sequence and priority of their interactions. The creation and development of the core category respond to environmental and technological changes in the internet business landscape. Competency development strategies, which define targeted behaviors, activities, and interactions influenced by contextual and intervening conditions, are categorized under the strategies section of the model. Contextual factors in the B2C internet business environment, along with intervening conditions, influence these strategies. Finally, the adoption of these strategies leads to business-related and individual consequences.

Objective This study aims to identify the patterns of new media consumption among Iranian consumers using the conceptual framework of the Uses and Gratifications Theory, employing the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) method.   Methodology This qualitative research is grounded in the interpretive paradigm and follows a descriptive-analytical method. In terms of orientation, it is applied research. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. To analyze the data, the interviews were first coded, and then interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was conducted, drawing on the assumptions of the Uses and Gratifications Theory. Main and sub-themes were extracted to identify the underlying patterns of new media consumption.   Findings By examining the lived experiences of the research participants, six main themes and eight sub-themes were identified. These themes were classified into two core categories: user-related characteristics and media consumption tool-related characteristics. The identified main and sub-themes of the new media consumption pattern among Iranian consumers indicate that this pattern is personalized (autonomous, based on individual preferences and interests), fast-food (sandwiched, concise), network-enhancing (expanding socializing and virtual communication, facilitating interaction), screen-based (mainly through smart devices), ubiquitous (fluid, mobile), and application-oriented (exclusively within applications).   Conclusion To achieve a comprehensive understanding of the nature and process of new media consumption among Iranian consumers, this study examined individuals' lived experience of their daily media consumption and their understanding of the meaning that this consumption has for Iranian consumers. Looking at the pattern extracted in this study, it seems that new media, under the profound influence of digital technologies, have presented a new social environment to consumers in which media consumption is a multidimensional, dynamic, full-time, and fluid phenomenon, and is intertwined with various factors such as individual, situational, and media consumption-related characteristics. The trend of changes in media consumption patterns indicates an increase in the right to choose by media users/consumers, which confirms the main assumption of the theory of uses and gratification, which is that consumers are active in choosing media based on individual needs. New areas of media consumption experience indicate the profound impact of technology on the perceptual and behavioral characteristics of users/consumers, and therefore, examining these changes is very important and can lead to a better understanding of media firms and organizations regarding consumers and help them review their marketing strategies. In this study, an attempt was made to understand and explain the meaning of new media consumption among Iranian users through interpretive phenomenology. Accordingly, as a continuation of the present study, it is suggested that a study be designed with the aim of presenting a typology of new media consumption types in order to identify different media consumption styles among Iranian consumers. Such research can be useful as a predictive tool in the field of studying media consumption behavior, contributing to a better understanding of what and how media is consumed in Iranian society.

Objective In today's competitive landscape, driven by technological advancements, the significance of distribution channels and effective communication with customers to foster engagement and value co-creation is paramount. Industries worldwide are increasingly adopting omnichannel strategies to provide customers with a more seamless and integrated experience. Given the importance of omnichannel and its crucial role in gaining a competitive advantage and co-creating brand value, this article aims to explore the role of customer-brand engagement and the dimensions of omnichannel characteristics in shaping relationship quality and brand value co-creation, while considering the moderating role of brand reputation.   Methodology This study is considered positivist in terms of paradigm, comparative in terms of research strategy, cross-sectional in terms of time, and applied in terms of objective and descriptive. The statistical population of this research is the customers of Isfahan banks who have used all kinds of bank service delivery channels at least once. The minimum sample size of 279 was calculated using G-Power software; however, for more accuracy and accuracy, 400 people were selected. The research data was collected using a standardized questionnaire. Validity and reliability have been measured in this research. Descriptive statistics were performed using SPSS version 25, while Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and SmartPLS 3.0 software were utilized to analyze the data, assess the model's fit, and test the hypotheses.   Findings According to the descriptive findings in this research, 44.2% are women and 55.8% are men, and more than 41% of these people are between the ages of 25 and 34 years old. Most of them had a bachelor's degree (25.3%). In this sample, the majority of people are employees, and their maximum income is between 5 and 10 million (45.5 percent). More people use mobile applications to perform banking activities. The results of structural equations show that channel service configuration, channel interaction stability, channel quality assurance, and channel perceived smoothness have a positive and significant effect on customer-brand engagement. Customer-brand engagement has a positive and significant effect on the customer-brand relationship quality; customer-brand relationship quality has a positive and significant impact on the brand value co-creation; and brand reputation can moderate the effect of customer-brand engagement on the customer-brand relationship quality.   Conclusion By considering the characteristics of omnichannel and managing them, banks can achieve brand value co-creation, which is one of the important business strategies for improving brand management. Banks that can best implement and manage the characteristics of omnichannel can establish better partnerships with customers, strengthen the quality of their communications, and ultimately create brand value co-creation.

