Introducing structuration theory in communal consumption behavior research

Purpose – In community research, there is a large gap between theoretical developments and empirical proves. Especially, in micro-macro contexts, where the interaction between micro- (the community member) and macro-(the community) level variables have significant effects, no comprehensive theoretical approach that explicitly frames micro-macro phenomena has been considered in empirical methodology. This study attempts to present a multilevel theoretical framework which explains the complex interrelationship of various elements that shape consumption experience and market institutions. Design/methodology/approach – Based on practical questions related to community research, where individuals act in communal contexts, shape the community and are influenced by the community, the importance of studying micro-macro phenomena are discussed. These preliminaries form assumptions that are integrated into theoretical and methodological developments. It is shown how structuration approaches meet the assumptions on communal consumption research and how multilevel analyses fit into the assumptions that are raised by the structuration approach. Findings – The paper develops and presents a multilevel model, which represents the interplay among various cultural levels that influence consumption experience and the evolution of consumption trends. This model proposes a theoretical framework which explains structuration in consumer research contexts. Originality/value – Academics can use this study to understand the link between communal consumption theory to methodology. They have access to a research framework that integrates micro-macro effects and receive some ideas on possible structures and variables they can analyze. Practitioners learn that within communal research consumption patterns do not only influence individuals, but they also determine the community’s structure that in turn shapes the behaviour of its members. Keywords - Consumer behaviour, Community behaviour, Social processes, Influence Paper type - Conceptual pape

La relation client comme source d’avantage concurrentiel : un modèle expérimental des stratégies génériques

International audienc

Keeping privacy alive: a model for negotiating privacy rights in the networked society

Abstract: Online privacy is one of the major concerns of the modern society. The privacy issue is complicated by the new social rules and technological applications which characterise the networked society. The paper attempts to present various perspectives on the problem of online privacy, considering the present infrastructure of the society, and proposes a negotiating model for defining, protecting and enforcing privacy rights. “Privacy is dead” Scott McNealy, CEO Sun MicroSystems Inc

CONTINGENCY FACTORS INFLUENCING THE ETHICAL BEHAVIOUR OF SMALL ENTERPRISES: Received: 29th September 2023; Revised: 30th November 2023, 08th December 2023; Accepted: 10th December 2023

The ethical behavior of small enterprises is less understood than those of large companies, because of their diversity, size, entrepreneurial management, as well as the methodological problems related to data collection and analyses. The importance of this research is paramount because the measures and sanctions adopted and applied to eliminate unethical behaviors have to be tailored for various types of firms, working in different socio-economic contexts. Our main research objective is thus to identify the main contingency factors that shape the unethical behavior of small business organizations. We organized a series of online focus groups with customers and entrepreneurs from three different European countries – France, Italy and the UK - in the first six months of 2023. Findings indicate three contingency factors that mainly shape the unethical behavior of small organizations: the time horizon of organizations’ existence, their embeddedness in value added chains and/or networks, and their type of customers. Considering these contingency factors, our study discusses their influence on the ethical behavior of small enterprises and their theoretical and managerial implications

David by Goliath: what is co-branding and what is in it for SMEs

International audienceCreating alliances among firms that link two or more brands has become a pervasive practice. Unfortunately, the co-branding strategy is not known and applied by many SMEs. To provide an overview of this strategy and of its specific interest for SMEs, this article offers a systematic review of the extant literature on co-branding. Because the literature is scattered and the boundaries of the concept are not always clear, we begin by defining the concept and delimiting various types of co-branding strategies before identifying a set of potential benefits and risks associated with co-branding strategies. In the following sections, we review issues related to partner selection in alliances and present recent research themes on co-branding. Finally, we identify key questions and issues that require further research, in the area of SMEs\textquoteright co-branding strategies