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Article
Publication date: 18 July 2008

T.C. Melewar, David Hayday, Suraksha Gupta and Geraldine Cohen

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether or not EU enlargement would cause companies to standardise their brand portfolios and the brands they offer, between Eastern and…

3721

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether or not EU enlargement would cause companies to standardise their brand portfolios and the brands they offer, between Eastern and Western Europe.

Design/methodology/approach

The issue of standardisation versus localisation, and the impact of EU enlargement upon standardisation are examined based on the existing literature. The paper looks at whether fostering more member states within the EU would encourage standardisation. It also explores whether barriers for standardisation still exist. The research employs a case study methodology to set scenarios of possible outcomes.

Findings

The research findings imply that external factors, which are market‐based and product‐based elements, seem to encourage standardisation. The effect is brought about by the benefits standardisation offers in terms of efficiency. There are still some minor national barriers that impede standardisation. However, the main obstacles are endogenous to corporations and pertain to company structure, strategy and historic resistance to standardisation.

Research limitations/implications

Standardisation of the marketing mix has been practised by managers as a way to combine customers' needs with cost‐effectiveness. The paper offers scope for further research into the application of various portfolio assessment tools to examine brands which will help managers to observe these relationships, and develop customised branding strategies.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the marketing literature on branding and standardisation and supports the strategy of standardisation of brands for better performance.

Details

EuroMed Journal of Business, vol. 3 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1450-2194

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Article
Publication date: 21 October 2013

Yousra Asaad, T.C. Melewar, Geraldine Cohen and John M.T. Balmer

The purpose of this paper is to explore how post-92 UK universities perceive and manage market orientation (MO) in their export operations of educational services to international…

1827

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how post-92 UK universities perceive and manage market orientation (MO) in their export operations of educational services to international students (i.e. export market orientation (EMO)) in the context of international student recruitment.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a case study design, this qualitative research was undertaken amongst eight post-92 UK universities. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with managers in the international offices of universities.

Findings

The results indicate that EMO in universities consists of information-based activities geared towards foreign markets. Superior knowledge and awareness of the market components is central to the implementation of these information-based activities. This involves market information generation and dissemination, as well as the need for rapid responsiveness due to the changing nature of the higher education market.

Research limitations/implications

The selected methodology makes these results alone unfit for generalising to a larger population. Improved theoretical models are needed for generating more knowledge about the antecedents and consequences of EMO in universities.

Practical implications

The authors believe the findings are particularly relevant for international marketing managers of exporting universities. The current paper suggests some implications for international marketing managers when actively managing their marketing activities towards foreign markets.

Originality/value

The paper identifies a gap in current higher education marketing research. The original contribution of the paper is to address this gap so that researchers and practitioners have some understanding of the export marketing behaviour of UK universities in the context of the recruitment of international students.

Details

Marketing Intelligence & Planning, vol. 31 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-4503

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Article
Publication date: 1 November 2003

Lisa Harris and Geraldine Cohen

Examines whether business really is undergoing a revolution or just the latest in a series of incremental changes with the universal and seemingly exponential spread of Internet…

5798

Abstract

Examines whether business really is undergoing a revolution or just the latest in a series of incremental changes with the universal and seemingly exponential spread of Internet technology. While it is tempting to regard the Internet as a unique challenge through its dual role as a driver of change and provider of tools for change, the article begins by drawing on a number of historical precedents in order to question some of the “hype” surrounding current Internet developments. By analysing relevant literature and primary data from a number of case studies in the UK and the USA, the particular challenges facing marketing are then examined to establish whether there are any parallels in marketing history from which lessons for the future may be learned. From our examples it is concluded that many “new” developments have in fact been practised for centuries and traditional processes are an important constituent of “evolutionary” rather than “revolutionary” innovation.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 41 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

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Article
Publication date: 31 March 2023

Géraldine Broye and Pauline Johannes

This study aims to examine how the prestige of audit committee (AC) chairpersons influences earnings management.

