External knowledge sourcing and new product development: Evidence from the Italian food and beverage industry

Dr Gabriele Santoro is a PhD Student in Business and Management in the Department of Management at the University of Torino. His main areas of research include open innovation, knowledge management, social innovation and alliances in smart cities. His works have been published in international academic journals such as Journal of Technology Transfer and Journal of the Knowledge Economy. Dr Santoro’s research entitled “Users generated ideas via Social Media Networks (SMNs): based on open innovation model” was awarded as Best Paper award of the EuroMed\SIMA track “New Challenges in Open Innovation” at the 9th Annual EuroMed Academy of Business (EMAB) Conference (2016).

Demetris Vrontis is a Professor and an Executive Dean at the University of Nicosia in Cyprus (EU). Professor Vrontis is the Editor-in-Chief of the EuroMed Journal of Business (EMJB) and the President of the EuroMed Research Business Institute (EMRBI). His prime research interests are in strategic marketing planning, branding and marketing communications; areas in which he has widely published in over 150 refereed journals and 22 books and gave numerous presentations in conferences around the globe. Professor Vrontis is a Fellow Member and a certified Chartered Marketer of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a Chartered Business and Chartered Marketing Consultant certified by the Chartered Association of Business Administrators. Professor Vrontis also serves as a Consultant and a Member of Board of Directors to a number of international companies.

Alberto Pastore is a Full Professor of Business Management at Sapienza University of Rome, where he teaches Strategic Management and Marketing; the President of the Italian Management Society (SIMA), the Scientific Society of the Italian professors of management; the Director of the Master in Marketing Management, a Former Director of the Management Department and a Former Director of the PHD in Management at Sapienza University of Rome. He is an author of eight books and more than 100 scientific publications in the field of management and marketing. He is also a Business Management Advisor for important firms and organizations.