Abstract
Purpose Eco-innovation has been identified as a source of gaining a competitive advantage on a global scale. To build upon that, this study aims to deepen the understanding of eco-innovation in the context of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and investigates the impact of having a clear eco-innovation strategy on a company's sustainability and performance. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 249 SMEs located in Portugal and the UK participated and structural equation modelling (SEM) was applied to explore the relationship among the constructs. Findings The findings reveal that both internal and external factors influence the design of an eco-innovation strategy. However, the relevance of external factors seemed to be more significant for Portuguese SMEs. This study concludes that product/process eco-innovations and green innovation systems are determinants for sustainable performance in SMEs. In contrast, the environmental technologies and organisational eco-innovation dimensions are not determinants. This is observed both in Portuguese and UK SMEs. Originality/value Most studies in the field tend to explore the role of eco-innovation in large organisations. This study takes a different approach by exploring its impacts on the sustainable business performance of SMEs. Furthermore, it combines data from two countries, which constitutes a strength and gives the opportunity to explore this phenomenon empirically.

Abstract
This study aims to explore the role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing data-driven solutions to address the direct and indirect challenges posed by COVID-19. A sample of six case studies of SMEs from the UK and Portugal were selected to explore in-depth the experience of these companies in proposing innovative solutions in the pandemic context. The findings reveal that the pandemic caused amplifying effects on the digitalization of organizations and the emergence of data-driven solutions. However, the development of a data-driven approach involves not only technologies but also the digitalization of processes and highly skilled human resources. The pandemic was also a catalyst for the emergence of collaborative initiatives that have enabled the development of solutions involving diverse players from science, business, and civilian society. This study offers innovative contributions by focusing exclusively on companies developing data-driven solutions supported by technologies such as the internet of things (IoT), big data, and artificial intelligence.

Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the potential and growth of big data across several industries between 2016 and 2020. This study aims to analyze the behavior of interest in big data within the community and to identify areas with the greatest potential for future big data adoption. Design/methodology/approach This research uses Google Trends to characterize the community's interest in big data. Community interest is measured on a scale of 0-100 from weekly observations over the past five years. A total of 16 industries were considered to explore the relative interest in big data for each industry. Findings The findings revealed that big data has been of high interest to the community over the past five years, particularly in the manufacturing, computers and electronics industries. However, over the 2020s the interest in the theme decreased by more than 15%, especially in the areas where big data typically had the greatest potential interest. In contrast, areas with less potential interest in big data such as real estate, sport and travel have registered an average growth of less than 10%. Originality/value To the best of the author's knowledge, this study is original in complementing the traditional survey approaches launched among the business communities to discover the potential of big data in specific industries. The knowledge of big data growth potential is relevant for players in the field to identify saturation and emerging opportunities for big data adoption.

Abstract
Digital transformation plays a significant role in modernizing and improving the efficiency of ports around the world. However, digitalization also brings a set of challenges that ports must face. They have to respond to several unique challenges because of the complexity of their operations and the varying demands of stakeholders. This study seeks to identify and summarize the challenges of digital transformation processes in ports. For this purpose, the World Ports Sustainability Program database was used. The findings revealed 74 digitalization initiatives carried out by ports, which makes it possible to recognize 7 dimensions and 32 sub-dimensions of challenges to the digital transformation process. Among the identified dimensions are port infrastructure, the interconnection between various systems, the port organization model, regulation, security and privacy, market evolution, and the establishment of partnerships to implement these projects. The results of this study are relevant to mitigate the risks of the digitalization process in ports and respond to market needs that demand greater transparency and visibility of their operations.

Abstract
Entrepreneurial activity has been an element of economic and social enhancement. However, managing a startup is a difficult and risky activity that strongly depends on the entrepreneur's characteristics and skills. While much attention has been given recently to entrepreneurial learning, less has been studied about the learning dynamics in different industries. This study aims to understand and explore types of learning in different industries and find their similarities and differences. For this purpose, an exploratory comparative case study composed of four cases has been considered. Findings reveal that the main types of entrepreneurial learning are similar in all the industries analysed and are linked to social and experiential learning. The main dissimilarities are related to searching for customer information, employees' feedback, and solving issues. Lastly, some entrepreneurs reflect on the actions or decisions taken, while others do not reflect as much as they would like to. © 2023 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Abstract
Innovation is a key driver to address the challenges of sustainability. To achieve this goal, the various entities participating in the innovation process must work together to ensure that research methodologies and results are aligned with the needs and expectations of society. Having a conceptual and practical approach that allows exploring and measuring how projects are fulfilling this expectation is key in this process. In this sense, this study aims to explore the relevance of this phenomenon for the development of innovation practices and to characterize and compare several responsible innovation assessment tools (RIATs) that can be used by research teams. A qualitative methodology is used to identify, map, and compare the characteristics of each RIAT. The main strengths and limitations of each approach are also explored. The findings reveal a total of 18 RIATs and 16 dimensions. The challenge is to get a harmonious balance between these various dimensions and to have this analysis performed in the early stages of each project. This study makes practical contributions by identifying areas that each project must assess and ensure for its innovation activities to be socially desirable and ethically acceptable. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.