Journal Articles (Peer-Reviewed)
(In press): EXPRESS: Equity in Health and Humanitarian Logistics: a People-Centered Perspective, Production & Operations Management: .
Abstract: Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are at the core of present-day health and humanitarian logistics. Aid organizations advocate inclusive people-centered approaches to ensure that affected communities receive appropriate aid in an effective and equitable way. Tensions and even conflicts can arise if affected communities perceive the distribution of aid as inequitable. These perceptions are driven by people’s so-called distributional preferences. These preferences are shaped by culture, social bonds, and experiences, and they describe how an individual’s well-being and behavior are impacted by potential inequalities. Their importance is increasingly recognized by aid organizations, but research on equity in health and humanitarian logistics remains focused on equal access and prioritizing needs. Using current examples from the Syrian and Rohingya refugee crises, we show the importance of recognizing and managing distributional preferences. Based on these examples and in line with DEI principles, we discuss several ways that we, as the operations community, can help conceptualize inclusive and people-centered approaches that account for distributional preferences.
(In press): Diversity and Inclusion Under Pressure: Building Relational Resilience into Humanitarian Operations, Production and Operations Management: .
Abstract: In this essay, our analysis takes important insights on diversity and inclusion from the behavioral literature but critically contextualizes them against the reality of humanitarian operations. Humanitarian operations are characterized by system immanent diversity, particularly between local and expatriate aid workers, who not only bring valuable different perspectives to the table but also differ along multiple dimensions of diversity into a so-called diversity faultline. Such a faultline, however, provides fertile ground for continued conflict resulting in relational fractures and, ultimately, inefficient collaboration. While, in theory, inclusion could help overcome the negative effects of faultlines, in practice, the time pressure for humanitarian organizations to quickly respond to disasters makes it effectively impossible to engage in it. Against this background, we argue, humanitarian organizations should take preemptive action before disaster strikes. Specifically, we posit that the pre-disaster phase presents an opportunity to engage in inclusion in order to cultivate relational resilience between local and expatriate aid workers. Such resilience would enable them to not only better weather the inevitable relational fractures during a disaster response (and thus stay more functional throughout), but also quickly realign with each other in the post-disaster phase. We conclude with a set of concrete recommendations for practicing inclusion in the pre-disaster phase.
(In press): Business Model Innovation for Ambulance Systems in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: “Coordination and Competition”, Production & Operations Management: .
Abstract: Several low- and middle-income countries’ emergency transportation systems (ETSs) do not have a centralized emergency number. Instead, they have many independent ambulance providers, each with a small number of ambulances. As a result, ETSs in these contexts lack coordination and ambulances. Using a free-entry equilibrium model, we show that in such decentralized systems, the probability that any given call can be served by at least one ambulance, that is, its coverage, is at most 71.54%, regardless of the ETS’s profitability. We examine three business models that can address the ETS’s lack of coordination and ambulances: (i) a competitor-only business model, where an entrepreneur enters the ETS and acquires ambulances to compete with existing providers; (ii) a platform business model, where an entrepreneur coordinates existing providers; and (iii) an innovative platform-plus business model, where an entrepreneur combines (i) and (ii): setting-up a platform and acquiring platform-owned ambulances. We also examine a government-run platform that takes no commissions from providers. Using a game-theoretic approach, we find that it is optimal for all platform models to incentivize all providers to join. However, only the government-run platform may incentivize providers to acquire additional ambulances. Furthermore, a government-run platform offers higher coverage than a platform-plus only when the platform’s power to coordinate ambulance providers is moderate. Our results can help entrepreneurs and policymakers in LMICs navigate various tradeoffs in improving their countries’ ETS.
(In Press): Comparative Configurational Process Analysis: A New Set-Theoretic Technique for Longitudinal Case Analysis, Organizational Research Methods: .
Abstract: In the past 20 years, researchers have significantly advanced various management fields by examining organizational phenomena through a configurational lens, including competitive strategies, corporate governance mechanisms, and innovation systems. Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) has emerged as a primary method for empirically investigating organizational configurations. However, QCA has traditionally struggled to capture the temporal aspects of configurational phenomena. In this paper, we present configurational comparative process analysis (C2PA), which merges QCA with sequence analysis. We introduce the concept of configurational themes—recognizable temporal patterns of recurring combinations of explanatory conditions—to identify and track the temporal dynamics among these phenomena. We also outline configurational matching—a method for empirically identifying these themes by distinguishing theme-defining from theme-supporting conditions. C2PA allows researchers to explore the temporal dynamics of configurational phenomena, such as their stability, emergence, and decline at critical junctures. We illustrate the application of C2PA through a study of shareholder value orientation and discuss its potential for addressing key questions in management research.
(In press): “I Just Don’t Fit There!” Anticipated Cultural Mismatch and Social Disparities in Students’ Intention to Enter Higher Education, Social Psychological and Personality Science: .
Abstract: Despite political and societal efforts to reduce social inequality in education, students from nonacademic households (no parent holds a university degree) are less likely to enter higher education than their peers from academic households. Drawing on Cultural Mismatch Theory, we tested whether social disparities in enrollment intentions are related to students’ anticipated mismatch between their self-construal and expected higher education culture. Experimental data (N = 264) revealed a corresponding mismatch effect between students’ self-construal and expected culture on their anticipated fit in a higher education program. In addition, field data (N = 574) from upper secondary school students revealed that students from nonacademic households more strongly anticipate a mismatch and, in turn, have a lower intention to enter higher education. Corroborating our theorizing, these social disparities are contingent on the expected culture in higher education. These findings highlight the role of students’ self-construal and anticipated fit for higher education enrollment.
(In Press): Tax privacy concerns hamper digitization of the Nanostore Channel, Decision Sciences: .
Abstract: Various entities, such as startups, suppliers and governments, face substantial difficulties in convincing nanostore shopkeepers to adopt digital technologies. Given the informal status of nanostores, we posit that shopkeepers experience Tax Privacy Concerns from their operational records potentially becoming transparent to the tax authorities, which hampers their inclination to digitize. Through the application of a survey and vignette experiments in the field with hundreds of shopkeepers across three cities in Latin America, we find consistent evidence for the negative role of Tax Privacy Concerns, above and beyond shopkeepers' willingness to share data with various entities, trust in the government and other entities, and general privacy concerns. Further, we show that having entities that shopkeepers trust and are willing to share data with offer technological solutions does not mitigate shopkeepers' Tax Privacy Concerns and boosts digitization. In contrast, positive word of mouth that data are unlikely to be shared with the tax authorities does mitigate Tax Privacy Concerns. Overall, our findings provide novel evidence for the existence and influence of privacy concerns for operational data among microentrepreneurs, which answers calls in the extant literature to explore privacy concerns.beyond the consumer context.
(In press): Anti-trafficking and Humanitarian Operations: Transferring Learnings for a Better World, Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management: .
(In press): Demand and supply side effects of COVID-19 on music streaming, Journal of Media Economics: 1-27.
Abstract: Restrictions imposed to fight the Covid-19 pandemic dramatically changed life. This affected the entertainment industry with consequences on the demand (consumer behavior in terms of quantity and preferences) and supply side (quantity of published products). Suffering from revenue losses because of canceled live events due to Covid-19, the music industry heavily relied on streaming revenues so we investigate how the lockdowns and other restrictions affected demand and supply within the music streaming industry. Using daily Spotify streaming data, as well as the MusicBrainz encyclopedia, we empirically investigate changes in the number of streams per day, listening preferences (demand side), and the number of releases (supply side) for the United States, Germany, Brazil, and Indonesia. For the demand side, the results imply that lockdown measures led to a decrease in the total number of streams per day. This coincided with country-specific changes in music preferences such as a short-term increase in the consumption of happy music. On the supply side, a global increase in songs released with increasing lockdown measures was found. Although most effects mitigate over time, they lead to serious ongoing financial consequences for artists, record labels, and streaming services.
(In press): Opening the floodgates:How big companies can reap the benefits of internal crowdfunding, Business Horizons: .
Abstract: Digital technologies enable employees at all levels to participate in distributed decision-making. We examine the design principles, benefits, and challenges of a new type of distributed decision-making: internal crowdfunding. We build on a five-year case study of internal crowdfunding contests at Siemens AG to deepen our understanding of the design principles of internal crowdfunding and its potential for corporate innovation. Based on this data, we discuss the three design choices in internal crowdfunding (contributors, configuration, and control), find four key benefits (decentralization, cross-collaboration, institutionalization, and intrapreneurship), and identify three key challenges (dealing with rejected ideas, evaluation biases, and implementation and follow-on funding) and potential actions by managers to overcome them. The paper contributes to both the emerging literature on internal crowdfunding and the literature on distributed decision-making.
(In press): Marketing inputs and outcome heterogeneity – Using a quantile regression framework in the entertainment industry, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science: .
(In press): The role of inventory in firm resilience to the Covid‐19 pandemic, European Financial Management: 1-33.
Abstract: We study the role of inventory in corporate resilience to Covid-19 in 2020, which triggered exogenous shocks to consumer demand, commodity prices and supply chains. Unexpected drops in consumer demand and commodity prices increase the costs of inventory. Conversely, inventory holdings can buffer against supply disruptions. Empirically, US firms with higher inventory experienced more negative stock market responses early in the crisis due to falling consumer demand. However, since May 2020, inventory has become valuable as a hedge against supply disruptions, improving firm performance. During Covid-19, unlike other crises, inventory played a unique role as a hedge against supply disruptions.
(In press): Women in academic publishing: Descriptive trends from authors to editors across 33 years of management science, The Leadership Quarterly: .
Abstract: Traditionally, leadership scholars often study snapshots of leaders in organizations. However, academic publishing offers a unique, more controlled context to study leadership with implications for leadership scholars and scholarship. Hence, we present a descriptive overview of women’s representation across 33 years in 11 top management journals across levels of leaders in academic publishing (i.e., editors, associate editors, and editorial board members) and authors. To do so, we curated an archival dataset tracking women’s representation over time and across these four levels (i.e., 21,510 authors and 4,173 leaders) with 51,360 data entries for the authors and 320,545 for the leaders. Overall, women’s representation increased over time, which was explained by simple time trend effects. Only 32 of 135 editors were women (i.e., 23.7 %), and the share of women associate editors showed particularly drastic fluctuations. We did not observe a “leaky pipeline” except from the associate editor to editor step, as well as notable fluctuations—particularly after new editor appointments—and between journals. We discuss the influential roles editors and publishers have on women’s representation in academic publishing and science more broadly as well as implications for future research and policy.
(In press): Are women strategic leaders more effective during a crisis than men strategic leaders? A causal analysis of the relationship between strategic leader gender and outcomes during the COVID-19 crisis, The Leadership Quarterly: .
Abstract: Extant research has used the COVID-19 pandemic as a context to test the “women leadership advantage during crisis” hypothesis. An influential paper reported that women U.S. governors were associated with fewer COVID-19 deaths. Building on this work, we demonstrate that methodological assumptions play a critical role in our interpretation of findings. First, we conduct a literal replication (Study 1) of the original study to validate our dataset. Second, a series of constructive replications (Studies 2A-D) shows the results rely on methodological assumptions that are not fully supported. Without these assumptions, we find no evidence for the “women leadership advantage during crisis” hypothesis. Third, in two constructive replications focusing on U.S. counties and Brazilian municipalities, we causally test the relationship between strategic leader gender and COVID-19 deaths using a geographic matching design (Study 3A) and a regression discontinuity design (Study 3B). Again, we find no evidence for the “women leadership advantage during crisis” hypothesis. Collectively, we demonstrate that when following the methodological precedent of extant research, we were able to replicate previously identified relationships between gender and leadership outcomes, but after accounting for endogeneity and basic assumptions of linear models, we were no longer able to replicate these effects. In all our constructive replications, we found no significant difference in the effectiveness of women and men strategic leaders in crises.
(In press): Employee demographic diversity and firm performance, Financial Management: .
Abstract: This article examines the relationship between employee demographic diversity and firm performance measured by future stock returns for a large sample of US public companies. We use novel demographic data extracted from employees' online profiles and resumes and focus on three key aspects of employee demographic diversity: age, gender, and ethnicity. We find no evidence supportive of an outperformance associated with greater employee-diverse companies, neither using portfolio-sorting approaches nor cross-sectional and panel regressions. We also find no significant associations between employee demographic diversity and ROE, gross profit, and labor productivity.
(In press): How Mixed Performance Feedback Shapes Exploration: The Moderating Role of Self-Enhancement, Organization Science: 1-20.