ObjectiveAdvertising is a crucial tool for increasing the consumption of health-enhancing products. Production firms seeking to enhance profit and income through increased sales often adopt advertising—either generic or branded—as a central strategy. The advertising budgets of major dairy producers reflect their focus on branding and branded advertising. Efforts to increase dairy consumption through advertising are driven by various market actors with diverse motivations. However, the continuation of both public (usually by public institutions) and branded (mainly by producers) advertising policies is deemed necessary. The sustainability of branded advertising relies on the level of benefits producers gain in comparison to other market participants—such as retailers or distributors—who do not bear the costs of advertising. Therefore, unlike most studies that focus on consumer benefits from increased consumption, this study aims to quantify the benefits and surplus generated for producers by branded advertising and to examine how their share of these benefits changes with the presence or absence of branded advertising. MethodologyTo examine the impact of branded advertising on raw milk producers at the farm level, a modified version of the model proposed by Zhang et al. (2002) is employed. Their model analyzes market conditions to determine when advertising benefits or harms producers. This study uses a two-stage bilateral monopoly model to explore scenarios in which firm-owned advertising may potentially harm producers due to dominant buyer power. A Cournot framework is adopted to compare scenarios with and without branded advertising at the retail level. This study focuses on both current and optimal branded advertising budgets for two dairy products: processed milk and cheese. Among dairy firms, Iran Dairy Industries Company holds a dominant position with a 50% market share, serving as the basis for market analysis using data from September 2022 to September 2023. The effects of branded advertising on producer benefits are estimated under three scenarios of brand advertising elasticity for milk demand, four price elasticity scenarios, and eleven advertising intensity index scenarios (including equilibrium in multilayered models, competitive vs. non-competitive markets, and open vs. closed economies). For cheese, two brand advertising elasticity scenarios, three price elasticity scenarios, and four advertising intensity index scenarios are considered. FindingsResults show that the quantity of branded processed milk supplied by the dominant firm significantly changes with variations in advertising and price elasticity of demand. In contrast, unbranded milk quantities also vary considerably, while the quantities of branded and unbranded cheese show minimal changes. Overall, producer benefits from retail-level advertising are highly sensitive to demand elasticity. For processed milk, increased demand elasticity leads to greater producer benefits, whereas for cheese, this relationship is diminishing. In total, optimal branded advertising by the dominant firm increases raw milk producers' benefits by 6.407% and 6.196% for processed milk and cheese, respectively. ConclusionOptimal branded advertising at the retail level for processed milk and cheese positively affects raw milk producers' welfare. Previous studies (e.g., Shahbazi, 2015) also highlighted the impact of generic dairy advertising on milk supply, prices, and farm-level producer surplus. Furthermore, the effects of branded food advertising on producers vary based on market conditions and advertising effectiveness. As noted by Zhang et al. (1999, 2002), changes in demand may potentially reduce producer benefits. In Iran's dairy sector, where a dominant firm prevails, producers benefit from branded advertising, providing a strong justification for the continuation of branding and advertising policies.

