Kazakhstani management culture : perception of french managers

The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of how French managers perceive major aspects of the business culture of Kazakhstan. This country, rich in natural resources, recently became open to the world. To succeed in a highly competitive environment of foreign companies installing in Kazakhstan, one should be aware of how to deal with a new market, how to deal with people, how to cope with cross-cultural differences. To describe culture, the paper uses the cultural dimensions developed by the best known researchers (Hofstede, Schein, Hall, Trompenaars, Adler, etc.) and summarized by Schneider and Barsoux (1997) in general schema. The study uses a qualitative research method - an adaptation of the critical incident technique (Flanagan, 1954) - to explain the peculiarities of Kazakhstani management culture that create problems and difficulties for French managers. The results support the argument that the most important differences for French managers are differences in language and nature of reality and truth dimensions. The findings of this study indicate that French managers consider Kazakhstani management culture as a being rather than doing culture with a higher degree of uncertainty avoidance; a more collectivist (family-oriented) and more particularistic culture where social orientation prevails over task orientation. The differences in human nature are significant. Results also suggest that Kazakhstani management culture is considered by French managers as a diffuse rather than specific involvement culture. Lastly, the differences in hierarchical dimension are only moderately significant for French managers.Culture; management; Kazakhstan; France

Note pour une approche trilogique de la valeur

From an inquiry about three fundamental modes of knowing, we propose an interpretation of rationality as "trilogical". We come out, from that point, to the hypothesis of a trilogy of value. This hypothesis, as articulating objectal values, relational values, and political values, offers new perspectives to understand the collective action phenomena.Value trilogy; value theory; relational values; political values; objectal values; collective action

Les conséquences paradoxales de l'usage des outils mobiles de communication sur les situations perçues de travail : une étude exploratoire sur l'impact humain et organisationnel des technologies mobiles.

Il est largement reconnu que les technologies de l'information et de la communication (TIC) ont bouleversé les modes d'organisation depuis une dizaine d'années notamment avec l'usage généralisé des ordinateurs portables connectés au réseau Internet et des téléphones mobiles. De nombreux travaux mettent l'accent sur une transformation profonde des situations de travail permise par ces technologies dans le sens d'un développement de l'autonomie et de la responsabilité. Cependant, dans le cas des technologies mobiles, l'impact de ces technologies sur le travail apparaît comme beaucoup plus paradoxal : d'une part, le fait de pouvoir être joint "n'importe où, n'importe quand" impose des exigences nouvelles en raison de l'abolition des frontières du temps et d'espace et, d'autre part, le fait de pouvoir accéder partout à des informations cruciales pour l'exercice du travail donne aux individus une véritable autonomie et un pouvoir de contrôle sur leurs décisions et actions. À partir du cadre théorique proposé par le modèle "exigence-autonomie-soutien social" (Karasek & Theorell, 1990; Johnson & Hall, 1988), les résultats d'une étude exploratoire menée dans 8 entreprises Françaises confirment cette hypothèse des conséquences paradoxales des TIC mobiles sur les situations perçues de travail. Des enseignements pour les responsables RH et des pistes de recherche future sont proposés en conclusion de cette contribution.Soutien social; Autonomie; Contrainte; Situation de travail; Tic mobile;

Adoption and appropriation: towards a new theoretical framework. An exploratory research on mobile technologies in French companies

The objective of this research is to propose an alternative theoretical model that goes beyond the well-accepted separation between adoption and appropriation. The theoretical analysis of appropriation ignores the question of adoption of the technology. As mobile technologies can be used for private or business purposes, and because employees have often a prior experience with mobile technologies before joining a company, the linkage between adoption and appropriation of mobile technologies should be taken into account at the theoretical level. The uses developed at the individual level, outside the company environment and before entering the company, can influence organizational usage and the processes of appropriation at the organizational level. Our purpose in this article is to see if there us a link between mobile technology adoption and appropriation, and usage. We first present the numerous specific characteristics of mobile technologies that generate paradoxical effects for the user. We then examine the traditional models of adoption to show their limitations, specifically in the case of mobile technologies. The principal models of appropriation are then discussed. An exploratory empirical study, involving 76 managers in eight French companies is presented to understand the logic of adoption and the uses of mobile technologies. This research highlights the complex logic of adoption and usage that diverges from the existing models that are discussed in the theoretical section. In the final part of the paper, the discussion of the results makes it possible to outline a new theoretical framework that combines the adoption process and the appropriation process. Key-words: Adoption, Appropriation, Mobile technologies, Mobile phone, Laptop computer

When is a bed not a bed? Exploring the interplay of the material and virtual in negotiating home-work boundaries

© 2017, © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Working from home is often associated with possibilities of anytime-anyplace working and with a fusion of work and home. In this empirical paper, we explore how the sociomaterial contexts of home-working define and tether what is possible for home-workers in their negotiations with others. Drawing on qualitative data sets, Wengerian concepts are used by exploring the role of boundary objects and brokering in negotiating temporal and spatial boundaries around and across work and home. The home-workers’ bodies are shown to be the key boundary objects, through which technology objects and furniture objects are sometimes fused. Yet, such fusion is shown to be only temporary, always precariously situated and also mediated by identity-regulating norms and values of home-workers. The contribution of the paper is to highlight the limits of what is technologically possible by emphasising the role of the body and material objects in the home-working context

Voluntary work-related technology use during non-work time: a narrative synthesis of empirical research and research agenda

The internet and mobilisation of information and communication technologies (ICTs) have made non-manual work increasingly portable and remotely accessible. As a result, a considerable number of employees use their ICTs to engage in work-related tasks during designated non-work time, even without contractual obligation. However, existing research on such voluntary work-related ICT use remains fragmented and spread across disciplines. We conducted a narrative review of 56 studies to identify themes in existing research, synthesise the evidence base, as well as identify gaps in our understanding. We identify five themes: (1) Social-normative organisational context, (2) Job-related characteristics and work processes, (3) Person characteristics, (4) Designated non-work time and well-being, and (5) Empowerment/Enslavement Paradox. A conceptual model of voluntary ICT use is developed by integrating the identified themes with existing organisational research, outlining the relationships between the identified themes and voluntary ICT use. In the discussion, we emphasise the need for more conceptual clarity on voluntary ICT use and related constructs, and for the integration of different disciplines and methodological approaches to advance knowledge in the field. We further identify person-centred research as critical future avenue to explore different ICT user types. Additionally, more research into the mechanisms and moderating influences regarding voluntary ICT use and its outcomes is considered advisable to advance our knowledge on the Empowerment/Enslavement Paradox and its potential resolution. We conclude with preliminary implications to inform practice, addressing the need for employers to provide control over voluntary ICT use, as well as employees enacting this control

Données récentes sur la physiopathologie et les traitements des maladies pulmonaires obstructives chroniques (MPOC) chez le cheval

Les MPOC chez le cheval correspondent à une hypersensibilité des tissus des voies aériennes, due à l inhalation d'allergènes variés présents dans l'environnement de l'animal. La figure pathologique majeure est une bronchiolite chronique associée à une hyperréactivité bronchique, une hyperproduction de mucus, une infiltration cellulaire majoritairement composée de neutrophiles et un phénomène de bronchoconstriction, avec une alternance de phases de rémission et de crise. La prise en charge des MPOC repose sur l'association indispensable de mesures hygiéniques environnementales et de traitements ciblés : principalement corticoïdes et bronchodilatateurs, administrés soit par aérosolthérapie soit par voie systémique.NANTES-BU Médecine pharmacie (441092101) / SudocSudocFranceF