Recent Submissions

  • Integratierapport Research Project - Nudging onderzoek

    Van Paemel, Pieter; Batselé, A.; Goedertier, Frank; Briers, Barbara (2019)
  • Towards an open innovation model in Belgian cities and municipalities

    De Coninck, Ben; Viaene, Stijn; Leysen, J.; Dumarey, N. (2019)
  • Rising star monitor 2019. A special focus on Venture Governance

    Subotic, Marjana; Collewaert, Veroniek (2019)
    The Rising Star Monitor is part of the Entrepreneurship 2.0 initiative. Entrepreneurship 2.0 was launched by Vlerick Business School in collaboration with Deloitte Belgium to develop state-of-the-art knowledge about the key issues young, high-potential ventures struggle with. It also runs knowledge and community-building programs for entrepreneurs who are in the midst of tackling important scaling challenges with their ventures.
  • HR Barometer 2022. HRM trends and challenges in Belgian organisations

    Trbovic, Nikola; Volckaert, Ellen; Buyens, Dirk; Quataert, Sarah (2022)
  • HR Barometer 2023. HRM trends and challenges in Belgian organisations

    Trbovic, Nikola; Volckaert, Ellen; Buyens, Dirk; Quataert, Sarah (2023)
    Recruitment and selection continues to be the top priority for HR professionals in a very tight, competitive labour market, along with a stronger focus on current talent retention. At the same time, there is also an increasing push to prioritise diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). According to 78% of participants, while DEI is enshrined in their company’s mission statement, this very often is not reflected in the company’s strategy and only 36% have been allocated a separate, dedicated DEI budget. Concrete action is thus necessarily limited to ad hoc initiatives.
  • Digital Business Ecosystem Development Playbook

    Van den Bergh, J.; Cumps, Bjorn; Viaene, Stijn (2020)
  • The five keys to strategic flexibility - Five capabilities to thrive through turbulence

    Peeters, Carine; Arnst, Barbara (2021)
    Companies in many industries must deal with turbulent environments in which speed, disruptiveness, and the unpredictability of change threaten long-standing business models and recipes for success. And as the world digests the longer-term effects of the recent pandemic, we need to prepare for a new normal that will continue to be turbulent. That means learning to minimise the threats of turbulence, while shaping and grasping opportunities to derive new sources of competitive advantage. For many organisations, such strategic flexibility is not an easy endeavour. Strategic flexibility requires striking a balance between not changing enough – the well-known inertia trap – and changing too much, with the risk of losing focus or alienating the organisation in the process. As Professor of Strategy and Director of our Strategy in Action Platform, Carine Peeters has been conducting research on companies’ adaptive capabilities since 2008. Based on data on over 400 organisations across industries and geographies, our research shows that adaptive organisations achieve this balance thanks to a system of five key capabilities that they proactively build and nurture. They are not only aware of evolutions in their external environment but also understand the implications of these evolutions. They experiment with alternative courses of action and are not afraid to partner inside and outside to co-create solutions. They innovate at the same time as they exploit their core business; and they can decide and act in a timely manner. In this white paper, we share the findings of this research by taking you through the five adaptive capabilities, explaining what they are and discussing how organisations can foster them.
  • Naar een open innovatiemodel in Vlaamse steden en gemeenten

