scholarly journals Acquisition integration flexibility: toward a conceptual framework

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 434-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Svante Schriber ◽  
David R. King ◽  
Florian Bauer

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop the role of integration flexibility as a mediator of acquisition performance and demonstrate how this capability varies across firms. Design/methodology/approach The study develops a conceptual framework of anticipated relationships by building on existing but so far unintegrated acquisition research. Findings The study suggests integration flexibility provides an explanation for variance in acquisition performance. The study identifies drivers behind acquisition integration flexibility in acquirer characteristics, deal characteristics and integration management. The authors further specify the positive and negative impact of several key factors commonly discussed in acquisition research. Research limitations/implications Integration flexibility stands out as a novel explanation for acquisition performance. Still, the benefits from flexibility are not universal and developed logic suggests it represents a dynamic capability for acquirers. Our framework helps predict which acquirers and deals are more likely demonstrating this capability, thus contributing to predict acquisition performance. Practical implications Acquisitions often take place in dynamic environments and reportedly often fail. Predicting and developing acquisition integration flexibility stands out as an important task for acquiring management. Social implications Annual global acquisition values are on par with the GDP of large industrial nations (e.g. Germany) and failures for reasons of lacking acquisition integration flexibility contributes to value destruction harming not only firms, but society at large. Improved integration flexibility likely mediates this risk. Originality/value Making an acquisition to adapt to environmental change implicitly assumes greater integration that can limit flexibility. While our argument builds on key concepts from acquisition research these so far have remained unconnected in relation to acquisition integration flexibility. The authors develop factors influencing this important capability and show how it mediates acquisition performance. This links acquisition antecedents with integration or phases typically treated separately.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nitin Pangarkar

Purpose This paper aims to develop a generalizable framework for acquisition performance. Design/methodology/approach This paper attempts to simulate a controlled experiment by examining the strategies and performance of the same acquired company under different acquirers. The inductive methodology is used to derive a generalizable framework about the key factors impacting the performance of the acquired firm. Findings This study finds that the acquired firm’s performance is better when the environment is munificent and the acquirer uses an appropriate level of integration. Several antecedents of each of these dimensions were identified. Research limitations/implications Because the inferences are based on a small sample, the study’s framework needs to be tested in other settings and possibly empirically tested in larger samples to improve its generalizability. Practical implications Every year, corporations around the world spend large sums of capital on acquisitions and significant managerial resources on integrating the acquired firms, with decidedly mixed results. The framework proposed in the paper can help managers to improve the performance of their acquisitions. Originality/value Unlike prior studies that have quantitatively analysed mixed samples of acquisitions and often arrived at inconclusive results, this study uses the inductive approach based on a few case studies to derive a framework that can be applied across industries. The framework accounts for the key industry and transaction-related contingent factors that can influence the performance of acquisitions under varied circumstances.



2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-278
Author(s):  
Channappa Santhosh

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the different drivers’ and its impact on the export entrepreneurship (EE) of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach The proposed conceptual framework has been tested through analysis of a sample of 102 internationalized (exports) SMEs of the Engineering industry in the Bangalore district, Karnataka, India. Findings Results reveal that firms with younger entrepreneurs who have industry-specific experience and different social ties are able to achieve higher performance. Practical implications Overall, results facilitate understanding of the importance of entrepreneurial capabilities to successfully formulate and strategize their international efforts to achieve better performance in the international market. Originality/value The study enhances the importance of understanding the role of different drivers on EE in the context of an emerging economy where studies are limited and largely unexplored till date.



2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 181-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilgim Dara Benoit ◽  
Elizabeth G. Miller

Purpose This paper aims to demonstrate how and why holistic thinking mitigates the negative impact of large assortments on satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach Five between-subject experiments demonstrate the mitigating role of holism on choice overload across a variety of contexts. Findings While large assortments create overload feeling, holistic thinking mitigates the negative impact of overload feeling on satisfaction for both chronic (Studies 1a and 1b) and decision-specific (Studies 1b and 1c) holistic thinkers, as well as those who adopt a more holistic thinking style because of the decision goal (Study 2) or incidental priming (Study 3). Research limitations/implications This paper introduces a new moderator of choice overload effects – holistic thinking – and shows how it mitigates the negative indirect effect of assortment size on satisfaction. This paper contributes to the literature on assortment size effects and shows that even when assortment size increases overload feeling, this negative impact of assortment size can still be reduced. Practical implications Marketers with large assortments can reduce the negative impact of overload feeling and increase satisfaction by promoting the hedonic features of the products and encouraging holistic thinking. Similarly, consumers can reduce the negative impact of overload feeling by approaching their consumption more holistically either because of their individual traits or situational factors. Originality/value This research contributes a new moderator to the choice overload literature: holistic thinking. In doing so, it adopts a broader consideration of the decision-making process underlying overload effects and pinpoints how (i.e. by which path) holistic thinking mitigates the negative impact of large assortments.



