{"title":"Pride cometh before a fall: The incongruence of status and resource commitment signals in the video game industry","authors":"Balazs Szatmari","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.03.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.03.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study extends the burgeoning literature on social evaluations by investigating the incongruence between two quality signals in the video game industry: resource commitment and organizational status. It is hypothesized that while having one of the signals leads to higher product recognition and, hence, allows firms to capture more value from a product and its demonstrated quality, having both signals can be problematic due to the incongruence of these signals. This is because, in creative industry settings, the occurrence of both signals might send an incongruent message to external audiences (i.e., consumers and industry experts), leading to lower than expected results. My empirical analysis using historical data from the video game industry showed that organizations which featured <em>either</em> a status <em>or</em> a resource commitment signal were able to capture more value from their product quality than organizations that feature <em>both</em> of these signals. In an additional survey study, I found tentative evidence for my theoretical explanations of these findings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"43 2","pages":"Pages 271-285"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140595926","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Haris Aslam , Constantin Blome , Martin C. Schleper , Asher Ramish , Sami Ullah Bajwa
{"title":"Investigating the supply chain agility–innovation link: The role of organizational context","authors":"Haris Aslam , Constantin Blome , Martin C. Schleper , Asher Ramish , Sami Ullah Bajwa","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.02.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.02.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><span>Previous literature provides ample analyses of the antecedents of supply chain agility, but the organizational context has generally been neglected. Setting up the right organizational context is important for dynamic capabilities such as supply chain agility, especially in turbulent times. In this research, we study organizational context from two aspects as antecedents of supply chain agility, i.e., a firm’s performance orientation context and its social orientation context. Based on the dynamic capabilities view, the literature on organizational context, supply chain agility, and innovation, we develop our hypotheses. We investigate the previously overlooked impact of supply chain agility on innovation performance, as we find that supply chain agility not only helps to prevent and repair short-term damage but also promotes innovation in the long term. We also consider the moderating role of the organization’s complementarity with its key suppliers in this relationship. </span>Structural equation modeling<span> is applied to investigate the proposed research hypotheses using lagged survey data with multiple respondents from the manufacturing sector in Pakistan.</span></div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"43 2","pages":"Pages 246-256"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140003311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Does empowering leadership affect SMEs' sustainability performance through knowledge transfer?","authors":"Tim Pett , Ghada Haddad , Gautam Nagpal","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.03.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.03.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Today’s small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) require greater engagement across organizational boundaries. This study examines the relationship between empowering leadership, knowledge transfer, and the sustainability performance of SMEs in three countries. It aims to enrich the field of empowering leadership and knowledge transfer in SMEs by demonstrating their impact on financial, environmental, and social performance. To do so, we use a sample of 392 SMEs from France, India, and the USA. The results suggest that empowering leadership has a direct effect on financial performance but hinders environmental performance. Additionally, although knowledge transfer may limit financial performance, it enhances environmental and social performance. This work is one of the first studies to examine the role of knowledge transfer as a mediator between empowering leadership and sustainability performance. Moreover, it may be used as a reference for improving the sustainability performance of SMEs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"43 2","pages":"Pages 211-221"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140400490","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Michael Wang , Ricky Y.K. Chan , Ki-Soon Hwang , Ming K. Lim
{"title":"The influence of learning orientation on corporate sustainability: Serial mediation of supply chain practices","authors":"Michael Wang , Ricky Y.K. Chan , Ki-Soon Hwang , Ming K. Lim","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.01.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.01.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Based on the theory of organizational learning, supply chain practice view, and stakeholder theory, this paper presents an empirical analysis of the influence of learning orientation on corporate sustainability through supply chain relationships and supply chain agility. A learning orientation strengthens supply chain practices, potentially extending its impact beyond mere business transactions to enhance sustainability through knowledge transfer. Empirical results reveal the relationships among the constructs and serial mediation of supply chain relationship and supply chain agility. The empirical data were collected from organizations in the United Arab Emirates. The structural equation modeling approach is applied to validate the models in the study. Mediation analysis was performed to better understand the organizational and supply chain phenomenon. In addition, this study provides empirical support for serial mediation, with supply chain relationships and supply chain agility mediating the relationship between learning orientation and corporate sustainability. The study draws managers' attention to the importance of learning orientation as well as supply chain relationship and supply chain agility post-COVID-19. The findings may guide firms toward designing their sustainable supply chain strategies under organizational learning. This paper contributes to the sustainable supply chain management literature.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"43 2","pages":"Pages 297-308"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139677621","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"From foreign outsidership to local insidership: Managing cultural differences in the Franco-German context","authors":"Nino Ruscigno, Ulrike Mayrhofer","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.12.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.12.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>How can companies deal with liabilities of foreignness and outsidership when expanding into international markets? In this paper, we investigate how mid-sized companies in the business-to-business sector can overcome these two liabilities and become “local insiders”. We built a single-case study of a German mid-sized company who entered the French market through a greenfield subsidiary. We conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with managers in the French subsidiary, with their French customers and with experts in Franco-German management. Our findings highlight that the company had to face multiple cultural barriers during the internationalization process, in particular language and communication, time management and relationship issues. We explain the solutions they adopted to manage cultural differences and to move from “foreign outsidership” to “local insidership”. We offer novel insights into the dynamic nature of foreignness and outsidership, and we provide practical solutions that can help companies to succeed their foreign market entries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"43 2","pages":"Pages 175-181"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143860161","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kalan Horton , David R. King , Florian Bauer , Bruce Lamont , Svante Schriber