Abstract: We conduct an experiment to examine how providing decision makers with high versus low peer performance information influences choices between exploration and exploitation. Previous work on organization-level learning suggests that a high-performing peer would fuel exploration, whereas a low-performing peer would dampen it. In line with this, we find that individuals who receive information about a high-performing peer explore more than those who receive information about a low-performing peer. However, we also find that compared to individuals with a low tendency to self-enhance, individuals with a high tendency to self-enhance are less likely to explore when receiving information about a high-performing peer. In fact, these individuals explore at levels comparable to those who receive information about a low-performing peer. We explain this behavioral pattern by demonstrating that as individuals learn and improve, information about a high-performing peer increasingly results in mixed performance feedback; under these conditions of relative interpretive flexibility, exploration is moderated by decision makers’ tendency to self-enhance. When these individual dynamics are aggregated, our data suggest that an organization that provides peer performance information may experience either the same or less exploration than an organization that does not, with the exact difference depending on its proportion of high self-enhancers. These insights into the contingencies and aggregate effects of how individuals interpret and respond to peer performance information are particularly relevant given recent interest in designing organizations that shape employee behavior through the provision of feedback rather than through traditional instruments of coordination and control, such as incentives or hierarchy.
(In Press): Adopting additive manufacturing in after-sales: developing a typology of corrective, preventive, and anticipatory approaches, Journal of Business Logistics: .
(In press): Predicting Complaints in Semiconductor Order Fulfilment with Machine Learning, International Journal of Production Research: .
Abstract: Many customers complain when informed that their order will not be fulfilled as originally confirmed, while other customers may be able to tolerate deviations. However, for suppliers, such complaints can be an early indicator of bad publicity, customer churn, and lost sales; and suppliers can prioritise orders to avoid these negative consequences. Ideally, they would know in advance if any order fulfilment change will trigger a customer complaint. To analyse how suppliers can predict these infrequent events in a business-to-business context, we leverage machine learning models on a large real-world dataset from a global semiconductor manufacturer. Our findings demonstrate that extreme gradient boosted trees effectively address the prediction problem. We explore the impact on model performance for different sampling approaches and cutoff values, as tuning the decision threshold is a meaningful calibration strategy before practical implementation. Our feature importance analysis provides evidence that high order fulfilment quality lowers complaint tendencies. Bridging the gap between advanced analytics and customer behaviour prediction, our research contributes to understanding the influence of subpar order fulfilment on customer satisfaction and offers insights into efficient order management despite disruptions. Our empirical study lays the groundwork for proactive supply chain operations when order fulfilment is at risk.
(In press): When lack of control leads to uncertainty: Explaining the effect of anomie on support for authoritarianism, Journal of personality and social psychology: .
Abstract: Studies have shown that anomie, that is, the perception that a society's leadership and social fabric are breaking down, is a central predictor of individuals' support for authoritarianism. However, causal evidence for this relationship is missing. Moreover, previous studies are ambiguous regarding the mediating mechanism and lack empirical tests for the same. Against this background, we derive a set of integrative hypotheses: First, we argue that perceptions of anomie lead to a perceived lack of political control. The repeated failure to exert control in the political sphere leads to feelings of uncertainty about the functioning and meaning of the political world. This uncertainty heightens people's susceptibility to authoritarianism because, we argue, the latter promises a sense of order, meaning, and the guidance of a "strong leader." We support our hypothesis in a large-scale field study with a representative sample of the German population (N = 1,504) while statistically ruling out alternative explanations. Adding internal validity, we provide causal evidence for each path in our sequential mediation hypothesis in three preregistered, controlled experiments (conducted in the United States, total N = 846). Our insights may support policymakers in addressing the negative political consequences of anomie. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
(In press): Exploring Respectful Inquiry in Leader-Team Interactions: The Differential Effect of Leader Question Asking and Listening on Team Interaction Dynamics in Decision Making, Group & Organization Management: .
Abstract: Despite extensive research streams on leadership and team processes, there is a surprising paucity of studies at their intersection. Both research streams share an increasing attention to the social interactions at the core of these phenomena. Leveraging this behavioral lens, this study draws on respectful inquiry theory to explore how specific leader communication behaviors affect team interaction dynamics during decision-making, as one important team process. We conducted a laboratory study with 22 four-person teams and a confederate leader who engaged in a hidden profile task in a personnel selection scenario. We manipulated the leader’s question asking behavior (open questions vs. statements only) and listening behavior (listening attentively vs. not listening) and randomly assigned teams to one of the four conditions. Team interactions were video-recorded and analyzed at the micro-level of communication. Specifically, we explored how leader communicative behaviors affected (1) the quality of team decision-making, (2) the conversational structure (via speaker turns), and (3) constructive communication patterns. We found that team’s yielded the lowest performance in the “disrespectful inquiry”-condition (i.e., asking questions but not listening). This condition was also characterized by increased levels of interaction amongst team members that could be interpreted as an attempt to compensate for the lack of functional leadership. By adopting a consistent, micro-level behavioral perspective, our findings bridge the literature of leadership and team interactions and suggest an update to extant theorizing on leadership substitutions.
(2025): When and how corporate social responsibility promotes innovation: A multi‐level moderated mediation model, Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 32 (1): 1325-1345.
Abstract: This study advances and tests a micro-foundations model that reveals when and how corporate social responsibility (CSR) will enhance organizational innovation. Challenging the prevalent assumption that CSR uniformly leads to positive outcomes, we posit that the impact of CSR on innovation is contingent upon the interplay between employee-level psychological processes and organizational-level factors. Specifically, we argue that under conditions of good internal organizational communication, CSR facilitates employees' intrinsic motivation. Then, this motivation can increase organizational-level innovation, but only if employees are also allowed to thrive, when they are psychologically empowered. We examine the multi-level model by utilizing a 4-wave, time-lagged data from one of the largest Korean commercial banks, featuring 2545 employees across 379 branches. The data consist of both survey data and centrally audited CSR data. The results of the analyses bolster our hypotheses, but also highlight unexpected backlash effects where CSR negatively affects organizational innovation. Our findings contribute to the CSR literature by unveiling the complex micro-level mechanisms and boundary conditions that shape the CSR-innovation relationship, thereby addressing the inconsistencies in previous research. Practically, our study suggests that managers should carefully align their CSR initiatives with internal communication strategies and employee empowerment practices to foster innovation. Failing to do so may inadvertently undermine the very outcomes CSR is intended to promote. These insights also speak to the ongoing debate on the role of CSR in driving organizational competitiveness and social impact, underlining the need for a more nuanced and contextualized understanding of CSR's effects. In sum, our results facilitate the integration of previously disparate literatures, while simultaneously also underlining that CSR efforts need to be orchestrated with other improvements if any innovation benefits are to be reaped.
(2024): Studying complex causal processes in technological innovation and entrepreneurship with set-theoretic mediation models, Technovation, 134 (6): 103015.
Abstract: Researchers often turn to linear mediation models to understand the complex causal processes inherent within innovation and entrepreneurship phenomena. However, these models are not always the most appropriate methods for increasing our understanding of these phenomena. This is because linear models depend on the principle of reductionism – which separates causal processes into their independent components – and overlooks systemwide attributes. To advance research findings that do not adequately address complex causal processes, we advocate using set-theoretic mediation models that offer analytical features better suited for holistically uncovering interdependent and intervening pathways. This method enables investigating complex causal processes associated with the conjunction, equifinality, and asymmetry that can occur with multiple interdependent variables. We provide researchers with practical guidance on constructing and testing set-theoretic mediation models using widely available software while demonstrating these procedures with an illustrative analysis. In doing so, we seek to guide researchers interested in integrating these models into their studies and recommend best practices for implementation. We argue that set-theoretic meditation models can be utilized in various contexts, as they offer new research opportunities for exploring unified necessity and sufficiency relational systems in ways existing methods have yet to address.
(2024): Automatically identifying customer needs in user-generated content using token classification, Decision Support Systems, 178: 1-11.
Abstract: Users generate tremendous amounts of data on the Internet every day. This so-called user-generated content (UGC) is valuable input for organizations since it may include individual experiences, opinions, and desires with respect to the products and services they offer. To automatically process UGC, automated techniques, typically referred to as Needmining, have been developed. Existing Needmining approaches extract customer needs from UGC by binarily classifying unstructured textual data into need-content and no-need content. However, they are not able to extract the specific needs. We address this research gap by developing a decision support artifact that re-conceptualizes Needmining from a binary classification problem to a token-classification problem to extract specific needs from informative content. To achieve this, we break down customer needs into components, i.e. attributes and characteristics and develop a token classification artifact. The artifact accurately identifies the need-components and, therefore, can identify specific customer needs in user-generated content. We organize and discuss the value of the artifact's output and further enrich the model with sentiment data to distinguish relevant needs. If applied, the artifact can realize efficiency gains for decisionmakers in the field of product development as it automatically and quickly identifies relevant consumer needs.
(2024): Understanding customers’ choice for digital D2C versus multi-brand operations, Journal of Retailing, 100 (2): 256-273.
Abstract: In recent years, the emergence of highly successful digital multi-brand retailers has facilitated an omnichannel distribution strategy to become the norm for brands. Rather than relying solely on these multi-brand retailers, it is necessary for companies’ omnichannel strategy to establish strong brand-owned direct-to-consumer (D2C) webstores. To help D2C brands make decisions regarding distribution channel choices, this paper investigates the circumstances under which customers prefer brands’ D2C webstores over digital multi-brand retailers and how these circumstances vary across phases of the customer journey. The results from an extensive experimental study demonstrate that, depending on the customer journey, brands’ D2C webstores can compete with digital multi-brand retailers, particularly in product categories characterized by deep assortments, the need for extensive product information, exclusive products, or a high degree of personalization.
(2024): When necessity is the mother of disruption: Users versus producers as sources of disruptive innovation, Journal of Product Innovation Management, 41 (1): 62-85.
Abstract: This study investigates the sources of disruptive innovation. The disruptive innovation literature suggests that these do not originate from existing customers, in contrast to what is predicted by the user innovation literature. We compile a unique content-analytical dataset based on 60 innovations identified as disruptive by the disruptive innovation literature. Using multinomial and binomial regression, we find that 43% of the sample disruptive innovations were originally developed by users. Disruptive innovations are more likely to originate from users (producers) if the environment has high turbulence in customer preferences (technology). Disruptive innovations that involve high functional (technological) novelty tend to be developed by users (producers). Users are also more likely to be the source of disruptive process innovations and to innovate in environments with weaker appropriability. Our article forges new links between the disruptive and the user innovation literatures, and offers guidance to managers on the likely source of disruptive threats.
(2024): A network design problem for upgrading decentrally produced biogas into biomethane, Journal of Cleaner Production, 452 (5): 1-15.
Abstract: In this paper, we explore the possibility of connecting decentralized biogas plants via a pipeline network to terminals that upgrade biogas into biomethane. We present a mixed-integer linear program that forms subnetworks of such plants, decides on suitable terminal locations, and establishes pipeline connections to maximize profit. We apply this model to a real-world scenario in Northern Germany. The results show a much higher total profit for the optimized network compared to the benchmark solutions where each plant upgrades biogas into biomethane on its own. Therefore, plants can increase their profitability by collaborating with other (neighboring) plants. However, the collaboration requires a fair profit-sharing model as network participation is not individually profitable for all plants, especially small ones.
(2024): Does bigger still mean better? How digital transformation affects the market share–profitability relationship, International Journal of Research in Marketing, 41 (4): 648-670.
Abstract: Extensive research has examined the effect of market share on profitability and, in general, has found a significantly positive relationship between the two metrics. However, this article demonstrates that the digital transformation of companies has substantially altered this relationship and its underlying mechanisms. The authors first theoretically develop the different influences of digital transformation on the traditional market share–profitability framework. Subsequently, they estimate a firm–profitability model based on a sample of 6,389 observations from 824 U.S. firms over 25 years that accounts for companies’ degree of digital transformation by text mining their financial statements using a self-developed and validated dictionary. The authors find a significantly negative interaction between the degree of digital transformation of a company and the impact of market share on profitability. However, they also show that this effect is moderated by i) a firm’s digital transformation emphasis (i.e., digital transformation of internal vs. external processes; digital transformation through platformization), ii) a firm’s general strategic emphasis (value appropriation relative to value creation), and iii) a firm’s general market environment (B2C versus B2B). The findings suggest that managers and investors of digital companies should exercise caution when relying on market share as a metric for performance.
(2024): How Identity Impacts Bystander Responses to Workplace Mistreatment, Journal of Management, 50 (7): .
Abstract: Integrating a social identity approach with Cortina's (2008) theorizing about selective incivility as modern discrimination, we examine how identification—with an organization, with one's gender, and as a feminist—shapes bystanders’ interpretations and responses to witnessed incivility (i.e., interpersonal acts of disrespect) and selective incivility (i.e., incivility motivated by targets’ social group membership) toward women at work. We propose that bystanders with stronger organizational identification are less likely to perceive incivility toward female colleagues as discrimination and intervene, but female bystanders with stronger gender identification are more likely to do so. Results from two-wave field data in a cross-lagged panel design (Study 1, N = 336) showed that organizational identification negatively predicted observed selective incivility 1 year later but revealed no evidence of an effect of female bystanders’ gender identification. We replicated and extended these results with a vignette experiment (Study 2, N = 410) and an experimental recall study (Study 3, N = 504). Findings revealed a “dark side” of organizational identification: strongly identified bystanders were less likely to perceive incivility as discrimination, but there were again no effects of women's gender identification. Study 3 also showed that bystander feminist identification increased intervention via perceived discrimination. These results raise doubts that female bystanders are more sensitive to recognizing other women's mistreatment as discrimination, but more strongly identified feminists (male or female) were more likely to intervene. Although strongly organizationally identified bystanders were more likely to overlook women's mistreatment, they were also more likely to intervene once discrimination was apparent.
