The requisite match between internal resources and network ties to cope with knowledge scarcity

Alkis Thrassou is based at the Department of Marketing, School of Business, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus. He is a Professor at the School of Business, University of Nicosia (Cyprus, EU). He holds a PhD in Strategic Marketing Management from the University of Leeds (the UK) and is also a Chartered Marketer and Fellow (FCIM), a Chartered Construction Manager and Fellow (FCIOB), a Chartered Management Consultancy Surveyor (MRICS), a Senior Research Fellow of the EuroMed Academy of Business (SFEMAB/EMRBI), a Member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and a member of Cyprus’ Technical Chamber (ETEK). He has extensive academic and professional/industry experience and has undertaken significant research in the fields of strategic marketing, management and customer behavior. He has published over 130 works in numerous internationally esteemed peer-reviewed scientific journals and books, and he retains strong ties with the industry, acting also as a consultant.

Demetris Vrontis is based at the Department of Marketing, School of Business, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus. He is a Professor and Executive Dean at the University of Nicosia in Cyprus. He is the Founding Editor and Editor in Chief of the EuroMed Journal of Business and the Associate Editor in Chief of the International Marketing Review. He is also the President of the EuroMed Research Business Institute (http://emrbi.org). He has widely published, in over 200 refereed journal articles and 37 books in the areas of business management, marketing, human resource management, innovation and entrepreneurship. He is a fellow member and certified chartered marketer of The Chartered Institute of Marketing and a chartered business and chartered marketing consultant. He also serves as a consultant and member of the board of directors to a number of international companies. Further details about him can be found at: http://unic.academia.edu/DemetrisVrontis

Maria Crescimanno is based at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. Maria Crescimanno is a Full Professor at the Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo (Italy, EU). She is the delegate of the Chancellor of the University of Palermo for the planning and organization of the University’s Masters and a Fellow of the EuroMed Academy of Business (EMRBI). Her research interests include international and European agricultural policy, foreign agri-food trade, agribusiness, market competitiveness, logistic and fishery policy and market analysis. Her research has been published in many international peer-reviewed journals.

Marcella Giacomarra is based at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. Marcella Giacomarra is currently a post doc researcher and Teaching Assistant at the University of Palermo, Department of Agriculture, Food and Forest Sciences. In 2006, she acquired a degree in International and Diplomatic Sciences (University of Bologna, Italy), with a specialization in European Economic Studies. In 2015, she successfully completed her PhD studies in Statistics for Experimental and Technological Research (Department of Economic, Business and Statistics, University of Palermo). Her main research interests are: innovative business models; international relations; EU economic policies comparison; renewable energy; and sustainability issues. She is author of numerous scientific papers and reviewer for worldwide recognized scientific journals.

Antonino Galati is based at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. He is an Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics and Valuation and Professor in the Fundamentals of Economics, Organization and strategic management of the agro-forest business, and Environmental certifications at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo (Italy, EU). He holds a PhD in Agricultural Economic and Policy (2007) from the University of Palermo, a Postgraduate Specialization Diploma in Politique et choix publics en agriculture et alimentation (2005) from Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier (IAM-M) and is also a fellow of the EuroMed Academy of Business (EMRBI) and a Co-Chair of its Research Interest Committee in Agribusiness. His research interests include market competitiveness, agribusiness, marketing strategies, management, logistics and market analysis. His research has been published in a wide range of international peer-reviewed journals.