Pejvak Oghazi’s research while affiliated with University of Vaasa and other places

Femvertising, a progressive advertising approach, combines product promotion with empowering messages for women. Recent trends, especially in feminine hygiene, have shifted towards such empowering narratives, moving away from traditional stigmatized portrayals of women. This research investigates how femvertising impacts consumer perceptions in feminine hygiene advertising. Focusing on transformational versus informational advertising, we examine femvertising's effects on purchase behavior together with the role of perceived authenticity, and the impact of consumers’ construal level mindset. The findings from four experimental studies reveal that transformational messages significantly boost purchase behavior more than informational ones. Key to this effect is the alignment of message framing with the consumer's construal level and the mediating role of perceived authenticity. These results provide critical insights for brands using femvertising strategies, emphasizing the importance of authentic, resonant messages aligned with the target audience's mindset.

The emergence of data as a critical asset and the prevalence of technologies such as the Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) on the one hand, and the importance of collaborations for value creation on the other hand have given rise to a new breed of ecosystems known as data ecosystems. While data ecosystems provide new business opportunities, proposing and capturing value in those ecosystems is challenging, and the extant literature provides little guidance in this regard. Our research encompasses two studies that address this limitation and establish a framework for business-model archetypes in the context of AIoT data ecosystems. In the first study, exploratory qualitative research on 28 leading AIoT data ecosystem actors leads to the identification of value propositions and value-capture mechanisms in these ecosystems. We identify eight possible value propositions and eight possible value-capture mechanisms. The second, qualitative study centers on 19 expert interviews. Our analysis leads to the identification of two dimensions-control and customization-that guide the conceptualization and formation of business-model archetypes. Using these dimensions, we develop a framework for business-model archetypes in AIoT data ecosystems. Our findings contribute to the discourse on data ecosystems and offer new perspectives valuable for both researchers and industry practitioners.

Using a gendered crisis approach, this study investigates the impact of sanctions on Iranian women’s nascent entrepreneurial behaviours. Using data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor’s individual-level data and sanctions intensity data on 10,781 individuals, aged 18–65 from 2008 to 2018, the findings indicate that sanctions lower the perceived opportunities to start a business for women more so than for men. Although sanctions did not influence perceived start-up skills, suggesting resilience among women amid the challenges, sanctions did reduce the fear of failure for women more so than for men. Policymakers, both in the Collective West and in Iran, can use these insights to develop gender-inclusive measures and support women’s entrepreneurship in sanction-affected contexts.

Purpose The purpose of this study is shed light on the underlying forces behind entrepreneurship within a regional innovation system (RIS) in a remote rural region. The authors examine the following questions: Which are the main underlying forces behind the entrepreneurial process in a rural RIS characterized by traditionally low-tech, small-scale businesses? How can the development of a low-tech regional innovation system be conceptualized? Design/methodology/approach The design of the study is based on entrepreneurship theory. Data analysis followed practices used in phenomenography, a research approach used to analyse and identify commonalities and variations in populations' perceptions of a certain phenomenon. Data are composed using semi-structured interviews and a database composed of company information of all firms in the population. Findings A proactive mobilization of regional stakeholders and resources can be an important driving force behind the entrepreneurial process and generation of a rural RIS. Innovation can be generated within low-tech industries turning the rural context into an asset. An RIS in a remote rural context can be initiated and orchestrated by regional authorities, but knowledge brokering and orchestration can also be managed by networks of small-scale businesses brought together by mutual benefit and common interests. Research limitations/implications Regional innovation systems theory is most often used to study high-tech industries. But by combining regional innovation systems with rural entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship context theory is a fruitful avenue to understand the role of rural entrepreneurship in regional development, even in remote and peripheral regions. Innovation does not need to entail high-tech international environments; it can appear as the result of efforts in low-tech industries in rural and remote environments. The authors’ findings need to be scrutinized; therefore, the authors call for more research on regional innovation systems in rural environments. Practical implications It is possible for regional authorities to orchestrate a development process through the actions of a strong regional agent but also by supporting the creation of networks of small businesses that are built on trust and common interests. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature with a new perspective to the study of entrepreneurship and of regional innovation systems. Entrepreneurship research with focus on rural contexts most often highlight limits to entrepreneurship and see entrepreneurship as “just running a business”. A perspective that starts from innovation and innovative behaviour, despite the rural context and embedded resources, helps to generate new knowledge that can enrich the understanding of entrepreneurship and also be the foundation for more precise business development policies in rural settings.