439

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine how the prestige of audit committee (AC) chairpersons influences earnings management.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample contains 1,973 firm-year observations of French listed firms for the period 2007–2018. The authors examine the status of AC chairs and CEOs by focusing on the French business elite system. This study tests the association between AC chairs’ (relative) status and the level of earnings management using measures of accrual earnings management and real earnings management (REM).

Findings

The results of this study do not show that high-status AC chairs constrain accruals manipulation. However, the results provide evidence that they play a key role in constraining REM. High-status AC chairs are more likely to enhance the monitoring of this type of manipulation, given their thorough knowledge and understanding of the firm’s business environment and practices. This study also finds evidence that AC chairs with a status higher than CEOs are associated with lower levels of REM. The results suggest that prestigious AC chairs influence lower status CEOs’ strategic decisions.

Originality/value

This study demonstrates that high-status AC chairs play an important role in detecting and constraining deviations from normal business practices. The results have substantial implications for boards, which will benefit from an understanding of how the appointment of high-status chairs affects financial reporting quality.

Details

Managerial Auditing Journal, vol. 38 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0268-6902

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Article
Publication date: 8 December 2010

Hannah Jethwa and Geraldine Cassidy

Dementia is a condition that involves inevitably progressive deficits in numerous cognitive domains, including thought, language, memory, understanding and judgement. A difference…

400

Abstract

Dementia is a condition that involves inevitably progressive deficits in numerous cognitive domains, including thought, language, memory, understanding and judgement. A difference in behaviour may be noted, as well as overall loss of skills. Dementia is more than four times as prevalent in people with intellectual disabilities as in the general population. Diagnosis of the condition in people with intellectual disabilities, however, is often difficult due to lack of baseline skill assessment, high staff turnover in supported accommodation and low expectations of capabilities. Current National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on anti‐dementia medication state that treatment should not be initiated until the condition has reached moderate severity. Determining whether symptoms are at this stage in people with intellectual disabilities is difficult because their skill level is already impaired. An accurate and extensive record of baseline skill levels in people with intellectual disabilities is therefore crucial, and regular comparison with baseline is key to early diagnosis of dementia.

Details

Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, vol. 4 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-1282

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Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 9 November 2020

Geraldine Kennett, Ling Hu, Alex Maritz and He Sun

This study explores the different learning practices of Chinese incubators in Chongqing and Chengdu and delves into how these “learning huddles” influence incubatees' absorptive…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study explores the different learning practices of Chinese incubators in Chongqing and Chengdu and delves into how these “learning huddles” influence incubatees' absorptive capacity (the ability to apply knowledge) to improve their chance of success (sustainable growth).

Design/methodology/approach

This explorative study uses a qualitative case study approach by means of semi-structured interviews with business incubation managers and incubatees across three business incubators in Chengdu and Chongqing. The data are transcribed, coded and analyzed using an analytic map for the explanation of building and reflecting on the theoretical propositions, leading to a further understanding of the “learning huddle” mechanism.

Findings

The study finds that incubatees perceive that their absorptive capacity is increased through vicarious informal learning practices that promote access to networks and thereby builds social capital to improve their likelihood of success.

Research limitations/implications

This study has limitations in sample size and design. The explorative case study approach uses a nonrandom case selection of three incubators in Chongqing and Chengdu and has a limited number of interviewees, which may lack representation of the general Chinese business incubation population and may not sufficiently be generalized beyond the sample itself.

Practical implications

These findings have important implications for business incubation programs. Business incubators that build learning huddles (networks) create a nurturing shared learning environment, which is suitable for incubatees to collectively absorb knowledge at the early stage of their life cycle and improve their likelihood of sustainable growth.

Social implications

Since this study is limited to a Chinese context, it is also hoped that future researchers use the typology of business incubator learning practices to explore cross-culture variables, as these may influence the business incubation operations and performance.

