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PurposeThis conceptual paper develops a theoretical framework to provide insights with respect to enhancing focus on entrepreneurial sustainability initiatives in the context of emerging economies. The unique idiosyncrasies of the institutional environment of emerging economies are identified along the concept of scripts.Design/methodology/approachSense-making and social identity theory are utilized to draw propositions along with the dimensions of the three stages of the sense-making process: enactment, selection and retention, in order to identify factors that are likely to motivate the next generation of business leaders in emerging economies to undertake greater levels of sustainability initiatives.FindingsWhen organizations face competing demands of meeting both social and financial goals, sense-making by next-generation leaders becomes relevant. Leaders with greater entrepreneurial orientation (EO) are more likely to take actions decoupled from local isomorphic pressures, such that they turn opportunities for sustainability into novel sustainable initiatives.Originality/valueThis paper proposes a framework to provide insights and directions for future research with respect to enhancing an organizational focus on sustainability initiatives in the context of emerging economies.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of the multilevel factors that influence the way in which an organization approaches ethnic diversity management in France. Syed and Özbilgin’s (2009) relational framework was adopted to understand and contextualize ethnic diversity management in a car manufacturing company in France. Design/methodology/approach In total, 37 semi-structured in-depth interviews with employees of different hierarchical levels in a French organization have been conducted and analyzed using the Gioia method. Findings The findings show that the lack of clear laws and the universal citizenship model on macro-level coupled with the gendered industry and superficial engagement with ethnic diversity on meso-level overlooks the difficult situation of ethnic minorities in the workplace, especially women. However, the findings also stress that it is on individual level that resilience and agency can be expressed, which means that despite the perceived barriers on societal and organizational level, ethnic minorities are motivated to improve the way they are treated in organizations. Originality/value Ethnic minorities are an understudied dimension of diversity management in organizations. The findings underscore the importance of the intersection of ethnicity and gender as this affects the career development possibilities and daily work experience of ethnic minority women.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to paper investigates whether different perceptions exist with regard to diversity management within an organisation. Additionally, if such differences exist, what contextual factors influence these perceptions?Design/methodology/approachThe approach of this study is based on inductive and interpretative case research, which aims to compare diverse perceptions in two different organisational units of a company. For this purpose, 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted.FindingsThe findings in this paper highlight the importance of contexts in the study of diversity management. That is, contexts such as workforce composition and power (e.g. organisational status) in an organisation as well as the social environment’s impact on social identity processes, which results in discrepant focusses on and recognition of diversity management within the same organisation.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to research on a more nuanced approach to diversity by proposing an importance of contexts for the process of social identity and further perceptual discrepancy.Practical implicationsQualitative research on and findings about perceptual discrepancy help to close the gap between the practice and rhetoric of diversity management.Originality/valueDeparting from extant empirical research on diversity at the workplace, which relies predominantly on quantitative methods, a qualitative design of this study allows a refinement of previous findings. Also, this paper provides deeper insight into the sense-making process, resulting in different diversity perceptions by different employees according to their work and social environments or contexts.

International audience; Drawing on an extended case method approach consisting of observations, analysis of organisational documents and semi-structured in-depth interviews with first- and second-generation migrants working in a French car manufacturing company, this article examines how and why diversity management practices are perceived differently by first- versus second-generation migrant workers. Using social identity theory and equity theory as a theoretical framework, it was found that first- and second-generation migrants have different social expectations, which, in turn, influence their self-image, as well as their perception of organisational justice. The interaction between their social identity and their perception of justice affects how they appraise diversity management practices in their organisation. The study extends previous research on migrant workers and diversity management by building a conceptual model that outlines how and why diversity management practices are perceived differently by first- versus second-generation migrants.

This study investigates how a French manufacturing company responds to institutional forces concerning its diversity policy and how employees react to it, particularly those belonging to minority groups not addressed by the policy. Such questions are relevant to the legitimacy of organizational diversity policies and employees’ perceptions of diversity in particular environments. We analyzed data from 35 interviews to characterize organizational efforts to comply with regulations in the form of gender-affirmative actions. Among ethnic minorities, there were three different reactions to gender-based affirmative action policies that were not accompanied by ethnicity-based affirmative action policies: indifference, focus on gender issues, and discontent. We propose three identity constructions could explain these reactions: dissociation, selective association, and heightened identity, respectively. Together, our results demonstrate trickle-down effects from institutional forces to organizational diversity policy, and hence to construction of identity by minorities within the organization.

International audience; Cross-cultural Competence (CC) of managers in globally dispersed MNE affiliates is one of the most effective means to overcome the liability of foreignness. Although managers high in biculturalism may have more resources than monoculturals to acquire (and deploy) CC in mitigating liability of foreignness, this has not been adequately examined. We contribute by examining the influence of two new antecedents of CC –biculturalism and Attributional Complexity. In four studies, we find that these antecedents are related to CC, effectiveness outcomes, and show incremental value over established personality traits in predicting them. We discuss contributions, limitations, future directions, and managerial implications.

