Comparaison des intentions entrepreneuriales des étudiants : France –Pays arabes

A partir d'une grille de lecture dérivée du modèle psychosocial du comportement planifié d'Ajzen, nous étudions les déterminons des intentions entrepreneuriales affichées par les étudiants en France et dans trois pays arabes, Algérie, Liban et Tunisie. Nous observons que les niveaux mesurés de ces intentions sont très différents d'un pays à l'autre et nous essayons d'expliquer ces divergences à partir des éléments qui, selon le modèle retenu, sont à la base de ces intentions : attitude envers la création d'entreprises, normes sociales et contrôle comportemental perçu. Pour ce faire, nous proposons, en utilisant des techniques d'analyse des données, quatre facteurs (perception de la gestion du temps dans la vision de l'entrepreneuriat ; projection dans le future professionnel ; goût du risque dans la vie professionnel ; capacité perçue) qui structurent les intentions entrepreneuriales des étudiants, ainsi qu'une typologie qui montre des comportements quant aux intentions entrepreneuriales bien caractérisées et distinctes, entre d'une part, la France, et d'autre part, les autres pays.intentions entrepreneuriales ; étudiants ; France ; Pays arabes

Chinese Foreign Direct Investment in France: Motivations and Management Style

Cette recherche examine les principales motivations des investissements directs étrangers (IDE) chinois en France ainsi que le style de gestion que les entreprises chinoises adoptent envers leurs filiales françaises. Sur la base d’entretiens avec des managers de 17 filiales chinoises en France, les auteurs identifient les ventes sur les marchés français et européens comme le principal moteur des IDE chinois en France. Les IDE chinois en France visent également à établir des ponts vers les marchés africains. Le deuxième motif de l’IDE chinois est la recherche d’actifs stratégiques. Pour la gestion de leurs filiales en France, les sociétés chinoises adoptent un style de management polycentrique. Les sociétés mères chinoises s’appuient sur des managers français, tandis que les expatriés chinois adoptent des attitudes d’observation. Cette recherche confirme que le gouvernement chinois est étroitement impliqué dans l’IDE chinois et soutient à la fois la théorie “Association, Levier et Apprentissage” et la théorie du tremplin.This research investigates the main motivations driving China’s foreign direct investment (FDI) in France and the management style that Chinese companies adopt toward their French subsidiaries. On the basis of interviews with managers of 17 Chinese subsidiaries in France, the authors identify sales in French and European markets as the main driver of Chinese FDI in France. Chinese FDI in France also aims at building bridges to African markets. The second FDI motive is asset seeking. For managing their subsidiaries in France, the Chinese companies adopt a polycentric management style. The Chinese parent companies rely on French managers, while Chinese expatriates adopt observational attitudes. This research confirms that the Chinese government is closely involved in Chinese outward FDI and supports both the “linkage, leverage, and learning” perspective and springboard theory.Esta investigación examina las principales motivaciones de la inversión extranjera directa (IED) de China en Francia y el estilo de gestión que las empresas chinas adoptan hacia sus filiales francesas. Sobre la base de entrevistas con los gerentes de 17 filiales chinas en Francia, los autores identifican las ventas en los mercados francés y europeo como el principal impulsor de la IED china en Francia. La IED china en Francia también tiene por objeto tender puentes hacia los mercados africanos. El segundo motivo de la IED china es la búsqueda de activos estratégicos. Para la gestión de sus filiales en Francia, las empresas chinas adoptan un estilo de gestión policéntrico. Las empresas matrices chinas confían en los directivos franceses, mientras que los chinos expatriados adoptan actitudes de observación. Esta investigación confirma que el gobierno chino está estrechamente involucrado en la salida de IED china y apoya tanto la teoría de la “Linkage, Leverage, Learning” como la teoría del trampolín

Les déterminants du risque perçu par le touriste français lors du choix d’une destination touristique : un modèle conceptuel