Originality/value

This study adds to the discussion on how collective learning practices facilitate absorptive capacity and build social capital, which in turn improves incubatees' chance of sustainable growth and as such the authors hope that the learning practice's typology and how incubatees determine their success stimulates further research for measuring the likelihood of incubatees sustainable growth.

Details

Journal of Industry-University Collaboration, vol. 2 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2631-357X

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Article
Publication date: 22 September 2021

Joris Corthouts, Géraldine Zeimers, Kobe Helsen, Camille Demeulemeester, Thomas Könecke, Thierry Zintz and Jeroen Scheerder

Being innovative is important for non-profit sport organizations in order to meet the ever-changing and increasing societal needs. Understanding why and to what extent…

283

Abstract

Purpose

Being innovative is important for non-profit sport organizations in order to meet the ever-changing and increasing societal needs. Understanding why and to what extent organizational innovativeness differs between non-profit sport organizations is, therefore, important to assess and increase their chances of survival. The purpose of this study is to compare the structural characteristics and attitudes of innovation attributes between three groups of sport federations (SFs).

Design/methodology/approach

An online self-assessment survey was sent to all recognized regional Belgian SFs (N = 156). Simultaneously, an observational desk research (i.e. media analysis) was carried out. Results from both data collection methods were combined to develop a composite organizational innovativeness-index, based on which the federations were then clustered in three distinct adopter groups.

Findings

Comparative statistics show that structural background characteristics generally are poor indicators for adopter categorization. In contrast, the attitudes about compatibility (i.e. the consistency of innovations with existing values) and complexity (i.e. the extent to which innovations are difficult to apprehend) seem the most important distinctive determinants for the different groups of SFs.

Originality/value

The study's contribution is twofold. First, it offers a methodological contribution with the development of an index, which enables the categorization of non-profit sport organizations according to their organizational innovativeness; thus, it provides a critical counter-argument to the importance of organizational structural background characteristics from previous studies. Second, the study's results may support non-profit sport organizations in improving their innovativeness, for instance by improving the perception of compatibility with innovation or by guiding policymakers in creating a more supportive environment for these organizations to do so.

Details

International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, vol. 23 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1464-6668

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Article
Publication date: 16 July 2018

Géraldine Rivière-Giordano, Sophie Giordano-Spring and Charles H. Cho

The purpose of this study is to examine whether different levels of assurance statements of environmental disclosures affect investment choices in the French context where…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine whether different levels of assurance statements of environmental disclosures affect investment choices in the French context where environmental assurance was voluntary until 2012 and became regulated and mandatory since then.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted an experiment during the voluntary context – which represents the vast majority of countries – on a sample of 108 financial analysts.

Findings

Environmental disclosure has a positive impact on investment recommendations. More surprisingly, financial analysts are less likely to give recommendations in favor of a company that displays environmental disclosure with low-level assurance than for a company with no assurance statement at all.

Research limitations/implications

When assurance is voluntary and there are at least two levels, this study results suggest that firms should avoid selecting the lowest level of assurance because it negatively affects investor decisions. From this perspective, firms should devote sufficient effort and resources to obtain at least Level 2 environmental disclosure assurance.

Practical implications

Given the recommendations made by financial analysts, the authors could expect that firms may prefer to engage in a higher level of assurance or to provide no assurance rather than minimize their financial efforts and resources to select a lower level of voluntary assurance regarding environmental disclosure.

Social implications

This study has implications for the voluntary assurance practices of environmental disclosure and can provide support to regulators to promote higher standards in environmental assurance. It documents the relevance to increase the level of requested assurance for environmental disclosure.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, very few studies have examined the additional effect of assurance on environmental disclosure in investors’ decisions. The experiment is conducted with financial analysts in the context of voluntary assurance.