(2024): Does CEO extraversion pay off when in need? Evidence from the global financial crisis, The British Accounting Review, 56 (4): 1-21.
Abstract: We examine the effect of CEO extraversion on corporate performance during the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). Contrary to the expectation that extraverted CEOs should shield firms better from GFC adversities, we document that the extraversion characteristic of CEOs places a significant, though negative, effect on corporate performance during the financial crisis. Our findings are robust to controlling for other CEO personality traits. We also perform a battery of robustness tests and validate the underperformance of firms with extraverted CEOs during the GFC using stock returns and measures of operating performance. We argue that because extraverted CEOs are associated with heightened firm risk profile, this can hurt firms when the market disciplines excessive risk-taking during the crisis.
(2024): Availability of essential, generic medicines before and during COVID-19 at selected public pharmaceutical supply agencies in Ethiopia: a comparative cross-sectional study, BMJ open, 14 (3): .
Abstract: OBJECTIVES Lockdowns and border closures impacted medicine availability during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess the availability of essential, generic medicines for chronic diseases at public pharmaceutical supply agencies in Ethiopia. DESIGN Comparative cross-sectional study. SETTING The availability of essential, generic medicines for chronic diseases was assessed at two public pharmaceutical supply agency hubs. PARTICIPANTS The current study included public supply agency hub managers, warehouse managers and forecasting officers at the study setting. OUTCOMES The assessment encompassed the availability of chronic medicines on the day of data collection, as well as records spanning 8 months before the outbreak and 1 year during the pandemic. A total of 22 medicines were selected based on their inclusion in the national essential drug list for public health facilities, including 17 medicines for cardiovascular disease and 5 for diabetes mellitus. RESULTS The results of the study indicate that the mean availability of the selected basket medicines was 43.3% (95% CI: 37.1 to 49.5) during COVID-19, which was significantly lower than the availability of 67.4% (95% CI: 62.2 to 72.6) before the outbreak (p<0.001). Prior to COVID-19, the overall average line-item fill rate for the selected products was 78%, but it dropped to 49% during the pandemic. Furthermore, the mean number of days out of stock per month was 11.7 (95% CI: 9.9 to 13.5) before the outbreak of COVID-19, which significantly increased to 15.7 (95% CI: 13.2 to 18.2) during the pandemic, indicating a statistically significant difference (p<0.001). Although the prices for some drugs remained relatively stable, there were significant price hikes for some products. For example, the unit price of insulin increased by more than 130%. CONCLUSION The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the availability of essential chronic medicines, including higher rates of stockouts and unit price hikes for some products in the study setting. The study's findings imply that the COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated already-existing medicine availability issues. Efforts should be made to develop contingency plans and establish mechanisms to monitor medicine availability and pricing during such crises.
(2024): Resilience analysis of large-scale dynamic food flow networks using an optimization-based N-1 contingency approach, AIP Conference Proceedings, 3034 (1): .
Abstract: Food supply systems are national critical infrastructures embedded in changing and uncertain environments. Hence, testing and evaluating them in their ability to meet food supply is key to reduce vulnerability to shortages. This paper presents an optimization approach to assess the resilience of nationwide food supply systems using the N-1 contingency criteria, which investigates whether the isolation of one region from the transport network destabilizes the food supply. To this end, we build a multi-regional multi-commodity large-scale model for food flow networks. Then, we implement a constraint optimization problem to find the management of food flows along the supply chain stages that minimize shortage, costs and penalties induced by the disruption for both the isolated and connected system. Lastly, resilience is quantified with established metrics. A numerical case study illustrates the proposed method, revealing which regions are critical to maintain the stability of the national food supply.
(2024): A conceptual framework for supply chain digital twins – development and evaluation, International Journal of Logistics: Research and Applications: 1-23.
Abstract: Digital twins, due to digitalisation, are increasingly adopted across industries. The supply chain industry, with its process-driven nature, collaboration of multiple stakeholders and dependability on real-time events, demands unique characteristics for the implementation of digital twins. While these twins can enhance supply chain transparency and responsiveness, there is a lack of an application framework. The aim of this paper is to address this absence of a specialised application framework. The framework outlines multiple layers, dimensions, and stakeholder-technology dependencies for early-phase adoption. It is designed to guide planners and operators of supply chains in planning, implementing, and introducing new supply chain digital twins. Using the design science approach as a research methodology, the framework is informed by literature and expert interviews. Its validity is confirmed through further expert evaluations, and the study concludes with key insights and guidelines derived from the framework.
(2024): Does Market Share Still Matter?, Harvard Business Review: .
Abstract: Market share has traditionally correlated strongly with profitability because of efficiency, market efficiency, and customer perception effects. But, as the authors demonstrate, the relationship has been changed by the digital transformation in firms. The authors’ research finds that the market-share profitability relationship has become weaker for firms that favor investment in value creation over value appropriation and for firms operating in B2B markets. In both cases, digital helps smaller firms catch up with larger rivals. But digital can also amplify market share effects for large firms focusing digital investments on customer-facing processes and for large firms that create digital platforms.
(2024): A new conception of port governance under climate change, Journal of Transport Geography, 120 (10): 1-13.
Abstract: The port governance literature has charted the trend towards devolution of port services to the private sector, also showing how the increasing influence of external private actors such as shipping lines and global terminal operators affects decisions on expansion and service provision, producing a more multifaceted and polycentric kind of port governance. In this paper we extend these notions to cover both mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. A growing body of literature on green ports discusses the various actions that can be taken to limit emissions in the port area, while another body of literature is growing on climate change adaptation measures, including the uncertain risks and rewards. Both mitigation and adaptation actions are partly linked to the commercial decisions of port actors but also partly driven by external actors (e.g. society, government, regulators). The analysis produces an updated conceptualisation of port governance under climate change, based on four stakeholder groups (public policy, commercial actors, indirect actors and international shipping governance) and produces three key conclusions. First, concession contracts and commercial relationships will need to change, with a more integrated vision and approach to sharing future (sometimes undefined or uncosted) costs and benefits between the port authority and commercial partners. Second, diversification of the port business model will see a larger focus on energy production and provision, requiring the more explicit inclusion of external stakeholders, particularly energy companies, in port governance. Third, port governance will see a return to prominence of the public dimension, both in terms of national decarbonisation plans and particularly regarding adaptation to an uncertain and turbulent future. As ports are both commercial activities and national infrastructure, these different identities will need to be united in a joint vision.
(2024): Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Workplace Communication: Promises, Perils, and Recommended Policy, Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 31 (4): 375-381.
Abstract: Communication sits at the heart of any coordination within organization. Yet, what are the consequences when employes use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to copilot, i.e., support, their communication? While AI support in human interactions holds much promise for improving communication quality at work, it also fundamentally challenges how much people trust that communication. We, therefore, ask how organizations should introduce AI. In particular, we focus on the responsibility of leaders as stewards of workplace communication. Accordingly, we offer a set of specific hands-on recommendations on how employes should be guided to use AI copiloting effectively so that they do not give in to the temptation of letting go of the “steering wheel” (i.e., allowing AI to [auto]pilot intraorganizational communication).
(2023): Supply chain risk management strategies in normal and abnormal times: policymakers' role in reducing generic medicine shortages, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 53 (2): 206-230.
Abstract: Purpose This paper links supply chain risk management to medicine supply chains to explore the role of policymakers in employing supply chain risk management strategies (SCRMS) to reduce generic medicine shortages. Design/methodology/approach Using secondary data supplemented with primary data, the authors map and compare seven countries' SCRMS for handling shortage risks in their paracetamol supply chains before and during the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings Consistent with recent research, the study finds that policymakers had implemented few SCRMS specifically for responding to disruptions caused by COVID-19. However, shortages were largely avoided since multiple strategies for coping with business-as-usual disruptions had been implemented prior to the pandemic. The authors did find that SCRMS implemented during COVID-19 were not always aligned with those implemented pre-pandemic. The authors also found that policymakers played both direct and indirect roles. Research limitations/implications Combining longitudinal secondary data with interviews sheds light on how, regardless of the level of preparedness during normal times, SCRMS can be leveraged to avert shortages in abnormal times. However, the problem is highly complex, which warrants further research. Practical implications Supply chain professionals and policymakers in the healthcare sector can use the findings when developing preparedness and response plans. Social implications The insights developed can help policymakers improve the availability of high-volume generic medicines in (ab)normal times. Originality/value The authors contribute to prior SCRM research in two ways. First, the authors operationalize SCRMS in the medicine supply chain context in (ab)normal times, thereby opening avenues for future research on SCRM in this context. Second, the authors develop insights on the role policymakers play and how they directly implement and indirectly influence the adoption of SCRMS. Based on the study findings, the authors develop a framework that captures the diverse roles of policymakers in SCRM.
(2023): Digital transformation in operations management: Fundamental change through agency reversal, Journal of Operations Management, 69 (6): 876-889.
Abstract: The emergence of digital technologies across all aspects of operations management has enabled shifts in decision making, shaping new operational dynamics and business opportunities. The associated scholarly discussions in information systems and operations management span digital manufacturing, the digitalization of operations management and supply chain management, platform outcomes, and economies of collaboration. For such changes to be successful, however, there is a need for organizations to go beyond the mere adoption of digital technologies. Instead, successful changes are transformational, delving into digital transformation endeavors, which in turn can enable operational improvements in organizational performance, lead to structural changes in operations processes, and may result in new business models being deployed. Our aim here, thus, is to provide an epistemic platform to advance our understanding of how such endeavors, including the adoption of digital technologies, business model innovations, and innovations in collaboration mechanisms and methods of operations improvement, can affect various aspects of operations management.
(2023): Data, analytical techniques and collaboration between researchers and practitioners in humanitarian health supply chains: a challenging but necessary way forward, Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, 13 (3): 237-248.
Abstract: This paper aims to provide a discussion on the interface and interactions between data, analytical techniques and impactful research in humanitarian health supply chains. New techniques for data capturing, processing and analytics, such as big data, blockchain technology and artificial intelligence, are increasingly put forward as potential “game changers” in the humanitarian field. Yet while they have potential to improve data analytics in the future, larger data sets and quantification per se are no “silver bullet” for complex and wicked problems in humanitarian health settings. Humanitarian health supply chains provide health care and medical aid to the most vulnerable in development and disaster relief settings alike. Unlike commercial supply chains, they often lack resources and long-term collaborations to enable learning from the past and to improve further.
(2023): The importance of resource interaction in strategies for managing supply chain disruptions, Journal of Business Research, 154 (1): 1-10.
Abstract: The turbulent business environment highlights the need for strategies for mitigating, responding to, and recovering from (that is, managing) supply chain disruptions. Resources are central in these strategies but remain unspecified in the literature. This paper shows how the resource interaction approach (RIA) can help understanding resources in this setting by acknowledging their interactive and networked nature. Based on a conceptual discussion that compares key assumptions within the supply chain risk management (SCRM) and supply chain risk resilience (SCRes) literatures with the RIA, we propose an alternative approach to strategies for managing supply chain disruptions. We challenge the SCRM and SCRes literatures by emphasizing interdependence (as opposed to independence) and pointing to relationships as key resources in strategies for managing supply chain disruptions. Collaboration relying on an interplay between temporary and permanent organizing is suggested as a starting point instead of being just one of several alternative strategies.
(2023): Board cultural diversity and firm performance under competitive pressures, Financial Review, 59 (1): 89-111.
Abstract: We examine the impact of board cultural diversity, based on directors' ancestry, on firm performance conditional on product market competition. We argue that culturally diverse boards foster critical thinking and offer creative solutions that help firms thrive in competitive environments. We document that culturally diverse boards are associated with superior performance for firms operating in highly competitive industries. To address potential endogeneity issues, we use a quasi-natural experiment of the U.S. import tariff cuts. The positive impact of board cultural diversity on firm performance in competitive markets manifests itself in firms that innovate more, require creative inputs, and face heightened predation risk due to their high interdependence with industry rivals, in line with culturally diverse boards effectively performing their advisory role. Lastly, we find no evidence that board cultural diversity is associated with enhanced monitoring as its benefits fade in the presence of powerful CEOs.
(2023): Adherence to standard operating procedures for improving data quality: An empirical analysis in the postal service industry, Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 176: .