The purpose of this article is to investigate: (1) whether incongruence (or conflicting COO-COM scenario) versus congruence (or matching COO-COM scenario) between COO and COM images for parent and diffusion brands affect consumers' purchase intentions with respect to levels of purchase involvement (high versus low involvement brands); and (2) how conflicting versus matching COO-COM situations lead to perceptions of contagion and brand authenticity for everyday consumer products and brands. In four experiments, the authors find that due to contagion (i.e., the notion that objects may acquire a special aura or essence or charisma) beliefs of consumers, consumers viewed parent brands as more contagious and authentic over diffusion brands during conflicting COO-COM situations; while they preferred diffusion brands over parents during matching COO-COM situations. The research aims to broaden the scope of COO-COM and diffusion branding literature with psychological phenomena of contagion and authenticity.

This article examines the responses of subsidiaries in France and Germany to the performance appraisal system from their US parent company. In addition to existing research, we base our results on employee perception (and not human resources-specialist opinion) and analyse in detail cross-cultural differences with regards to the specific phases of a performance appraisal. Our results show that the taken-for-granted features of to the US-style performance evaluation process are not reflected in the same way in different cultural settings. Employee expectations in the French subsidiary focused strongly on the performance criteria and the evaluation process, whilst their German counterparts were more preoccupied by appraisal outcomes.

There is a growing consensus that humor could be one of the most important competencies of a leader. This impression seems to be especially so under the clan controls where relationship-building between a leader and employees become crucial in managing human resources (HR). However, we caution against making this a global assumption by exploring the association between humor and leadership in different cultural contexts, in particular comparing China with North America. We argue that there is weaker association between use of humor and perceived leadership in China than North America. While the main message is not about denying the effectiveness of humor per se, this conceptual paper is wary about the blind adaptation or convergence of leader behaviors (e.g. humor) and HR management oriented toward American practices. At the same time, we highlight the need to consider the informal context of an organization in explaining possible paradoxical attitudes toward humor in China.

Personal innovativeness is an important value-based human behaviour that is responsible for the ability to participate in the domain of technological innovations and to enhance economic growth. Our study investigates the technological innovativeness of millennials in a cross-cultural setting at the individual level. The research design includes technological involvement and knowledge and an individual-level measurement of five well-known cultural values as antecedents of technological innovativeness. Findings from structural equation modelling of 1527 millennials from six triad countries confirm that technological involvement and knowledge positively affect personal innovativeness in the technology domain. Above all, from a theoretical perspective on culture, individual measures of power distance, uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation especially have a significant negative effect on technological innovativeness. Hence, in an international business context, individual cultural values play an important role for companies seeking, for example, an overseas location for their research and development (R&D) facilities or skilled and innovative personnel to persist in attaining and sustaining international competition. From a theoretical perspective on international business, this study also sheds light on the individual-level measurement of cultural values, taking the individual as the unit of analysis.

In the last decades, in most developed countries, fat has progressively been banished from both our plates and our bodies. Lipophobia is now growing in affluent societies, in striking contrast to traditional societies, where lipophilia prevails. In the last 30 years scientific, medical, and public health interest in obesity has skyrocketed. Increasingly the term “epidemic” is being used in the media to describe the current prevalence of corpulence in modern societies. To understand the phenomenon of increasing lipophobia and related issues, this paper focuses on how the standards toward fat evolved and on how moral entrepreneurs impact the perception of fat in Western societies via the use of media.

The market for cosmetics has shown considerable growth in recent years, particularly driven by emerging markets. Many cosmetic brands are present in these countries, competing with French products, which are renowned worldwide. This reputation is mainly based on France’s iconic image built through its premium brands. In our research, we question the relevance of the country of origin in the process of consumer decision making and ask representatives of the French cosmetics sector about their assessment. Our overarching research question is: Does the country of origin allow cosmetics to differentiate themselves in the globalized and highly competitive world markets?

One of the key drivers of growth and competitiveness of countries is their ability to innovate. Whereas research about innovativeness has mainly focused on the adoption and use of novel products, t...

South Korea has experienced astounding economic growth since 1960 and today ranks 13th (GDP-based) among the economically strongest countries in the world. However, growth rates have declined and the economy has levelled off at 3-4 per cent GDP growth since 2010. Korea’s dilemma is that it is stuck in the middle between China in terms of prices and scale, and Japan with respect to innovation and high technology. By developing its green energy sector, Korea aims to occupy a world-leading position in the environmentally friendly energy industry. Given the economic environment, policies and actors, will the necessary measures taken lead to sustained economic growth?