    De Coninck, Ben; Viaene, Stijn; Leysen, Jan; Dumarey, Nathalie (2019)
    Steden en gemeenten staan voor belangrijke uitdagingen. Ondanks budgettaire restricties, wordt in toenemende mate verwacht dat de publieke sector digitaal leiderschap neemt. Digitalisering wordt beschouwd als een belangrijk instrument voor een slimme overheid met een publieke dienstverlening die offline en online elementen naadloos integreert. Nieuwe digitale technologieën, zoals blockchain of artificiële intelligentie, bieden bovendien belangrijke opportuniteiten om de efficiëntie en responsiviteit van de overheid te verbeteren. Het uitbouwen van een digitaal getransformeerde overheid, die ook inzet op andere maatschappelijke thema’s zoals duurzaamheid, is een heuse uitdaging. “No matter who you are, most of the smartest people work for someone else.” –Bill Joy (Wet van Joy) Open innovatie kan een belangrijke katalysator zijn om de opportuniteiten van zulke transformaties in de overheid te verzilveren. Open innovatie start vanuit de erkenning dat innovatieve kennis wijdverspreid is in de samenleving, en verwijst naar het openen van de interne innovatieprocessen naar externe kennisbronnen. Door zich strategisch te positioneren in een innovatie-ecosysteem kan de overheid gebruik maken van kennis die buiten de organisatiegrenzen aanwezig is om haar maatschappelijke rol beter te volbrengen. Open innoveren verschuift de rol van overheden van probleemoplosser naar oplossingszoeker – eerder dan problemen te lijf te gaan met enkel de interne middelen, wordt een oplossing gezocht door gebruik te maken van innovatieve kennis die intern én extern aanwezig is. Het aanboren van zulke externe kennis omvat veelal een brede groep innovatieve actoren die in het verleden niet of weinig in contact kwamen met overheidsorganisaties, zoals startups, KMOs/MKBs, niet-gouvernementele organisaties en burgers. KEY TAKEAWAY: Belangrijke uitdagingen voor steden en gemeenten kunnen best worden aangegaan door externe innovatieve actoren te betrekken. Een ecosysteem-visie op innovatie laat toe om zowel interne als externe kennis in te zetten.
  • Fluvius research chair in resilient supply chains (2010-2020). Research carried out by the vlerick business school centre of excellence in supply chain management

    Samii, Behzad; Ümit, Hakan; Meyers, Kris; Li, Lingxin; Varganova, Olga; Andersen, Stephen (2020)
    Our mission is the use of rigorous supply chain management research methods and smart meter data analytics to efficiently manage energy supply and proactively shape energy demand for a resilient energy supply chain. Our core research tracks included: * Impact of smart meters on the Eandis & Fluvius business model * Supply Chain Management approach to provision of smart gas and electricity meters * Design For Supply Chain in product development and employee training programs * Design For Supply Chain in the smart meter project * Creating value through new flow control mechanisms and data availability
  • Strategic behaviour in flexibility markets: New games and sequencing options

    Beckstedde, Ellen; Meeus, Leonardo; Delarue, Erik (2021)
    Distribution system operators are expected to procure flexibility when it is cheaper than expanding their distribution grid. How to integrate these flexibility markets in the existing sequence of electricity markets is an important open issue in the evolution of electricity markets in Europe. In this paper, we investigate four market sequencing options: (1) the nodal wholesale market that includes network constraints(WNC); (2) the zonal wholesale market without network constraints followed by an integrated redispatch market to remedy the network congestion at transmission and distribution level created by the wholesale market in a coordinated way (WIR); (3) the zonal wholesale market followed by separate flexibility, redispatch and balancing markets in that order, which implies that congestion at distribution level is treated before congestion at transmission level (WFRB); and (4) the zonal wholesale market followed by separate redispatch, flexibility and balancing markets in that alternative order, which implies that congestion at transmission level is managed before congestion at distribution level (WRFB). We analyse how changing the market sequence can impact the strategic behaviour of flexibility providers, here represented by a Balancing responsible Party (BRP). We introduce a bi-level model in which the strategic BRP in the upper level acts as a first mover that anticipatesthe effect of its offers on the market outcome of the lower-level optimization problems. In analogy with the inc-dec game triggered by redispatch markets, we find that flexibility markets can trigger new games. These games will be difficult to detect by regulators as they can be performed by relatively small players. We observe that the WNC market design clearly outperforms the other sequencing options, but there is no clear second best among the alternatives WIR, WFRB, and WRFB.
  • Practice note: Copycat behavior by junior auditors – The impact of their senior’s working style and the role of promotion incentives