L’actualité géopolitique et des évènements marquants médiatisés (attentats, catastrophes, crash...) de ces dernières années amènent à reconsidérer la question du risque dans le champ touristique. Aujourd’hui, la perception du risque menace plus que sa réalité. Cet article propose de déterminer les facteurs subjectifs à l’origine du risque perçu, lors du choix d’une destination touristique. Pour répondre à cette problématique, sur la base d’une revue de littérature académique, nous avons interrogé 16 professionnels du tourisme en face-à-face. Nous trouvons neuf facteurs subjectifs à l’origine de la perception du risque dans le choix d’une destination touristique, qui se regroupent en trois thématiques : le profil psychographique du touriste, les caractéristiques perçues de la destination et la situation subjective du choix. Aussi, nous trouvons que parmi les huit dimensions théoriques du risque perçu, c’est la dimension physique qui est prépondérant dans le tourisme. Notre recherche aboutit sur un modèle conceptuel de la perception du risque dans le tourisme.The current geopolitical situation and marking events, highlighted by media coverage (attacks, catastrophes, crashes...) of recent years, lead to reconsider the question of risk in the field of tourism. Today, the perception of risk threatens more than its reality. The purpose of this research is to identify the subjective determinants of the perceived risk, when choosing a tourist destination. To answer this question, on the basis of a review of academic literature, we interviewed 16 tourism professionals in a face-to-face setting. We find that nine subjective factors, or antecedents, are at the origin of risk perception when a tourist chooses his destination. These antecedents can be gathered into three themes : the tourist’s psychographic profile, the perceived characteristics of the destination and the subjective situation. Also, we find that among the eight theoretical dimensions of perceived risk, the physical dimension is preponderant in tourism. Our research leads to a conceptual model of risk perception in tourism

Control in Subsidiary Networks in Asia: Toward an Extension of the Centralisation-Formalisation-Socialisation (CFS) Model

Le contrôle à l'international de leurs activités par les multinationales implique trois dimensions: centralisation, formalisation et socialisation. De nouveaux mécanismes de contrôle (les ERP, les missions de court terme, les sièges régionaux...) se sont développés récemment. S'inscrivent-ils dans ces trois dimensions ? Comment les multinationales articulent-elles l'ensemble des mécanismes de contrôle ? L'analyse des réponses de 77 cadres de 47 multinationales françaises dans 11 pays d'Asie, par factorisation et classification hiérarchique, révèle quatre dimensions de contrôle : centralisation de la décision, formalisation des filiales, socialisation et expatriation. Cinq types de multinationales se distinguent selon la combinaison des mécanismes de contrôles.Prior research establishes that international control by multinational corporations is based on three dimensions: centralisation, formalisation and socialisation. New control mechanisms appeared in the last decade, such as enterprise resource planning, short-term assignments and regional centres. Do these new mechanisms fit the three control dimensions? How do MNCs articulate their control mechanisms, including new ones? Using interviews with 77 managers of 47 French MNCs in 11 Asian countries, this study presents an exploratory factor analysis and clustering. The findings show that French MNCs control their Asian subsidiaries through four dimensions: centralisation of decision making, formalisation of subsidiaries, socialisation and expatriation.Las multinacionales controlan sus actividades al internacional según tres dimensiones: centralización- formalización- socialización. Recientemente, nuevos mecanismos de control se han desarrollado (ERP, misiones de corto plazo, sedes regionales…). ¿Esos elementos se inscriben en esas tres dimensiones? ¿Cómo las multinacionales coordinan el conjunto de los mecanismos de control? Analizando las respuestas de 77 jefes de 47 multinacionales francesas instaladas en 11 países asiáticos, según un proceso de factorización y clasificación jerárquica, este estudio revela cuatro dimensiones de control: centralización de la decisión, formalización de las sucursales, socialización y expatriación. Cinco tipos de multinacionales se destacan entonces según la combinación de sus mecanismos de control

The bridging role of regional headquarters. Multinational companies in the Asia-Pacific region

