Federica Palumbo | Università degli Studi "La Sapienza" di Roma (original) (raw)

Papers by Federica Palumbo

Referred Electronic Conference Proceeding, 2013

International Journal of Management in Education, 2015

The intent of this qualitative research is to investigate and understand the requisites of custom... more The intent of this qualitative research is to investigate and understand the requisites of customer satisfaction for academic libraries' users and to give managerial hints for the implementation of user centred academic library services. To this aim, we analyse the library services of two Italian Universities (the Faculty of Economics of University of Palermo and the Central Library of the University of Salerno) to find relations and congruencies and to evaluate the perceived relevance of the tangible and intangible aspects of these services. In the preliminary phase of the research, we conducted both focus groups and individual interviews involving students or researchers who regularly use the library services. This study supplies a significant analysis of qualitative data that can be functional for researchers and for university managers to plan strategic and operative activities in order to improve academic library services.

Springer Proceedings in Complexity, 2014

Predictions play a key role in assuring the status of "rationality" in decisions. Nevertheless, i... more Predictions play a key role in assuring the status of "rationality" in decisions. Nevertheless, in the field of social sciences and economics, predictions fail to correctly depict the oncoming scenarios. Why is it so difficult to achieve quantitative prediction of social and economic systems? Can science provide reliable predictions of social and economic paths that can be used to implement effective interventions? As in the notorious "El Farol bar problem" depicted by Brian Arthur (Am Econ Rev 84:406-411, 1994), the validity of predictive models is more a social issue than a matter of good mathematics. Predictability in social systems is due to limited knowledge of society and human behavior. We do not yet have worldwide, quantitative knowledge of human social behavior; for instance, the perception of certain issues or the predisposition to adopt certain behaviors. Though tremendous progress has been made in recent years in data gathering thanks to the development of new technologies and the consequent increase in computational power, social and economic models still rely on assumptions of rationality that undermine their predictive effectiveness. Through some theoretical and epistemological reflections, we propose a way in which the cybernetic paradigm of complexity management can be used for better decision-making in complex scenarios with a comprising, dynamic, and evolving approach. We will show how a cybernetic approach can help to overcome the fear of uncertainty and serve as an effective tool for improving decisions and actions.

Chaos, Complexity and Leadership 2013, 2014

By considering the tourist experience as a complex dynamic system, in this paper we depict the tr... more By considering the tourist experience as a complex dynamic system, in this paper we depict the traveler as a kybernetes (κυβερνήτης is the ancient Greek word for 'sea captain', 'steersman', or 'governor') in search of powerful tools to help him or her to obtain directions in the mare magnum of complexity, overcoming the fear of action and taking decisions. We focus our attention on the key role of Near Field Communication technology and mobile wallet as 'attenuators of complexity' in the travel and tourism industry. Keywords Smart Á Complexity Á Simplexity Á Mobile technology Á NFC technology Á Mobile wallet Á Tourist satisfaction Everything is simpler than you think, and at the same time, more complex than you imagine. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 16.1 The Smart Revolution in Tourist Experience: From Complexity to Simplexity The European Union (EU), in its Europe 2020 strategy, has emphasized the need to sustain a 'smart, sustainable and inclusive growth' that might emerge stronger from the economic and financial crisis of the coming years (COM 2010). With the aim of simplifying complexity in the life of citizens, the scientific community is dealing

La presente ricerca analizza i servizi bibliotecari di due Facoltà italiane al fine di individuar... more La presente ricerca analizza i servizi bibliotecari di due Facoltà italiane al fine di individuare i principali driver della customer satisfaction attraverso il modello di Kano. I risultati possono essere utili sia ai ricercatori che ai manager delle università per pianificare a livello strategico e operativo le azioni necessarie al miglioramento dell’offerta di servizi bibliotecari di ateneo.

Today we can observe an increasing proliferation of new academic spin-off initiatives aimed to tr... more Today we can observe an increasing proliferation of new academic spin-off initiatives aimed to transfer knowledge from the university to the market. Due to their strategic role in enhancing the development of technological innovation, academic spin-offs can attain high levels of social performance and consonance with their environment. At the same time, they must overcome many difficulties if they are to achieve a high level of financial performance and growth. They are often considered to be mere vehicles for the transmission of knowledge, implying that their entrepreneurial potential is not fully exploited. According to the Resource Based View (RBV) the competitive disadvantage of an academic spin-off is due to a lack of resources. This paper will join this stream of research in order to analyze the financial performance of academic spin-offs. We examine the case of Arca Consortium’s incubator, established by the University of Palermo, and of the academic spin-offs it has supporte...

