Program & Keynote Speakers

7th PISB Conference

Innovative processes in SMEs between deglobalization,digitalization and sustainable development

Urbino

14th-15th May 2026

Program

Thursday, 14 May 2026

14:00 - 14:30 | Welcome Address (Aula Blu and online)

  • Giorgio Calcagnini

    Rector, University of Urbino Carlo Bo

  • Giuseppe Travaglini

    Director, Department of Economics, Society and Politics, University of Urbino Carlo Bo

  • Francesca Maria Cesaroni

    President, School of Economics, University of Urbino Carlo Bo

14:30 - 15:45 | Plenary Session (Aula Blu and online)

Opening Remarks
  • Tonino Pencarelli

    Editor-in-Chief, Piccola Impresa/Small Business, University of Urbino Carlo Bo

Keynote Speaker
  • Giovanni Battista Dagnino

    Chair of Management and Professor of Digital Strategy and Artificial Intelligence, LUMSA University, Palermo

    "The Impact of Digital Technologies and Artificial Intelligence on SMEs"

    • Round Table Discussion
  • Massimo Cecchini

    CEO di STR Automotive Spa - Pesaro, President of the Industrial Association of Pesaro and Urbino (Confindustria)

  • Matteo Panorama

    Head of Plant Operations and Commercial Activities, Paiardini Tino s.r.l,Urbania (PU)

15:45 - 16:00 | Coffee Break

    Session "Business Model Innovation for Sustainability"

    Chair: Massimo Ciambotti - Aula 11 (in person)

    • Di Toma P., Correggi C. “Unpacking the Dynamic Capabilities Behind Technology-Enhanced Sustainable BusinessModels: A Two-Step Analysis of a Vertical Farming Case”
    • Balboni B., Gabbianelli L., Kocollari U., Bertacchini F. "Business model reconfiguration through Circular Economy: Exploring the role of 5Rs in shaping product, process, and marketing innovations of SMEs"
    • Tomasetig M., Marinelli C., Chiurvesio M., Bortoluzzi G. "Supplying Artificial Intelligence: Business Model Innovation and Market Shaping by Digital SMEs"
    Session "Practices and Models for the Circular Economy"

    Chair: Paola Demartini - Aula Amaranto (in person)

    • Aureli S., Mobasser A. "Barriers and Drivers of Circular Economy Adoption Among SMEs in the Packaging Industry: A Systematic Literature Review"
    • Sonetto A., Tommaso S., Pastore P., Ricciardi A. "Rethinking Startup Incubation Models for the Circular Economy: Insights from an Italian Case"
    • Correggi C., Demaria F., Mauro S. G., Di Toma P. "Micro and Small Businesses Grappling with the Circular Economy"
    • Polo S. C., Ezza A., Pischedda G., Siotto S. "Circular Economy and Sustainability in Sardinia's Textile Sector: Results from a Cluster Analysis"
    Session "Strategies, Innovation and Market Dynamics in SMEs"

    Chair: Barbara Francioni - Aula 13 (in person)

    • Romoli A., Ercoli L., Cardinali S., Severini S. "Reverse Mentoring as a Strategic Managerial Lever: Insights from an ADO-TCM Systematic Review"
    • Ubaldi B., Bravi L., Musso F., Murmura F., Pierli G. "Relational Governance and Franchisee Loyalty in International Retail Networks: A Qualitative Single Case Study"
    • Conti E., Pallucca F., Bottenghi M., Sani D. “Social sustainability practices and stakeholder engagement: evidence from SMEs in the furniture sector”.
    • Francioni B., Aiudi A., De Cicco R., Curina I., Dini M., Cioppi M. "Unpacking brand activism in B2B markets: insights from Italian SME decision-makers"
    Session "Navigating the Future: Digital Routes for SMEs"

    Chair: Francesca Sgrò - Aula 12 (online and in person)