Purpose Large multinational companies (MNCs) are strongly formalized, often standardized and complex with multiple hierarchical levels. Over the past few decades, MNCs have strengthened their coordination and control systems by creating regional headquarters (RHQs). This study aims to investigate how MNCs rearticulate control dimensions at RHQs, to coordinate and exert control over subsidiaries in the Asia-Pacific region. Design/methodology/approach Based on a survey of 86 French MNCs in the Asia-Pacific region, this study applies a structural equation model to determine RHQs’ roles in the field of regional decision-making, coordination and control. Findings Large MNCs, with a significant presence in Asia, transfer coordination and control to RHQs, in a way that leads us to propose the use of the expression “regio-centralization.” RHQs become socialization hubs, where most regional decisions are taken and where international managers meet. MNCs mobilize at the same time expatriates, short-term assignees and local managers who intensively interact at RHQs. Thus, informal control at RHQs increases, partly substituting formal control by HQs. Smaller MNCs, without RHQs, on the contrary, base their control and coordination on the formalization of HQs-subsidiary relations, especially through strong reporting, in combination with centralized decision-making at HQs. Research limitations/implications This study is based on MNCs from one specific country, France, and focuses only on the dynamic Asia-Pacific host region. Coordination and control in less dynamic regions may reveal different results. Originality/value This study leads to a better understanding of how large MNCs reorganize dispersed activities in the Asia-Pacific region by creating RHQs, where important control and coordination functions are relocated

First peptide vaccine providing protection against viral infection in the target animal: studies of canine parvovirus in dogs.

A synthetic peptide vaccine which protects dogs against challenge with virulent canine parvovirus is described. The amino acid sequence used was discovered in previous studies on the immunogenic properties of previously mapped antigenic sites and represents the amino-terminal region of viral protein VP2. As with marker vaccines, it is possible to discriminate between vaccinated dogs that have not been exposed to the virus and dogs that have been infected with the virus. The protective mechanism can be explained by a humoral response against the peptide aided by T-cell epitopes contained in the carrier protein used for peptide coupling. This is the first example of a synthetic peptide vaccine that induces protection in target animals

First peptide vaccine providing protection against viral infection in the target animal: studies of canine parvovirus in dogs.

A synthetic peptide vaccine which protects dogs against challenge with virulent canine parvovirus is described. The amino acid sequence used was discovered in previous studies on the immunogenic properties of previously mapped antigenic sites and represents the amino-terminal region of viral protein VP2. As with marker vaccines, it is possible to discriminate between vaccinated dogs that have not been exposed to the virus and dogs that have been infected with the virus. The protective mechanism can be explained by a humoral response against the peptide aided by T-cell epitopes contained in the carrier protein used for peptide coupling. This is the first example of a synthetic peptide vaccine that induces protection in target animals

DNA polymerase switching: effects on spontaneous mutagenesis in Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli possesses five known DNA polymerases (pols). Pol III holoenzyme is the cell's main replicase, while pol I is responsible for the maturation of Okazaki fragments and filling gaps generated during nucleotide excision repair. Pols II, IV and V are significantly upregulated as part of the cell's global SOS response to DNA damage and under these conditions, may alter the fidelity of DNA replication by potentially interfering with the ability of pols I and III to complete their cellular functions. To test this hypothesis, we determined the spectrum of rpoB mutations arising in an isogenic set of mutL strains differentially expressing the chromosomally encoded pols. Interestingly, mutagenic hot spots in rpoB were identified that are susceptible to the actions of pols I–V. For example, in a recA730 lexA(Def) mutL background most transversions were dependent upon pols IV and V. In contrast, transitions were largely dependent upon pol I and to a lesser extent, pol III. Furthermore, the extent of pol I-dependent mutagenesis at one particular site was modulated by pols II and IV. Our observations suggest that there is considerable interplay among all five E. coli polymerases that either reduces or enhances the mutagenic load on the E. coli chromosome

The Lower Bound to the Evolution of Mutation Rates

Despite substantial attention from theoreticians, the evolutionary mechanisms that drive intra- and interspecific variation in the mutation rate remain unclear. It has often been argued that mutation rates associated with the major replicative polymerases have been driven down to their physiological limits, defined as the point at which further enhancement in replication fidelity incurs a cost in terms of reproductive output, but no evidence in support of this argument has emerged for cellular organisms. Here, it is suggested that the lower barrier to mutation rate evolution may ultimately be defined not by molecular limitations but by the power of random genetic drift. As the mutation rate is reduced to a very low level, a point will eventually be reached at which the small advantage of any further reduction is overwhelmed by the power of drift. This hypothesis is consistent with a number of observations, including the inverse relationship between the per-site mutation rate and genome size in microbes, the negative scaling between the per-site mutation rate and effective population size in eukaryotes, and the elevated error rates associated with less frequently deployed polymerases and repair pathways