By the end of 20th century many industries including automotive supply industry have undergone significant merger and acquisition activity. Mergers and acquisitions have led to geographical expansions of OEM’s (Origininal Equipment Manufacturer) across country borders and across continents. This tendency can be explained by the pressure to manufacture better equipments and less expensive vehicles which lead to specialization and internationalization of the truck industry. Plus, these consolidation trends are still actual phenomena in truck industry and can bring structural and strategic changes in the supply chain. Apparently. these trends bring a challenge for automotive suppliers, which is how to sustain competitive market position after the merger of important customers. By using the example of Scania and MAN consolidation, this research adopts case-study method with qualitative approach. The intent is to clarify how the buyer–supplier re-lationship is influenced by post-merger sourcing strategy in the automotive industry, with the purpose to investigate and analyze supplier strategic response mechanisms against pos-sible impacts of post-merger sourcing strategy in truck industry. The findings emphasize the importance of sourcing strategy changes in achieving the motives of the merger. We also identify a set of specific supplier selection criteria that appear to cause changes in the sourcing strategy of merged OEMs which, ultimately, influ-ence their purchase decisions.Then it is observed that dimensions like interaction, power-balance, and collaboration in buyer-supplier relationships vary with regards to sourcing strategy changes. Together, the findings contribute to our understanding of the strategic reponse mechanisms like business reengineering and restructuring through which suppliers can improve their market-related performance and better postion themselves in front of the merging customers.

No description available.

The United States has implemented many policies to target obesity. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has mandated that restaurants must label the calorie content of the food they provide on menus and menu boards. Previous literature suggests that this policy will cause a small subset of consumers to improve the nutritional quality of the food they consume. Restaurants’ responses to the policy are not as well studied but existing literature suggests that menu items become slightly healthier after the introduction of various local policies. This paper seeks to assess the impact of a nationally-instituted nutrition labeling policy on fast-food nutritional content. We find evidence that restaurants both improve the healthfulness of pre-existing food items and introduce new food items of substantially lower nutritional quality.

Due to the emerging importance of e-negotiation and women position in business, it is important to understand the gender difference in online negotiation context. We designed four researches to examine the impact of gender difference on e-negotiation from three perspectives: (1) individual perspective; (2) dyadic perspective; and (3) interactive perspective. From the individual perspective, the individual negotiator¡¦s self gender background was taken into consideration. We examined the individual negotiator¡¦s self gender difference in negotiation strategic behavior and final performance (Research 1). From the dyadic perspective, the gender composition of a negotiation dyad was considered. We examined its impact on negotiation strategic behavior and final performance (Research 2). Finally, from the interactive perspective, we examined the impact of gender composition on strategic response (Research 3) and negotiation strategy in different negotiation phases (Research 4). All subjects were collected from Inspire e-negotiation system based on their gender backgrounds. Inspire is a web-based system which has been operated since 1996. From the countless samples, 60 pairs of negotiation (120 subjects) from 4 representative Western countries (American, Austria, Canada and Germany) were selected. All subjects dealt with the same purchasing negotiation scenario in which they have to negotiate four issues. We applied content analysis methodology to the collected complete transcripts of negotiations done by the selected subjects. Content analysis is superior to the questionnaire in terms of qualitative criteria. Totally, the collected 612 messages were divided into 6227 units, which serve as the data source of analysis. Overall, based on the results of this study, females and males still maintain gender stereotypical behavior in virtual environment. Negotiators¡¦ strategic behaviors are influenced by counterparts¡¦ gender backgrounds. In other words, from individual and dyadic perspectives, gender plays an influential factor. However, in investigating the impact of gender, dyadic perspective provides more precise findings. Further, our results also found that genders behaved differently in the strategic response and the strategy performing during different negotiation phases. However, honestly, the overall differences seem to be not as strong as expected since the gender difference might be less salient in the virtual negotiation situation. We hope this series of gender researches could contribute to comprehensive understanding of gender behavior in the online negotiation.

