Internationalization of Large Retailers and Cross-Cultural Determinants – The Singular Trajectory of Carrefour in Romania

This article discusses the large retailers’ internationalization strategy. It deals more particularly with the way in which international expansion proceeds on the level of operations management and the application of strategies used on the domestic market: does the retailer choose a universalistic perspective, thanks to the export of a well-managed retail format (the superstore format, the supermarket format), or does it opt for an adjustment to the cultural conditions of the target country, and this, even in the operational dimensions of management? To answer this question and to take part in the current debates about the stakes of international marketing, a case study was conducted on the Carrefour Group in Romania, while using a structural analysis of narrative. The research associates, for the first time, three theoretical frameworks: the internationalization of the retailer, the management of relationships in the marketing channel and the management of the cross-cultural variable. The authors bring to light a three-stage managerial cycle around a double-cultural filtration phenomenon which questions the usually used dichotomous approach to analyze the internationalization of the large retailer: universalism vs. culturalism.Carrefour Group, cultural filtration, internationalization, retailing industry, România, structural analysis of narrative

Cubature formulas, geometrical designs, reproducing kernels, and Markov operators

Cubature formulas and geometrical designs are described in terms of reproducing kernels for Hilbert spaces of functions on the one hand, and Markov operators associated to orthogonal group representations on the other hand. In this way, several known results for spheres in Euclidean spaces, involving cubature formulas for polynomial functions and spherical designs, are shown to generalize to large classes of finite measure spaces $(\Omega,\sigma)$ and appropriate spaces of functions inside $L^2(\Omega,\sigma)$. The last section points out how spherical designs are related to a class of reflection groups which are (in general dense) subgroups of orthogonal groups

Inside the hybrid organization: An organizational level view of responses to conflicting institutional demands

This paper explores organizational responses to conflicting institutional demands. An inductive comparative case study of four social enterprises that scaled their organization while embedded in competing social welfare and commercial logics suggests that, when facing competing organizational templates imposed by their institutional environment, organizations attempt to strike a balance at the organizational level by adopting a combination of intact practices from both logics instead of balancing at the practice level by resorting to strategies such as decoupling. In addition, we find an important legitimating effect of founding origins: in a sector where the social welfare logic is ultimately predominant, organizations originating from the social sector benefited from an a priori legitimacy capital, which allowed them to borrow freely from both social and commercial practices. In contrast, organizations emanating from the commercial sector, suffering from an a priori legitimacy deficit, had to display their conformity with social templates in order to secure their acceptance in the field and therefore adopted predominantly social practices. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of hybrid organizations and point to the founding origins of organizations as an important determinant of the pattern of hybridization strategies.

Construction of spherical cubature formulas using lattices

We construct cubature formulas on spheres supported by homothetic images of shells in some Euclidian lattices. Our analysis of these cubature formulas uses results from the theory of modular forms. Examples are worked out on the sphere of dimension n-1 for n=4, 8, 12, 14, 16, 20, 23, and 24, and the sizes of the cubature formulas we obtain are compared with the lower bounds given by Linear Programming

Disturbed growth and selection of the human ovarian follicle

The first objective of this stody was to review some aspects of current knowledge of ovarian function in normal menstrual cycles. A discussion of the anatomy and physiology of the normal ovary can be found in chapter 2. The second objective was to provide new information about the dynamics of follicular growth in the normal menstrual cycle, and to validate the use of highfrequency transvaginal sonography for this type of investigation. This is presented in chapter 3. The third objective was to provide an overview of present concepts related to the polycystic ovary syndrome pathogenesis. To this end, clinical, pathophysiological, and morphological findings associated with polycystic ovaries are dealt with in chapter 4. Attempts to establish an experimental model of polycystic ovaries have failed in different animal species. The fourth objective was to find a human model for the study of PCOS. To this end, a morphological study performed in female to male transsexuals is presented in chapter 5. The fifth objective was twofold. Firstly, to analyse the data obtained by using transvaginal sonography in the appraisal of ovarian structure in women with irregular cycles. Secondly, to use the same validated method in a attempt to discriminate between normal and polycystic ovaries. These issues are discussed in chapter 6. The sixth objective was also twofold. Firstly, to assess gonadotropin disturbances in serum in women with the polycystic ovary syndrome as compared to a group of women with cycle abnormalities, and a group of regularly cycling women. Secondly, the aim was to appraise these clinical and biochemical findings in the light of our sonographic criteria for polycystic ovaries. The seventh objective was to determine to what extent intra-ovarian steroid perturbations could be present in women with polycystic ovaries. All data concerning these last two objectives can be found in chapter 7. Conclusions which may be drawn from studies performed in this work are presented in the general discussion, in chapter 8

Prevalence of measured and reported multimorbidity in a representative sample of the Swiss population.