Abstract: Complete and accurate data is an important enabler of effective supply chain decision making. Despite the increasing efforts to fully automate data collection processes using advanced sensors and scanners, human operators are still in charge of data entry tasks in most industries. Unfortunately, operators do not often comply with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and do not always exhibit the consistency and commitment required to collect high-quality data. In fact, data collection is often perceived as a non-value-adding activity that increases workloads and lowers productivity. We aim to empirically study the extent to which compliance with SOPs for data collection is affected by some of the key factors. Using a large dataset obtained from a leading postal service provider in Australia, we find that an operator’s workload, fatigue, and related work experience directly impact the compliance levels. We also find that a company’s compliance reinforcement intervention to improve compliance behavior can moderate these impacts.
(2023): Leadership science beyond questionnaires, The Leadership Quarterly, 34 (6): 1-9.
Abstract: Our field has lost its way. Leadership is what people do in order to influence others so that the others can and will contribute to the objectives of the collective. And yet, when looking at recent leadership research, the “what people do” – the behavioral elements as shown in true actions and choices – are almost completely absent. They have been replaced by evaluative surveys that tend to have tenuous links to reality and correspondingly limited policy implications. If our discipline is to advance as a science and achieve impact, we need to move beyond the ritualized use of questionnaires and become true behavioral scientists, with behaviors as the fundamental units of our understanding. Against this background, in this editorial we discuss the theoretical, operational, and empirical limitations of questionnaires for studying leadership. We then highlight examples of how researchers can better measure leadership as behaviors, as well as antecedents and consequences of those behaviors. We synthesize the discussion and offer concrete recommendations to help our discipline become what it is supposed to be: A science that people look to in order to find actionable guidance for improving their leadership.
(2023): On the Drivers of Drug Shortages: Empirical Evidence from Germany, SSRN Electronic Journal: .
Abstract: Purpose - Disruptions and shortages of drugs have become severe problems in recent years, which has triggered strong media and public interest in the topic. However, little is known about the factors that can be associated with the increased frequency of shortages. In this paper, we analyze the drivers of drug shortages using empirical data for Germany, the fourth largest pharmaceutical market. Design/methodology/approach - We use a dataset provided by the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte [BfArM]) with 425 reported shortages for drug substances (DSs) in the 24-month period between May 2017 and April 2019 and enrich the data with information from additional sources. Using logistic and negative binomial regression models, we analyze the impact of (1) market characteristics, (2) drug substance characteristics and (3) regulatory characteristics on the likelihood of a shortage. Findings - We find that factors like market concentration, patent situation, manufacturing processes or dosage form are significantly associated with the odds of a shortage. We discuss the implications of these findings to reduce the frequency and severity of shortages. Originality/value – We contribute to the empirical research on drug shortages by analyzing the impact of market characteristics, DS characteristics and regulatory characteristics on the reported shortages. Our analysis provides a starting point for better prioritizing efforts to strengthen drug supply as it is currently intensely discussed by healthcare authorities.
(2023): Sourcing and pricing decisions under upstream competition with a financially distressed supplier, endogenous bankcruptcy risk, and a backup supply option, Production and Operations Management, 32 (8): 2475-2490.
Abstract: To maintain future supplier competition, manufacturers may support financially distressed suppliers by sourcing from them, even if they are less efficient than competitors, and by procuring larger quantities from them at higher prices. We analyze these strategies in a model in which a manufacturer decides for one of two available suppliers, supplier bankruptcy risk is endogenous, and financial distress can lead to internal or external reorganization. Following bankruptcy, the remaining supplier may serve as a backup option. Our research identifies settings in which the manufacturer should support the distressed supplier. We also find that in some cases, a nondistressed supplier may charge price premiums due to its competitor's distress, while in other cases, it may use predatory pricing to drive its competitor into bankruptcy. We complement our results with a small case study and show how our model can explain patterns observed in industry.
(2023): Friend or Fiend? Disentangling Upward Humor's (De)Stabilizing Effects on Hierarchies, Current Opinion in Psychology, 53: .
Abstract: Humor research in organizations focuses on leaders’ humor, but we know far less about followers’ humor. Here, we review and synthesize the scattered work on this "upward humor," offering a novel framing of it as a strategy for followers to deal with hierarchies. We propose a continuum of upward humor from stabilizing (i.e., a friend who uses upward humor to reinforce hierarchies, make hierarchies more bearable or stable) to destabilizing (i.e., a fiend who uses upward humor to question or reshape existing hierarchies) depending on perceived intent (i.e., from benevolent to malicious, respectively) and outline key factors that shape these interpretations. We close with novel questions and methods for future research such as power plays, multi-modal data, and human-robot interactions.
(2023): Does familiarity with an idea bias its evaluation?, Plos one, 18 (7): .
Abstract: Although many organizations strive for radical or disruptive new ideas, many fall short of their goals. We propose that a primary reason for this failure is rooted in the individuals responsible for innovation: while they seek novel ideas, they prefer familiar ones. While prior research shows that individuals are biased against ideas with high objective novelty, it has overlooked the role of subjective novelty, i.e., the extent to which an idea is novel or unfamiliar to an individual idea evaluator. In this paper, we investigate how such subjective familiarity with an idea shapes idea evaluation in innovation. Drawing on research from psychology and marketing on the mere exposure effect, we argue that familiarity with an idea positively affects the evaluation’s outcome. We present two field studies and one laboratory study that support our hypothesis. This study contributes to the understanding of cognitive biases that affect innovation processes.
(2023): Creating pathways to impact: Investing in Supply Chain and Logistics Capacity Development in Africa, IEEE Management Review, 51 (2): 88-103.
Abstract: African logistics and supply chain management capabilities are essential to the performance of the continent's commercial and humanitarian supply chains. This study reviewed the challenges for researchers and practitioners in advancing logistics and supply chain performance through developing appropriate capabilities. A literature review and landscape mapping were followed by semi-structured interviews with 45 stakeholders from industry bodies, academia, funding bodies, consultants, specialists, and academics, confirming the capability and opportunity gaps in the current landscape. A meta-framework for sustainable institutional capacity development was constructed based on the empirical data that was gathered, and supply chain capacity development recommendations were proposed.
(2023): Replenishment strategies for lost sales inventory systems of perishables under demand and lead time uncertainty, European Journal of Operational Research, 308 (2): 661-675.
Abstract: We develop an inventory control policy for perishable products considering both random demand and random lead time. We consider a B2C retail environment where excess demand is lost. The policy dynamically determines the optimal replenishment quantity under a service level constraint in every period, allowing for order-crossing, a widely disregarded characteristic in the literature. Regarding perishability, we compare the two most extreme issuing policies, first-expired-first-out (FEFO) and last-expired-first-out (LEFO), and evaluate our policy to existing inventory policies for perishables that typically ignore lead time uncertainty. We obtain several interesting findings. First, we show that ignoring lead time uncertainty and planning based on the expected lead time significantly undershoots the target service level. Even planning with the maximum lead time, under LEFO, the achieved service level would still fall considerably below the target, which the lost-sales structure can explain. On the other hand, under FEFO, the achieved service level would overshoot the target service level, which leads to unnecessary waste. Second, a more reliable lead time can significantly reduce waste, especially under LEFO. Third, our model allows us to distinguish between past, present, and future lead time uncertainty and thus to consider partial lead time information. We show the value of lead time information on outstanding orders. Fourth, we evaluate the impact of a fast but unreliable delivery option and a slow but reliable delivery option on the retailer’s average waste and ordering process. We find that the optimal choice depends on the demand characteristics.
(2023): A tutorial on value function approximation for stochastic and dynamic transportation, 4OR, 22: 145-173.
Abstract: This paper provides an introductory tutorial on Value Function Approximation (VFA), a solution class from Approximate Dynamic Programming. VFA describes a heuristic way for solving sequential decision processes like a Markov Decision Process. Real-world problems in supply chain management (and beyond) containing dynamic and stochastic elements might be modeled as such processes, but large-scale instances are intractable to be solved to optimality by enumeration due to the curses of dimensionality. VFA can be a proper method for these cases and this tutorial is designed to ease its use in research, practice, and education. For this, the tutorial describes VFA in the context of stochastic and dynamic transportation and makes three main contributions. First, it gives a concise theoretical overview of VFA’s fundamental concepts, outlines a generic VFA algorithm, and briefly discusses advanced topics of VFA. Second, the VFA algorithm is applied to the taxicab problem that describes an easy-to-understand transportation planning task. Detailed step-by-step results are presented for a small-scale instance, allowing readers to gain an intuition about VFA’s main principles. Third, larger instances are solved by enhancing the basic VFA algorithm demonstrating its general capability to approach more complex problems. The experiments are done with artificial instances and the respective Python scripts are part of an electronic appendix. Overall, the tutorial provides the necessary knowledge to apply VFA to a wide range of stochastic and dynamic settings and addresses likewise researchers, lecturers, tutors, students, and practitioners.
(2023): Analyzing drivers of organic food sales - a pooled spatial data analysis for Hamburg (Germany), Plos one, 18 (10): 1-29.
Abstract: Shifting the food system to a more sustainable one requires changes on both sides of the supply chain, with the consumer playing a key role. Therefore, understanding the factors that positively correlate with increased organic food sales over time for an entire population can help guide policymakers, industry, and research to increase this transition further. Using a statistical approach, we developed a spatial pooled cross-sectional model to analyze factors that positively correlate with an increased demand for organic food sales over 20 years (1999–2019) for an entire region (the city-state of Hamburg, Germany), accounting for spatial effects through the spatial error model, spatially lagged X model, and spatial Durbin error model. The results indicated that voting behavior strongly correlated with increased organic food sales over time. Specifically, areas with a higher number of residents that voted for a political party with a core focus on environmental issues, the Greens and the Left Party in Germany. However, there is a stronger connection with the more “radical” Left Party than with the “mainstream” Green Party, which may provide evidence for the attitude-behavior gap, as Left Party supporters are very convinced of their attitudes (pro-environment) and behavior thus follows. By including time and space, this analysis is the first to summarize developments over time for a metropolitan population while accounting for spatial effects and identifying areas for targeted marketing that need further motivation to increase organic food sales.
(2023): LMXSC elicits hubristic pride and social undermining in individuals with high trait dominance, Journal of Management Studies, 61 (6): 2662-2693.
Abstract: A consensus in the literature has converged on the idea that one's perceptions of being treated better by a leader (compared with one's coworkers' treatment by the same leader) motivate prosocial behaviour. Drawing on current theory of hubristic pride and its evolutionary role in status maintenance, we challenge this consensus by proposing that favourable, downward social comparisons of leader-member exchange (i.e., leader-member exchange social comparisons; LMXSC) can also lead to social undermining. Specifically, we argue that, in individuals with high trait dominance, LMXSC triggers hubristic pride, which, in turn, motivates social undermining. Results from two experiments and a longitudinal field study support this idea. In sum, our work shifts the consensus in LMXSC theory by showing when and why high LMXSC can motivate negative coworker-directed behaviour, and it also offers practical help to organizational leaders dealing with the ethical decision of if, and when, to preferentially treat individual team members.
(2023): Interorganizational Sensemaking of the Transition toward a Circular Value Chain, Organization & Environment, 36 (3): 411-441.
Abstract: The transition toward the circular economy requires stakeholders to collaborate along value chains. Yet, such collaborations are considerably challenging. Given the paradigmatic change, stakeholders face high levels of uncertainty and also need to align on a common way forward. We extend research on interorganizational sensemaking and the circular economy by exploring the process of interorganizational alignment in a European consortium of over 150 companies representing the value chain for flexible packaging with the objective to transform the value chain from linear to circular. We find that the interorganizational sensemaking process unfolds across three levels—organization, value chain, and ecosystem—which provide different reference frames for the process. We provide insights into how these frames, power dynamics, and identity considerations influence this process. Our findings highlight the importance of considering interdependencies between stakeholders and a collective reconceptualization of the established value chain to successfully transition toward a circular one.
(2023): The Russia-Ukraine Outbreak and the Value of Renewable Energy, Economics Letters, 225: .
Abstract: The paper studies the role of renewable energy in the stock market reaction to the Russia-Ukraine crisis. The examination of equity prices reveals that European firms with a larger share of ex-ante purchased or produced renewables experience less stock return decline in the Russia-Ukraine outbreak period.
(2023): Can Capital Adjustment Costs Explain the Decline in Investment-Cash Flow Sensitivity?, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis: 1-26.
Abstract: It is well documented that since at least the 1970s investment-cash flow (I-CF) sensitivity has been decreasing over time to disappear almost completely by the late 2000s. Based on a neoclassical investment model with costly external financing, we show that this pattern can be explained by the gradual increase of capital adjustment costs, attributable to the accumulation of knowledge capital. The result is robust to a variety of approaches, including Euler equation estimation and the simulated method of moments. More generally, our findings demonstrate that I-CF sensitivity should only be interpreted as a joint measure of financial and real frictions.
(2023): Impact of pandemics on humanitarian retailing operations: A voucher´s case, Production and Operations Management, 32 (5): 1512-1528.