    Cardinaels, Eddy; Reusen, Evelien; Goris, Jeffrey; Stouthuysen, Kristof (2020)
    As a key attribute to audit quality, regulators specify that more experienced staff (i.e. managers, senior auditors) should provide less experienced staff with appropriate coaching and on-the-job training (IAASB 2014). It is fairly common for junior auditors to start their auditing career by mimicking a more senior person who performs similar tasks; as the saying goes, “Monkey see, monkey do” (Cannon, 2016). Yet, while imitation is an inherent human tendency, limited evidence exists on the impact of such imitative behavior on the quality of an individual auditor’s judgment. The objective of our research project is to examine the extent to which mimicking behavior occurs in junior–senior auditor relationships and its consequences for audit quality. In particular, we advance the argument that this imitation tendency may lead junior auditors to follow seniors’ auditing practices, even when those practices are not always ideal. We also examine whether promotion opportunities for the junior can be an important contributor in mimicking an audit style of a senior (which in turn would affect audit quality). The tendency to imitate their senior – even though his working practices might not be ideal - might be higher when the direct senior has a strong voice in the promotion decision of the junior. The findings of this study are expected to provide valuable insights and r recommendations for practice
  • Practice note: Imitatiegedrag bij junior auditors: De impact van de werkstijl van de senior en de rol van promotiedruk

    Cardinaels, Eddy; Reusen, Evelien; Goris, Jeffrey; Stouthuysen, Kristof (2020)
    Om audit kwaliteit te waarborgen, hebben meer ervaren auditors (i.e., senior auditors) de taak om minder ervaren auditors (i.e., junior auditors) tijdig te beoordelen en te voorzien van gepaste coaching en ‘on-the-job’ training (IAASB 2014). Het geven van het goede voorbeeld door de senior is hierbij belangrijk, zeker wanneer we erkennen dat junior auditors in het begin van hun carrière vaak geneigd zijn het gedrag en de werkstijl van senior auditors te imiteren. Hoewel het imiteren van anderen deel uitmaakt van het menselijke gedrag, hebben we tot op heden nog maar weinig inzicht in hoe imitatiegedrag de oordeelsvorming bij junior auditors beïnvloedt. Het doel van dit onderzoeksproject is om de rol van imitatiegedrag in junior-senior auditor relaties na te gaan en inzicht te krijgen in de gevolgen hiervan op auditkwaliteit. Tegelijkertijd onderzoeken we ook hoe promotiedruk dit imitatiegedrag kan versterken. De neiging van junior auditors om hun senior te imiteren – zelfs wanneer deze laatste zijn werkstijl niet in lijn is met de verwachte professioneelkritische houding – kan meer uitgesproken zijn wanneer de senior auditor een doorslaggevende stem heeft bij toekomstige promotiebeslissingen. De bevindingen van deze studie zullen leiden tot waardevolle inzichten voor het wereldwijde auditberoep.
  • Literature review: The impact of auditor interactions on audit quality

    Cardinaels, Eddy; Reusen, Evelien; Goris, Jeffrey; Stouthuysen, Kristof (2020)
    The judgment and decision-making literature in auditing largely focuses on individual auditor judgments. However, auditors do not work in isolation. They interact with other auditors in audit engagements and with other participants in the financial reporting process. For this reason, scholars have called for more research on how the people, tasks, and environment that auditors interact with influence their performance and hence, the audit quality of their work (Nelson & Tan, 2005; Trotman, Bauer & Humphreys, 2015). This review identifies three specific issues related to these influences that, we believe, warrant additional research and consideration. The first two issues relate to between-auditor interactions within the audit firm. The third issue relates to interactions with groups outside the firm
  • An emergency health financing facility for the European Union. A proposal

