Rui Torres de Oliveira and Sandra Figueira
The purpose of this paper is to guide future researchers and practitioners into the process of interviewing in the Chinese context.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to guide future researchers and practitioners into the process of interviewing in the Chinese context.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology used is an empirical critical reflection.
Findings
The authors identified 11 major themes such as how to get an interview, antecedents of the interview, building rapport, complexity, language, interview settings, interview procedure, stages, probing and sensitive topics, selection of respondents and post-interview.
Research limitations/implications
The location of the interviews.
Practical implications
Guide foreigner researchers and managers on how to conduct interviews in China.
Social implications
The context matters, and only with a specific approach some can perform well and achieve the interview objectives. Doing so, the researcher or practitioner will not create situations that might be problematic for her/him and the interviewee. Based on the above, the authors’ research decreases potential social tensions that interview situations can create.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no other researcher has studied the specificities of interviewing in China, which brings originality and value to the authors’ research.
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Sandra Figueira, Rui Torres de Oliveira, Daniel Rottig and Francesca Spigarelli
This paper constitutes an explorative study into post-acquisition implementation of emerging market acquisitions in developed countries. More specifically, the study aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper constitutes an explorative study into post-acquisition implementation of emerging market acquisitions in developed countries. More specifically, the study aims to better understand how low capability Chinese firms are able to capture value when acquiring high-capability targets in developed countries through a novel post-acquisition integration approach. In so doing, we set out to contribute to the literature on, and managerial insights into, the factors that determine the success of emerging market acquisitions, in general, and the context-specific use of post-acquisition implementation approaches, in particular.
Design/methodology/approach
The study follows a qualitative analysis and multiple case study design based on a phenomenon-based research approach. Data and information were collected through semi-structure executive interviews, observations, secondary sources, company report and media accounts.
Findings
Based on institutional theory, this study develops a conceptual framework for a tacit value approach toward the integration of acquisitions of developed market targets by emerging market acquirers.
Originality/value
The proposed tacit value approach of post-acquisition integration, which refers to the creation of intangible value over time, differs from the explicit value approach that is associated with the transaction-cost literature and more focused on the creation of tangible value in the short-term.
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Eduardo Starling do Rego Monteiro, Erick Cardoso da Silva Figueira and Sandra Regina da Rocha-Pinto
This study aimed to understand how administrative employees of an oil company perceive the role of software solutions in their routines.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to understand how administrative employees of an oil company perceive the role of software solutions in their routines.
Design/methodology/approach
Starting from an interpretive perspective, we used the phenomenographic method to analyze software solutions based on users’ experience, by means of 20 interviews carried out between November 2020 and May 2021.
Findings
Interviewees ranked the function of software solutions in their routines in three categories: (1) information repository; (2) orchestration mechanism and (3) guidelines for action. Four explanatory dimensions were identified: (1) artifact performance; (2) configuration between actors; (3) degree of automation and (4) accountability aspects.
Research limitations/implications
The results expand knowledge on the role of software solutions in organizations. As players consider software essential to their routines, human agency in actions tends to decrease. Furthermore, the incorporation of digital elements in routines varies, based on how actors perceive their integration, from external tools to dominant elements that shape actions.
Practical implications
Respecting the autonomy of the actors involved in automated routines; ideally, automating routine steps that add value to the process.
Originality/value
The study explores the function of software solutions in organizational routines through the phenomenographic approach, presenting different concepts of that event.
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Evans Opoku-Mensah, Yuming Yin, Love Offeibea Asiedu-Ayeh, Dennis Asante, Priscilla Tuffour and Sandra Asantewaa Ampofo
Existing studies have found that most merger and acquisition (M&A) activities do not create the intended synergy. These studies have mainly investigated how firms' internal…
Abstract
Purpose
Existing studies have found that most merger and acquisition (M&A) activities do not create the intended synergy. These studies have mainly investigated how firms' internal factors contribute to M&A successes or failures. The current study differs from the earlier ones by exploring how governments' activities can contribute to the creation of acquisition synergy.
Design/methodology/approach
A novel technique based on multi-objective optimization by ratio analysis and complex proportional assessment method under an interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy (IVIF) environment is proposed to prioritize these government roles needed during the M&A process focusing on the Chinese M&A market.
Findings
Enactments of regulations and loan guarantees are the most important strategies to help Chinese acquirers overcome acquisition failures. While tax relief ranks third, government training support ranks fourth. Finally, the result shows that government institutional support is the least to help acquirers overcome acquisition failures.
Practical implications
The government has a role to play in the acquisition success. Although this study has prioritized governments' role in relative importance order, the authors recommend that governments capable of providing all these strategies should do so without any specific order. However, if otherwise, governments should not neglect the strategies with less weight completely but rather consider reducing capital allocations to such strategies. Moreover, this study shows how firms with stronger business ties with government officials may enjoy success during acquisition activities. The authors recommend that firms intending to make acquisitions develop stronger ties with governments in order to benefits from governments.