    • Veglio V., Romanello R. "Supervised Machine Learning Techniques for International Customer Segmentation"
    • Buonsante N. I., Colapinto C., Finotto V., Pavan D. "Digitalisation as wayfinding: Design Thinking as a Diagnostic Tool for SME Transitions"
    • Tahrouch M., Segdali M., Hadaf I. "The Success of Digital Transformation in SMEs: Challenges and Issues State of the Art"
    • Habib A. "Innovative Processes in SMEs between Deglobalization, Digitalization, and Sustainable Development: Inclusive and Gender-Sensitive Pathways for Responsible Innovation"
    • Mafrolla E., Spinnato R., Ventrella G. "Artisan Entrepreneurship and Tourism Competitiveness: A Study on Apulian Handmade Products"
    • Petrucci F., Mutignani F. “Human Resources as Network Resources: Development and mobilization in Public-Private Innovation Projects”.
    Session "Tourism & Local Development"

    Chair: Ilaria Curina - Aula Amaranto (in person)

    • Cerquetti M., D'Urso D., Ferrara C. "Facing the Triple Transition in the Context of the NRRP: Evidence from Cultural and Tourism SMEs Involved in the Montalto MetroborgoLab Project"
    • Splendiani S., Testa G., Giraldi L., Mencarelli C. "Drivers of Sustainable Innovation in Tourism: The Role of Eco-Entrepreneurs in European Small-Sized Accommodations"
    • Migliaccio G., Mozzillo M. “The size of Italian Hotels and their Performance: Some Evaluations Compared with Cluster Analysis”
    • Pencarelli T., Fraboni C., Cesaroni F.M. "Experience-Based Entrepreneurship in Organised Tourism: The Case of CREO Travel"
    Session "Digital Transformation and Strategic Impacts"

    Chair: Laura Bravi - Aula 13 (in person)

    • Umar R. M., Tomasetig M., Chiarvesio M. "Impact of Industry 4.0 adoption on SMEs' international performance: The Mediating Role of Dynamic Capabilities"
    • Di Marco E., Evangelista P. "Digital Dependency Risk in Italian SMEs: Platforms, Proprietary Infrastructures, and Territorial Divides"
    • Forlani F., Picciotti A., Di Blasi S. R., Tili E. "Digital Innovation and Online Positioning in Traditional SMEs: A Fuzzy-Set Analysis of the Italian Truffle Market"
    • Cantù C. “Strategizing in the entrepreneurial process during periods of chaos”
    Session "Entrepreneurship: Culture, Identity and Inclusion"

    Chair: Emanuela Conti - Aula 11 (in person)

    • Demartini P., Cipriano M. A., Soriano S. "Narrating the New Venture: Cultural Entrepreneurship and the Performative Power of Collective Storytelling"
    • Lanciano E., Previati D. A., Ricci O., Velcherean G. N. "Shaping young entrepreneurship: the role of financial literacy and digital attitudes"
    • Rezki S., Zayer C., Jaoual O. "Entrepreneurial Leadership as a Behavioral Conduit for Social Mission-Oriented Entrepreneurship"
    • Azizi Z. "Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Tunisian SMEs: Challenges, Opportunities, and Growth Levers"
    • Borin E., Rossato L. "The Role of Cultural-Intellectual Capital in Equity Crowdfunding Startups for Cultural Heritage"
    • Cesaroni F. M., Sentuti A. "Investigating the identity work of cultural entrepreneurs in peripheral areas"
    Session "Governance and Management Systems for Sustainable SMEs"

    Chair: Valeria Vannoni - Aula 12 (online and in person)

    • Depperu D., Sambuchi M. R., Galavotti I. "How Do Benefit Corporations Make Strategy? A size-based contingency perspective from Italian firms"
    • Paoloni P., Modaffari G., Ievolella S. "Does board structure matter? Signaling effects in SME equity crowdfunding campaigns"
    • Paoloni P., Cosentino A., Modaffari G., Piedepalumbo P. "Exploring ESG Sensitivity in SMEs: Accounting and Governance Implications"
    • Harničárová M., Šenková A., Roth S. "CSR, Localism and Sustainable Practices in Tourism SMEs: Insights from a Slovak Case Study"
    • Cavicchi C., Vagnoni E., Deseri L. “The Green Trickle-Down: Transforming CSRD Compliance into Competitive Advantage for a Textile SME”
    • Sgrò F., Palazzi F., Chamochumbi Diaz D. G., Gaudenzi G. "Consultants as change agents: enabling the integration of sustainability into SMEs' management control systems"