    Ashby, Simon; Kolokas, Dimitrios; Veredas, David (2020)
    The unprecedented public health crisis caused by COVID-19 overstretched the structures and mechanisms of the European Union, in particular those that deal with emergencies. In order to be ready for the next health emergency, we propose the creation of the Emergency Health Financing Facility. In its broader version, this Facility integrates some of the existing EU emergencies structures and adds a new layer for the most extreme emergencies that does not increase the burden on public finances. This new layer essentially consists of securitizing health emergency risks in the form of fixed income securities that are sold to institutional investors. The Facility follows the growth of marketbased risk financing facilities across global and regional initiatives, led by the World Bank.
  • Reward taxation in Belgium. Practices, experiences and opinions

    Baeten, Xavier; Van Steerthem, Angie (2020)
    Companies are pressing for phasing out non-statutory benefits in combination with lower taxes on fixed and variable salaries Belgian companies are very dissatisfied with the fiscal and parafiscal levies on salaries. In particular, they are frustrated with the high taxation on fixed and variable salaries and the approach to taxation of the mobility budget. Only the taxation of supplementary pensions can count on any support. With a view to the future, many companies are arguing for extensive reforms, with as the basic principle a downscaling of the profusion of fiscal and parafiscal schemes for non-statutory benefits in combination with lower levies on the fundamental elements, and in particular, the fixed and variable salaries. These are the main findings of a detailed study on the taxation and social security of various remuneration tools by Vlerick Business School's Centre for Excellence in Strategic Rewards. As a result of the collaboration with the employers' organisations VBO and Voka, legal services provider Claeys & Engels, and HR services provider Hudson, no less than 293 companies participated in the study. The study covered three points, namely the satisfaction with the current income tax system, the obstacles companies are experiencing, and preferences for the future. One of the survey’s main findings is that only 6% of the companies are satisfied with general payroll taxes from both a fiscal and parafiscal point of view, regardless of the size of the company. The respondents’ main criticisms related to the high taxes and advance levies on cash (including holiday pay and end-of-year bonus) and variable remuneration. They also pointed out that there are too many different systems—no less than 35 for various non-statutory benefits. Moreover, there is a difference in treatment in indirect taxation (personal income tax and corporation tax) and social security. There were also many specific criticisms about the mobility budget, such as its complexity, the impossibility of including the mobility budget in an overarching approach of flexible rewards, the absence of some mobility instruments in the mobility budget, and the fact that this scheme is much less attractive if the company is not located in an area that is easily accessible by public transport. The study also looked at the tax treatment of 35 non-statutory benefits, examining how many companies are using them and how satisfied they are with them. The top 3 most commonly used and most appreciated benefits are company bicycles, hospitalisation insurance, and meal vouchers. At the other end of the spectrum, the researchers found that the schemes involving the reimbursement of contributions to the third pension pillar (known as pension savings schemes), share-related remuneration, private PC schemes, and intellectual property are used less and that the level of satisfaction with these is consistently below 50%. As regards the preferences for the future, there is a clear need for extensive reforms, as only 3% of respondents want to retain the current payroll taxes. However, they are aware that these reforms cannot be straightforward reductions, and they are prepared to drop the favourable tax regime of many non-statutory benefits in exchange for lower taxation of fixed and variable salaries. Furthermore, there are loud calls to allow employees to make extras contributions to their pension plans (e.g. from their variable salaries). This would be a type of second pillar ‘plus’, under favourable conditions, and in any case more favourable than under the current scheme. Finally, the participating companies are cautiously enthusiastic about the system of unlimited social security contributions combined with limited benefits.
  • What is the right price. 6 paths of value creation that can lead toward higher pricing

    Tackx, Koen (2019)
    Our research insights translated into added value for you and your organisation Research – either academic or research for business – can only be valuable when shared. That’s why we translate our research into easy-to-read whitepapers focusing on the key insights that are relevant for you as a manager. This way, your organisation can profit directly from the latest research, the newest theories, the expertise of our faculty and much more.

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