The aim of this study is to identify the key factors as antecedents of visitor satisfaction for t... more The aim of this study is to identify the key factors as antecedents of visitor satisfaction for the designof a mobile app for museums. To our aim we use the Kano model that allows to categorize service attributesaccording to how they are perceived by customers and to estimate their impact on customer satisfaction. Wecollected qualitative data trough 300 questionnaires administered to tourists visiting the Sicilian cities of Palermo and Trapani over a period of 3 months (October- December 2012). The results of our analysis can berelevant for museum and public managers to plan strategic and operative activities, for researcher in the field of touristic marketing, for application developers, and for all those concerned with touristic and cultural heritage issues.

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2010

Abstract: Today, growing complexity and variability of the business environment, calls for more f... more Abstract: Today, growing complexity and variability of the business environment, calls for more flexible and efficient production systems. Among the most effective and efficient production system, the Japanese lean production is the most known and studied, but still not the most applied with success outside Japan. The reason of the scarce success of lean production outside its native country is the insufficient understanding of the strong interactions among the enterprise system and the business system.

Systemic Practice and Action Research, 2012

Abstract The increase in the complexity and variability of the business environment, due to const... more Abstract The increase in the complexity and variability of the business environment, due to constant and rapid changes in markets, calls for more flexible and effective production systems. Of the most valuable production systems, the Japanese lean production system (LPS) is the best known and studied, but is still not the most widely applied with success outside Japan. The reason for the low level of success of lean production outside its native country is the lack of understanding of the strong interactions which hold between ...

Journal of Organisational Transformation & Social Change, 2013

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to depict the relational dynamics between the firm/brand and th... more ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to depict the relational dynamics between the firm/brand and the individual/consumer or communities of consumers. To this aim we propose a conceptual framework, integrating the Viable Systems Approach (VSA) with the Consumer Culture Theory (CCT) which considers the individual as an active co-maker of product/brand (prosumer). The VSA view of the firm allows to overcome the limitations of CCT research, which is mainly focused on the individual, giving little consideration the other actors in the context. Among the different approaches under the umbrella of Viable Systems we chose the VSA because of its emphasis to the analysis of the systemic external relations with the agents in the context that helps to underscore the marketing and social perspective of CCT. In a viable systemic perspective the firm/brand and the individual/consumer can be conceived as viable systems embedded in a social-business context. Therefore, the consumption system can be thought as the momentum for the creation and maintenance of symbolic and cultural relationships between the firm/brand and the individual/consumer or communities of consumers (i.e. brand communities or subculture of consumption). These relationships are finalized to establish a common and consonant language in order to achieve a desired consonance level capable of enabling both the consumer and the firm/brand to co-evolve, maintain and enhance their systemic viability.

International Journal of Leisure and Tourism Marketing, 2013

Starting from the assessment that hotels need to embrace a managerial approach oriented towards c... more Starting from the assessment that hotels need to embrace a managerial approach oriented towards customer satisfaction, we adopt the Kano model to identify the relevant drivers of satisfaction of hotels guest in the main cities of Sicily, Italy. This study analyses the customer satisfaction requirements for Sicilian hotels in order to suggest and weigh a set of key attributes that hotel managers need to consider in order to create an attractive offer. We base our analysis on the qualitative data collected through 600 questionnaires submitted to hotel guests of 20 Sicilian three-star hotels located in city downtowns, in different provinces and locations.

ABSTRACT Oggi il ruolo delle Università non si limita più soltanto alle tradizionali attività di ... more ABSTRACT Oggi il ruolo delle Università non si limita più soltanto alle tradizionali attività di formazione e di ricerca. La cosiddetta Seconda Rivoluzione Accademica ha attribuito alle Università una “terza missione”, che consiste nella valorizzazione e commercializzazione della conoscenza accedemica sul mercato. L’Università diviene così “entrepreneurial university” creando valore non solo in termini di conoscenza ma anche di innovazione e sviluppo economico. Il libro intende approfondire il ruolo che le Università rivestono nel processo di trasferimento di conoscenza innovativa al mercato tramite la costituzione di imprese spin-off. Viene evidenziato come, attraverso il supporto di apposite strutture definite "incubatori" universitari, l'università sia in grado di creare l'humus per dar vita a start-up innovative, in grado di competere e contribuire allo sviluppo economico.