No description available.

As mudanças na contabilidade aplicada ao setor público no Brasil, a partir da edição da Portaria n. 184, de 25 de agosto de 2008, têm ocupado grande espaço nas discussões, tanto no meio acadêmico quanto nas atividades dos órgãos e entidades responsáveis pela contabilidade. Tais mudanças, pela perspectiva das entidades a que se aplicam e observadas por meio dos pressupostos da teoria institucional e da teoria da dependência de recursos, podem ser abordadas como mudanças institucionais demandadas pelo ambiente externo organizacional. Oliver (1991) propõe um modelo com base em ambas as teorias supramencionadas para identificação da resposta estratégica de uma organização em decorrência das pressões ou regras institucionais que variam de conformidade à alta resistência, a saber: (i) aquiescer, (ii) negociar, (iii) esquivar, (iv) desafiar e (v) manipular. Nessa perspectiva, a presente pesquisa teve como objetivo geral compreender as respostas estratégicas de estados brasileiros às mudanças institucionais baseadas na adoção das normas brasileiras de contabilidade oriundas do processo de convergência às International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), sob a perspectiva da teoria institucional e da dependência de recursos. Utilizou-se a estratégia de pesquisa de estudo de casos múltiplos para identificar a resposta estratégica dos entes analisados em relação às mudanças institucionais, abordadas por meio dos 10 fatores preditivos de Oliver (1991) agrupados em cinco fatores institucionais, quais sejam: (i) causa: legitimação e eficiência; (ii) agente: multiplicidade e dependência; (iii) conteúdo: consistência e restrição; (iv) controle: coerção e difusão; e (v) contexto: incerteza e interconectividade. Assim sendo, as unidades de análise estudadas correspondem aos poderes executivos dos estados de São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro e Minas Gerais e as evidências foram obtidas mediante entrevistas, tanto com respondentes que atuam em tais entes estaduais como entrevistados externos aos estados, e documentos. Verificou-se, por meio da triangulação dos dados, que os três estados apresentam a aquiescência como resposta estratégica às mudanças institucionais baseadas na adoção das normas brasileiras de contabilidade oriundas do processo de convergência às IPSAS. Porém, constatou-se que, enquanto no estado de São Paulo cinco variáveis, entre as 10 utilizadas, indicaram a probabilidade de aquiescer, seis variáveis apontaram evidências referentes a tal resposta para o estado do Rio de Janeiro e sete para Minas Gerais. Concluiu-se, dessa maneira, que, apesar de os três entes estaduais apresentarem a mesma resposta estratégica, há maior probabilidade de resistência no estado de São Paulo, seguida pelo estado do Rio de Janeiro e, na sequência, por Minas Gerais, sendo que tais diferenças entre os entes estão atreladas às variáveis multiplicidade e consistência. Acredita-se que os apontamentos realizados na presente pesquisa sejam relevantes para compreensão dos fatores críticos que aumentam a probabilidade de conformidade ou de resistência às mudanças institucionais baseadas na adoção das normas brasileiras de contabilidade oriundas do processo de convergência às IPSAS. / The changes in public sector accounting in Brazil, since the publication of the MF Order N. 184, of 25 August 2008, have been taking a large agenda with discussions both in the academic environment and in the activities of the entities responsible for accounting. Such changes, from the perspective of applied entities and observed through the assumptions of institutional theory and resource dependence theory, can be approached as institutional changes or processes demanded by the external pressures. Oliver (1991) proposes a model based on both of the aforementioned theories to identify the strategic response of an organization as a result of external pressures or rules that vary from compliance to high resistance, namely: (i) acquiescence, (ii) compromise, (iii) avoidance, (iv) defiance, and (v) manipulation. In this perspective, the present research had as general purpose to understand the strategic responses of Brazilian states to institutional changes based on the adoption of Brazilian accounting standards from the convergence process to International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), from