Publications

Purpose-The present study aims to further examine the persuasive effect of pictures in a print ad according to the recipient's ability to process the information and to observe to what extent the presence of a picture could negatively influence recipients' attitude toward the ad's verbal claim. Design/methodology/approach-Two studies were designed to manipulate the presence vs absence of an attractive/unattractive picture, the kind of verbal claims (affectively based vs rationally based) and the recipient's ability to process the ad (cognitive load vs no cognitive load). Findings-Main findings showed that the presence of an attractive picture elicited an unfavorable attitude toward the functional verbal claim when recipients were not cognitively charged. Furthermore, it proved to be a mediator of the influence of pictures on attitude toward the ad. The positive influence of an attractive picture on product evaluation and purchase intention was greater under a cognitive load but showed contrasting results for price perceptions. For the unattractive picture, cognitive load was found to be a moderator only when recipients had to infer the product price. Research limitations/implications-The present research emphasized the negative influence of attractive pictures on functional verbal claims and the moderating role of cognitive load on pictorial stimuli either acting as peripheral or central cues in the persuasive process. Practical implications-Practitioners may want to consider that an attractive picture in advertising is not always the best route for persuasion, especially when the verbal ad content emphasizes the product's properties. Originality/value-The present study provides new insights regarding the role of pictures in advertising persuasive effectiveness. Until now, no research had addressed the extent to which the presence of a picture could affect processing of an ad's verbal claims. Additionally, the present study expands research on persuasive communication and affirms the necessity of more intensively investigating the role of pictures in advertising under the rubric of information processing level.

Drawing from the resource-based view, signaling theory, and internationalization literatures, we argue that a key intangible resource – reputation – influences the decision to engage in cross-border acquisitions (CBAs). Reputation facilitates foreign market entry by reducing the risks and costs inherent in such strategic moves, while acting to curb potentially risky decisions. Based on a longitudinal sample of 869 acquisitions conducted by European and US firms, our study confirms the inverted U-shaped relationship between a firm’s reputation and the likelihood of undertaking CBAs. We also find that international experiential knowledge moderates the relationship between reputation and the likelihood of additional CBAs. Our research contributes to the growing literature on the influence of intangible strategic resources, especially that of reputation, on foreign market entry strategies.

This paper provides an insight into the global state of Lean Industry 4.0 (LI4) with over 1,000 industry responses. The approach employs a rigorous qualitative open-response survey. Our findings indicate that there was no unified industry perspective of LI4 terminology. The evolution of I4 is taking a similar path to Lean and making the same mistakes by not focusing on leadership, engagement, competencies, and behaviours. Past academic research has perhaps over-emphasised the environment and supply chain. The benefits of LI4 application are largely in terms of efficiency, cost reduction, learning and engagement. This work contributes by highlighting research avenues: why a piecemeal approach has been taken by industry to LI4, why LI4 has not been more widespread, and more detailed studies around contingent factors). It also provides industry with lessons on how to implement LI4 and the mistakes to avoid such as seeing implementation as a purely technical exercise.

Purpose To illustrate how threats of institutional duality (ID) incidence subsidiaries confront are converted to opportunities, by conceptualizing how subsidiaries attain operational legitimacy at both their headquarters (HQs) and host countries. Design/methodology/approach Using a systematic literature review, the authors build on institutional theories by analyzing the ID literature along its structure, main processes and outcomes. The authors configure frameworks of both HQ control systems and host countries' institutional threats, showing how subsidiaries contingently navigate across them using configuration, differentiation and avoidance strategies. Findings The authors’ findings show that “foresighted” subsidiaries attain operational legitimacy through configuration, differentiation and avoidance of threats incidental to ID, by strategizing along certain formal and informal institutional variables including legal, sociocultural and technical factors. Originality/value The authors propose “structural configuration of ID incidence” and “subsidiary path to legitimacy” frameworks. The former configures how the interaction between HQ and host countries' variables constitute ID incidence threats. The latter highlights how “foresighted” subsidiaries use configuration, differentiation and avoidance strategies to attain operational legitimacy.

This study demonstrates how female role model encourages women-led firms to apply for a credit. Employing a sample of 29,157 firms from 112 countries between 2009 and 2020, our results indicate that the exposure to a female political leader offsets the likelihood for woman-led firms to be discouraged. This is explained by reduced emotional barriers to apply for a credit and is function of the personal status of the role model and its proximity with the female CEO.