Business Horizons, 2013

In the last decade, the increased use of the Internet and web technologies has grown so considera... more In the last decade, the increased use of the Internet and web technologies has grown so considerably that it caused a technological revolution. Organizations of various types and sizes and across almost every sector are adapting their old brick-and-mortar systems into virtual systems and are integrating web technologies into their operations (Aladwani & Palvia, 2002; Currie, 2000; Murillo & Velázquez, 2008). This technological revolution has affected many sectors, including the educational system. That is, the evolution of technology changed not only the

International Journal of Markets and Business Systems, 2015

The aim of this study is to demonstrate that academic incubators play a key role in firm viabilit... more The aim of this study is to demonstrate that academic incubators play a key role in firm viability. This study develops a new analytic systemic framework that reveals the processes and factors that determine the effectiveness of the incubation process supported by university incubators. We analyse the effectiveness of the incubation process in the incubator of the ARCA Consortium by means of a single case study with an embedded design. In this study, adopting a systemic perspective, we shift the focus from the firm to the context, shedding light on the systemic actions that create the prerequisite conditions for the achievement of the firms' viability.

Today, growing complexity and variability of the business environment, calls for more flexible an... more Today, growing complexity and variability of the business environment,
calls for more flexible and efficient production systems. Among the most effective and efficient production system, the Japanese lean production is the most known and studied, but still not the most applied with success outside Japan. The reason of the scarce success of lean production outside its native country is the insufficient understanding of the strong interactions among the enterprise system and the business system. In order to fill this gap of knowledge, it can be useful to investigate the systemic interaction according to the Viable System Model (VSM) and its evolution in business science, the Viable System Approach (VSA).
In this paper we combine these models in an unified framework, integrating the internal analysis of VSM with the analysis of the links with supra-systems developed by VSA. We apply this framework to analyze the peculiar aspects of Japanese lean production systems in Japan.

E-Relationship Marketing and Accessibility Perspectives, 2014

The increased usage of mobile apps has a great potential for the tourism industry. Through the us... more The increased usage of mobile apps has a great potential for the tourism industry. Through the use of mobile apps, web portals and social media may allow a fast and wide diffusion of awareness for museum and attract a large number of visitors, thus increasing the value of their image, with moderate investments. The aim of this chapter is to identify the key factors as antecedents of customer satisfaction for the design of a mobile app for a museum. To this aim, the authors use the Kano model that allows categorizing service attributes according to how they are perceived by customers and estimating their impact on customer satisfaction. This model is adopted in order to identify express and latent needs of cultural tourists and to design a mobile app for museum according to their perceptions and expectations. To apply the Kano model, the authors used qualitative data collected through 300 questionnaires administered to tourists visiting the Sicilian cities of Palermo and Trapani over a period of 3 months (October-December 2012). The results of this analysis can be relevant for museum and public managers to plan strategic and operative activities, for researchers in the field of touristic marketing, for application developers, and for all those concerned with touristic and cultural heritage issues.

RECENT ADVANCES in BUSINESS MANAGEMENT and MARKETING

The aim of this study is to identify the key factors as antecedents of visitorsatisfaction for th... more The aim of this study is to identify the key factors as antecedents of visitorsatisfaction for the design
of a mobile app for museums. To our aim we use the Kano model that allows to categorize service attributes
according to how they are perceived by customers and to estimate their impact on customer satisfaction. We
collected qualitative data trough 300 questionnaires administered to tourists visiting the Sicilian cities of
Palermo and Trapani over a period of 3 months (October- December 2012). The results of our analysis can be
relevant for museum and public managers to plan strategic and operative activities, for researcher in the field of
touristic marketing, for application developers, and for all those concerned with touristic and cultural heritage
issues.