the institutional and resource dependence perspective. The multiple case study research strategy was used to identify the strategic response of the entities addressed in relation to institutional changes and were addressed through Oliver\'s 10 predictors factors, grouped into five institutional factors: (i) cause: legitimacy and efficiency; (ii) constituents: multiplicity and dependence; (iii) content: consistency and constraint; (iv) control: coercion and diffusion; and (v) context: uncertainty and interconnectedness. Thus, the analyzed units correspond of the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Gerais, on the executive sphere, and the evidence was obtained through documents and interviews with respondents who work in such state entities and respondents from outside the states. It was verified through the triangulation of data that the three states present acquiescence as a strategic response to the institutional changes based on the adoption of Brazilian accounting standards from convergence process to IPSAS. However, it was found that while in the state of São Paulo five variables, among the 10 used, indicated the probability of acquiesce, six variables indicated evidence regarding this response to the state of Rio de Janeiro and seven to the state of Minas Gerais. It was concluded, then, although the three state entities present the same strategic response, there is a greater probability of resistance in the state of São Paulo, followed by the state of Rio de Janeiro and, subsequently, the state of Minas Gerais. Such differences between the entities are tied to the multiplicity and consistency variables. It is believed that the notes made in the present study are relevant to the understanding of the critical factors that increase the likelihood of compliance or resistance to institutional changes based on the adoption of Brazilian accounting standards from convergence process to IPSAS.

As mudanças na contabilidade aplicada ao setor público no Brasil, a partir da edição da Portaria n. 184, de 25 de agosto de 2008, têm ocupado grande espaço nas discussões, tanto no meio acadêmico quanto nas atividades dos órgãos e entidades responsáveis pela contabilidade. Tais mudanças, pela perspectiva das entidades a que se aplicam e observadas por meio dos pressupostos da teoria institucional e da teoria da dependência de recursos, podem ser abordadas como mudanças institucionais demandadas pelo ambiente externo organizacional. Oliver (1991) propõe um modelo com base em ambas as teorias supramencionadas para identificação da resposta estratégica de uma organização em decorrência das pressões ou regras institucionais que variam de conformidade à alta resistência, a saber: (i) aquiescer, (ii) negociar, (iii) esquivar, (iv) desafiar e (v) manipular. Nessa perspectiva, a presente pesquisa teve como objetivo geral compreender as respostas estratégicas de estados brasileiros às mudanças institucionais baseadas na adoção das normas brasileiras de contabilidade oriundas do processo de convergência às International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), sob a perspectiva da teoria institucional e da dependência de recursos. Utilizou-se a estratégia de pesquisa de estudo de casos múltiplos para identificar a resposta estratégica dos entes analisados em relação às mudanças institucionais, abordadas por meio dos 10 fatores preditivos de Oliver (1991) agrupados em cinco fatores institucionais, quais sejam: (i) causa: legitimação e eficiência; (ii) agente: multiplicidade e dependência; (iii) conteúdo: consistência e restrição; (iv) controle: coerção e difusão; e (v) contexto: incerteza e interconectividade. Assim sendo, as unidades de análise estudadas correspondem aos poderes executivos dos estados de São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro e Minas Gerais e as evidências foram obtidas mediante entrevistas, tanto com respondentes que atuam em tais entes estaduais como entrevistados externos aos estados, e documentos. Verificou-se, por meio da triangulação dos dados, que os três estados apresentam a aquiescência como resposta estratégica às mudanças institucionais baseadas na adoção das normas brasileiras de contabilidade oriundas do processo de convergência às IPSAS. Porém, constatou-se que, enquanto no estado de São Paulo cinco variáveis, entre as 10 utilizadas, indicaram a probabilidade