Optimization and public transport tendering: a case study in Southern Italy.

This article presents a multi-start heuristic approach to a design problem motivated by a real-world application in the Italian transport system. Specifically, it focuses on the problem of designing optimal lots in the public transport organization. In defining lots (in terms of number, size, and boundaries) both cost and service level have to be considered. Under certain assumptions, we model the problem as a graph partitioning problem and consider the same performance measure indicated by the relevant decree-law enacted by the Italian Ministry of Transport. The multi-start algorithm proposed for individuating high-quality solutions for the problem uses adaptive large neighbourhood search. The results of a computational study based on real data from a region in Southern Italy are reported.

Evaluating corporate-startup collaboration: A government perspective.

Government authorities are seeking new, cost-effective ways to stimulate growth and job creation by increasingly favoring the development of innovation ecosystems. Corporate-startup collaboration as a phenomenon has therefore progressively been supported by government authorities as a way of simultaneously helping startups to scale and providing opportunities for incumbents to renew themselves. However, evaluating the results of such collaborations is complex, which means that it can be a challenge for any government agency to evaluate its related interventions. This paper is explorative and based on empirical data from a study of the Swedish innovation agency, Vinnova. The purpose is to improve our understanding on how governments today evaluate government funded corporate-startup collaboration initiatives and how evaluations can be improved by utilizing methods based on theory-driven and realist approaches. An evaluation framework for policy makers based on a theory-driven and learning cycle approach is presented in this paper.

Thrive during a crisis: the role of digital technologies in fostering antifragility in small and medium-sized enterprises.

The crisis triggered by the COVID-19 emergency is changing the competitive landscape by pushing companies to adapt to sudden change. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that want to survive must innovate their business. Antifragility represents the capability of a system to absorb shocks and get better, allowing it to overcome a crisis and improve its performance. The use of digital technologies by enterprises is expected to play an important role in building antifragility. The aim of this paper is to study how digital technologies can contribute to the development of antifragility in SMEs. This study analyzed the responses to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis of six small and medium-sized enterprises located in Calabria, South of Italy. All the six enterprises have turned the crisis into a business opportunity developing new products, investing in marketing and communication, or starting new collaborations. The research identifies the factors leveraged by the investigated organizations that enabled this anti fragile behavior. They include slack financial resources, strategic agility, and relations with research institutions. The study highlights the positive impact of digital technologies in developing antifragility. Results were summarized into research propositions to be tested in future confirmatory studies. The findings of the study are useful for researchers interested in antifragility and digital technologies in SMEs. The results are also important for entrepreneurs and managers of SMEs, since they can support their decisions in terms of survival and transformation of their companies.