In this paper we combine these models in an unified framework, integrating the internal analysis ... more In this paper we combine these models in an unified framework, integrating the internal analysis of VSM with the analysis of the links with supra-systems developed by VSA. We apply this framework to analyze the peculiar aspects of Japanese lean production systems in Japan.
There are many similarities between the Japanese lean production system and the Viable Systems approach. In particular:
• the strong interactions of the kaisha with the environment;
• the recursivity of the system;
• the importance of relationships (“relational capitalism”, Okimoto &
Rohlen, 1988).
We highlight the peculiarities of lean production system, shedding light on its roots with the Japanese business environment

Referred Electronic Conference Proceeding, 2013

International Journal of Management in Education, 2015

Springer Proceedings in Complexity, 2014

Chaos, Complexity and Leadership 2013, 2014

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2010

Systemic Practice and Action Research, 2012

Journal of Organisational Transformation & Social Change, 2013

International Journal of Leisure and Tourism Marketing, 2013

Business Horizons, 2013

International Journal of Markets and Business Systems, 2015

E-Relationship Marketing and Accessibility Perspectives, 2014

RECENT ADVANCES in BUSINESS MANAGEMENT and MARKETING

We aim to point out some relevant ways in which organizations can decide and act sustainably acco... more We aim to point out some relevant ways in which organizations can decide and act sustainably according to a cybernetic and viable systems perspective.

The main new challenge of the " smart era" can be synthesized by the sentence " complexity of sim... more The main new challenge of the " smart era" can be synthesized by the sentence " complexity of simplicity ". It means providing complex products or services that can be perceived as simple, useful and time-saving by users. But creating simplicity is pretty complex. Aiming to simply complexity for the life of citizens, the scientific community is dealing with the development of new models of " Smart City " , based on ICT, sustainable growth, social inclusion and the quality of life in urban areas. The role of tourism cannot be overlooked by this " smart revolution ". With regards to tourism, cities, may be considered as " touristic products " that need to be managed with a long-term vision and strategies. Tourists have to deal with a high level of complexity in their travel decisions. The tourism sector has been described as highly information-intensive (Poon, 1993) and involving a wide variety of different processes (Egger, 2013), therefore new technologies, designed for simplification of complexity (semplexity as for Alain Berthoz), can bring tremendous advantage in this industry. In addition we can notice how the tourism industry is often fragmentized and lacks a kybernetes 1 able to manage it (Dominici, 2013). For the consumers of tourist services, the effect of this fragmentation, is that they are swamped with information coming from different sources and they need to make a great effort and spend a lot of time and energies, to take decisions and act.

Research Poster presented at Consumer Culture Theory Conference "Mapping Consumer Culture. Latitu... more Research Poster presented at Consumer Culture Theory Conference "Mapping Consumer Culture. Latitudes, Legends and Declination". June 26-29, Helsinki, Finland.

Research Poster presented at Business Systems Laboratory 2nd International Symposium "Systems Thi... more Research Poster presented at Business Systems Laboratory 2nd International Symposium "Systems Thinking for a Sustainable Economy. Advancements in Economic and Managerial Theory and Practice". Universitas Mercatorum, Rome (IT), January 23-24, 2014.

According to several digital marketing experts Near Field Communication (NFC) represents the futu... more According to several digital marketing experts Near Field Communication (NFC) represents the future of Mobile Technology. One of the main strengths of this technology is the possibility to enable smartphones and other mobile devices to become Mobile Wallet, simplifying and enhancing the user experience. In this paper we describe an application for Android smartphone, called NFC Smart Tourist Card, offering a wide range of services: information supply, mobile payment, mobile ticketing, device pairing, location based services, access authorization, management of loyalty, bonus and membership cards. This study has specific value for academics working in the field of Mobile Information Systems with practical implications for telecommunication operators and/or other companies interested in developing and selling mobile services for tourism 2.0.