de aquiescer, seis variáveis apontaram evidências referentes a tal resposta para o estado do Rio de Janeiro e sete para Minas Gerais. Concluiu-se, dessa maneira, que, apesar de os três entes estaduais apresentarem a mesma resposta estratégica, há maior probabilidade de resistência no estado de São Paulo, seguida pelo estado do Rio de Janeiro e, na sequência, por Minas Gerais, sendo que tais diferenças entre os entes estão atreladas às variáveis multiplicidade e consistência. Acredita-se que os apontamentos realizados na presente pesquisa sejam relevantes para compreensão dos fatores críticos que aumentam a probabilidade de conformidade ou de resistência às mudanças institucionais baseadas na adoção das normas brasileiras de contabilidade oriundas do processo de convergência às IPSAS. / The changes in public sector accounting in Brazil, since the publication of the MF Order N. 184, of 25 August 2008, have been taking a large agenda with discussions both in the academic environment and in the activities of the entities responsible for accounting. Such changes, from the perspective of applied entities and observed through the assumptions of institutional theory and resource dependence theory, can be approached as institutional changes or processes demanded by the external pressures. Oliver (1991) proposes a model based on both of the aforementioned theories to identify the strategic response of an organization as a result of external pressures or rules that vary from compliance to high resistance, namely: (i) acquiescence, (ii) compromise, (iii) avoidance, (iv) defiance, and (v) manipulation. In this perspective, the present research had as general purpose to understand the strategic responses of Brazilian states to institutional changes based on the adoption of Brazilian accounting standards from the convergence process to International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), from the institutional and resource dependence perspective. The multiple case study research strategy was used to identify the strategic response of the entities addressed in relation to institutional changes and were addressed through Oliver\'s 10 predictors factors, grouped into five institutional factors: (i) cause: legitimacy and efficiency; (ii) constituents: multiplicity and dependence; (iii) content: consistency and constraint; (iv) control: coercion and diffusion; and (v) context: uncertainty and interconnectedness. Thus, the analyzed units correspond of the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Gerais, on the executive sphere, and the evidence was obtained through documents and interviews with respondents who work in such state entities and respondents from outside the states. It was verified through the triangulation of data that the three states present acquiescence as a strategic response to the institutional changes based on the adoption of Brazilian accounting standards from convergence process to IPSAS. However, it was found that while in the state of São Paulo five variables, among the 10 used, indicated the probability of acquiesce, six variables indicated evidence regarding this response to the state of Rio de Janeiro and seven to the state of Minas Gerais. It was concluded, then, although the three state entities present the same strategic response, there is a greater probability of resistance in the state of São Paulo, followed by the state of Rio de Janeiro and, subsequently, the state of Minas Gerais. Such differences between the entities are tied to the multiplicity and consistency variables. It is believed that the notes made in the present study are relevant to the understanding of the critical factors that increase the likelihood of compliance or resistance to institutional changes based on the adoption of Brazilian accounting standards from convergence process to IPSAS.

The last couple of years the trend within the software industry has been to releasesmaller software updates more frequent, to overcome challenges and increase flexibility, to alignwith the swiftly changing industry environment. As an effect, we now see companies moving over tocapitalizing on subscriptions and incremental releases instead of charging for upgrades. By utilizingneo-institutional theory and Oliver’s (1991) strategic response theory, an enterprise systemsvendor’s response to the emerging DevOps trend can be determined.

