Cultural influences and the mediating role of socio-cultural integration processes on the performance of cross-border mergers and acquisitions

This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.This paper reports findings from a longitudinal case study (2005–2011) of a merger between an Austrian and a German energy provider. I develop a model of socio-cultural integration processes based on an analysis of critical incidents expressed in 71 problem-centred interviews and observations with acquired and acquiring employees at four different points of time: immediately before the takeover and during the first negotiation talks, and one, three and six years after the takeover. The findings suggest that the relationship between national and organizational cultural differences and M&A outcomes is mediated by socio-cultural integration processes defined in terms of the formation of interpersonal relationships, trust and shared identity. Based on these findings I formulate specific propositions and build an evidence-based model of M&A socio-cultural integration processes that guides future research and practice

Managing Triads in a Military Avionics Service Maintenance Network in Taiwan

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate how different types of triad structures, and the management mechanisms adopted by the focal company, affect cooperative performance. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a social network perspective to examine the triad management phenomenon in the military avionics maintenance context, which is closely associated with the field of operations management. Findings – This paper demonstrates that different triad structures and management mechanisms influence perceived cooperative performance. Four main findings emerged: in a triad, a firm playing a bridging role perceives higher cooperative performance than when playing a peripheral role in the triad or being located in a fully connected triad. When a firm plays the bridging role in a triad, and has a high level of trust, this leads to higher perceived cooperative performance. When a firm plays a peripheral role in a triad, high levels of coordination mechanism combined with high levels of trust result in higher levels of perceived cooperative performance. In a fully linked triad, when the coordination mechanism is well developed, the level of trust is high, so that the resulting level of perceived cooperation is high. Originality/value – This paper extends the knowledge of triad management by providing an in-depth study of a well-defined network setting with exceptionally high-level access to the most senior executives. In practice, this paper shows how to manage differen

Strategies of Mobile Virtual Network Operators in the Southeast Europe Region

MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) are companies that function as mobile operators but do not have their own frequency spectrum allocation or the necessary network infrastructure. Those companies make business arrangements with one or more licensed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) by leasing from them the access to mobile network and capacities. Such business concept enables the MVNOs to participate in the mobile communications market, thus extending the value chain and providing innovative mobile communication services specifically adapted to target segments. MVNOs have significant share on the mobile market in Europe and make influence on customers of mobile services in the meaning of change a telecom company and develop the new competitive strategies. The aim of this paper is to evaluate and predict the growth strategies of the MVNOs into the South-eastern Europe markets (SEE). Findings of comparative analysis have based on the research of secondary sources, practice of EU countries with licensed MNOs and MVNOs and on our expert opinion. Findings indicate that MVNOs which are financially strong have used service development strategy on the present market, while companies which operate in mobile telephony as a core business have chosen market development strategy. Strategy of diversification is the most applicable for companies which have a background and its core business within fixed and Internet and have added mobile telephony services to its portfolio. Strategy of expansion on the present market in combined with present services is not frequent on MVNO market. As an alternative growth strategy, MVNOs in SEE countries will apply a diversification strategy that implies parallel development of new services and new markets with the aim of expansion. The major motive for applying the diversification strategy can be a relatively small existing customer base and a new market entry. Appearance of MVNOs on the SEE market will be in form of partnership strategy with existing MNO as a form of international contracting cooperation. Pan-European global MVNO will change the industry of mobile market which will be driven by market forces, technological evolution and it will present an example of creative process destruction.MVNO, growth strategies, entry strategies, foreign market, mobile communications

The Rise of Mobile and the Diffusion of Technology-Facilitated Trafficking

In this report, researchers at the USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy (CCLP) reveal how those involved in human trafficking have been quick to adapt to the 21st-century global landscape. While the rapid diffusion of digital technologies such as mobile phones, social networking sites, and the Internet has provided significant benefits to society, new channels and opportunities for exploitation have also emerged. Increasingly, the business of human trafficking is taking place online and over mobile phones. But the same technologies that are being used for trafficking can become a powerful tool to combat trafficking. The precise role that digital technologies play in human trafficking still remains unclear, however, and a closer examination of the phenomenon is vital to identify and respond to new threats and opportunities.This investigation indicates that mobile devices and networks have risen in prominence and are now of central importance to the sex trafficking of minors in the United States. While online platforms such as online classifieds and social networking sites remain a potential venue for exploitation, this research suggests that technology facilitated trafficking is more diffuse and adaptive than initially thought. This report presents a review of current literature, trends, and policies; primary research based on mobile phone data collected from online classified sites; a series of firsthand interviews with law enforcement; and key recommendations to policymakers and stakeholders moving forward

The Impact of Firm Learning on Financial Value in Strategic Outsourcing Relationships

We investigate whether managers in outsourcing firms, through their prior experience in managing similar strategic alliances and prior association with the provider, learn to create value in their outsourcing relationships. Value creation is estimated in terms of long-term abnormal stock returns to the outsourcing firm relative to an industry, size and book-to-market matched sample of control firms following the implementation of the outsourcing contract, announcement period returns, and allied wealth effects. We find that prior experience and prior association have a significant impact on long-term abnormal stock returns, suggesting that financial markets are slow to price learning effects in outsourcing. Further, while relational learning alone influences value creation in simpler fixed price contracts, both procedural learning through prior experience and relational learning through prior association with the provider have an impact on value creation in variable price contracts. This is because of greater ambiguity in cooperation and coordination between firms that characterizes variable price contracts. The results have implications for management of outsourcing engagements and their performance and valuation

Detecting Covert Networks in Multilingual Groups: Evidence within a Virtual World

This paper introduces an approach for the examination and organization of unstructured text to identify relationships between networks of individuals. This approach uses discourse analysis to identify information providers and recipients and determines the structure of covert organizations irrespective of the language that facilitate conversations between members. Then, this method applies social network analytics to determine the arrangement of a covert organization without any a priori knowledge of the network structure. This approach is tested and validated using communication data collected in a virtual world setting. Our analysis indicates that the proposed framework successfully detected the covert structure of three information networks, and their cliques, within an online gaming community during a simulation of a large-scale event

To servitize is to (re)position : utilizing a Porterian view to understand servitization and value systems

Drawing on the case of a global servitizing company in the ship power industry, we use a Porterian toolkit for analyzing the implications of industry power and its consequences on firm vertical (re)positioning within the value system. Whereas repositioning has been seen as a way of moving closer to customers and obtaining new competencies, strategic moves aimed at increasing companies’ sphere of influence were neglected. This chapter illustrates how the power approach to repositioning, through different alternative mechanisms, complements the widespread capability view and contributes to value system analysis in servitization.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed