Which collaborations allow firms to become gatekeepers? A longitudinal analysis of a large-scale collaboration network

Having a gatekeeper position in a collaborative network offers firms great potential to gain competitive advantages. However, it is not well understood what kind of collaborations are associated with such a position. Conceptually grounded in social network theory, this study draws on the resource-based view and the relational factors view to investigate which types of collaboration characterize firms that are in a gatekeeper position, which ultimately could improve firm performance in subsequent periods. The empirical analysis utilizes a unique longitudinal data set to examine dynamic network formation. We used a data crawling approach to reconstruct collaboration networks among the 500 largest companies in Germany over nine years and matched these networks with performance data. The results indicate that firms in gatekeeper positions often engage in medium-intensity collaborations and less likely weak-intensity collaborations. Strong-intensity collaborations are not related to the likelihood of being a gatekeeper. Our study further reveals that a firm's knowledge base is an important moderator and that this knowledge base can increase the benefits of having a gatekeeper position in terms of firm performance.     

Ownership structure,investors’ protection and corporate valuation: the effect of judicial system efficiency in family and non-family firms

Research on the effect of ownership structure on firm performance shows no convergent evidence concerning the sign and form of the above-mentioned relationship. Similarly, there is no homogeneous evidence documenting family ownership concentration is always positively or negatively correlated with firm value, or irrelevant. This paper analyses whether and how the de facto investor protection provided by the judicial system affects the relationship between corporate performance and ownership structure in 1314 firms operating in four European countries (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain) over a five-year period, 2010–2014. Moreover, we analyse whether judicial system efficiency influences if and how family firms in the controlling coalition collude for expropriating minority shareholders. Our findings show that the level of shareholder protection, derived from judicial efficiency, is relevant to the relationship between ownership structure and firm performance, thus corroborating literature in that institutional contexts matter in explaining such relations. The results suggest the need for more efficient external mechanisms of corporate governance to facilitate investment in equity capital, thus decreasing the country risk perceived by investors.     

Does family matter? Ownership,motives and firms’ environmental strategy

Extant research has primarily focused on the economic drivers and outcomes of corporate environmental performance. This trajectory oversimplifies the motives for environmental strategies across all firm types and particularly overlooks how firm ownership presents other motives for environmental strategies. In this study, we leverage institutional theory to examine how family motives, underpinned by family members' desire to gain or preserve family legitimacy and socio-emotional wealth, affect ISO 14001 certification. Using firm-level data, we find that family ownership has a positive effect on ISO 14001 certification. This effect is stronger for firms whose names include the family name and also for firms located closer to large cities. Our study contributes to nonmarket strategy literature by showing that family motives underpin firms’ environmental initiatives. It also contributes to institutional theory by delineating the levels of legitimacy that spur nonmarket strategy in family firms.     

Do actions reduce perceived risk? A longitudinal analysis of the relationship between risk perception and actions in response to forest disturbance in Colorado

As residents living in hazard-prone areas face on-going environmental threats, the actions they take to mitigate such risks are likely motivated by various factors. Whereas risk perception has been considered a key determinant of related behavioral responses, little is known about how risk mitigation actions influence subsequent perceived risk. In other words, do actions to prevent or mitigate risk reduce risk perception? This longitudinal study considers the dynamic relationships between risk perception and risk-mitigating behavior in the context of forest disturbance in north-central Colorado. Based on panel survey data collected in 2007 and 2018, the results provide a first look at changes in perceived forest risks as they relate to individual and community actions in response to an extensive mountain pine beetle outbreak. Analysis revealed that the perception of direct forest risks (forest fire and falling trees) increased, whereas indirect forest risk perception (concern on broader threats to local community) decreased across the two study phases. Higher individual or community activeness (level of actions) was associated with subsequent reductions in perceived forest fire risk, smaller increases in direct risk perception, and larger decreases in indirect risk perception. These findings contribute insights into the complex risk reappraisal process in forest hazard contexts, with direct implications for risk communication and management strategies.     

Born to lead? A twin design and genetic association study of leadership role occupancy

We address leadership emergence and the possibility that there is a partially innate predisposition to occupy a leadership role. Employing twin design methods on data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we estimate the heritability of leadership role occupancy at 24%. Twin studies do not point to specific genes or neurological processes that might be involved. We therefore also conduct association analysis on the available genetic markers. The results show that leadership role occupancy is associated with rs4950, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) residing on a neuronal acetylcholine receptor gene (CHRNB3). We replicate this family-based genetic association result on an independent sample in the Framingham Heart Study. This is the first study to identify a specific genotype associated with the tendency to occupy a leadership position. The results suggest that what determines whether an individual occupies a leadership position is the complex product of genetic and environmental influences, with a particular role for rs4950.     

Beyond appearances – Do dynamic capabilities of innovative firms actually differ?

Dynamic capabilities are the higher-order capabilities needed for changing operational-level capabilities and learning in new domains, and thus they are critical for innovation activities. The aim of this study is to explore heterogeneity of dynamic capabilities in a comparative setting. We chose four innovative case firms representing a single industry, namely magazine publishing. The similarity of the cases provided a solid foundation for comparing their dynamic capabilities. Based on the results it seems that the practices comprising sensing capabilities are likely to be similar across firms within a single industry, while practices comprising seizing and reconfiguring types of capabilities may differ more between companies. Thus dynamic capabilities have both idiosyncratic and common features across an industry. These findings are relevant to practicing managers in that they illustrate that competing companies within the same industry tend to develop similar types of practices to match the changing requirement of the operating environment. Hence, managers should not be falsely comforted by the current situation within their firms, but proactively develop their unique capabilities to gain advantage over their competitors.     

The impact of family CEO’s ownership and the moderating effect of the second largest owner in private family firms

This study explores two ownership issues in private family firms. First, we investigate the relationship between the ownership of family CEOs and firm performance, and postulate that this relationship in private family firms is more complex than the inverted “U” relationship found in public family firms. Second, we predict a potential moderating effect of the second largest owner, who may exert a monitoring role on family CEOs. We focus on private family firms as recent studies show that private family firms have distinct features compared to public family firms, and that findings documented in public family firms may not apply to the ubiquitous, but much less studied, private family firms. We have applied agency theory to develop the two hypotheses, used secondary data on a large sample of private family firms, utilized an adjusted conventional quadratic technique to test the hypotheses, and validated the findings using a second method of piecewise linear specification. The results show that the non-linear relationship between the ownership of family CEOs and firm performance is more complicated than the often-documented inverted “U” shape from public firms. Meanwhile, the second largest owner with a high enough ownership stake can impose a positive moderating effect by mitigating potential agency problems caused by family CEOs.     

Governing complexity to challenge neoliberalism? Embedded firms and the prospects of understanding new realities

Many initial assumptions about the appeal of global development and governance have run aground on the shoals of countervailing realities and interests. The overall trend of political despair and disillusionment, the loss of confidence in the markets as a unique arbiter of value creation and distribution, and the marketable appeal of governance best practices seem to have reached their nadir. Management literature has begun to question these issues and to call for a deeper understanding of the dynamics of political, social and corporate change. The question of (corporate) governance is plural and needs multilevel approaches to meet the new challenges of complex realities, especially the pressure of neoliberalism with two central consequences: financialization and globalization of economies. In this reflexive article, we aim to initiate avenues for new thinking at the institutional, corporate and academic levels. Institutional and regulatory frameworks need to be seen as local systems connected internationally and not global systems adapted locally. Theoretical frameworks need to be more integrated to grasp the same phenomena with multiple lenses. Methodological approaches and tools need also to be reinforced mutually to overlay the dichotomic examination of these complex realities.     

How do executive search firms increase interest in career opportunities? The role of past interactions

This article explores how executive search consultants stimulate executives’ consideration of career opportunities available at other employers. The study is based on a panel dataset of 3582 executives invited to a job interview by a global executive search firm from January 2005 to May 2009. The results demonstrate that past interactions between executives and the search consultants had a delayed effect on consideration of career opportunities. The results contribute to research on executive careers by identifying past relationships with search consultants as a factor affecting rejection of new career opportunities. They also shed light on the relatively understudied phenomenon of executive search firms.     

How to compare performances of firms operating in different sectors?

This paper seeks to address the question ‘How to measure different SMEs’ performances comparatively?’ An initial review reveals that the literature does not provide objective and explicit debate on the subject. Consequently, an approach is developed, informed by the literature, which is used to compare the performances of 37 SMEs. The consistency and reliability of the approach is tested, resulting in a ranking of the 37 firms according to their performances. Using cluster and factor analysis the paper demonstrates that leading indicators are somewhat redundant, and that lagging indicators have greater significance for the purpose of comparative measurement of different SMEs performances. Whilst the approach adopted here withstood internal and external validity tests and can be seen as a robust way of comparing SMEs performances, these results may be limited to this study.     

Do Work-Life Benefits Enhance the Work Attitudes of Employees? Findings from a Panel Study

Several years of data were obtained from a survey administered in U.S. federal agencies. The results revealed that work-life programs did not negatively affect turnover intentions. In fact, two work-life programs (i.e., teleworking and employee assistance programs) were actually found to increase turnover intentions. However, one of the work-life programs (health and wellness) was found to positively affect satisfaction. The practical and theoretical implications of the article are discussed in the paper.     

The Tradeoffs of Inclusionary Zoning: What Do We Know and What Do We Need to Know?

Inclusionary zoning (IZ), a controversial planning tool for supplying affordable housing, grew significantly during the 2000s' housing boom in the USA. We review the resultant scholarly literature on IZ. Our key reading is that IZ can include both tradeoffs and practical efforts to address them. There is also a need for additional research. More specifically, we find that IZ programs (i) have many components and vary considerably; (ii) can increase affordable housing production and social integration, but there can be a tradeoff between these goals; and (iii) can have slight adverse market effects, but cost-offsets can help mitigate the outcomes. Finally, we discuss the need for more research, particularly in-depth case studies and make suggestions.     

What triggers imposter phenomenon among academic faculty? A critical incident study exploring antecedents,coping, and development opportunities

Despite research on imposter phenomenon among graduate students, few researchers have explored how academic faculty copes with the psychological stress resulting from questioning their professional legitimacy and expertise. We examined the predicating events that trigger imposter tendencies among academic faculty, their applied coping skills at mitigating such experiences and types of institutional resources that could support faculty struggling with imposter phenomenon. We position our study within identity theory and suggest that the emergence of imposter phenomenon could be a formative part of how faculty form their professional identity. Using critical incident technique (CIT) to analyse faculty narratives (n = 16), we identified four specific incidents that triggered faculty imposter experiences, four distinct coping methods used to interrupt the imposter cycle, and perceived needs and resources around institutional support. We also identified gender differences in incidents and coping responses. Specific suggestions are offered for formal and informal learning interventions in dealing with faculty imposter phenomenon as it relates to work outcomes.     

Do trust and distrust in coopetition matter to performance?

It is widely acknowledged that firms intensely engage in coopetition (i.e., simultaneous cooperation and competition) and obtain unique benefits from such relationships. However, limited knowledge exists about how and when coopetition intensity leads to superior performance. Building on the theoretical work documenting that both trust and distrust are critical for enhancing performance in interfirm relationships, we address the aforementioned gap by looking into the distinct yet beneficial roles of trust and distrust in coopetition. More specifically, we argue that whereas trust likely serves as an intervening mechanism through which coopetition intensity enhances relationship performance, distrust positively influences the association between coopetition intensity and relationship performance. We test our hypotheses on a sample of 225 Swedish firms engaged in coopetition, and provide empirical evidence that trust and distrust play distinct yet important roles in achieving superior performance from coopetition.     

