Purpose This article seeks to understand attempts to formalize informality and keep the urgency of crisis in public sector. Design/methodology/approach To understand this societal problem, the study used qualitative methods of observations of meetings, text analysis and interviews with members of a central management group, as well as their Coordination group for receiving and integrating newly arrived migrants in a major city of Sweden. Findings The analysis shows how public organizations in response to the 2015 refugee situation initially adopted an ephemeral mode of action characterized by urgency, improvisation and short-term coordination. This break from their usual logic of stability and long-term planning enabled rapid mobilization but was not confined to the moment of crisis. Instead, actors within these organizations worked strategically to sustain the sense of urgency beyond the immediate situation. Through these actions, the ephemeral response was transformed into a durable mode of governance. The temporary was not only extended but used as a foundation for building strategic attention and mandate around integration. In doing so, public actors aimed to redefine integration work as both urgent and necessary. Practical implications The study provides insights into how public servants can actively shape and sustain political attention for complex social issues, such as integration, beyond the immediate moment of crisis. It highlights the importance of strategic use of mandates, organizational framing and internal mobilization within public administration. The findings caution against overreliance on prolonged crisis narratives as a tool for institutional change. While such strategies may offer short-term momentum, they may obscure other pressing concerns and reduce the legitimacy of future crisis responses. Public organizations need to develop governance strategies that balance responsiveness with long-term planning and enable institutional flexibility without defaulting to a state of permanent exception. Social implications This article is societally relevant as it highlights how public servants work to maintain momentum around certain issues. This can be understood as leading to other issues being overshadowed or deprioritized. and that public servants within governmental organizations cannot rely solely on bureaucratic structures and predefined mandates to address and manage pressing and evolving concerns. The ambition to sustain a sense of urgency around societal challenges may be appealing, but it becomes problematic when new and unforeseen crises emerge. There is a risk of creating a “crying wolf” effect where the continued invocation of crisis diminishes its impact and undermines responsiveness to genuinely acute issues. In doing so, the article exposes some of the future dilemmas faced by public organizations operating within a society characterized by polycrisis. Originality/value The article contributes to understanding how actors within public organizations strategically draw on past events to sustain a sense of urgency and build mandate for long-term strategic work. Although these organizations are typically associated with stability, they initially responded in an ephemeral, crisis-like manner. Over time, actors worked to prolong this mode of engagement, using the crisis narrative to legitimize continued focus on integration as a pressing and strategic concern.

Purpose This article explores how autonomous systems are socially situated in the mining industry through the lens of Communities of Practice. It examines how learning, coordination and shared meaning-making unfold when new technology is introduced, and how implementation extends beyond technical deployment to include social and organisational processes. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on a qualitative case study of a Swedish open-pit mine where an autonomous haulage system was implemented. Wenger's (2008) Communities of Practice framework was used as a sensitising concept to analyse empirical material, focusing on mutual engagement, joint enterprise and shared repertoire in everyday work practices. Findings The analysis shows how community members co-constructed new work practices, formed collective interpretations of the technology, and engaged in relational work to legitimise the system within the wider organisation. Successful implementation was found to depend not only on technical performance but also on social processes of meaning-making, identity formation, and the negotiation of organisational change. Practical implications By foregrounding the social dimensions of technological change, the study suggests that organisations introducing autonomous systems should support collaborative learning and provide spaces for shared meaning-making, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful implementation. Originality/value The paper contributes to research on technology, work, and organisation by highlighting the situated and practice-based nature of technological implementation. It underscores the value of attending to communities of practice when investigating how new technology gains traction and relevance in complex organisational settings.

Purpose This article aims to explore how manufacturing organizations navigate digital transformation in the era of Industry 5.0, with particular attention to management and learning. By applying the frameworks of dynamic capabilities and dynamic managerial capabilities, the study seeks to uncover how organizations sense emerging opportunities, mobilize resources and adapt employee competencies for digital transformation. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative case study was conducted using focus group interviews with 26 top and middle managers from eight manufacturing firms. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis in iterative steps. Findings The study highlights the ongoing need for organizations to sense opportunities, mobilize resources and transform capabilities to adapt to digital disruption. Sustained competitiveness requires continuous digital strategy, learning and managerial readiness to lead change processes. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to eight companies and managerial perspectives. Broader organizational insights and a larger sample could enhance the findings. Practical implications While seizing capabilities are often addressed, many organizations fall short in reconfiguring and transforming resources for long-term adaptation. Recognizing and developing organizational and managerial dynamic capabilities remains a challenge. Social implications This study points out the need for digital transformation managers to apply a human-centric perspective, acknowledging the disruptive force of digital transformation affecting the entire organization. Originality/value The novelty of this study lies in combining the frameworks of dynamic capabilities and dynamic managerial capabilities, uncovering how manufacturing organizations adapt resources and how managers drive learning and transformation building manufacturing systems that are not only technologically advanced but also human-centric and resilient.