Originality/value
This is the first study to develop a theoretical framework showing how government can contribute to M&A success. The study achieves this by extending Keynesian's arguments and identifies five (5) ways in which governments can ensure acquisition success. Second, within fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (F-MCDM) research, this study is the first to show the applicability of integrated multi-objective optimization by ratio analysis (MULTIMOORA) and complex proportional assessment (COPRAS) techniques in an IVIF environment. The novel methodology proposed in this study offers an insightful research method to future studies focusing on group decision problems.
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Daniela Perbandt, Marie-Sophie Heinelt, Paula Bacelar-Nicolau, Mahsa Mapar and Sandra Sofia Caeiro
Distance universities are of great importance for establishing sustainability literacy, as they operate as multipliers for thousands of students. However, despite several…
Abstract
Purpose
Distance universities are of great importance for establishing sustainability literacy, as they operate as multipliers for thousands of students. However, despite several advantages of e-learning environments compared to traditional class-teaching, there are still challenges regarding suitable e-learning tools and didactical models. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of several e-learning tools on students’ knowledge and skills growth and to compare two learning paths, synchronous vs asynchronous, exploring how each affects the level of students’ knowledge achievement and skills acquisition.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical analysis is based on an online course “Participatory processes in environmental politics”. International MSc and PhD students who enrolled in the course were from FernUniversität in Hagen (Germany) and Aberta University (Portugal). The course was designed as the flipped classroom, applying different e-learning tools and activities, some synchronous and others asynchronous. A pre- and post-evaluation questionnaire was applied to evaluate students’ knowledge and skills. Descriptive statistical analyses were carried out on this data.
Findings
Results showed that in the synchronous group, knowledge about theoretical approaches to citizen participation and sustainable environmental governance improved to a greater extent, whereas the asynchronous group showed greater improvement in nearly all skills related to intercultural communication and e-learning. Also, in the synchronous path, students enhanced their knowledge on “research application” to a greater extent.
Originality/value
Evaluating the effectiveness of different e-learning tools on students’ sustainability knowledge and information and communication technologies skills is a fundamental issue. The study discusses these issues, contributing to enhancing the use of adequate and grounded e-learning models on sustainable development in higher education.
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Sandra Simas Graça and Virginie Pioche Kharé
This study aims to develop a framework based on drew social capital theory and the literature on guanxi to examine and compare a buyer’s willingness to commit to a supplier in the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to develop a framework based on drew social capital theory and the literature on guanxi to examine and compare a buyer’s willingness to commit to a supplier in the context of informal social-capital networks in the two largest emerging markets of China and India. The two main objectives of the study included an examination of the influence of communication behavior and conflict resolution on the development of social-capital networks and a comparison of the influence of distinct dimensions of social-capital networks on a buyer’s commitment to a supplier.
Design/methodology/approach
Data was collected in China and India from random samples of buyers. The model was tested using structural equation modeling.
Findings
Findings revealed that communication and conflict resolution contribute significantly to build trust, increase social benefits and promote mutual collaboration between buyers and suppliers in both China and India. However, social benefits were found to have a greater influence on commitment in India, whereas collaboration was found to have a greater influence on commitment in China.
Practical implications
The study demonstrates the importance of social capital theory to explain the informal social capital network and commitment development. Results provide practitioners with specific strategies to build social capital in China and India and improve committed relationships with buyers.
Originality/value
This study advances theory development within the context of emerging markets. It is unique as it includes the two most populous and fast-growing emerging markets in one study.
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Sakshi Kukreja, Girish C. Maheshwari and Archana Singh
The study aims to evaluate and compare the mergers and acquisitions (M&As) performance utilising a sample of deals originating from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to evaluate and compare the mergers and acquisitions (M&As) performance utilising a sample of deals originating from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS). In addition to nation-wise performance analysis, a further sub-sample analysis is conducted based on the target location (domestic and cross-border), development status (developed and emerging) and the acquired ownership stakes (majority and minority).
Design/methodology/approach
The final sample of the study includes 7,105 deals announced between 2000 and 2019. M&A performance is proxied by the abnormal returns earned over the select event windows. Multiple parametric and non-parametric tests are employed for testing the robustness.
Findings
The results indicate significant performance differences across BRICS markets, with the highest and lowest abnormal returns reported for Chinese and Russian acquirers, respectively. The disaggregated analysis also affirms the performance differences for the select sub-samples.
Research limitations/implications
The study highlights the need for acknowledging and expounding the differences in M&As across emerging markets. Further, the results of the study provide a possible explanation of the disagreement over the M&A performance results reported in the previous literature.
Practical implications
Acknowledging and understanding the potential performance differences based on location, ownership strategies and development status can aid executives in sharpening decision-making and also help general investors.
Originality/value
The study contributes by examining a comprehensive sample of deals across five major emerging economies, as against the majority of previous studies which have their results based on either single nation samples or have utilised only a sub-sample of domestic or foreign acquisitions.