Vlerick Repository: Recent submissions
Now showing items 21-40 of 7115
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The relative importance of environmental aspects vs. social aspects in defining sustainability vs. driving consumer boycott behaviorCompanies increasingly include sustainability claims in their marketing and communication towards customers. Often firms assume that these customers have a non-ambiguous understanding of sustainability and suppose that the environmental dimension is the dominant consumer association. Using CFA applied to cross-national data from 7 countries, we find that consumers meaningfully distinguish social and environmental aspects when defining sustainability. Our results show that the environmental dimension is key but that the importance gap between both dimensions declines when consumers identify reasons to boycott brands. As consumer boycotts are an increasingly trending phenomenon, we show that social sustainability facets are important drivers of consumer boycotts. Based on our results, we conclude that firms that set sustainability priorities based on how they think consumers define sustainability might misfire, as social aspects might be underestimated as key drivers of boycott behavior.
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Evolutions in consumer awareness & definitions of sustainability:a multi-country studySustainability is increasingly an active agenda topic for politicians and businesses. Yet a view on how consumer definitions and awareness are evolving is often missing. In response to this research opportunity, online panel respondents from seven advanced economies (France, UK, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Netherlands, Australia, N =5620) were surveyed in two cross-sectional waves. Substantially more consumers8 report knowing what sustainability is in 2020 (vs 2019). Factor analytical results show that consumer definitions of sustainability center around three key dimensions: the traditional social (e.g., fair wages) and environmental (e.g., recycling) ones, but also a ‘naturalness’ dimension (e.g., avoiding use of pesticides and GMOs). This observation may offer inspiration to update the traditional two-dimensional (social vs. environmental) structure of sustainability advanced in previous research. We discuss observed country differences and offer theoretical and managerial implications.
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Acquisitions by financial versus strategic buyers: Interest, competition, and persistence during the private bidding processWe explore how target firm attributes affect the interest of financial versus strategic bidders in the private stages of a corporate takeover process. Using a unique set of hand-collected data from 606 US public deals from 2005 to 2016, we demonstrate the difference between strategic and financial bidder attraction from deal initiation onwards, as such unaffected by deal process characteristics or pricing strategies. Our results indicate that the target firm’s sales growth rate, cash flow generation, and technological innovation are found to influence financial versus strategic bidder interest from the start of the private process, whereas industry outperformance, market-to-book, and leverage seem to particularly affect the persistence of financial bidders throughout the deal process. In general, targets with stand-alone value-improving potential and opportunities to exploit financial leverage benefits are more likely to attract financial buyers while targets with probable synergy gains appeal more to strategic bidders.
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Acquisitions by financial versus strategic buyers: Target antecedents and bidding competition in the private stages of the bidding processWe explore how target firm attributes affect the interest of financial versus strategic bidders in the private stages of a corporate takeover process. Using a unique set of hand-collected data from 606 US public deals from 2005 to 2016, we demonstrate the difference between strategic and financial bidder attraction from deal initiation onwards, as such unaffected by deal process characteristics or pricing strategies. Our results indicate that the target firm’s sales growth rate, cash flow generation, and technological innovation are found to influence financial versus strategic bidder interest from the start of the private process, whereas industry outperformance, market-to-book, and leverage seem to particularly affect the persistence of financial bidders throughout the deal process. In general, targets with stand-alone value-improving potential and opportunities to exploit financial leverage benefits are more likely to attract financial buyers while targets with probable synergy gains appeal more to strategic bidders.
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Cultivating digital transformation at Arcadis. A Global Expedition into the Digital UniversePresents an extensive collection of real-world cases on digitalization Includes cases from world's leading organizations in various sectors Shares essential practical insights into digital transformation and the management of digital disruption
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Platform work inside organisations: An exploration of tensions in intra-organisational labour platformsThis comprehensive Research Handbook examines the fundamental influence of emerging disruptive technologies, such as artificial intelligence, online platforms, the internet of things, and social robots, on Human Resource Management (HRM). Bringing together an array of interdisciplinary experts, this erudite Research Handbook analyses the HRM challenges posed by disruptive technologies and develops practical propositions to counteract them. It discusses the navigation of ethical dilemmas, human rights and digital governance in HRM, consumer value in the digital economy, and technology-driven changes in HRM practice. Featuring case studies on talent management in multinational enterprises, the engagement of digital generations with contemporary technologies, and the introduction of cobots in the manufacturing industry, contributors expertly explore current discussions and future directions for scholarly research. Promoting a better understanding of critical perspectives on HRM and disruptive technologies, this Handbook will be a vital resource for students, scholars and researchers in business analytics, information systems, knowledge management, organisational innovation, technology, and ICT. It will also provide valuable guidance on the effects of emerging technologies for HR and leadership practitioners.
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Venture capital investors and performance aspirationsWhile since long venture capital investors have been considered rational and unbiased investors, more recently scholars have challenged this view and shown that venture capitalists’ – like many other investors’ – actual behavior does not always align with assumptions of rationality. One particularly interesting stream of research has adopted the Behavioral Theory of the Firm to study venture capitalists’ strategic decision making. This chapter will review this nascent, yet promising, line of research.
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Determinants of users' trust in business intelligence systemsThis study investigates users’ trust in Business Intelligence systems in quality management as part of an organisational implementation and adoption journey. Semi-structured interviews (n = 20) were conducted and analysed thematically. Various subthemes emerged related to (1) user factors, (2) system factors, and (3) organisational factors. In this paper, we specifically zoom in on two of the subthemes of organisational factors, being (i) change management and (ii) parties involved. The outcomes of this research are of relevance given the high costs of integrating new or upgrading existing systems, and the key role of users in success or failure.
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Impact pathways: A home for insights from relevant and impactful operations and supply chain management researchPurpose International Journal of Operations and Production Management (IJOPM)'s Impact Pathway (IP) section has been launched in 2020 to host short contributions grounded in current managerial practices and/or policy development, challenging established operations and supply chain management (OSCM) knowledge and highlighting innovative and relevant research directions. This commentary reflects on the achievements of the section, delineates the key features of IP papers and stimulates further development. Design/methodology/approach This commentary provides a brief overview of the IJOPM's IP section, taking stock of the contributions that have been published so far, analysing their topics, methodologies, insights and impact. Findings The 19 contributions published over the last three years have dealt with a variety of emerging topics, ranging from the COVID-19 response to additive manufacturing, leveraging on key evidence from managerial practice that challenges consolidated knowledge and theory, providing clear research directions as well as managerial and/or policy guidelines. Originality/value The commentary reflects on the importance of phenomenon-driven research that seeks to bridge the gap between theory and practice, thus increasing the impact and reach of OSCM research. This is a call for contributions from scholars, business leaders and policymakers to develop further impact-oriented research.