Purpose This study aims to critically examine the interaction between organizational resilience and agility in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from emerging economies. Through a systematic literature review, it identifies conceptual overlaps, tensions and strategic trade-offs between these dynamic capabilities. The research fills a gap in the literature by proposing an integrative framework that contextualizes these capabilities within environments of structural fragility, limited resources and digital transformation, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of how SMEs navigate disruption and pursue sustainable competitiveness. Design/methodology/approach The study employs a systematic literature review (SLR) based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 protocol, analyzing 121 peer-reviewed sources published between 1995 and 2025. The review applies thematic coding (open, axial and selective) to identify five strategic axes – adaptive leadership, continuous innovation, organizational learning, collaborative networks and digital transformation. The methodology emphasizes interpretative rigor, contextual reflexivity and conceptual synthesis, aiming to reconcile fragmented theoretical approaches and generate an integrated framework applicable to SMEs in emerging economies. Findings The review identifies that resilience and agility in SMEs can be both complementary and contradictory, depending on contextual variables like digital maturity, leadership models and resource constraints. While both capabilities are essential for survival and innovation, their coexistence may generate structural tensions. Five thematic axes emerge as critical enablers: leadership, innovation, learning, collaboration and digital technologies. The study also reveals gaps in conceptual clarity and calls for a paradox-informed approach, suggesting that hyper-agility or rigid resilience may create vulnerabilities in fragile environments. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to English-language and peer-reviewed sources, which may exclude regional or informal knowledge from emerging markets. It also omits gray literature and may reflect a Western-centric bias due to its reliance on indexed journals. Subjectivity in thematic coding could influence interpretation. These limitations constrain the generalizability of the findings and highlight the need for more culturally grounded, participatory and multilingual research methodologies that reflect the lived experiences and alternative resilience strategies of SMEs in diverse global contexts. Practical implications Entrepreneurs and policymakers in emerging economies can leverage the findings to design context-sensitive strategies that balance agility and resilience. The proposed framework offers tools to identify when to prioritize adaptability or continuity, depending on firm size, sector and digital capabilities. SMEs should invest in adaptive leadership, digital transformation and collaborative networks to enhance survival and competitiveness. Policymakers are encouraged to foster innovation ecosystems, reduce institutional fragility and support inclusive digitalization to build resilient business environments. Social implications The study underscores the human and ethical dimensions of resilience and agility, including the potential for burnout, inequity and technological dependency in SMEs. It advocates for inclusive leadership, emotional resilience and purpose-driven cultures as foundations for long-term sustainability. Digital transformation should be approached critically, ensuring it empowers rather than imposes on organizations. By highlighting the socio-economic realities of SMEs in emerging markets, the study contributes to discussions on digital sovereignty, well-being and equitable development. Originality/value This paper challenges the prevailing assumption that resilience and agility are inherently synergistic. By adopting a paradox-informed and context-sensitive perspective, it offers an original framework that maps the tensions and complementarities between these capabilities in SMEs from emerging economies. The research integrates dynamic capabilities theory with empirical insights, contributing to a more critical and nuanced understanding of organizational adaptation. Its value lies in advancing theory, informing policy and offering practical guidance for SME development in fragile and volatile environments.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand how family and ethnic social ties, both as distinct and interrelated forms, support immigrant entrepreneurs in developing their businesses in their host country. This is identified through the following research question: How do family and ethnic social ties support immigrant entrepreneurs in developing their businesses in their host country? Design/methodology/approach This study draws on the study of three immigrant entrepreneurs from Sweden, who run their businesses in different industries. The study used interviews and complementary data sources such as annual reports and press clips. Findings The results reveal three concepts of immigrant entrepreneur social ties: (1) the control-based social ties of the immigrant entrepreneur, (2) the responsibility-based social ties of the immigrant entrepreneur, and (3) the inclusive and ethnic urgency-based social ties of the immigrant entrepreneur. Originality/value This paper develops three ideas on immigrant entrepreneurs' use of social ties in Sweden. The paper particularly focuses on the central roles of family ties for entrepreneurship in combination with ethnic social ties.