Objective A main feature of today's business environment is the constant change and turbulence in the environmental factors in the business ecosystem, putting the survival and growth of firms at risk. Dynamic capabilities refer to the ability of businesses to adapt to market changes, developments in technologies, and changes in other factors in the ecosystem that impact the firm’s performance over time. These capabilities enable businesses to identify opportunities and threats, learn, innovate, and transform themselves to adapt to the environment, and expand their activity and operations, or firm growth, in organic or non-organic ways. However, the varied definitions and taxonomies of the concept of dynamic capabilities in the literature have resulted in confusion among academics and practitioners. Therefore, the main goal of this study is to identify the antecedents, processes, hierarchy of dynamic capabilities, and the outcomes of their deployment with an emphasis on firm growth, and to provide a conceptual model of this framework.   Methodology A qualitative research methodology was conducted based on the steps of the framework-based systematic literature review approach. The model used included six steps, and 14 questions related to the steps were introduced, and they were practically implemented in the form of the research questions of this study. Web of Science and Scopus databases were examined to retrieve the articles for the period of 1997 to 2023, with a focus on the dynamic capabilities perspective, to identify the antecedents, processes, and outcomes of the deployment of dynamic capabilities in business firms. A total of 90 articles were chosen for qualitative analysis.   Findings Analysis of the research findings and coding using the qualitative content analysis method led to the identification of 1,011 primary codes, which were categorized into 44 sub-categories and 10 main categories. According to the framework used in the systematic literature review, i.e., APO, the main categories were classified into the antecedents, processes, and outcomes of the deployment of dynamic capabilities.   Conclusion The literature analysis identified two categories of internal antecedents—at the individual and organizational levels—as well as environmental antecedents, which include key factors in the business ecosystem that influence the firm. The organization’s capabilities portfolio comprises operational capabilities at the foundational level, followed by three tiers of dynamic capabilities that constitute the micro-foundations, or underlying mechanisms, of the dynamic capabilities framework. At the lowest level of the dynamic capabilities hierarchy are the first-order dynamic capabilities, such as strategic decision-making, new product development, and research and development. The second-order dynamic capabilities include organizational learning, absorptive capacity, and knowledge management processes. At the highest level are the sensing, seizing, and transforming/reconfiguring capabilities. In addition, the internal and external outcomes of deploying the dynamic capabilities, including survival, superior performance of the firm, competitive advantage, and firm growth, were identified.

ObjectiveEnvironmental turbulence is now a defining characteristic of the organizational landscape in the twenty-first century, presenting numerous challenges for modern organizations. This research aims to identify and develop a comprehensive model of organizational strategies tailored to navigating turbulent environments. MethodologyThis study employs a qualitative approach using meta-synthesis. Specifically, it follows Sandelowski and Barroso’s (2007) seven-step method, which includes identifying the research question, conducting a systematic literature review, searching and selecting scientific documents, extracting relevant information, analyzing and synthesizing qualitative findings, ensuring quality control, and presenting the findings. The body of research consists of all scientific documents published over the past 20 years—936 in total—sourced from eight international and two domestic databases. After screening titles, research methodologies, and findings, 23 documents were selected for analysis. Thematic analysis was used to evaluate the findings, with rigorous quality control measures in place. To enhance reliability, the research process was thoroughly documented, expert feedback was incorporated, and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool was employed to assess the validity of the selected studies.  FindingsAn analysis of the literature on organizational strategies in turbulent environments reveals that, despite extensive research, most studies have focused on specific aspects of environmental turbulence. Each presents a set of strategies but falls short of offering a comprehensive model of organizational strategies for navigating such conditions. The proposed research model consists of nine main components and 64 sub-components. According to the findings, the key strategic approaches include: 1) Risk-taking strategies, Organizational risk management; fostering a culture of risk-taking; identifying, monitoring, and leveraging opportunities and risks; encouraging trial and error; predicting uncertainty; addressing geopolitical risks and trade dynamics; understanding and assessing changes in intensity and scope. 2)Knowledge management and organizational learning strategies Updating, codifying, and sharing knowledge; continuously scanning turbulent environments; learning from experience; leveraging collective wisdom; creating opportunities for knowledge growth; developing networks for sharing insights with competitors; documenting knowledge; enhancing organizational learning; fostering a culture of idea generation and exchange; promoting a culture of learning; expanding networks for information access. 