創新是社會進步與改變的契機，機構是維繫社會安定的基石。然而，創新在導入社會時，常常會碰上機構的阻力，使創新難以擴散、甚至無疾而終。過去的創新管理文獻，對於此議題的探討不多，我們對創新者如何回應機構阻力的瞭解仍非常有限。本研究由機構對行動者的影響力下手，強調當創新遇上機構時，施展策略性回應的重要性；並主張在「順從與反抗」的策略性回應之外，「調適」是另一種策略性回應的選項，「柔韌設計」更是其中的代表。當創新者面對強大機構阻力時，本研究指出，需要以柔韌設計有技巧地回應機構的鎮壓。 本研究以長期的田野調查與質性研究方法，分析一項數位學習系統（即階梯數位學院）的設計特質與回應策略。有三大發現： 第一，本研究剖析了在創新與機構之間的調適過程，創新者的「調適學習過程」。本研究從機構脈絡之「教科書、入學方式、老師與教學」三大方向切入，從教改政策（法規）、社會規範（規範）與文化認知（認知）等機構的三大構面，分別剖析其內涵，以及對利害關係人（學生，創新的使用者）所造成在學習上的痛點與阻力。再分析創新者在創新推出後，從市場的反應學習到深入使用者的機構脈絡，如何轉化為設計。因此，本研究整理出階梯數位學院的三大頻道（動畫教學台、智慧評量台、線上家教台），其創新者的調適學習過程，描述出創新者在其中試誤、摸索、偵測到機構脈絡進而轉化為設計的過程。 第二，本研究探索具體的創新人造文物（即階梯數位學院），其功能與服務的設計特質為何，以及在創新者的調適過程中對創新人造文物的改變，又是基於甚麼樣的「設計原則」。本研究分析創新的設計，除了針對創新人造文物的特質之外，也分析解讀使用者的學習實務與效果，並從中歸納出三大頻道的設計原則。 第三，在「調適型」的策略性回應裡，除了過去文獻所討論之「迂迴遊走」（workaround）的調適型回應，創新者還可以如何更積極的回應機構呢？本研究從學習實務裡，探討創新設計對學生所產生的行為轉變與效果，瞭解助力如何產生，從而發現了一種新的策略性回應方式。依據這種策略性回應的型式與內涵，本研究將之命名為「槓桿式」（leveraging）之策略性回應，本研究並整理出三種借力使力的柔韌設計。這種策略性回應的巧思，在於將機構對創新者所造成的阻力，轉化為一種設計上的助力。這樣的設計策略，可以協助創新融入機構脈絡，贏得使用者採納。 本研究提出創新採納研究的新觀點，就是以策略回應與柔韌設計來重新檢視創新設計與創新採納之關係。在這樣的回應中，我們看到創新者如何調適學習，巧妙地處理機構的影響力，進而轉為創新物件的設計助力。這就是槓桿效應的秘訣，正如阿基米德曾誇言：「給我一個支撐點，我可以撐起整個地球。」這種柔韌的回應策略是以「四兩撥千斤」的方式，將機構的阻力轉化為設計的助力。這種槓桿策略點出柔韌（以柔克剛）的精神。柔韌設計具有哲學上的意義，從本研究所發現三種借力使力的柔韌設計裡，更看到了一種轉化的效果。用槓桿為隱喻，可以讓讀者聯想到如何以小搏大、以柔克剛、以靜制動的效果。因此本研究稱之為槓桿效應的策略回應。 本研究在學理上的貢獻主要有三：首先，本研究所發現創新者的調適學習過程，可以補充創新調適的文獻。第二，本研究初步剖析出柔韌設計的原則，可以提供柔韌設計未來研究的參考。第三，本研究以個案資料呈現柔韌設計，做為一種策略性回應的形式與內涵，也豐富了策略性回應的文獻。 / Whether an innovation would be accepted or resisted by the user has been a topic widely examined in previous research. The literature, however, has focused mainly on the characteristics of the innovation to predict whether users will be willing to adopt the technology. This study argues that innovation adoption process takes place within an institutional context which refers to regulatory rules, social norms and behavioral options that guide the thinking, attitudes and behaviors of individuals. The study further expounded that institutions exercise three forces on individuals -- regulatory, normative and cognitive. It is therefore important to examine the role that institutions play in facilitating or hampering innovations. Prior research has begun to examine the interactions between innovations and institutions. Several strategic responses to institutional forces were proposed that innovators can adopt. The resopnses can essentially be classified into three strategies. First, one can comply with the institution. Secondly, one can resist the institution while aggressively diffusing the innovation. The third option is, one can adapt the innovation to meet the requirements of institution while keep the novelty and value of the innovation. Therefore, many researches aim to exmine how innovations adapt to the institutional forces. Robust design represented a gentle way to adpapt to the institution forces strategically. After reviewing the related literature, the study argues that there are two important issues which were neglected. One is they neglect to describe and discuss the adaptative learining of the innovators which is the base of strategic response. The other is they did not identify what the design principles are during the innovation adaptation process. Another approach towards robust design was proposed – one inspired by the principles of Taiji. A key principle of Taiji stresses the importance of using a gentle approach to counter a strong force. Instead of countering a strong force with an equally strong opposing force, one should leverage the energy created by the opponent’s strong force to counter-attack. Hence, the study propose that when institutions pose strong barriers to innovations, one approach is to identify how barriers can be turned into enablers to guide the design of the innovation. The key to this approach is to focus on the users of the innovation, to understand the pain points that institutional barriers bring to users, so that an innovation can be designed to effectively address these pain points. Prior literature does