Purpose In the context of increasing emphasis on sustainability, a company's practices concerning environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors significantly impact its progress and have evolved into crucial indicators of corporate sustainability. Despite the enhancement of green production capabilities through the adoption of digital technologies, these technologies have also intensified financing constraints, thereby impeding corporate sustainability. This paper aims to examine the mechanisms and diverse perspectives involved to better harness the positive impact of digital technologies on corporate green sustainability, positioning these technologies as a pivotal force in advancing corporate green development. Design/methodology/approach This paper comprehensively examines the impact and mechanisms of digital transformation on corporate sustainability through the lenses of stakeholder theory, risk management theory and internal control theory. Utilizing a sample of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2011 to 2022, the study employs a two-way fixed effects panel model to investigate the effects of digital transformation on ESG performance and the underlying mechanisms. Additionally, it explores heterogeneity based on firm characteristics and development stages. Findings The study finds that digital transformation significantly enhances corporate ESG performance, with results robustly validated through a series of stringent tests. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that state-owned enterprises, heavily polluting firms and mature companies experience more pronounced improvements in ESG levels through digital transformation. Mechanism analysis indicates that the impact of digital transformation on ESG performance primarily arises from increased innovation capabilities, alleviated economic policy interventions and improved internal control standards. Originality/value Firstly, while scholars acknowledge the positive impact of digital transformation on corporate ESG performance, there is a notable lack of cross-sectional comparisons among different types of enterprises. Building on previous research, this study integrates analyses of ownership structure, industry characteristics and production attributes to derive detailed conclusions about the varying effects of digital transformation on ESG performance across different types of firms. Secondly, grounded in stakeholder theory and related frameworks, the paper analyzes the mechanisms through which digital transformation influences corporate sustainability, providing strategic insights for firms on how to leverage digital technologies to enhance their ESG performance.

Purpose This study develops a theoretically grounded understanding of Industry 5.0 (IR5) and proposes an integrative framework to clarify its organisational implications for leading change in digitally transforming socio-technical environments. Design/methodology/approach The study employs a structured integrative review of 160 peer-reviewed articles and seven institutional reports, guided by socio-technical systems theory, to inform the analysis. Findings This study offers a new, concise definition of Industry 5.0 (IR5) as a socially constructed framework that reconfigures industrial systems by embedding the principles of human-centricity, sustainability and resilience into advanced digitalisation. It introduces the IR5 CPC model (conditions-processes-consequences), a comprehensive framework identifying key enabling conditions (e.g. visionary leadership and digital readiness), three digitalisation logics (resilience, sustainability and well-being-driven) and dual outcomes (benefits and risks) across organisational, economic, societal and environmental domains. Research limitations/implications This study encourages empirical research on how AI- and ERP-based (enterprise resource planning) standard operating procedures (SOPs) facilitate IR5-aligned transformation. It also recommends multi-theoretical approaches to capture its socio-technical complexity. Practical implications This study facilitates change leaders in designing phased, ethically aware digital strategies and supports policymakers in aligning incentives and regulations with sustainable, inclusive digitalisation. Originality/value This is the first study to provide a theoretically integrated definition and framework of IR5, bridging fragmented literature and advancing future inquiry.

Purpose This study aims to investigate how the migrant background of family owners influences the financing decisions of family firms in three Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries: Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, specifically focusing on debt and working capital structures. Design/methodology/approach Using a hand-collected dataset of 1,301 listed firms from 2010 to 2022, the study employs panel regressions to analyze the effects of family ownership and migrant status of family owners on firms’ financial decisions, controlling for various firm-specific factors. Findings The study finds that family firms in ASEAN countries generally maintain lower debt ratios and higher working capital ratios than non-family firms. The migrant background of family owners further amplifies these conservative financial behaviors, with migrant family firms, on average, exhibiting 7.4% lower debt ratios and 5.4% higher working capital ratios than non-family firms. Practical implications The findings provide insights for firm managers, investors and policymakers on how to better support migrant family firms through tailored financial strategies, investment evaluations, and policies that promote financial inclusion and economic growth. Originality/value This research fills a gap in literature by focusing on migrant-owned family firms in the ASEAN area, a region in which family firms are prevalent but understudied. It highlights these firms’ unique financial decision-making patterns, driven by heightened risk aversion and information asymmetry due to migrant ownership.