Abstract: In 2020, the world started a fight against a pandemic that has severely disrupted commercial and humanitarian supply chains. Humanitarian organizations (HOs), like the World Food Programme (WFP), adjusted their programs in order to manage this pandemic. One such program is cash and voucher assistance (CVA), which is used to bolster beneficiaries' freedom of choice regarding their consumption. In this vein, WFP supports local retailers to provide CVA to beneficiaries who do not have access to a functioning market. However, the operations of these stores can suffer from a very high transmission risk of COVID-19 unless preventive measures are put in place to reduce it. This paper discusses strategies that retailers and HOs can enact to maximize their service and dignity levels while minimizing transmission risk under a CVA program during a pandemic. We argue that HOs providing CVA programs can improve their assistance during a pandemic by implementing strategies that impact the retailing operations of their retailers.
(2023): Realizing supply chain agility under time pressure: Ad hoc supply chains during the Covid-19 pandemic, Journal of Operations Management, 69 (3): 426-449.
Abstract: When the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, the medical product industry faced an unusual demand shock for personal protective equipment (PPE), including face masks, face shields, disinfectants, and gowns. Companies from various industries responded to the urgent need for these potentially life-saving products by adopting ad hoc supply chains in an exceptionally short time: They found new suppliers, developed the products, ramped-up production, and distributed to new customers within weeks or even days. We define these supply chains as ad hoc supply chains that are built for a specific need, an immediate need, and a time-limited need. By leveraging a unique sampling, we examined how companies realize supply chain agility when building ad hoc supply chains. We develop an emergent theoretical model that proposes dynamic capabilities to enable companies building ad hoc supply chains in response to a specific need, moderated by an entrepreneurial orientation allowing firms to leverage dynamic capabilities at short notice and a temporary orientation that increases a company's focus on exploiting the short-term opportunity of ad hoc supply chains.
(2023): Absolved from the neoliberal burden of responsibility: The effect of populist victim rhetoric on leader support, Political Psychology: 1-18.
Abstract: A common explanation for the success of populists is that they rhetorically shift blame for their followers' hardships toward “elites,” therefore creating a culpable outgroup. However, we argue that there are two confounded ef-fects at play here: shifting blame toward an outgroup and shifting blame away from oneself. Therefore, we theorize that above and beyond elite blame, victimization rhetoric heightens leader support because it specifically relieves followers of the pressure of having to take responsibility for negative life outcomes, especially when they subscribe to neoliberal competition ideology. Supporting our pre-dictions, we show via a survey that victim rhetoric in-creases leader support while controlling for elite blame, especially among people subscribing to neoliberal compe-tition ideology. In a subsequent experiment, we replicate the findings causally and show that the effect works by reducing perceived personal responsibility for negative life outcomes. Our results indicate that populist rheto-ric involves shifting blame toward others and away from oneself. This can explain some of the conundrums that have plagued the literature, such as why elites also fall for populist rhetoric. We discuss our findings in relation to cultural differences and differences in left- versus right- wing populism.
(2023): Improving empty container management using street-turn: A case study of the Colombian logistics network, Journal of Transport Geography, 112: .
Abstract: This case study addresses the problem of empty container repositioning (ECR) in the Colombian context at a regional scale. The research was motivated by the massive empty container congestion in 2022 in specific nodes of the logistics network. A Mixed methods approach is proposed in this research applying qualitative and quantitative methods that aim to clarify the causes of inefficiency in empty repositioning and to formulate improvement strategies. Street-turn has proven to be a strategy to increase the efficiency in the ECR system. A matching algorithm is developed to pair empty containers in inland destinations with export loads, to achieve a more efficient utilization of trucks in the network. Despite the significant container trade imbalance, the optimization model results confirm significant cost savings and reduction of empty trips of up to 50% for RFT between Colombia's two main ports and their principal hinterland regions. The research also identifies that the actors involved in the ECR system lack incentives to deepen their collaboration, which represents a significant barrier to the implementation of street-turn.
(2023): Offset or reduce: How should firms implement carbon footprint reduction initiatives?, Production and Operations Management, 32 (9): 2940-2955.
Abstract: Carbon emissions reduction initiatives have received considerable attention at the corporate level. Companies such as Daimler, Apple and Amazon have publicly declared their goal of becoming carbon neutral, or “net zero” in a near future. They are responding to a growing demand for sustainable products and services. Companies have a variety of options for carbon emission reductions available to them, including internal reductions such as adopting renewable energy, as well as buying carbon offsets. This raises the question of whether consumers perceive the different types of carbon emission reductions as equivalent, or whether they favor the implementation of internal measures. We investigate this issue empirically through surveys and incentive-compatible discrete choice experiments. We find clear consumer preferences and willingness to pay for companies to reduce their carbon footprint when companies internally reduce their controllable emissions rather than buying carbon offsets for these emissions, and it is especially true for eco-conscious consumers. Consumers place roughly the same value, however, to internal reductions in controllable emissions, and buying offsets for the same amount of uncontrollable emissions.
(2023): On the impact of electrolyte temperature on contact glow discharge electrolysis, Electrochemistry Communications, 153: .
Abstract: This study aims at disclosing the effect of small temperature drops (10–15 °C) of the electrolyte on Contact Glow Discharge Electrolysis (CGDE). In our experiments, we measure the temperature change of electrolyte and electrode as well as the change in current following on from the addition of, first, frozen and, second, boiling KOH aqueous solution (0.1 M). Quite surprisingly, only the addition of frozen KOH aqueous solution has a significant impact on current (+130%), caused by the decrease in electrolyte temperature (-11 °C). In contrast, the addition of boiling KOH aqueous solution has a negligible effect on current. A very similar behavior is recorded when frozen or boiling type III deionized water is used: the addition of ice has an even stronger impact on current (+145 %) and on electrolyte temperature (-14 °C), while adding boiling water has no measurable effect. Thus, we here demonstrated that electrolyte temperature is critical for managing the responsiveness of the CGDE system. Our results pave the way toward temperature controlled CGDE, a powerful tool for a greener and a more efficient environmental chemistry.
(2023): When is the next order? Nowcasting channel inventories with Point-of-Sales data to predict the timing of retail orders, European Journal of Operational Research: .
Abstract: Slow-moving goods are common in many retail settings and occupy a vast part of retail shelves. Since stores sell these products irregularly and in small quantities, the replenishing distribution center may only place batched orders with manufacturers every few weeks. While order quantities are often fixed, the challenge for manufacturers facing such intermittent demand is to forecast the order timing. In this paper, we explore the value of Point-of-Sales (PoS) data to improve a food manufacturer’s order timing forecast for slow-moving goods. We propose an inventory modeling approach that uses the last order, PoS data from retail stores, and the expected lead time demand to estimate the retailer’s channel inventory. With this dynamic estimate, we can ‘nowcast’ the retailer’s inventory and predict his next order. To illustrate our methodology, we first conduct an experimental simulation and compare our results to a Croston variant and a moving average model. Next, we validate our approach with empirical data from a small German food manufacturer that serves a grocery retailer with a central distribution center and 53 hypermarkets. We find that, on average, our approach improves the accuracy of order-timing predictions by 10–20 percent points. We overcome a shrinkage-induced bias by incorporating an inventory correction factor. Our approach describes a new way of utilizing PoS data in multi-layered distribution networks and can complement established forecasting methods such as Croston. Particular applications arise when the order history is short (e.g., product launch) or represents a bad predictor for future demand (e.g., during COVID-19).
(2023): Marvelous advertising returns? A meta-analysis of advertising elasticities in the entertainment industry, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 51: 1019-1045.
Abstract: How does advertising affect supply and demand in the entertainment industry? Different advertising and distribution mechanisms and unique product characteristics limit the transferability of findings from other industries to the entertainment industry. This meta-analysis focuses on 290 documented elasticities, drawn from 59 studies of movies and video games, and establishes new findings and empirical generalizations. First, the average advertising elasticity in the entertainment industry is .33 (method bias-corrected .20), approximately three times higher than the average identified for other industries. Second, average advertising elasticities are higher for demand (e.g., revenue) than for supply (e.g., screens). Third, elasticities of pre-launch advertising are higher than those of overall advertising budgets, but with respect to the success period, elasticities are higher for later periods, and in total, compared to the launch period. Fourth, elasticities tend to be rather recession-proof and consistent across geographic regions but decreased after the rise of social media platforms.
(2023): Distributed decision‐making in the shadow of hierarchy: How hierarchical similarity biases idea evaluation, Strategic Management Journal, 44 (9): 2255-2282.
Abstract: Research Summary Companies are increasingly opening up decision-making, involving employees on all levels in distributed—and purportedly “hierarchy-free”—decision processes. We examine how hierarchy reaches into such “democratized” systems, arguing that it is a source of homophily that biases idea evaluation decisions. Using a data set from internal crowdfunding at one of the world's largest industrial manufacturers, we show that idea evaluators overvalue hierarchically similar others' ideas. Competition in the form of lateral closeness dampens this bias, whereas uncertainty in the form of novelty amplifies this bias. We contribute to the literatures on decision biases in centralized versus distributed innovation and on structural similarity as a driver of employee behaviors. Managerial Summary Many companies are starting to involve employees on all levels in strategic decisions, so as to curb hierarchical rigidities and integrate multiple perspectives. However, such distributed decision-making opens the door to new biases and, ultimately, suboptimal strategic decisions. In the context of internal crowdfunding at a large industrial manufacturer, we show that employees evaluate hierarchically similar others' ideas overly favorably. Thus, hierarchy is not just a source of rivalry, but also of identification, leading to favoritism among hierarchical peers. Further, employees are particularly likely to assess ideas based on hierarchical similarity rather than content if the ideas are novel and therefore hard to evaluate. We provide suggestions for the design of distributed decision-making systems.
(2023): How firm communication affects the impact of layoff announcements on brand strength over time, International Journal of Research in Marketing, 40 (3): 700-723.
Abstract: Firms usually undertake layoffs to improve financial performance. However, layoffs often have negative effects on various stakeholders, including consumers. In this paper, we examine the magnitude and duration of the potential negative effect of layoff announcements on brand strength. We also examine how a firm's communication accompanying a layoff can potentially counteract the observed negative effect of layoff announcements on brand strength. We compare how advertising communication intensity, social media communication (i.e., brand-initiated tweets), public relation (PR) communication, and communication of CSR initiatives moderate the main effect of layoff announcements on brand strength. Using an error correction model and drawing on 366 announcements of layoff events in Germany, this study identifies the magnitude and duration of the main effect. An examination of five years of weekly consumer brand perception data across multiple industries and domestic and foreign firms shows that advertising communication intensity and social media communication amplify the negative impact of layoff announcements on brand strength. Conversely, PR communication and communication of CSR initiatives help mitigate the negative effect. These findings provide guidance on the best way for firms to design firm communication in the context of layoff announcements.
(2023): Supply chain preparedness: How operational settings, product and disaster characteristics affect humanitarian responses, Production and Operations Management, 32 (8): 2491-2509.
Abstract: Supply chains are dynamic and complex systems. This holds particularly true for humanitarian supply chains that operate under strong uncertainty. In view of an ever-growing gap of unmet humanitarian needs, it is essential to gain a better understanding of the behavior of humanitarian supply chain systems. Despite a growing academic output in this field, there is a lack of empirical studies that take an integrated view on humanitarian supply chains and support decision makers with fact-based evidence. Based on four extensive case studies and existing literature, we developed a system dynamics model that reflects the operational reality of humanitarian organizations in form of their centralized, hybrid and decentralized settings. The model provides a holistic supply chain view and measures the operational performance with regard to response cost, delivery lead time and impact on the local economy. Furthermore, we studied the impact of preparedness investments to enhance operational performance in the supply chain and deliver more humanitarian assistance with the limited resources available. Finally, we used our model to analyze the impact of major shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic to assess the vulnerability of humanitarian supply chains. The results indicate that operational settings, product and disaster characteristics have a major influence on the supply chain performance both in the noninvestment case as well as in the case where preparedness investments have been made. Specifically, for low-value items, we find that decentralized settings have the lowest supply chain costs while for high-value items the price difference between local and international procurement determines which setting is the most cost-effective one. The preferability of the supply chain setting strongly depends on the indicator chosen. Hence, ultimately, the findings emphasize the need to apply appropriate indicators and identify their trade-offs to comprehensively analyze the performance of humanitarian supply chain settings. The newly introduced Humanitarian Return-on-Investment concept can play an important role in this context.
(2023): Tell-and-Sell or Ask-and-Listen? A Self-Concept Perspective on Why it Needs Leadership Communication Flexibility to Engage Subordinates at Work, Current Opinion in Psychology, 53: .
Abstract: Beneath the verbosity of modern leadership theories, there is a simple truth: Leading people is essentially about communication. The respective communicative philosophies underlying leadership theories can be broadly separated into two camps: One arguing that leaders should tell-and-sell and one urging leaders to ask-and-listen. In the present essay, we first define the two communication approaches. Second, we outline how both approaches manage to engage subordinates but in different ways. Third, we review the appropriateness of each of these communication approaches under different circumstances, outlining why communicative flexibility is needed. Lastly, despite the advantages, we discuss that leaders will struggle to adopt communicative flexibility due to widespread simplistic leadership schemas – in research and practice.