Do executives’ aesthetic attributes matter to career and organizational outcomes? A critical review and theoretical integration

How do top executives’ aesthetic attributes, such as their physical (e.g., attractiveness) and vocal (e.g., voice pitch) features, shape their firms and their own careers? Whereas strategic leadership scholars mostly have focused on top executives’ cognitive, psychological, and affective attributes, researchers increasingly have focused on this research question as well. As a result, a substantial body of research has emerged, as evidenced by the sixty-five empirical studies we located. Our review of the literature indicates that aesthetic attributes are related to executives’ careers and organizational outcomes in important ways, including executive selection and firm strategy. There also appear to be important contingencies, such as other individual differences and cultural factors, that shape these relationships. However, we conclude that there are important theoretical and methodological shortcomings in this literature and that addressing these issues is critical to validating extant findings, establishing more legitimacy, and moving this literature forward.     

Is workplace bullying related to the personality traits of victims? A two-year prospective study

The main aims of this two-wave prospective study were to (1) present different theoretical mechanisms for relationships between bullying and personality characteristics, (2) determine forward and reverse long-term associations between victimization from bullying and personality traits included in the five-factor model and (3) establish whether these personality traits contribute to the variance in bullying, beyond work environment factors in the form of role conflict and role ambiguity. The prospective sample comprised 3066 Norwegian employees. The time lag between the two measurement points was two years. Neuroticism significantly predicted subsequent bullying in analyses of direct associations between personality traits and victimization. When adjusting for role conflict and role ambiguity, conscientiousness emerged as the only significant predictor of later victimization from bullying. In tests of reverse associations, victimization from bullying at baseline was significantly related to agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness at follow-up. Taken together, the study findings indicate that personality traits may function as both predictors and outcomes of workplace bullying.     

How do boards of directors contribute to family SME export intensity? The role of formal and informal governance mechanisms

Internationalization is a strong challenge that firms have to face today. However, small and medium-sized family firms internationalize their business after consolidating their position in domestic markets. Family SMEs approach international markets usually through export activities. Considerable academic attention has been given to family SME export behaviour, however, the debate is still inconclusive. Therefore, more attention on family SME unique governance mechanisms may shed a new light on this issue. The paper analyses family SME export intensity by showing how the board of directors could provide assistance in the selection and implementation of this strategy. We explore whether, and to what extent, both formal and informal features of boards of directors (dual governance) influence family SME export intensity. This is explored in a sample of 101 Norwegian family SMEs. Export intensity is the dependent variable and hypotheses on the positive effect of independence in board behaviour (formal governance mechanism), relational norms and trust (informal governance mechanisms) are supported. The paper has substantial theoretical contributions and practical implications. The results show that formal and informal governance mechanisms can co-exist complementing and supplementing each other, thus positively influencing family SME export intensity.     

The Career Advancement Prospects of Managers and Professionals: Are MIS Employees Unique?

The present study examined the career advancement prospects of MIS and non-MIS employees, as well as the relationships of career advancement prospects with job performance evaluations, job satisfaction, career satisfaction, and organizational commitment for MIS and non-MIS professionals and managers. Participants included 134 MIS professionals and managers and 397 non-MIS professionals and managers of a large communications company. The results provided no evidence that MIS employees experience more restricted career advancement prospects than non-MIS employees. In addition, job performance evaluations generally had positive effects on career advancement prospects; career advancement prospects had a number of positive effects on job satisfaction, career satisfaction, and organizational commitment; and job satisfaction and career satisfaction had positive effects on organizational commitment. These findings are related to prior research, suggestions for future research are offered, and implications for the management of MIS employees are identified.     

Too good to say goodbye? Effect of stakeholder orientation on the survival of large firms

This study examines the impact of stakeholder orientation, defined as the extent to which a firm adopts policies and management processes to identify, understand and integrate the interests of its stakeholders, on the survival of large firms. We suggest that stakeholder orientation facilitates external support and organizational adaptation. Stakeholder-oriented firms are better positioned to understand and adapt to changes in a competitive landscape. Additionally, stakeholder orientation might buffer firms against external jolts, thereby increasing survival rates. We validate our arguments using a dataset of 733 US firms included in S&P 500 index from 2003 to 2018. We find that stakeholder orientation improves firm survival. Furthermore, we test the moderating effect of firm age and environmental munificence on the survival consequences of stakeholder orientation. We show that being stakeholder-oriented turns into higher chances of survival as firms age and operate in less munificent industries.