S'appuyant sur la théorie de la dépendance des ressources, cet article analyse les asymétries d'interdépendance au sein des relations dyadiques verticales. L'objectif est d'identifier les stratégies permettant aux PME de gérer les asymétries de pouvoir et de dépendance. Nos ré-sultats, basés sur l'analyse qualitative de quatre relations d'interdépendance symbiotique entre studio et éditeur de jeu vidéo, montrent que les asymétries peuvent être maîtrisées par la mise en place de stratégie de coopération horizontale ou d'intégration de ressources et compétences verticales. Abstract: Based on the resource dependence theory, this paper analyses dependence asymmetries in dy-adic vertical inter-organizational relationships. Objective is to identify strategies allowing SMEs to manage power and dependence asymmetries. Our results, based on the qualitative analysis of four relations of symbiotic interdependence between video game developer and publisher, show that asymmetries can be managed by the implementation of horizontal cooperation strategy or integration strategy of vertical resources and competencies.

Concevoir un business model basé sur un produit technologique innovant n'est pas aisé, car ce type de produit peut impliquer des coûts d'apprentissage élevés qui engendrent des freins à l'achat et à l'adoption future du produit. L'enjeu stratégique réside alors dans la conception de la proposition de valeur et dans l'anticipation des freins à l'engagement du consommateur, ce qui reste un défi. A l'aide d'une étude qualitative et d'une étude expérimentale, nous montrons que la simulation mentale améliore les prévisions de l'engagement du consommateur et ainsi la conception du business model.

This research is reporting on the pre-adoption of Strategic Scanning (S.Scan) information systems (IS). More specifically, it relates to the pre-adoption phase, that is, the emergence of the idea of such a system and the evaluation of its need for the organization, upstream of any technological consideration. The research question is the following: what are the drivers and barriers that influence the pre-adoption of a S.Scan IS? The objective of this research is to extend knowledge on a subject that has received little attention from the scholars. Research's originality relies on the use of isomorphic processes from neo-institutional framework to study pre-adoption in the field of S.Scan. On the basis of a multi-method research combining qualitative and quantitative exploratory studies in the specific field of sustainable supply chains (SSC), our results highlight 31 drivers and barriers to pre-adoption of S.Scan IS, ten of which have not been identified before, and five types of pressures. They therefore suggest that pre-adoption of S.Scan IS can be subject to both functional and institutional pressures. It can be driven either by competitiveness or conformism pressures, and hindered by performance objectives or lack of coercive pressures. Finally, these results put a question mark about the understanding of the strategic dimension of S.Scan IS by organisations, and the government's role and its responsibility for promoting SSC initiatives and for the adoption of S.Scan IS on this issue.

Nous cherchons à comprendre les effets de l'art-thérapie, exercée avec les patients en soins palliatifs en oncologie, sur la qualité de vie au travail (QVT) des personnels soignants. Nous l'étudions dans la perspective de la clinique de l'activité, i.e., de la qualité du travail, en étudiant comment l'art-thérapie contribue à l'organisation du dialogue sur la qualité du travail et au développement du pouvoir d'agir des soignants dans un contexte hospitalier contraint. Nous menons une enquête dans un service de médecine palliative en cancérologie, avec trois modes de collecte de données (entretiens, focus group et observations). L'art-thérapie s'inscrit dans un dispositif de soin en participant à la transformation de l'environnement du travail, de la relation avec les patients, et de l'organisation coordonnée du travail du soin. Cela participe d'un mouvement dialogique, éthique et esthétique permettant de soigner le travail du soin et les soignants par le développement de leur pouvoir d'agir. « Toute oeuvre digne de ce nom, un poème, une musique, une peinture, une sculpture, tente de transmuer la solitude en ouverture, la souffrance en communion, les cris d'appel en chant, chant qui résonne par-delà les abîmes creusés par la séparation et la mort. » F. Cheng, Assise, p. 87.

In a very uncertain and competitive economy, companies have to cope with external constraints such as environmental and social issues, to gain competitive advantage. Over the last thirty years, numerous initiatives have appeared to deal with socio-environmental issues. However, contexts are complex and dynamics. Many authors therefore point out the need to establish a systemic perspective in order to improve the integration of sustainable issues into all company activities: from strategic decision-making to the end of the project. In addition, companies need to reinforce the relationship between general corporate development and eco-design activities. Based on literature review, this paper assumes that the integration of sustainability can be improved by developing a coherent and system approach between strategic, tactical and operational levels. The authors have chosen to demonstrate this assumption by targeting the environmental aspect of sustainability as a first step of their overall research.In this view, this paper proposes a navigation system composed of three modules: strategic, tactical and operational. This navigation system provides some pragmatic roadmaps for integrating environment into the company. Each module is linked to the others by the use of appropriate metrics. Bottom-up and top-down or middle-to-sides strategies are fully supported.To test this proposal, the navigation system is experimented retrospectively into an industrial process from the textile industry. The comparison between the initial situation and the experimental results allows authors to highlights potential environmental improvements. Some recommendations are made to challenges companies to use this navigation system, which argues in favor of environmental improvements.