(2023): The Now, New, and Next of Digital Leadership: How Artificial Intelligence (AI) Will Take Over and Change Leadership as We Know It, Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 30 (3): 265-275.
Abstract: There is an emerging consensus that traditional management roles could—and maybe should—be performed by machines infused with Artificial Intelligence (AI). Yet, “true” leadership—that is, motivating and enabling people so that they can and will contribute to the collective goals of an organization—is still predominantly viewed as the prerogative of humans. With our opinion piece, we challenge this perspective. Our essay aims to be a wake-up call for large parts of academia and practice that romanticize human leadership and think that this bastion can never be overtaken by AI. We delineate why algorithms will not (need to) come to a halt before core characteristics of leadership and potentially cater better to employees’ psychological needs than human leaders. Against this background, conscious choices need to be made about what role humans are to play in the future of leadership. These considerations hold significant implications for the future of not only leadership research but also leadership education and development.
(2023): Stayed at home - but can´t stop working despite being ill? Guilt as a driver of presenteeism at work and at home, Journal of Organizational Behavior, 44 (6): 853-870.
Abstract: We argue that the literature on presenteeism needs to consider that employees not only go to work despite being ill but also often work from home despite being ill, especially since the COVID-19 crisis enabled home-office work on a large scale. We label this phenomenon “workahomeism” and develop theory that shows its distinctness from traditional presenteeism through the evoked pattern of guilt. Across three studies (a vignette experiment, a critical incident study, and a within-person intervention study), we tested whether employees' work-related reactions to illness (i.e., workahomeism, presenteeism, and resting at home) differ in terms of experienced and anticipated guilt. We found that when employees considered engaging in workahomeism, they anticipated feeling less guilty than when resting at home. However, when employees actually engaged in workahomeism, they felt as guilty or even more guilty than when resting at home. In contrast, employees' anticipated guilt for presenteeism as compared to workahomeism changed from the same to more after the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis. Furthermore, we identify facets of guilt in response to workahomeism (i.e., guilt toward colleagues and about own health) and demonstrate that organizations can change guilt patterns by asking employees to reflect on the consequences of workahomeism and presenteeism.
(2023): When New Talent Scores: The Impact of Human Capital and the Team Context on Newcomer Performance, Journal of Applied Psychology, 108 (6): 1046-1059.
Abstract: This study integrates research on newcomer socialization and work teams to examine how the team environment facilitates or hinders the translation of human capital into newcomer performance in professional sports teams. Using large, multiyear and multilevel data from the top five European professional football leagues, we examine how individual-level newcomer human capital and the team-level characteristics (prior team performance, number of newcomers) influence individual newcomer performance during two different socialization contexts (when more vs. less time for socialization is provided). We found that individual human capital was positively related to newcomer performance across socialization contexts while the direct relationships between team variables and performance were conditional on the socialization context. Prior team performance was positively related to newcomer performance when more time for socialization was provided, but prior team performance as well as the number of newcomers were negatively related to newcomer performance when less time for socialization was provided. Beyond the direct relationships, our results show that human capital was less positively related to newcomer performance when newcomers joined higher performing teams across socialization contexts. These findings extend our understanding of the complex relationships between individual human capital and the team’s socialization environment on newcomer performance and advance new knowledge regarding conditions that facilitate the success of newcomers who join existing (operating) teams.
(2023): Supply Chain Risk Management: Vær beredt for den nye (u)normalen, Praktisk økonomi & finans, 39 (1): 57-67.
Abstract: Den nye (u)normalen krever endringer i forsyningskjedene. Dette kan ingen virksomhet få til alene. Samarbeid er viktigere enn noensinne, ikke minst med tanke på hvordan fremtidens forsyningskjeder skal bli bærekraftige i vid forstand. System, differensiering og fleksibilitet er tre stikkord.
(2023): The knock-on effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the supply and availability of generic medicines in Ethiopia: mixed methods study, BMC health services research, 23 (1): 1-16.
Abstract: BACKGROUND COVID-19 pandemic posed a major impact on the availability and affordability of essential medicines. This study aimed to assess the knock-on effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the supply availability of non-communicable chronic disease (NCD) medicines and paracetamol products in Ethiopia. METHODS A mixed methods study was conducted to assess the supply and availability of twenty-four NCD drugs and four paracetamol products listed on the national essential medicines list for hospitals. Data were collected from twenty-six hospitals located in seven zones of Oromia region in the southwestern part of Ethiopia. We extracted data on drug availability, cost and stock out for these drugs between May 2019 and December 2020. The quantitative data were entered into Microsoft Excel and exported to statistical package software for social science (SPSS) version 22 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA) software for analysis. RESULTS The overall mean availability of selected basket medicines was 63.4% (range 16.7% to 80.3%) during the pre-COVID-19 time. It was 46.3% (range 2.8% to 88.7) during the pandemic. There was a relative increase in the availability of two paracetamol products [paracetamol 500 mg tablet (67.5% versus 88.7%) and suppository (74.5% versus 88%)] during the pandemic. The average monthly orders fill rates for the selected products range from 43 to 85%. Pre-COVID-19, the average order fill rate was greater or equal to 70%. However, immediately after the COVID-19 case notification, the percentage of order(s) filled correctly in items and quantities began decreasing. Political instability, shortage of trained human resources, currency inflation, and limited drug financing were considered as the major challenges to medicine supply. CONCLUSION The overall stock out situation in the study area has worsened during COVID-19 compared to pre-COVID-19 time. None of the surveyed chronic disease basket medicines met the ideal availability benchmark of 80% in health facilities. However, availability of paracetamol 500 mg tablet surprisingly improved during the pandemic. A range of policy frameworks and options targeting inevitable outbreaks should exist to enable governments to ensure that medicines for chronic diseases are consistently available and affordable.
(2022): Supplier Inventory Leanness and Financial Performance, Journal of Operations Management, 68 (4): 385-407.
Abstract: Numerous studies have examined the relationship between inventory management and financial performance. However, the focus of such empirical work has primarily been on how a firm's own inventory characteristics affect its performance. Our objective is to extend this body of literature beyond the firm-level. We draw on inventory theory and resource-based theories to hypothesize about the effect of supplier inventory leanness on a focal firm's financial performance and how supplier and focal firm inventory leanness interact to affect such outcomes. We test our hypotheses using a large panel dataset of supplier-focal firm relationships obtained from Compustat's Customer Segment database and aggregated to the focal firm-quarter level, as well as firm financial information from Compustat's Fundamentals Quarterly database. The econometric analyses provide evidence that supplier inventory leanness influences focal firm financial performance indirectly through the interaction with the firm's own inventory leanness. In particular, our estimation results detail how supplier inventory leanness affects the non-linearity of the focal firm's inventory leanness-financial performance relationship and its optimal inventory leanness level. The findings broaden the scope of empirical inventory literature and highlight supplier inventory leanness as an important consideration in firm-level inventory decision making.
(2022): Transparency in port governance: setting a research agenda, Journal of Shipping and Trade, 7 (1): .
Abstract: This study examines the concept of transparency as practiced (or not) in ports. It explores the availability of information to the general public and port stakeholders through the ports’ most public face—its website, studying public ports in North America, Europe, and Latin America and the Caribbean. This exploratory research centred on identifying the parameters that would be useful for the general public to have sufficient information to monitor, review and in many cases, participate in the decision-making processes carried out by the port authority, irrespective of whether or not laws mandate such disclosure. Fifty-one items were identified for the examination of each port’s website, focusing primarily on four major categories: decision-making governance, port communications and accessibility, transparency in reporting and in port operational activities. Using nine items as proxies for the 51, the research reveals uneven levels of port transparency both regionally and by governance model. The study reveals a need for increasing and differentiating the existing levels and standards of transparency in the governance of the port industry, and for greater consistency between ports within and across regions. The study concludes with a research agenda for future research.
(2022): The impact of COVID-19 on music consumption and music spending, PLOS ONE, 17 (5): .
Abstract: COVID-19 induced restrictions ordered by governments around the world have been an exogenous shock to the music industry, which we divide into two affected groups: 1) live music events and 2) recorded music. While the impact on live music events is rather obvious, it is unclear how the current pandemic is affecting the recorded music market. Hence, we study consumers’ pre- and post-pandemic shifts in consumer spending (in euros) and music consumption (in hours) across live music events, as well as the digital and physical submarkets of recorded music, in the world’s fourth largest music market, Germany. Relying on an online bi-annual panel capturing five waves between winter 2018/19 and winter 2020/21, we find that the COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating the continuous trend towards digitalization of the music landscape with premium streaming being the biggest beneficiary. However, total monthly consumer spending on music decreased by more than 45% compared to pre-pandemic, with live music events and physical sales being the most severely affected. Surprisingly, music consumption in hours also decreased during the lockdown even though consumers spent more time at home.
(2022): One crisis, different paths to supply resilience: The case of ventilator procurement for the COVID-19 pandemic, Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 28 (5): 1-14.
Abstract: This research explores supply resilience through an equifinality lens to establish how buying organizations impacted differently by the same extreme event can strategize and all successfully secure supply. We conduct case study research and use secondary data to investigate how three European governments sourced for ventilators during the first wave of COVID-19. The pandemic had an unprecedented impact on the ventilator market. It disrupted already limited supply and triggered a demand surge. We find multiple paths to supply resilience contingent on redundant capacity and local sourcing options at the pandemic's onset. Low redundancy combined with limited local sourcing options is associated with more diverse strategies and flexibility. The most notable strategy is spurring supplier innovation by fostering collaboration among actors in disparate industries. High redundancy combined with multiple local sourcing options is associated with more focused strategies and agility. One (counter-intuitive) strategy is the rationalization of the supply base.
(2022): International humanitarian organizations’ perspectives on localization efforts, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 83 (12): 1-17.
Abstract: The humanitarian sector has formulated a collective strategic intent to localize. This involves delegating responsibilities and transferring capacities and resources to national and local actors. However, progress is slower than expected. Strategy execution is hard, and translating a general strategic intent to the actual way humanitarian organizations operate is not obvious. To suggest remedies for the slow progress, this paper investigates drivers and barriers for international humanitarian organizations (IHOs) to localize their logistics preparedness capacities. It is essential to understand IHOs' perspectives as they are global and powerful actors in the humanitarian sector and by far represent the largest recipients of donor funds. We focus on logistics since it constitutes key activities of strong local contextual character, such as procurement, warehousing, and transport. By interviewing practitioners from a representative set of large IHOs, and connecting the empirical insights with relevant theory, we unravel reasons that hinder localization. These include IHOs' strategic choices due to context-sensitive benefits of localization, mandated expectations on IHOs, the lack of internal drivers for IHOs to localize, and resistance to localize due to IHOs’ desire and motives for continued engagement in humanitarian aid. Based on these insights, actionable propositions are developed to help accelerate progress toward localization.
(2022): Modelling logistics for freight transport policy analysis, Transport Policy, 124: 95.
(2022): Kissing up and kicking down: When, why and how managers do it, Management Studies Insights: .
(2022): Kiss-Up-Kick-Down to Get Ahead: A Resource Perspective on How, When, Why, and With Whom Middle Managers Use Ingratiatory and Exploitative Behaviors to Advance their Careers, Journal of Management Studies: .
Abstract: There are myriad organizational anecdotes about middle managers who advance their careers by ingratiating themselves with their superiors while exploiting and abusing their subordinates. We formally define this behavioral combination as the Kiss-Up-Kick-Down (KUKD) phenomenon and develop a resource-focused framework that not only explains when middle managers will engage in KUKD, but also how such behavior helps their career progression via three resource-related pathways: One path involving sponsorship resource gains from superiors, another path involving productive resource gains from subordinates, and an intra-individual path related to middle managers’ own psychological resources. Staying within the resource framework, we theorize that superiors and subordinates become likely targets of KUKD when the former is resource-poor and the latter is resource-rich. Finally, we deliberate on the role of time as a crucial boundary condition: not only in terms of when middle managers engage in KUKD behaviors, but also how such actions involve diminishing returns.
(2022): Entrepreneurship, Productivity and Digitalization: Evidence from the EU, Technology in Society, 70 (4): 102052.
Abstract: This paper examines the relationship between entrepreneurship and productivity for the 27 EU member countries using panel data. Given the critical role that digitalization plays in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, the model was re-estimated using the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) and its subcomponents as instruments for entrepreneurship. The results show a significant positive relationship between entrepreneurship and productivity, as well as a positive relation between digitalization and entrepreneurship. Moreover, all components of the DESI index except for Human Capital also demonstrate a positive relationship with entrepreneurship. These results provide policymakers with a digital agenda to stimulate entrepreneurship as an engine of productivity and growth and shed light on the importance of empirically evaluating entrepreneurship in the light of digitalization.
(2022): With or against others? Pay-for-performance activates aggressive aspects of competitiveness, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 31 (5): 698-712.