Obiettivi. Il processo di creazione di nuove imprese risulta particolarmente complesso qualora pa... more Obiettivi. Il processo di creazione di nuove imprese risulta particolarmente complesso qualora parta da idee altamente innovative che trovano difficoltà ad essere percepite come valide dai sovra sistemi. Obiettivo del presente lavoro è dimostrare che gli incubatori accademici svolgono un ruolo determinante per la vitalità di queste imprese.
Metodologia. Attraverso un caso studio contraddistinto da un embedded design si analizza l’efficacia del processo di incubazione degli spin-off dell’incubatore del Consorzio Arca.
Risultati. L’efficacia del processo di incubazione è dimostrata dall’elevato numero di spin-off che, al termine del periodo di incubazione, sono capaci di competere con successo sul mercato e di raggiungere condizioni di consonanza con i sovrasistemi di riferimento.
Limiti della ricerca. I principali limiti sono da ricondurre alla ridotta significatività dei dati di bilancio, finanche aggregati, nel rappresentare la reale situazione competitiva di ogni singola impresa spin-off, e alla mancanza di una misurazione quantitativa del livello di consonanza raggiunto dagli spin-off.
Implicazioni pratiche. Il Consorzio ARCA rappresenta un esempio virtuoso di incubatore accademico; esso è stato in grado di creare un “humus culturale” atto a favorire la diffusione dell’imprenditorialità seppure in un contesto economicamente sottosviluppato (Sicilia).
Originalità del lavoro. Molti studi sugli spin-off accademici si concentrano sull’impatto negativo che la carenza di risorse e competenze delle imprese innovative genera sulla performance. In questo lavoro, adottando una prospettiva sistemica, si sposta l’attenzione dall’impresa

"According to the Viable Systems Approach (VSA), the process of creation of new firms goes throug... more "According to the Viable Systems Approach (VSA), the process of creation of new firms goes through the transformation of new ideas and knowledge into viable systems.
This is a complex process, in particular when it starts from very innovative and original ideas that may be not easily understood by the external stakeholders of the seed firm (supra-systems). The business incubator plays a key role in order to bridge this gap of understanding between the innovating seed and the main actors in its environmental context, creating inter-relational ties and consonance that are pivotal for the competitiveness of the firm.
In this study we analyze spin-offs incubated and generated by the business incubator managed by the ARCA Consortium, located inside the university campus of the University of Palermo in Sicily. We follow the ways how the ARCA incubator selects and supports the development of business ideas coming from university labs and transforms these ideas into viable firms. The analysis of this process according to a viable systems perspective sheds light on a better understanding of the systemic actions that create the prerequisite conditions for the achievement of viability of spin-off firms. "

The aim of this study is to propose a conceptual framework, based on an interdisciplinary approac... more The aim of this study is to propose a conceptual framework, based on an interdisciplinary approach integrating the Viable Systems perspective with the Consumer Culture Theory (CCT), in order to depict the relational dynamics between the firm/brand and the individual/consumer. The study is based on the second order cybernetics point of view that every social system, including firms and consumers, is part of a perceptive scheme created by itself. In particular we assume the relevance of cultural metaphors and their symbols. Therefore, the consumption system can be conceived as the momentum of creation and maintenance of the symbolic and cultural relationships between the firm/brand and the individual/consumer. These relationships are finalized to establish a common and consonant language in order to achieve a resonance level (in systemic terms) capable to enable both the consumer and the firm/brand to maintain and enhance their systemic viability. We consider these reflections in a CCT frame, which considers the individual as an active comaker of product/brand. Hence, we can conceive the consumption system as a system composed by individuals/consumers which continuously establish resonance-oriented relationships with the firm/brand system. A high degree of openness of the consumption system could dissolve its boundaries and turn it in a supra-system of brand community or subculture of consumption.

Oggi il ruolo delle Università non si limita più soltanto alle tradizionali attività di formazion... more Oggi il ruolo delle Università non si limita più soltanto alle tradizionali attività di formazione e di ricerca.
La cosiddetta Seconda Rivoluzione Accademica ha attribuito alle Università una “terza missione”, che consiste nella valorizzazione e commercializzazione della conoscenza accedemica sul mercato. L’Università diviene così “entrepreneurial university” creando valore non solo in termini di conoscenza ma anche di innovazione e sviluppo economico.
Il libro intende approfondire il ruolo che le Università rivestono nel processo di trasferimento di conoscenza innovativa al mercato tramite la costituzione di imprese spin-off. Viene evidenziato come, attraverso il supporto di apposite strutture definite "incubatori" universitari, l'università sia in grado di creare l'humus per dar vita a start-up innovative, in grado di competere e contribuire allo sviluppo economico.
ISBN: 1482559919 - ISBN-13: 978-1482559910

Immaginare l'innovazione, Nov 2012

Tesi di laurea triennale in Economia Aziendale

Tesi di Laurea Specialistica in Scienze Economico-Aziendali.

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