Background: Little is known on the prevalence of multimorbidity (MM) in the general population. We aimed to assess the prevalence of MM using measured or self-reported data in the Swiss population. Methods: Cross-sectional, population-based study conducted between 2003 and 2006 in the city of Lausanne, Switzerland, and including 3714 participants (1967 women) aged 35 to 75 years. Clinical evaluation was conducted by thoroughly trained nurses or medical assistants and the psychiatric evaluation by psychologists or psychiatrists. For psychiatric conditions, two definitions were used: either based on the participant's statements, or on psychiatric evaluation. MM was defined as presenting ≥2 morbidities out of a list of 27 (self-reported - definition A, or measured - definition B) or as the Functional Comorbidity Index (FCI) using measured data - definition C. Results: The overall prevalence and (95% confidence interval) of MM was 34.8% (33.3%-36.4%), 56.3% (54.6%-57.9%) and 22.7% (21.4%-24.1%) for definitions A, B and C, respectively. Prevalence of MM was higher in women (40.2%, 61.7% and 27.1% for definitions A, B and C, respectively, vs. 28.7%, 50.1% and 17.9% in men, p < 0.001); Swiss nationals (37.1%, 58.8% and 24.8% for definitions A, B and C, respectively, vs. 31.4%, 52.3% and 19.7% in foreigners, all p < 0.001); elderly (>65 years: 67.0%, 70.0% and 36.7% for definitions A, B and C, respectively, vs. 23.6%, 50.2% and 13.8% for participants <45 years, p < 0.001); participants with lower educational level; former smokers and obese participants. Multivariate analysis confirmed most of these associations: odds ratio (95% Confidence interval) 0.55 (0.47-0.64), 0.61 (0.53-0.71) and 0.51 (0.42-0.61) for men relative to women for definitions A, B and C, respectively; 1.27 (1.09-1.49), 1.29 (1.11-1.49) and 1.41 (1.17-1.71) for Swiss nationals relative to foreigners, for definitions A, B and C, respectively. Conversely, no difference was found for educational level for definitions A and B and abdominally obese participants for all definitions. Conclusions: Prevalence of MM is high in the Lausanne population, and varies according to the definition or the data collection method

Coopetitive supply chains: Toward a social ties perspective

This research note examines the impact of information systems on the spreading of collaborative logistical practices between rival companies in the same market. Numerous pooling experiments are conducted, in France particularly, that lead manufacturers to voluntarily share resources and logistical activities. A large number of academic works highlights the main aspects of logistical collaborative strategies though emphasis is on the part played by information systems. It is at least as important to understand how competing companies will collaborate to implement a shared information system, even if it means disseminating strategic and confidential data outside their premises. This research note suggests widening the analysis by pointing out that the success of coopetitive strategies in supply chain networks also implies the weaving of powerful social ties between decision makers

Desarrollo de una interfaz para controlar por voz la aplicación móvil de mensajería Telegram

La aparición de los smartphones, trajo consigo el desarrollo de aplicaciones móviles de mensajería instantánea. Estas aplicaciones aprovechan la infraestructura de las redes de datos para enviar los mensajes de unos dispositivos a otros, lo que supone la posibilidad de enviar mensajes ilimitados a bajo coste. Hoy en día lo inusual es ver a alguna persona que haga uso de los antiguos mensajes de texto o sms (Short Message Service), que además llevan el coste de comunicación definido por las distintas operadoras. Tanto ha sido su auge que se ha convertido en uno de los principales medios de comunicación tanto en el ámbito personal como empresarial. Desafortunadamente, cada vez son más los conductores que hacen uso de las aplicaciones de mensajería para enviar y recibir mensajes mientras conducen, a pesar de que su uso está totalmente prohibido y penado por la ley. Por este motivo, en este proyecto se propone la modificación de la aplicación de mensajería Telegram, que permite controlar el env´ıo y recepción de mensajes únicamente utilizando la voz, evitando así cualquier tipo de distracci´on ocasionada por la interacción táctil con el dispositivo. Esta idea propuesta en el proyecto puede ayudar a reducir el número de accidentes ocasionados por este tipo de distracciones al volante, así como las posibles multas e incidentes que pueda ocasionar el uso del móvil durante la conducción. ---ABSTRACT---The emergence of smartphones, fostered the development of mobile instant messaging applications. These applications take advantage of the infrastructure of data networks to send messages between devices with almost no additional cost attached to it. Today you will hardly be able to find a person who makes use of the old text messages or sms (Short Message Service), and therefore bears the cost of communication defined by the respective operators. This boom has been such that it has become one of the main communication methods or channels in both the personal and work environments. Unfortunately, more and more drivers use messaging applications to send and receive messages while they are driving, even though its use is strictly prohibited and punished by law. Therefore our objective is to modify the existing messaging application Telegram allowing interaction with the mobile device by only using the user’s voice to send and receive messages, avoiding any distractions that any tactile interaction with the device could cause. The aim is to significantly try to reduce accidents caused while driving, as well as to avoid any related potential fines and incidents that may result from use of mobile phone while driving