Abstract: While paying employees for performance (PfP) has been shown to elicit increased motivation by way of competitive processes, the present paper investigates whether the same competitive processes inherent in PfP can also encourage aggressiveness. We tested our hypothesis in three studies that conceptually build on each other: First, in a word completion experiment (N = 104), we find that PfP triggers the implicit activation of the fighting and defeating facets of competitiveness. Second, in a multi-source field study (N = 94), co-workers reported more interpersonal deviance from colleagues when the latter received a performance bonus than when they did not. In our final field study (N = 286), we tested the full model, assessing the effect of PfP and interpersonal deviance mediated by competitiveness: Employees with a bonus self-reported higher interpersonal deviance towards their co-workers, which was mediated by individual competitiveness. These findings underscore that PfP can entail powerful yet widely unstudied collateral effects.
(2022): Guest Editorial: Business Ethics in the Era of Artificial Intelligence, Journal of Business Ethics, 178 (4): 867-869.
(2022): CEO Marital Status and Insider Trading, British Journal of Management, 34 (4): 1974-1991.
Abstract: We investigate the association between the chief executive officers’ (CEOs’) marital status and their tendency to profit from insider trading. We argue that marriage can constrain CEOs’ opportunistic behaviour, which could increase litigation risk and show that married CEOs earn lower future abnormal profits compared to unmarried CEOs. We also find that married CEOs are less likely to engage in opportunistic trades and earn lower insider trading profits among firms with weaker corporate governance and those with higher information asymmetry. Our empirical results remain robust after accounting for several endogeneity tests.
(2022): Primal-Dual Value Function Approximation for Stochastic Dynamic Intermodal Transportation with Eco-Labels, Transportation Science, 57 (6): 1403-1719.
Abstract: Eco-labels are a way to benchmark transportation shipments with respect to their environmental impact. In contrast to an eco-labeling of consumer products, emissions in transportation depend on several operational factors like the mode of transportation (e.g., train or truck) or a vehicle’s current and potential future capacity utilization when new orders are added for consolidation. Thus, satisfying eco-labels and doing this cost efficiently is a challenging task when dynamically routing orders in an intermodal network. In this paper, we model the problem as a multiobjective sequential decision process and propose a reinforcement learning method: value function approximation (VFA). VFAs frequently simulate trajectories of the problem and store observed values (violated eco-labels and costs) for states aggregated to a set of features. The observations are used for improved decision making in the next trajectory. For our problem, we face two additional challenges when applying a VFA, the multiple objectives and the “delayed” realization of eco-label satisfaction due to future consolidation. For the first, we propose different feature sets dependent on the objective function’s focus: costs or eco-labels. For the latter, we propose enhancing the suboptimal decision making and observed pessimistic primal values within the VFA trajectories with optimistic dual decision making when all information of a trajectory is known ex post. This enhancement is a general methodological contribution to the literature of approximate dynamic programming and will likely improve learning for other problems as well. We show the advantages of both components in a comprehensive study for intermodal transport via trains and trucks in Europe.
(2022): A framework for modeling and executing task-Specific resource allocations in business processes, Computing, 104 (11): 2405-2429.
Abstract: As resources are valuable assets, organizations have to decide which resources to allocate to business process tasks in a way that the process is executed not only effectively but also efficiently. Traditional role-based resource allocation leads to effective process executions, since each task is performed by a resource that has the required skills and competencies to do so. However, the resulting allocations are typically not as efficient as they could be, since optimization techniques have yet to find their way in traditional business process management scenarios. On the other hand, operations research provides a rich set of analytical methods for supporting problem-specific decisions on resource allocation. This paper provides a novel framework for creating transparency on existing tasks and resources, supporting individualized allocations for each activity in a process, and the possibility to integrate problem-specific analytical methods of the operations research domain. To validate the framework, the paper reports on the design and prototypical implementation of a software architecture, which extends a traditional process engine with a dedicated resource management component. This component allows us to define specific resource allocation problems at design time, and it also facilitates optimized resource allocation at run time. The framework is evaluated using a real-world parcel delivery process. The evaluation shows that the quality of the allocation results increase significantly with a technique from operations research in contrast to the traditional applied rule-based approach.
(2022): Advancing the circular economy through information sharing: A systematic literature review, Journal of Cleaner Production, 369: .
Abstract: Information sharing is a key enabler for a circular economy. Information on the treated products and on the operations of other actors helps firms to keep products and materials in the loop. Current research on information sharing in the circular economy is fragmented across multiple research disciplines and lacks integration. With this study, we synthesize past research on information sharing in the circular economy and provide a basis for future research. We conduct a systematic literature review of 84 peer-reviewed articles. Through a qualitative content analysis, we provide a framework that brings together interdisciplinary research and highlights the six main topics studied. Furthermore, we showcase two main perspectives on the topic: (i) a technical perspective that mainly focuses on making the necessary information available to all actors and (ii) a supply chain perspective that studies the impact of information sharing. We argue that for increased circularity: (i) interorganizational information sharing between business areas like manufacturing and recycling must be improved, (ii) access to information for all circular economy actors must be facilitated, and (iii) incentives for CE information sharing must be created. Finally, we suggest avenues for future interdisciplinary research to fulfill these requirements.
(2022): A humanitarian cold supply chain distribution model with equity consideration: The case of COVID-19 vaccine distribution in the European Union, Decision Analytics Journal, 4: 100126.
Abstract: This research develops a humanitarian cold supply chain model with equity consideration for COVID-19 vaccine distribution during a pandemic, considering deprivation cost and an important social concept named equity. The proposed comprehensive plan minimizes all incurred costs, including transportation costs, shortage costs, deprivation costs, and holding costs, while aiming at eliminating infection and mortality rates. The proposed three-echelon supply chain model includes suppliers, distributors, and affected regions (ARs), as destinations. We apply the proposed model to the actual vaccine distribution data during the COVID-19 outbreak in Europe. A mixed integer programming (MIP) model is developed to minimize the costs and satisfy the demand goals in the vaccine distribution plan. A sensitivity analysis demonstrates how total and deprivation costs affect each other, helping the managers establish a trade-off between them. The results show that appropriate supply chain planning can minimize logistics and social costs. The proposed model can help policymakers, and decision-makers better understand the importance of equity and implement a fair distribution of vaccines, considering the deprivation cost as a social cost.
(2022): Evaluating Human Behaviour in Response to AI Recommendations for Judgemental Forecasting, European Journal of Operational Research, 303 (3): 1151-1167.
Abstract: Various advanced systems deploy artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to improve demand forecasting. Supply chain planners need to become familiar with these systems and trust them, considering real-world complexities and challenges the systems are exposed to. However, planners have the opportunity to intervene based on their experience or information that the systems may not capture. In this context, we study planners’ adjustments to AI-generated demand forecasts. We collect a large amount of data from a leading AI provider and a large European retailer. Our dataset contains 30 million forecasts at the SKU-store-day level for 2019, plus variables related to products, weather, and holidays. In our two-phase analysis, we aim to understand the adjustments made by planners and the quality of these adjustments. Within each phase, we first identify the drivers of adjustments and their quality using random forest, a well-known ML algorithm. Next, we investigate the collective effects of the different drivers on the occurrence and the quality of the adjustments using a decision tree approach. We find that product characteristics such as price, freshness, and discounts are important factors when making adjustments. Large positive adjustments occur more frequently but are often inaccurate, while large negative adjustments are generally more accurate but fewer in number. Thus, planners do not contribute to accuracy on average. Our findings provide insights for the better use of human knowledge in judgmental forecasting.
(2022): Eco‐labeling of freight transport services: Design, evaluation, and research directions, Journal of Industrial Ecology, 26 (3): 801-814.
Abstract: The idea of eco-labeling is to provide customers with an easy-to-understand signal regarding the ecological impact of using a product or service. With this paper, we propose an eco-labeling system for freight transportation. We discuss design options based on a common emission reporting standard and a related communication protocol. We further explain a procedure for deriving labels for shipments of goods and provide examples illustrating and evaluating the labeling process at selected land-based freight transport services. Results indicate that eco-labels can grade the environmental impact of a transport service reliably, even if heterogeneous goods are moved together. Finally, we outline challenges for future research associated with eco-labeling in freight transportation markets.
(2022): From Action to Response to Effect: Mining Statistical Relations in Work Processes, Information Systems, 109: .
Abstract: Process mining techniques are valuable to gain insights into and help improve (work) processes. Many of these techniques focus on the sequential order in which activities are performed. Few of these techniques consider the statistical relations within processes. In particular, existing techniques do not allow insights into how responses to an event (action) result in desired or undesired outcomes (effects). We propose and formalize the ARE miner, a novel technique that allows us to analyze and understand these action-response-effect patterns. We take a statistical approach to uncover potential dependency relations in these patterns. The goal of this research is to generate processes that are: (1) appropriately represented, and (2) effectively filtered to show meaningful relations. We evaluate the ARE miner in two ways. First, we use an artificial data set to demonstrate the effectiveness of the ARE miner compared to two traditional process-oriented approaches. Second, we apply the ARE miner to a real-world data set from a Dutch healthcare institution. We show that the ARE miner generates comprehensible representations that lead to informative insights into statistical relations between actions, responses, and effects.
(2022): Examining artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in marketing via a global lens: current trends and future research opportunities, International Journal of Research in Marketing, 39 (2): 522-540.
Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) has captured substantial interest from a wide array of marketing scholars in recent years. Our research contributes to this emerging domain by examining AI technologies in marketing via a global lens. Specifically, our lens focuses on three levels of analysis: country, company, and consumer. Our country-level analysis emphasizes the heterogeneity in economic inequality across countries due to the considerable economic resources necessary for AI adoption. Our company-level analysis focuses on glocalization because while the hardware that underlies these technologies may be global in nature, their application necessitates adaptation to local cultures. Our consumer-level analysis examines consumer ethics and privacy concerns, as AI technologies often collect, store and process a cornucopia of personal data across our globe. Through the prism of these three lenses, we focus on two important dimensions of AI technologies in marketing: (1) human–machine interaction and (2) automated analysis of text, audio, images, and video. We then explore the interaction between these two key dimensions of AI across our three-part global lens to develop a set of research questions for future marketing scholarship in this increasingly important domain.
(2022): Saving migrants' lives at sea: Improving search and rescue operations, Production and Operations Management, 31 (4): 1872-1889.
Abstract: The present study focuses on the Mediterranean Sea migration crisis and investigates the effectiveness of search and rescue (SAR) operations alongside measures to reduce the number of deaths of migrants at sea. It also describes the stakeholders involved in SAR activities. The paper first analyzes secondary data and the results of 24 in-depth interviews in order to develop an analytical framework, which is then complemented by a system dynamics model to explore the complexity and interactions among stakeholders in SAR operations. The study shows that the death toll at sea can be reduced by enhancing cooperation among stakeholders by providing legal migration pathways under certain conditions and by engaging in more effective migrant detection and interception at sea. Lastly, raising potential migrants’ awareness about the risk of death during the sea crossing should be seen as an additional measure, while SAR activities should be maintained to prevent loss of life at sea.
(2022): Walking our evidence-based talk: The status of leadership development in business schools, Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 29 (1): 5-32.
Abstract: Academics have lamented that practitioners do not always adopt scientific evidence in practice, yet while academics preach evidence-based management (EBM), they do not always practice it. This paper extends prior literature on difficulties to engage in EBM with insights from behavioral integrity (i.e., the study of what makes individuals and collectives walk their talk). We focus on leader development, widely used but often critiqued for lacking evidence. Analyzing 60 interviews with academic directors of leadership centers at top business schools, we find that the selection of programs does not always align with scientific recommendations nor do schools always engage in high-quality program evaluation. Respondents further indicated a wide variety of challenges that help explain the disconnect between business schools claiming A but practicing B. Behavioral Integrity theory would argue these difficulties are rooted in the lack of an individually owned and collectively endorsed identity, an identity of an evidence-based leader developer (EBLD). A closer inspection of our data confirmed that the lack of a clear and salient EBLD identity makes it difficult for academics to walk their evidence-based leader development talk. We discuss how these findings can help facilitate more evidence-based leader development in an academic context.
(2022): Corporate investment and stock market valuation, Journal of Business Finance & Accounting: .
Abstract: We study the driving forces behind the positive association observed between corporate investment and stock market valuation, and how they interact with managerial equity incentives and informativeness of investment. We build a dynamic model where managers use investment choices to influence investors' opinions about firms' future prospects and increase the market valuation. The incentives to manipulate the valuation processes increase with managerial equity incentives and informativeness of investment. Our empirical findings support the model's predictions that the tendency of using investment to boost market valuation is stronger when managerial stock ownership is high or when earnings quality is low (i.e., there is strong reliance on investment for information).
(2022): Manufacturing Process Innovation in the Pharmaceutical Industry, Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 24 (3): 1261-1885.