{"title":"Integration, employee resistance, and acquisition performance","authors":"Kalan Horton , David R. King , Florian Bauer , Bruce Lamont , Svante Schriber","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.02.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.02.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Continued use of acquisitions despite evidence that they do not improve firm performance suggests that challenges associated with acquisitions may be underestimated by managers. We examine how employee resistance is influenced by acquisition integration and how it results in lower acquisition performance. Specifically, we examine different impacts of task and human integration on employee resistance in a sample of 92 Nordic mid-size firms. Task integration focuses on achieving synergies from increased efficiency; however, it can increase employee resistance, leading to lower acquisition performance, which is exacerbated by slow integration. Meanwhile, human integration can reduce employee resistance, and this effect is stronger for experienced acquirers. Our results support the importance of considering both task and human integration, as their influence on employee resistance varies. Additional implications for management research and practice are identified.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"43 2","pages":"Pages 222-232"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139828752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Sourcing for high technology innovation: Engaging to absorb knowledge pre-contract","authors":"Ala Arvidsson, Lisa Govik","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.03.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.03.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates how firms can identify, access, and capitalize on viable innovation in the high technology supply market during the pre-contractual phase of relationships. The industrial landscape is changing rapidly due to technological advancements like automation and electrification, leading traditional industries to explore new avenues for knowledge and partner selection. However, identifying, assessing, and trusting suppliers with whom firms can enter a relationship is a complex task. Therefore, the study adopts the absorptive capacity perspective for conceptualizing the supplier selection process, focusing on the pre-contractual phase. Based on two in-depth case studies in the automotive industry, we find that supplier selection can be assisted with higher levels of engagement, coordination, and alignment internally with different firm stakeholders and externally with the larger supply market. This study illustrates that new actors bring disruptive innovation into the automotive industry, and the knowledge is absorbed during supplier selection, facilitated by fostering higher levels of engagement, coordination, and alignment both internally among various stakeholders within the firm and externally within the broader supply market. This study significantly advances the understanding of supplier selection practices in the context of high technology innovation. The theoretical contributions made through our empirical investigations enhance the knowledge base on sourcing strategies, shed light on the complexities of supplier selection, and offer practical implications for firms aiming to navigate the rapidly changing landscape of technological advancements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"43 2","pages":"Pages 257-270"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140205364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Stealth innovation: The dance of paradoxical leadership behavior, leader trustworthiness, and psychological safety in fueling employee bootlegging behavior","authors":"Ning Yang , Hui Chen , Xiao-Hua (Frank) Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.03.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.03.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bootlegging behavior is an innovation activity that an individual privately engages in and that has the contradictory characteristics of deviant behavior and positive purpose. Drawing on social learning theory, the authors examine the influence of paradoxical leadership behavior on employee bootlegging behavior through two studies. Study 1 reveals that psychological safety mediates the positive effect of paradoxical leadership behavior on employee bootlegging behavior. Study 2 replicates the mediating role of psychological safety in the relationship between paradoxical leadership behavior and bootlegging behavior. Furthermore, the results of Study 2 show that leader trustworthiness moderates the effect of paradoxical leadership behavior on psychological safety, and the indirect effect of paradoxical leadership behavior on employee bootlegging behavior through psychological safety, whereby the two effects are stronger when leader trustworthiness is high. We discuss the implications and limitations of this study.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"43 2","pages":"Pages 286-296"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140398819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Citizens’ legitimacy judgements on multi-stakeholder governance models: The spillover effects of corporate political activity and social trust","authors":"V. Tortosa-Edo, M.Á. López-Navarro","doi":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.04.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.emj.2024.04.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent years have witnessed increasing corporate participation in multi-stakeholder governance models to decide on social issues. Insufficient academic attention has been paid to how citizens legitimise this alternative, which has no democratic endorsement. Citizens do not know enough about these governance models and use heuristics, which produce spillover effects, to form legitimacy judgements about them. Based on institutional and sensemaking theories and with insights from the social psychology literature, we provide empirical evidence for the possible spillover effects derived from a similarity-based heuristic, from citizens’ perceptions of corporate political activity (CPA) tactics, and from a trust heuristic, represented by social trust.</div><div>The study focuses on residents living near an industrial complex with environmental risks. The results were obtained using structural equation models and corroborate the spillover from social trust but not from perceptions of the CPA tactics deployed by the firms in the complex. However, these perceptions are indirectly related to citizens' legitimacy through social trust. We present some theoretical and practical implications of citizens’ legitimacy of multi-stakeholder governance models.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48290,"journal":{"name":"European Management Journal","volume":"43 2","pages":"Pages 309-320"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140613868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}