Details

Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8021

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 30 May 2024

Rahel Aschwanden, Claude Messner, Bettina Höchli and Geraldine Holenweger

Cyberattacks have become a major threat to small and medium-sized enterprises. Their prevention efforts often prioritize technical solutions over human factors, despite humans…

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Abstract

Purpose

Cyberattacks have become a major threat to small and medium-sized enterprises. Their prevention efforts often prioritize technical solutions over human factors, despite humans posing the greatest risk. This article highlights the importance of developing tailored behavioral interventions. Through qualitative interviews, we identified three persona types with different psychological biases that increase the risk of cyberattacks. These psychological biases are a basis for creating behavioral interventions to strengthen the human factor and, thus, prevent cyberattacks.

Design/methodology/approach

We conducted structured, in-depth interviews with 44 employees, decision makers and IT service providers from small and medium-sized Swiss enterprises to understand insecure cyber behavior.

Findings

A thematic analysis revealed that, while knowledge about cyber risks is available, no one assumes responsibility for employees’ and decision makers’ behavior. The interview results suggest three personas for employees and decision makers: experts, deportees and repressors. We have derived corresponding biases from these three persona types that help explain the interviewees’ insecure cyber behavior.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides evidence that employees differ in their cognitive biases. This implies that tailored interventions are more effective than one-size-fits7-all interventions. It is inherent in the idea of tailored interventions that they depend on multiple factors, such as cultural, organizational or individual factors. However, even if the segments change somewhat, it is still very likely that there are subgroups of employees that differ in terms of their misleading cognitive biases and risk behavior.

Practical implications

This article discusses behavior directed recommendations for tailored interventions in small and medium-sized enterprises to minimize cyber risks.

Originality/value

The contribution of this study is that it is the first to use personas and cognitive biases to understand insecure cyber behavior, and to explain why small and medium-sized enterprises do not implement behavior-based cybersecurity best practices. The personas and biases provide starting points for future research and interventions in practice.

Details

Organizational Cybersecurity Journal: Practice, Process and People, vol. 4 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2635-0270

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Article
Publication date: 17 August 2015

Sandra Cohen, María-Dolores Guillamón, Irvine Lapsley and Geraldine Robbins

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the Eurozone financial crisis by discussing the experiences of Greece, Ireland and Spain. It particularly examines the…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the Eurozone financial crisis by discussing the experiences of Greece, Ireland and Spain. It particularly examines the influence and actions of the Troika in the management of the sovereign debt crisis in the Eurozone.

Design/methodology/approach

The primary source of information for this study has been the documents of the Greek, Irish and Spanish Governments (often only available in their native language) and the reports of EU bodies and the IMF, supplemented by media coverage, as deemed appropriate. This has been analysed on a comparative basis to contrast the experiences of these three countries.

Findings

This study reveals how the Eurozone crisis has impacted on financially weak countries in this currency union. The fiscal conservatism of the Troika (the IMF, the EU and the European Central Bank) has had profound consequences for these economies, which have experienced dramatic cuts in public services.

Research limitations/implications

This study has focused on the experiences of three countries in the Eurozone. There is a case for extending this analysis to other Eurozone countries.

Practical implications

There are two approaches to recession – governments can stimulate demand by infrastructure spending or take the financial conservatism route of reducing public expenditure and public sector borrowing. However, the severity of the crisis undermines the first approach and there are uncertain outcomes with the second approach. This paper shows the effects of adopting financial conservatism as a strategy in this crisis.

Social implications

The austerity programmes pursued by the governments in this study have led to unemployment, migration of skilled workers, collapse in property markets, failing banks and social unrest.

Originality/value

This study takes an accounting perspective on the Eurozone crisis. This offers a distinctive interpretation of events. This study examines the merits of widely used theories in studies of public sector change namely legitimation and resource dependency theory intertwined with power and offers insights into how meaningful they are in explaining the dramatic influence of austerity programmes in the Eurozone.

Details

Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, vol. 28 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-3574

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