2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 1449-1473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Schiffling ◽  
Claire Hannibal ◽  
Yiyi Fan ◽  
Matthew Tickle

PurposeBy drawing on commitment-trust theory, we examine the role of swift trust and distrust in supporting coopetition under conditions of uncertainty and interdependence in the setting of humanitarian disaster relief organisations.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents findings from case studies of 18 international humanitarian relief organisations based on 48 interviews and the analysis of publicly available documents.FindingsWe find that both swift trust and swift distrust support coopetition. As coopetition is simultaneous cooperation and competition, in this study we show how swift trust and swift distrust also occur simultaneously in coopetitive contexts.Research limitations/implicationsCoopetition as a strategic choice is well-researched in the private sector, yet has received less attention in the nonprofit sector, particularly in contexts that are shaped by interdependence and uncertainty. We show the importance of swift trust and swift distrust in coopetitive relationships by drawing on commitment-trust theory.Practical implicationsIn focusing on a competitive environment in which cooperation is essential, we find limited choice of coopetitive partners. Humanitarian relief organisations must often simply work with whichever other organisations are available. We highlight how trust and distrust are not opposite ends of a spectrum and detail how both contribute to coopetitive relationships.Originality/valueOur findings contribute to commitment-trust theory by explaining the important role of distrust in forging coopetitive relationships. Furthermore, we contribute to prior work on coopetition by focusing on an uncertain and interdependent nonprofit environment.



2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 558-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faiza Khan ◽  
Michelle Callanan

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to address the confusing use of terminology associated with tourism undertaken by Muslims and to identify key concerns associated with this type of tourism. Design/methodology/approach This is an exploratory study and adopts a critical review of literature following the evolutionary concept analysis method. Content analysis of popular UK media, UK-based tour operators’ websites and tourism strategies of destinations popular with Muslim tourists were conducted to examine the use of terminology. Findings There is no clear difference between the various terms (halal, Muslim friendly, Islamic, etc.) used. Overall, academia uses the term Islamic tourism, while the industry and media use various terms. Among destinations, however, there is no clear and consistent use of terminology. A key concern of Islamic tourism is the role of certification in assuring travellers and the lack of standardisation of halal certification. Research limitations/implications The paper is based on literature review and secondary data analysis. It lacks primary research. Practical implications This study highlights the need for consistent use of terminology across industry. Another implication is the issue surrounding halal certification of food and the importance of trust in the seller/service provide. Another trend that industry providers need to consider is the growth of the Muslim millennial traveller and the needs of this market segment. Originality/value The paper highlights the importance of studying the Muslim tourist market and provides a starting point for further research. It highlights several issues such as the need to develop a typology of Muslim tourists. Of particular interest is the concern whether halal values in danger of being commodified in the absence of a universal agreed criterion for halal certification.



2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 793-806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduard Bonet

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how the boundaries of rhetoric have excluded important theoretical and practical subjects and how these subjects are recuperated and extended since the twentieth century. Its purpose is to foster the awareness on emerging new trends of rhetoric. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology is based on an interpretation of the history of rhetoric and on the construction of a conceptual framework of the rhetoric of judgment, which is introduced in this paper. Findings – On the subject of the extension of rhetoric from public speeches to any kinds of persuasive situations, the paper emphasizes some stimulating relationships between the theory of communication and rhetoric. On the exclusion and recuperation of the subject of rhetorical arguments, it presents the changing relationships between rhetoric and dialectics and emphasizes the role of rhetoric in scientific research. On the introduction of rhetoric of judgment and meanings it creates a conceptual framework based on a re-examination of the concept of judgment and the phenomenological foundations of the interpretative methods of social sciences by Alfred Schutz, relating them to symbolic interactionism and theories of the self. Originality/value – The study on the changing boundaries of rhetoric and the introduction of the rhetoric of judgment offers a new view on the present theoretical and practical development of rhetoric, which opens new subjects of research and new fields of applications.