3) Foresight strategy: Visioning; scenario planning; strategic decision-making; forecasting and anticipation; procurement, integration, and restructuring of internal and external resources and capabilities. 4) Communication and networking strategy: Team building; strategic collaborations; open and continuous communication; fostering a culture of participation and interaction; encouraging openness and trust. 5)Human capital empowerment strategy: Investing in individual development and improvement; cultivating an environment of honesty and respect; implementing self-development programs; inspiring and motivating employees; aligning individuals with new strategic orientations; instilling a commitment to continuous improvement; increasing autonomy. 6) Ethical strategy: Strengthening social responsibility; customer-centric approaches; ethical decision-making; fostering accountability and commitment; promoting global and holistic thinking. 7)Transformation strategy: Enhancing readiness and adaptability; fostering a culture of change; paradigm shifts; developing dynamic capabilities; transformational leadership; evolving business models; shaping external environments; structural dynamism; encouraging creativity and innovation; establishing research and development centers. 8)Resilience and agility strategy: Flexibility, adaptability, cultivating agility, rapid decision-making and execution, strengthening organizational resilience and sustainability; flattening organizational structures, decentralization, also restructuring and reshaping organizational frameworks. 9) Technological strategy: Utilizing technology to enhance organizational agility and responsiveness; facilitating communication and collaboration; leveraging technology for data collection and analysis; supporting rapid, informed decision-making; renewing and adapting technological systems. ConclusionBy identifying key organizational strategies for navigating turbulent environments and presenting a unified model, organizations can achieve sustainable and effective performance amid uncertainty. Furthermore, this framework lays the foundation for the continued development and refinement of these strategies to adapt and thrive in dynamic conditions.

Objective In today's dynamic environment, gaining an edge over competitors is essential for survival and growth in a competitive market. Survival and growth in such an environment are possible through innovation. Outstanding and innovative products, advanced technology, and innovation in marketing will not have an impact on the company's success if they do not create a significant competitive advantage. Open innovation recommends that companies give as much importance to external ideas as they do to internal ideas to access different markets, identify market opportunities, and create a competitive advantage for the company. This research aims to identify and prioritize the factors of open innovation in gaining a competitive advantage in the home appliance industry.   Methodology The present study is considered to be applied research and falls into the category of descriptive-analytical research. The research process of this study consists of four main phases. In the first phase, using library methods, the effective factors of open innovation were extracted from the research background. In the second phase, the extracted factors and sub-factors from the research literature were presented to the experts of the home appliance industry, and using the Fuzzy Delphi method, 10 categories of factors and 45 important sub-factors were identified and classified. Then, considering the selected factors and sub-factors, a three-level hierarchical model was obtained, where the first level is the ranking of the factors and sub-factors affecting open innovation in gaining competitive advantage. At the second level, the factors affecting open innovation and at the third level, the sub-factors related to each factor are placed. In the third phase, based on the hierarchical model of the research, a pairwise comparison table was formed and provided to the experts in the form of a pairwise comparison questionnaire. Then, to extract the weights of the factors and sub-factors, the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process method was used, which is one of the common multi-criteria decision-making methods. In the fourth phase, the factors and sub-factors of open innovation in gaining competitive advantage in the home appliance industry were prioritized.   Findings The research findings indicated that, according to experts in the home appliance industry, innovative marketing, strategic, creativity development, and cultural factors are the most important among the 10 identified factors. Among the sub-factors of innovative marketing, marketing variables and customer orientation are important. Among the strategic sub-factors, strategic resource acquisition and employees' attitudes towards open innovation are significant. Among the creativity development sub-factors, brainstorming and the SCAMPER method are crucial, and among the cultural sub-factors, goal alignment and organizational learning are the most important sub-factors.   Conclusion The results indicate that innovative marketing is chosen as the most important factor of open innovation in gaining a competitive advantage, according to industry experts. Innovative marketing in the home appliance industry can lead to the development of new and innovative products in this industry. It also leads to increased competitiveness among home appliance brands and manufacturers, ultimately improving the user experience and increasing demand for innovative products, thereby creating a competitive advantage in this industry. Innovative marketing variables, including innovative products, innovative promotions, innovative pricing, and innovative product distribution, have a significant impact on gaining a competitive advantage in home appliance companies.

