ARTICLE 1

Rivalry and its mysteries : When Physics leverages Strategy

Abstract :

This research considers Michael Porter’s “Five Forces” diagram for what forces firstly mean, a strength or an energy as an attribute of physical action or movement. Here, our objective is to build a competitive rivalry assessment tool to assist decision-making processes. Since the literature review has proven that such improbable couples make sense, we have invited Physics to collaborate with Management Sciences. After screening both Structured and Expert diagrams, we came up with a quantitative solution, which might be a new asset to diagnose the intensity of a market’s rivalry through the calculation of every force’s real weight. A theoretical application to art and salt sectors anchors the roots of further research.

par Philippe Mouillot
Associate Professor - HDR
IAE de Poitiers
(France)
Rémy Park
Engineer
(France)

ARTICLE 2

Determinants of growth in research spin-offs: a resource-based perspective

Abstract :

There are strong expectations towards research spin-offs, but insufficient empirical evidence still exists on the determinants of growth of such companies. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the debate on growth -or non-growth- of research spin-offs through a focus on Italy. A resource-based perspective is adopted for identifying the crucial determinants of competitive advantage of these companies, and an OLS regression analysis is performed to assess the impact of initial resources on growth in revenues and employees. Our analysis highlights unexpected results about the involvement of industrial partners, venture capitalists, size of IPRs’ portfolio at founding and previous experience of the promoting partners.

par Elisa Salvador
Assistant Professor
ESSCA School of Management, Paris
(France)
Cristina Marullo
Assistant Professor
Institute of Management
Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa
(Italy)
Andrea Piccaluga
Full Professor
Institute of Management
Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa
(Italy)

ARTICLE 3

Surface- and deep-level diversity of directors and financial performance of French listed firms

Abstract :

This study examines the influence of surface- and deep-level diversity among French firms' directors on financial performance, with regard to CEO power and operational complexity. Increased uses of age or gender diversity don't improve cognitive governance, regardless of complexity levels. In contrast, educational, professional, and board experience diversity all extend the cognitive bases of complex firms, for the shareholders' benefit. They detract from the performance of less complex firms though. Regarding disciplinary governance, age diversity doesn't improve CEO monitoring. All other components have positive impacts on performance when the CEO is powerful. They weaken it when the CEO is powerless. The results of this study suggest that the performance implications of board diversity may be contingent upon managerial context of the firm.

par Jérôme Maati
Professor of Finance
IAE Lille - Rime Lab EA 7396
University of Lille -
(France)
Christine Maati-Sauvez
Associate Professor of Finance
IDP EA 1384, F-59313 Valenciennes
Hauts-de-France Polytechnic University
(France)

ARTICLE 4

Contribution of SEAM to the Performance of Student Affairs

Abstract :

Higher education institutions must engage students in active learning. This challenge requires changes in universities structure, governance and stakeholders’ relations. Particularly, it is the time to foster the creativity and innovation of student affairs. This study is an intervention research that focuses on developing the human potential and building the capacity of staff in order to align student affairs mission with the university social mission. The Socio-economic approach to management (SEAM) focuses on a holistic view and improves the performance of student affairs in order to intensify the office contribution to the fulfillment of the university social mission.

par Omaya Kuran
Assistant Professor
University of Balamand
(Lebanon)

ARTICLE 5

“Revealed identity”: an ethnographic approach to singularity

Abstract :

When an organisation faces big and long-lasting difficulties, organisational identity issues become particularly salient. In such situations, organisations often engage in identity measurement through self-observation. We define "revealed identity" as a process in which an external consultant defines the identity of an organisation with the help of specific tools, which is then transmitted to its members who gain a full understanding of that identity. We explored how an ethnographic method could help to understand the phenomenon of organisational identity revelation and how the revealed identity helps to give people confidence and to refocus them on strategies that are coherent with their identity.

par Éric Gautier
PhD in management sciences, associate researcher
Laboratoire de recherche en sciences de gestion Panthéon-Assas (LARGEPA)
University Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
(France)
Catherine Voynnet-Fourboul
Lecturer
Laboratoire de recherche en sciences de gestion Panthéon-Assas (LARGEPA)
University Panthéon-Assas, Paris II
(France)

ARTICLE 6

A polycentric view of coordination in extreme action teams: Insights from pre-hospital emergency teams

Abstract :

Our article addresses the following research question: how does a polycentric view refine our understanding of interconnections between coordination practices and macro-arrangements in extreme action teams? It examines coordination between French pre-hospital emergency teams. It reveals three main coordination practices and disclose how macro-arrangements provide teams with a permanent template for coordinating in turbulent situations.

par Cécile Godé
Full Professor in Management Science
Aix Marseille University
CRET-LOG, Aix-en-Provence
(France)
Pauline Lenesley
Assistant professor in Management Science
University of Caen Normandie
NIMEC EA 969, Caen
(France)
Valérie Buthion
Assistant professor in Management Science
LSAF EA 2429, Lyon
University of Claude Bernard
(France)