2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 1292-1314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Keay

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate that notwithstanding the fact that stewardship theory embraces things like trust of directors, their professionalism, loyalty and willingness to be concerned for the interests of others, as well as rejecting the foundations of classic agency problems that are asserted by agency theory, board accountability is as relevant to stewardship theory as it is to agency theory. Design/methodology/approach The paper applies the theory underlying board accountability in corporate governance, which is so often applied both in the corporate governance literature and in practice with agency theory in mind, to stewardship theory. Findings While the idea of accountability of boards is generally associated with an explanation and conceptualisation of the role and behaviour of directors as agents within classic agency theory, the paper demonstrates that board accountability is a necessary part of board life even if the role of directors is explained and conceptualised in terms of stewardship theory. Practical implications The paper suggests some accountability mechanisms that might be employed in a stewardship approach. Originality/value While many authors have talked in general terms about board accountability and its importance, this is the first paper that has engaged in a substantial study that links board accountability directly with stewardship theory, and to establish that accountability is necessary.



Author(s):  
Peyman Akhavan ◽  
Mohammad Reza Zahedi ◽  
Seyed Hosein Hosein

Purpose – The purposes of this study are to identify, classify and prioritize knowledge management (KM) barriers in an Iranian project-based organization (PBO) and to present a conceptual framework for improving attitudes to KM in the Iranian context. Design/methodology/approach – After studying previous literature on the topic, initial barriers of KM in PBOs were extracted. Then, a list of barriers of KM in the aforementioned organizations was finalized by interviewing experts in KM. After that, the barriers were prioritized using a questionnaire. Finally, a conceptual framework for successfully tackling KM barriers was presented. Findings – In this article, barriers of KM in PBOs have been divided into five categories: individual, organizational, technological, contextual, and inter-project. Then a three-layered conceptual framework has been presented which describes how the barriers of KM in PBOs may be removed progressively. Practical implications – The prepared and prioritized list of barriers of KM in PBOs is a stepping stone and a guideline for managers in PBOs which will enable them to identify barriers of KM in their own organizations and resolve them and improve KM in their organizations. It also serves as a useful base for researchers to expand further research concerning barriers of KM in PBOs. Originality/value – This article is probably the first article which has identified barriers of KM via interviews and questionnaires carried out in 50 active PBOs which had a KM section. The article also presents a three-layered framework for lowering barriers of KM, which can be applied step by step after considering the level of importance of each one identified.



2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amira Galin

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to obtain insight into court-referred mediation in the Israeli Labor Courts, by analyzing its processes and outcomes, as a function of tactics used by both the disputants and the mediator. Design/methodology/approach – Observation of 103 court-referred mediations, for each of which a detailed process and outcome were documented. Data on disputants' refusal to participate in the mediation was also collected. At the end of each mediation case, disputants were given a questionnaire in which they expressed their satisfaction with the outcome and their evaluation of the mediator's contribution. Findings – A low rate of refusal to participate in court-referred mediation was found. Also, the higher the ratio of soft tactics to pressure tactics employed (by all parties involved) during the process, the higher the rate of agreements. Mediators use significantly more soft tactics than disputants, and are more active in using tactics. The two significant variables that predict the mediation's agreement are the ratio between soft tactics to pressure tactics used by all parties, and mediator contribution to the process. Practical implications – The significant role of soft tactics in the process, outcome, and satisfaction of court-referred mediation may serve as a guideline for disputants and mediators. Originality/value – This unique research, which examines the impact of tactics on court-referred mediation, may provide added and significant theoretical insight into its process and outcome, as well as a better understanding of other “hybrid” (compulsory at the beginning, voluntary at the end) mediations.



2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Holm-Petersen ◽  
Sussanne Østergaard ◽  
Per Bo Noergaard Andersen

Purpose Centralization, mergers and cost reductions have generally led to increasing levels of span of control (SOC), and thus potentially to lower leadership capacity. The purpose of this paper is to explore how a large SOC impacts hospital staff and their leaders. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a qualitative explorative case study of three large inpatient wards. Findings The study finds that the nursing staff and their frontline leaders experience challenges in regard to visibility and role of the leader, e.g., in creating overview, coordination, setting-up clear goals, following up and being in touch. However, large wards also provide flexibility and development possibilities. Practical implications The authors discuss the implications of these findings for decision makers in deciding future SOC and for future SOC research. Originality/value Only few studies have qualitatively explored the consequences of large SOC in hospitals.



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