Objective The importance of managerial and leadership characteristics in organizational success, particularly in decision-making in turbulent and uncertain environments, is well recognized. Given that decision-making in the VUCA environment must be quick and decisive while accounting for ambiguity and complexity, this study aims to identify the cognitive skills managers and leaders should utilize to guide their organizations in such conditions. Specifically, the research seeks to answer the question: What cognitive skills do leaders and managers need to make effective decisions and steer the organization in the VUCA environment?   Methodology This research employed a systematic literature review due to the wide range and lack of a specific, structured framework for cognitive models in the management literature. A systematic approach also enables researchers to identify theoretical gaps, as well as the similarities and differences within existing literature. After the review, a model for the cognitive skills of leaders and managers was identified and presented, making the approach of this study 'exploratory.' The review was conducted using the seven-step model developed by Kitchenham and Charters.   Findings In this research, the guiding question was first defined, followed by the determination of keywords. The relevant databases were then selected, and inclusion and exclusion criteria were established. A total of 2,163 items, including books, articles, and theses, were collected through keyword searches in the specified databases. The Caldwell framework was applied to assess the quality of the selected texts. For analysis, each document was assigned a code, and open coding was performed to categorize the texts. After the initial coding, the categories and themes found were classified to identify leadership skills and capabilities in the VUCA environment. In the selected texts, various approaches and concepts have been used to describe leaders and managers in the VUCA environment, which shows the importance of the topic in today's business world. In the early 2000s, there was little need to study these issues; however, over time, the business environment became increasingly characterized by ambiguity, complexity, turbulent changes, and uncertainty, leading to the development of new leadership models. In this research, after categorizing the data, three key themes in leadership within the VUCA environment were identified.   Conclusion This research provides a fresh perspective on leadership skills by considering the VUCA environment and its influence on the decision-making processes of managers and leaders, with a focus on cognitive skills and leadership styles. In contrast, most prior studies have examined leadership from specific angles, such as its impact on innovation, organizational knowledge, or sustainable development, or have focused on leadership in family businesses, particular cultural or environmental contexts, or based on factors like nationality or gender.

Objective Companies are increasingly embracing corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate political activity (CPA). It has been observed that some companies have established an independent unit, referred to as the political, social responsibility, or non-market unit. However, the impact of non-market actions on company performance has not always been positively reported in the literature. When looking for a way to explain the strategic orientation of a non-market activity in the literature, it is observed that no method has been proposed to distinguish strategic non-market activity from stand-alone ones. Even more concerning, it is unclear from this literature which factors lead to the development of non-market strategies. Referring to these facts, this research aims to identify the factors that lead to the development of non-market strategies by firms to leverage them to propose a pattern to explain the strategic orientation of non-market activities.     Methodology This is a systematic review that presents a new configuration of existing knowledge to understand the issues that result in the development of non-market strategies by identifying clues from previous studies and combining them into a cohesive whole. We selected 101 articles that provide insights into the research problem within the broad, multi-dimensional, and underdeveloped non-market literature. Clues were extracted using a retroduction/abduction approach. The coding of firm-level and institutional-level factors was conducted through qualitative content analysis employing thematic analysis. This process began with open coding of article content and concluded with the identification and synthesis of broader themes and meta-themes encompassing related themes.   Findings The main findings of this research are the categorizations of issues at the firm and institutional levels that potentially lead to the development of non-market strategies. Key firm-level themes include: lack of competitiveness, complementing competitive advantage, national competitive advantage, institutional risk management, management of external stakeholders (legitimacy), organizational mission and values, and agency problems. The corresponding meta-theme for these issues is “the institutional costs of the transaction.” Similarly, key institutional-level themes comprise: rent seeking, market failure, government failure, political risk, and ethics. The meta-theme for these themes is “the management of institutional context.”   Conclusion Based on the findings, this research critiques the dominance of sociological institutional theories within the institutional discourse on non-market strategy and emphasizes the need to foreground economic institutional theories in this context. Furthermore, this study introduces a typology of transaction costs and explains it through the meta-theme “institutional costs of the transaction.” Building on this typology, it proposes a framework for an integrated market and non-market strategy at the level of a firm’s macro-orientations. This framework can also be used to explain the strategic orientation of non-market activities. In doing so, this research advances the scientific discourse on non-market strategy by identifying the causal factors that lead to its development at both firm and institutional levels, and by establishing a foundation for understanding the strategic orientation of non-market activities as part of an integrated strategy.

