Mats Persson and Magnus Frostenson
As an object of study, mergers and acquisitions are often characterized as containing two entities that in one way or the other become one. Metaphorically, researchers frequently…
Abstract
As an object of study, mergers and acquisitions are often characterized as containing two entities that in one way or the other become one. Metaphorically, researchers frequently talk about this relationship in terms of a “marriage.” In this chapter, the authors discuss the marriage metaphor with regard to its adequacy in M&A studies. The authors suggest that the metaphor contains strong normative understandings that to some extent condition how we understand M&As. This chapter highlights three dimensions to problematize the metaphor: sequence of events, number of partners, and power relations in a marriage. For each dimension, the underlying metaphorical belief is discussed and a specific risk is identified. The general message is that M&A research should consider more closely the nature of the relationship between the two (or more) parties of M&A to provide a better understanding of which situations that are actually studied.
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Peter Fredriksson and Magnus Persson
It is widely acknowledged that aspects of sustainable development (SD) should be integrated into higher level operations management (OM) education. The aim of the paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
It is widely acknowledged that aspects of sustainable development (SD) should be integrated into higher level operations management (OM) education. The aim of the paper is to outline the experiences gained at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden from integrating aspects of SD into OM courses.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on the authors' experiences from teaching at Chalmers University of Technology, and the integration of SD into OM courses. The paper thus relies on an action research approach, similar in many ways to other papers in the field.
Findings
The paper outlines several similarities between the fields of SD and OM. Although the results show that several challenges must be overcome when integrating the fields in courses. The challenges – that are scrutinized through the use of existing literature – relate to the scope differences between the fields, lack of SD aspects in OM text books, and misfit between needs and teacher competence, support, and course structures.
Originality/value
The paper adds understanding by specifically addressing the integration of SD into OM courses. Universities and teachers within the field can consider the challenges outlined when integrating the two fields in courses.
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Xiaowen Tian and Shuanglin Lin
Using panel data of 11324 firms in China from 1996 to 1999, the study finds that FDI tends to generate positive technology spillovers to domestic firms within the same industry…
Abstract
Using panel data of 11324 firms in China from 1996 to 1999, the study finds that FDI tends to generate positive technology spillovers to domestic firms within the same industry, but adversely affect productivity of domestic firms in other industries. It is also found that both the positive and the adverse effects are more significant at the local than the national level. Evidence from China thus suggests that FDI technology spillovers are in favor of domestic firms within the same industry rather than domestic firms in other industries, and are most likely to affect domestic firms within the same locality. The finding has significant implications for the study of the interaction between MNEs and local firms in emerging markets.
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Maximilian Pasche, Magnus Persson and Hans Löfsten
The purpose of this paper is to investigate effects of platforms on new product development (NPD) projects. Emphasis has been put on the following effect categories: project…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate effects of platforms on new product development (NPD) projects. Emphasis has been put on the following effect categories: project performance, process changes, and the use of performance measurements.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on data collected in a survey of Swedish manufacturing firms. The survey collected data on platform characteristics and NPD characteristics. This paper reports correlations and regression analyses of the different variables.
Findings
The application of a platform strategy leads to a significant increase of component commonality on the product program level. However, it was observed that firms still have problems with sticking to project budgets in terms of cost and lead‐time restrictions. Moreover, platform implementation often involves significant process adaptations. Finally, it showed that firms are hardly applying measurements to follow up on their platform‐related activities.
Research limitations/implications
It appears that predictions made in current literature regarding platform effects are not generally valid for all firms. Therefore, this study indicates that there may be contingencies affecting the applicability of a platform strategy for specific firms.
Practical implications
Owing to potential contingencies affecting the applicability of platforms, firms have to carefully consider if a platform strategy is promising in their specific situation. Moreover, product platform implementation does not only demand an adaptation of product structures but also involves significant process adaptations.
Originality/value
By statistically testing effects of platforms on product development performance, the tendency of the current literature towards case‐based research is overcome. Hereby, the findings of current literature are challenged in terms of their generalizability.
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Peter Palm and Magnus Andersson
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of theoretical knowledge related to financial behaviour and especially anchor effects.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of theoretical knowledge related to financial behaviour and especially anchor effects.
Design/methodology/approach
The study design is based upon an experiment divided into two parts, before and after the development of the course curriculum for the course introducing behavioural finance for undergraduate real estate students.
Findings
The study concludes that the anchor effect is persistent also after introducing theoretical knowledge regarding financial behaviour and anchor effects. To conclude the results, in this study, indicates that the appraisal of properties are dependent on the individual’s cognitive capacity to mitigate anchor effects. There are epistemological assumptions underlying the belief in the individuals’ capacity to handle anchor effects that might provide biased appraisals. These assumptions need to be carefully tested and treated to increase the accuracy of property appraisals.
Practical implications
The study result also highlights the possibility that current literature in valuation, and learning activities, does not emphases and stimulate readers to critical thinking. This paper would, therefore, propose also other real estate education programmes to be aware of the potential lack of critical thinking among the students.
Originality/value
It provides an insight regarding how appraisal of properties is dependent on the individual’s cognitive capacity to mitigate anchor effects.
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The purpose of this paper is to improve the understanding of the role of humanitarian cluster leads through applying lessons from the fourth‐party logistics (4PL) literature.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to improve the understanding of the role of humanitarian cluster leads through applying lessons from the fourth‐party logistics (4PL) literature.
Design/methodology/approach
The primary data for this paper are based on an extensive case study of coordination mechanisms in humanitarian logistics covering specifically the UNJLC (United Nations Joint Logistics Centre) and the Logistics Cluster. In total, 37 semi‐structured interviews were conducted, together with site visits and review of official documentation.
Findings
The paper finds that the 4PL concept provides a partial match for the cluster leads with important lessons from the 4PL literature. In particular, lessons are related to selectivity of central participants for the cluster, and the need to develop relationship management skills.
Research limitations/implications
The paper shows some clear areas where lessons from the 4PL literature are highly relevant to the logistics cluster lead. Some of these implications can also be applied to the other clusters, but further concepts should be developed for the cluster system as a whole.
Social implications
The analysis shows that cluster leads should think of themselves more as facilitators rather than channel captains.
Originality/value
The tasks for the humanitarian cluster leads have been outlined in some detail, but the ways to accomplish them and how they should operate in relation to other actors in the field has been less clear. By using the 4PL concept the paper demonstrates a number of lessons that are relevant to the logistics cluster lead in particular.
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Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some…
Abstract
Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some legal aspects concerning MNEs, cyberspace and e‐commerce as the means of expression of the digital economy. The whole effort of the author is focused on the examination of various aspects of MNEs and their impact upon globalisation and vice versa and how and if we are moving towards a global digital economy.