not adequately focus on understanding how users’ experiences should be factored into the design of an innovation. This study thus discusses and presents robust design through a case study of an electronic learning system – Ladder Digital College. In the analysis, I first illustrated the adaptative learning process of innovators by analyzing the institutional context in which the innovation is adopted, to identify the constraints or challenges individuals faced as a result of strong institutional forces. Second, we discuss the design features of the innovation, examine how they help users to overcome the challenges and counter the key barriers posed by institutional forces and identify the design principles of the innovation adaptation. The findings advance the concept of robust design by noting the importance of innovator’s adaptative learning and design principle of innovation. Theoretical contributions and practical suggestions are also elaborated.

This research uses the ‘demand-side thesis’ to examine the decline of the Dundee jute industry. In particular, it examines the effect of international competition and the strategic response of the industry during the inter-war (1919-1939) and the post-war (1945-1960s) period to counter this challenge. The strategic response is studied by examining strategies employed at the firm and the industry level. Strategy at the firm level is studied in the form of capability development using the capabilities approach. The thesis also makes an attempt to redress the issue of determinism in the capabilities approach which suggests that the pattern of capability development is governed by path-dependency. By drawing on the techniques employed in the history literature, this research identifies strategic options that were being considered by firms at the time of capability development and examine why certain alternatives were not pursued. This will bring to light aspects other then those associated with path-dependency that played a role in the pattern of capability development. The capabilities developed by firms during the two periods are compared and contrasted in order to understand the pattern over this period. These findings are juxtaposed with the British cotton textile industry, a related sector, to examine the effectiveness of the demand-side thesis in explaining the decline of the jute industry in particular and the textile industry in general. This thesis makes contribution to three areas of literature: First, the thesis helps to further develop the demand-side framework by introducing a new case (Dundee jute industry) and developing a better understanding of strategic response within the jute and textile industry in general. Second, this thesis contributes to the theoretical development of capabilities approach in two specific areas: a) it helps to address the issue of determinism inherent in the capabilities approach through the notion of path-dependency. This was done by also examining the strategic options that were available to firms while developing their capabilities and underlining the reasons for not pursuing them. b) the analysis sheds new light on the nature of branching of capabilities in an industry over a long period. Third, this research makes significant contribution to the existing literature on the business history of the Dundee jute industry, which is sparse. The contributions can be categorised into four key aspects which have not been examined in the current literature: a) period (inter-war and post-war), b) issue (systematic examination of the Dundee jute industry’s decline, strategic response and role of collective strategies), c) method (detailed study of individual firm’s strategies), and d) cross comparison of industry’s experience with related sectors (for example, the cotton industry). Focusing on these issues has helped to throw new light on the challenges, especially technological, facing the industry in developing its strategic response.