Objective Considering the emergence of many start-up businesses in the sharing economy industry and considering the newness of this industry, it is understood that many are not aware of the right path of co-innovation of the brand to achieve customer involvement and co-creation of value and create loyalty on their behalf. This gap has resulted in the inefficiency of many brands established in this field. If companies can successfully navigate this process, they have the potential to secure a significant entrepreneurial position in society. However, due to insufficient guidance and direction, they have struggled to develop effective and productive platforms for brand co-innovation. Brand co-innovation occurs when brand value is created through interaction and communication by different stakeholders in a fluid space subject to continuous negotiation and creation, and often develops beyond the strategic goals set by brand managers. This challenges many traditional assumptions of brand management and necessitates the adoption of a new management approach. This traditional perspective challenges the value proposition of the brand and instead argues that, while managers must present the brand from within the organization, they must also be willing to accept that the meaning of the brand with many stakeholders. The brand here is an organic perspective that is replacing the traditional static perspective and shows that the brand is created in innovation with stakeholders. This study aims to explain an efficient brand co-innovation model in the sharing economy based on the involvement of customers and co-creation of value in start-up businesses, which leads to the proper use and application of all the existing capacities of these businesses. Moreover, the researchers identified a theoretical gap, noting that no prior research has explored the entire branding process through co-innovation from inception to completion within an industry, particularly in the sharing economy.   Methodology This research employs a mixed-methods design. In the first stage, a narrative review was conducted to develop a conceptual framework. The second stage involved qualitative data collection through interviews and a focus group discussion. Finally, a quantitative phase utilized a questionnaire to address specific research questions. The statistical population comprises users and employees of Snapfood and Snapbox. Consequently, the qualitative section incorporates the perspectives of managers and experts from these organizations, while the quantitative section gathers the opinions of the users. Data collection in the qualitative phase was conducted through semi-structured interviews, and the quantitative phase utilized a questionnaire developed based on qualitative findings. Various methods were employed to assess the validity and reliability of both instruments. Thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data, and structural equation modelling was used to analyse the quantitative data.   Findings The research findings in the qualitative part led to the explanation of the brand co-innovation model in the sharing economy based on the involvement of customers and co-creation of value in start-up businesses, which was confirmed in the qualitative part of the model with some changes.   Conclusion This research provides results that can enhance customer motivation for involvement and value co-creation, offering start-up business managers a framework to realize co-innovation between the company and its customers. The proposed model can help start-up businesses in the sharing economy to utilize their full capacity by properly involving customers and co-creating brand value, ultimately leading to stronger brand development and stakeholder engagement.

Objective Sustainability auditing is a systematic and independent process for evaluating an organization's performance in various areas of sustainability, including environmental, social, and economic aspects. The purpose of this type of audit is to identify the organization's strengths and weaknesses in these areas, provide solutions to improve performance, and ensure compliance with legal requirements and international standards. This qualitative research aims to present a sustainability audit model in the retail industry.   Methodology This study applies the Cranhelm and Gold-Kohl multiple-database method. Its participants include academic experts in auditing and accounting, as well as representatives from private-sector retail companies, selected through a theoretical sampling method. A semi-structured interview approach was employed to identify the key categories of the sustainability audit model within the retail industry. Using this method, in-depth interviews were conducted with 25 auditing and accounting experts, through which the necessary data were collected.   Findings In this study, five categories (central category, individual and organizational support platforms, economic and social contexts, individual and occupational and organizational barriers, individual and organizational outcomes and consequences) and 25 concepts were extracted in the inductive coding stage. Then, conceptual refinement, pattern coding (model presentation), theoretical adaptation of the model, empirical validation and evaluation of theoretical coherence of the model and theory enrichment were described.   Conclusion One of the primary reasons for the necessity of sustainability auditing in companies is its potential to identify operational inefficiencies and generate financial savings. Sustainability auditing can identify opportunities to save energy, reduce waste, and save water. By implementing changes aimed at reducing their environmental impact, companies can lower utility expenses and decrease overall operating costs. Also, sustainability auditing can help companies maintain their social license to operate. Consumers are aware of the effects of their purchasing decisions on the environment and society. By improving their sustainability practices, companies can enhance their reputation and build trust with customers, employees, and other stakeholders.