20:15 | Gala Dinner

Friday, 15 May 2026

    Session "Sustainability, ESG and Regulatory Compliance"

    Chair: Federica Palazzi - Aula Amaranto (in person)

    • Vannoni V., Boldureanu G., Carli P. "ESG Risk Management in SMEs: A Case Study from Italy"
    • Iannone B., Di Giampietro M. "Intellectual capital and sustainable innovation in SMEs: an ecosystemic perspective in a territory orchestrated by a large utility company"
    • Savelli E., Gissi V. "Labels, certifications, and sustainable consumption: evidence from organic food markets and implications for SMEs"
    • Berti A., Catenacci C. "Credit Rationing for SMEs in the 2015–2025 Period: Empirical Evidence, Failures, and the Evolution of the Regulatory and Normative Framework"
    • Vella I., Savelli E., Ortiz Hernández E. "GDPR compliance and digital practices in luxury furniture retail: a qualitative exploratory study"
    Session "Understanding Innovation in Entrepreneurial Contexts"

    Chair: Roberta Bocconcelli - Aula Blu (in person)

    • Rivetti F., Rossi C. "Gender and Innovativeness Profiles in Italian Innovative Start-Ups"
    • Tiberio U. "Project Management Without Jargon: A Progressive Governance Framework for SMEs"
    • Cattaruzzo S., Corò G. "The Market Space: a new complexity lens on firm internationalization"
    • Dominidiato M., Tunisini A. "Connecting for Circularity: Inter-Organizational Relationships in SMEs' Transition Toward Circular Business Models"
    Session "Embracing Innovation and Complexity"

    Chair: Alessandro Pagano - Aula 13 (online and in person)

    • Kolesárová S., Juran V., Šenková A., Šambronská K., Kormaníková E. "The Impact of Innovation and Loyalty Programmes on Building Customer Loyalty: A Hilton case study"
    • Šaffová I., Matušíková D., Dzurov Vargová T. "Digital passportization in the context of digitalized consumer travel behavior"
    • Matušíková D., Šaffová I., Dzurov Vargová T. "Digital passportization and the perception of digital nomadism: a perspective on flexible travel"
    • Pilotti L., Ferrara Massari A. "AI between (post) management impacts and predictive decisions. Towards trans-disciplinarity and algor-ethics for sustainability as new rationality? Some comments"
    • Tomast R., Kammer G., Kuura A. "Design Thinking in Development of Regional Entrepreneurial Innovation Ecosystems"
    Session "Family Business: Relationships, Identity and Value Creation"

    Chair: Francesca Maria Cesaroni - Aula 11 (online and in person)

    • Trevisiol L., Sciascia S., Minelli E. A. "Siblings' relationship in family business: a systematic review and agenda for future research"
    • Vazzoler I., Magrelli V., De Massis A. "We grow together: Translating Community, Belonging, and Familiness into Interfirm Cooperation among Locally Rooted SMEs in a Retail Franchise Network"
    • Paoloni P., Procacci V., Ievolella S. "Value Creation in Family-Owned SMEs: A Multi-Layered Analysis from the Italian Food Service Sector"
    • Ferrari F. "Generational Leadership, Identity Dynamics, and Organizational Practices in Sino-Italian Family SMEs"
    • Castrogiovanni A., Martinelli E. "Entrepreneurial leadership and adaptive innovation: studying SMEs under persistent turbulence"

11:00 - 11:30 | Coffee Break

11:30 - 12:30 | Plenary Session (Aula Rossa and online)

Introduction
  • Paola Demartini

    Co-Editor-in-Chief, Piccola Impresa/Small Business, Roma Tre University

Keynote Speaker
  • Mercedes Luque

    Professor of Accounting, University of Córdoba, Faculty of Law and Business and Economic Sciences

    "European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) for SMEs"

  • Léo-Paul Dana

    Professor of Entrepreneurship, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada

    “Decolonizing Entrepreneurship Research in Africa”

12:30 - 13:00 | Closing Remarks and Award Ceremony(Aula Rossa and online)

13:00 | Light Lunch