Decision-making power and institutional logic in higher education institutions : a comparative analysis of European Universities

The aim of this paper is to analyze responses of public universities to the introduction of New Public Management (NPM) as the outcome of balancing between the managerial logics endorsed by NPM and the academic professional logics. Building on the institutional logics approach, we develop a framework concerning how universities will achieve compliance to conflicting claims by strategies like compartmentalization and blending stipulations of both logics. Empirical results based on a large-scale survey of 26 universities in eight European countries display how compatibility is achieved through highly differentiated adoption of logics that depends on the task considered. The results reveal that the strength of NPM pressures strongly affects the adoption of managerial practices within universities yet has no significant effect on the academic characteristics

From Groups to Communities: A Resource Mobilization Theory Perspective on the Emergence of Communities

Groups and communities have been key topics in the information systems (IS) research agenda. While communities are assumed to emerge at the intersection of overlapping groups and their practices, prior research has mainly focused on their dynamics and evolution. This has resulted to limited empirical support regarding the emergence of communities. We address that lacuna by tracing the emergence of communities through the prism of resource mobilization theory. In doing so, we make use of a unique longitudinal dataset and incorporate Topic Modelling, Bipartite Network Analysis, and Community Detection. We show that new communities are formed at the intersection of overlapping groups and practices. In addition, we contribute to the IS literature by demonstrating that their emergence occurs due to resource mobilization that gives rise to a shared mindset. We also reveal that multiple resources are incorporated into the practices of an emerging community. By combining large datasets and innovative computational approaches, we help IS theory and practice to move away from traditional "what" questions towards the more insightful "how" ones. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our work and delineate an agenda for future research on the topic

Enhancing the understanding of expatriate adjustment: concept and multi-sample empirical support

As organizations, regardless of their sizes, seek opportunities to become multinationals, the significance of expatriates is expanding. While expatriation is not a new concept, the known identity of expatriates is adjusting to the new demands of new generations. Following World War II, expatriation began when organizations initiated sending their own employees abroad to work in their subsidiaries However, along with the new generation, a new type of expatriates emerged as self-initiated expatriates; people who decided to work abroad without the support of a parent organization in their home countries. This thesis attempts to understand the differences between organization expatriates and self- initiated expatriates by presenting three papers that consider different samples and diverse methods. Each chapter has its own conclusions and limitations; following on, the final chapter of the thesis will summarize, compare and contrast the findings of these papers. The overall findings reveal that self-initiated expatriates and organizational expatriates seem to contrast in their meaning of 'success', as well as in their motivation for going abroad, but face similar obstacles in terms of spousal adjustment and language. The findings are supported with quotes from interviewees.A medida que las organizaciones, independientemente de su tamaño, buscan más oportunidades para convertirse en multinacionales, la importancia de los expatriados se incrementa. Aunque la expatriación no es un concepto nuevo, la identidad de los expatriados, tal como es conocida, se está ajustando a las nuevas demandas de las nuevas generaciones. Tras la II Guerra Mundial, se inició el fenómeno de la expatriación cuando las empresas empezaron a enviar a sus empleados a trabajar en sus filiales en el extranjero. Sin embargo, con la nueva generación ha surgido un nuevo tipo de expatriados: los que han decidido serlo por sí mismos, eso es, personas que han optado por ir a trabajar en el extranjero sin el apoyo de una organización matriz ubicada en sus respectivos países de origen. Esta tesis busca comprender las diferencias entre los expatriados de las empresas y los expatriados por decisión propia, presentando tres papers que toman en consideración distintas muestras y diversos métodos. Cada capítulo tiene sus propias conclusiones y limitaciones, y en el capítulo final de la tesis se resumen, comparan y contrastan las conclusiones de cada uno de estos papers. Las conclusiones generales revelan que los expatriados por decisión propia y los expatriados de las empresas parecen diferir en la forma de entender el “éxito”, así como en sus motivaciones por marchar al extranjero, aunque ambos afrontan unas dificultades similares en cuando al idioma y la conciliación con su pareja. Estas conclusiones son ilustradas con citas de los entrevistados.A mesura que les organitzacions, independentment de la seva grandària, cerquen oportunitats per convertir-se en multinacionals, la importància dels expatriats s’incrementa. I, si bé l’expatriació no és un concepte nou, la identitat dels expatriats, tal com era coneguda fins ara, s’està ajustant a les noves demandes de les noves generacions. Després de la II Guerra Mundial, es va iniciar el fenomen de l’expatriació quan les empreses van començar a enviar els seus empleats a treballar a les filials que tenien a l’estranger. Tanmateix, amb la nova generació ha sorgit un nou tipus d’expatriats: els que han decidit ser-ho per si mateixos, és a dir, persones que han optat per anar a treballar a l’estranger sense el suport d’una organització matriu situada als seus països d’origen respectius. Aquesta tesi cerca comprendre les diferències entre els expatriats de les empreses i els expatriats per decisió pròpia, presentant tres papers que prenen en consideració diferents mostres i diversos mètodes. Cada capítol té les seves pròpies conclusions i limitacions, i al capítol final de la tesi es resumeixen, es comparen i es contrasten les conclusions de cada un dels papers. Les conclusions generals revelen que els expatriats per decisió pròpia i els expatriats de les empreses sembla que difereixen en la forma d’entendre l’“èxit”, com també en les seves motivacions per anar a l’estranger, si bé tant els uns com els altres afronten unes dificultats semblants pel que fa a l’idioma i a la conciliació amb la parella. Aquestes conclusions són il•lustrades amb citacions dels entrevistats