Abstract: Problem definition: Process innovation is commonly claimed to be a major source of competitive advantage for firms. Despite this perceived influence, it has received substantially less attention than product innovation, and much uncertainty remains about its true association with firm performance. We investigate the relationship between a pharmaceutical firm’s portfolio of manufacturing process innovations and its economic performance. Academic/practical relevance: We uniquely conduct a multidimensional evaluation of a firm’s portfolio of manufacturing process innovations at the product level. This allows a quantitative evaluation of both the relative benefit of the different dimensions of a portfolio as well as the potential complementarities between these in different technological landscapes. Methodology: Through a collaboration with expert patent attorneys, we develop a unique longitudinal data set that combines secondary data and evaluations of a firm’s portfolio of process patents along two key dimensions: novelty and scope. We conduct econometric analyses for a large-scale sample of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) whose product patents have expired and for which process innovation is thus the main source of competitive advantage. Results: We find a positive association between the presence of manufacturing process innovation and firm performance. However, although portfolio’s scope appears to always be beneficial to performance, the effect of novelty alone depends on the ruggedness of the technological landscape: negative in smoother landscapes and positive in more rugged landscapes. Results further suggest that novelty and scope of a portfolio of process innovations are complementary across technological landscapes. Managerial implications: Our results provide important practical insights that can inform the organization and execution of the research and development process across high-technology industries. In particular, although process innovations can be economically beneficial, investing in high-novelty process innovations without a corresponding high scope could jeopardize payoffs, especially in technological landscapes that are relatively smooth.
(2022): Novelty and scope of process innovation: The role of related and unrelated manufacturing experience, Production and Operations Management: .
Abstract: The accumulation of experience that occurs with production is likely to impact an organization's ability to develop manufacturing process innovations. However, how different types of manufacturing experience relate to the characteristics of an organization's process innovation output is an open question. In this study, we investigate how a firm's accumulated related and unrelated manufacturing experiences are associated with this firm's ability to innovate its production methods. To characterize firms' process innovation output, we observe their portfolios of patented manufacturing inventions, which we qualitatively evaluate over time, through a unique collaboration with expert patent attorneys, along two critical dimensions: novelty and scope. We argue that related manufacturing experience leads to a better understanding of parts of the focal product's technological landscape that will allow the development of inventions of broader scope. However, it may also contribute to inertia in that it might restrict the firm's innovative activity to more familiar regions of the landscape, thereby limiting inventions' novelty. Conversely, manufacturing experience with products that are unrelated to the focal product is expected to stimulate and support a broader search that includes more distant regions of the focal product's technological landscape, which would lead to more novel manufacturing inventions. Yet, the application of this unrelated experience to the production of the focal product is likely to require additional exploratory effort in a not-well-understood region of the focal product's landscape, likely resulting in inventions of limited scope. In line with our hypotheses, we find that related (unrelated) manufacturing experience is positively (negatively) associated with inventions' scope, and negatively (positively) associated with inventions' novelty. In addition to supporting the relevance of a multidimensional evaluation of innovations, our findings provide practical guidance regarding the strategic implications of a firm's knowledge management.
(2022): Pricing and market entry decisions in personalized medicine, International Journal of Production Economics, 253: 108584.
Abstract: In the pharmaceutical industry, personalized medicine is increasingly replacing the traditional blockbuster drug concept. Personalized medicine consists of a targeted drug that is only prescribed if a companion diagnostic test detects the corresponding biomarker. This concept promises improved treatments of various diseases. However, personalized medicine also presents pharmaceutical firms with new challenges resulting from interdependencies in the drug and diagnostic test development processes. Although pharmaceutical firms generally benefit from competition among diagnostic firms, the threat of substitutes from competitors could cause diagnostic firms to step back from new product development in the first place, leading to lost revenues for the pharmaceutical firm. We consider a pharmaceutical firm that may inform two competing differentiated diagnostic firms about a drug under development, such that these firms can develop a corresponding diagnostic test. We show which diagnostic firm the pharmaceutical firm should inform first and how granting early exclusivity to a single diagnostic firm can maximize pharmaceutical profits from personalized medicine.
(2022): Synchronization in a two-supplier assembly system: Combining a fixed lead-time module with capacitated make-to-order production, Naval Research Logistics: .
Abstract: A high-tech manufacturer often produces products that consist of many modules. These modules are either sourced from one of its suppliers or produced in-house. In this paper, we study the common case of an assembly system in which one module is sourced from a supplier with a fixed lead-time, while the other module is produced by the manufacturer itself in a make-to-order production system. Since unavailability of one of the modules has costly consequences for the production of the end-product, it is important to coordinate between the ordering policy for one module and the production of the other. We propose an order policy for the lead-time module with base-stock levels depending on the number of outstanding orders in the production system of the in-house produced module. We prove monotonicity properties of this policy and show optimality. Furthermore, we conduct a computational experiment to evaluate how the costs of this policy compare to those of a policy with fixed base-stock levels and show that average savings of up to 17% are attained.
(2022): Direct versus indirect penalties for supply contracts in high-tech industry, European Journal of Operational Research, 301 (1): 203-216.
Abstract: Unlike consumer goods industry, a high-tech manufacturer (OEM) often amortizes new product development costs over multiple generations, where demand for each generation is based on advance orders (i.e., known demand) and additional uncertain demand. Also, due to economic regulatory reasons, high-tech OEMs usually source from a single supplier. Relative to the high retail price, the costs for a supplier of producing high-tech components are low. Consequently, incentives are misaligned: the OEM faces relatively high under-stock costs and the supplier faces high over-stock costs. In this paper, we examine supply contracts that are intended to align the incentives between a high-tech OEM and a supplier so that the supplier will invest adequate and yet non-verifiable capacity to meet the OEM’s demand. When focusing on a single generation, the manufacturer can coordinate a decentralized supply chain and extract all surplus by augmenting a traditional wholesale price contract with a “contingent penalty” should the supplier fail to fulfill the OEM’s demand. When the resulting penalty is too high to be enforceable, we consider a new class of “contingent renewal” wholesale price contracts with a stipulation: the OEM will renew the contract with the incumbent supplier for the next generation only when the supplier can fulfill the demand for the current generation. By using non-renewal as an implicit penalty, we show that the contingent renewal contract can coordinate the supply chain. While the OEM can capture the bulk of the supply chain profit, this innovative contract cannot enable the OEM to extract the entire surplus.
(2022): Consequences of platforms' remuneration models for digital content: initial evidence and a research agenda for streaming services, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science: .
Abstract: Nowadays, platforms in many industries offer content for a (monthly) flat rate (e.g., music streaming). While flat rates are efficient in reducing transaction costs for administering customers, platforms’ rules for remunerating content right holders are crucial for royalty allocation and, as a result, heavily discussed in several industries. The music industry’s business practices could be on the verge of their next disruption. There is an ongoing heated debate with respect to how the income of flat rates through streaming services should be allocated to right holders (labels and artists). This research investigates aspects of the supply and demand side effects as well as the resulting monetary consequences of changing the currently applied proportional-to-usage remuneration policy (pro rata) to a user-centric policy. Using individual-level data from 3,326 participants and data from Spotify’s API, we empirically quantify the monetary consequences of this change for the music industry. Depending on the remuneration system, we find a substantial reallocation of nearly 170 million € per year at Spotify. We discuss demand and supply-side consequences that may change the way music is currently produced and consumed. We conclude with a research agenda on the impact of business conventions for users, platforms, and artists in the music streaming industry.
(2022): Maritime governance after COVID-19: how responses to market developments and environmental challenges lead towards degrowth, Maritime Economics & Logistics, 24: 699-722.
Abstract: This paper considers two current challenges in the governance of maritime transport, specifically container shipping. The first is the oligopolistic market structure of container shipping, the downsides of which became evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second challenge is climate change, both the need to reduce emissions to zero by 2050 and to adapt to effects that are already locked in. The paper reviews the academic and policy literature and unveils a link between these market and environmental challenges which result from a focus on efficiency without considering negative effects such as diseconomies of scale and induced traffic, leading to a continued rise in total industry carbon emissions. The review likewise identifies links in how policy-makers react to the two challenges. Regulators could remove anti-trust exemptions from carriers, and policy-makers are being pushed to provide strict decarbonisation targets with a coherent timeline for ending the use of fossil fuels. Recent thinking on ecological economics, degrowth and steady-state economics is introduced as the paradigm shift that could link these two policy evolutions.
(2022): It's (a) shame: Why poverty leads to support for authoritarianism, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin: .
Abstract: The literature has widely discussed and supported the relationship between poverty and support for authoritarian leaders and regimes. However, there are different claims about the mediating mechanism and a lack of empirical tests. We hypothesize that the effect of poverty on support for authoritarianism is mediated by shame: People living in poverty frequently experience social exclusion and devaluation, which is reflected in feelings of shame. Such shame, in turn, is likely to increase support for authoritarianism, mainly due to the promise of social re-inclusion. We support our hypothesis in two controlled experiments and a large-scale field study while empirically ruling out the two main alternative explanations offered in the literature: stress and anxiety. Finally, we discuss how the present findings can support policymakers in efficiently addressing the negative political consequences of poverty.
(2022): Preparing cruise lines, ports, and destinations for the next day of cruising, Research in Transportation Business & Management, 45: .
(2022): Maßnahmen und Anreize zur Senkung von CO2-Emissionen - Wie kleine Transportdienstleister und ihre Auftraggeber einem klimafreundlichen Straßengüterverkehr näherkommen können, Industry 4.0 Management, 38: 41-44.
Abstract: Der IPCC-Report aus dem August 2021 ist die jüngste einer Reihe von deutlichen Warnungen vor den Folgen des voranschreitenden Klimawandels. Alle Wirtschaftsbereiche stehen mehr denn je in der Verantwortung, ihre Treibhausgasemissionen schnell und umfassend zu senken. Die Logistik macht etwa 10 % des globalen CO2-Ausstoßes aus. Der größte Anteil entfällt auf den Straßengüterverkehr. Aufgrund hoher Wachstumsraten, der anhaltenden Abhängigkeit von fossilen Brennstoffen und der hohen Fragmentierung des Markts ist die Senkung der CO2-Emissionen bzw. die sogenannte Dekarbonisierung des Straßengüterverkehrs besonders herausfordernd. Auf Basis der Ergebnisse einer großen Umfrage wird in diesem Beitrag herausgearbeitet, wie kleine Transportdienstleister und ihre Auftraggeber einen Beitrag zur Erreichung globaler Klimaziele leisten können. Im ersten Schritt kann eine genauere Messung der CO2-Emissionen dabei helfen, die Vorteilhaftigkeit lange bekannter aber nicht immer genutzter Dekarbonisierungsmaßnahmen klar herauszustellen. Auftraggeber können ihre Transportdienstleister dann zusätzlich mit passenden Anreizsystemen motivieren und unterstützen.
(2022): Bridging the Maritime-Hydrogen Cost-Gap: Real options analysis of policy alternatives, Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 107: 103283.
Abstract: Alternative, and especially renewable, marine fuels are needed to reduce the environmental and climate impacts of the shipping sector. This paper investigates the business case for hydrogen as an alternative fuel in a new-built vessel utilizing fuel cells and liquefied hydrogen. A real option approach is used to model the optimal time and costs for investment, as well as the value of deferring an investment as a result of uncertainty. This model is then used to assess the impact of a carbon tax on a ship owner’s investment decision. A low carbon tax results in ship owners deferring investments, which then slows the uptake of the technology. We recommend that policymakers set a high carbon tax at an early stage in order to help hydrogen compete with fossil fuels. A clear and timely policy design promotes further investments and accelerates the uptake of new technologies that can fulfill decarbonization targets.
(2022): Transition to a hybrid teaching model as a step forward toward responsible management education?, Journal of Global Responsibility, 13 (1): 7-20.
Abstract: Purpose This paper aims to investigate how the COVID-19 health crisis could help business schools move towards more responsible management education (RME). Business schools have been extensively blamed in previous crises for not educating their students in a responsible way. The COVID-19 pandemic could be the pivotal opportunity for business schools to regain legitimacy and a wake-up call to accelerate their journey towards RME. The authors aim to outline an illustration of the transition to a hybrid teaching model and how such educational reconfiguration might lead to more sustainable and RME, also beyond COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach is proposed to analyse and decrypt the challenges and opportunities of a hybrid approach, its implications for the transformation of business schools and RME. This study also includes a state-of-the-art literature review, a specific investigation of the case of ESCP, the European cross-border multi-campus business school, and in-depth interviews with stakeholders impacted by the crisis. Findings The health crisis demonstrated the unprecedented capability of higher education to embrace rapid and profound change. Furthermore, the pandemic served as a wake-up call in that it may even have caused the progress of business schools, previously somewhat reluctant, towards more socially responsible and sustainable thinking. Thus, the schools have used the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to regain legitimacy and be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Practical implications The paper pulls together a multitude of suggestions for higher education in general and business schools in particular. Originality/value Combining two of higher education’s main challenges, namely, digitalisation and sustainability and applying the principles for responsible management education framework to map and analyse the pandemic’s implications, this paper provides a new, compelling and inspiring resource for business schools on their path to a more responsible management approach and education.
(2022): When and Why Does Status Threat at Work Bring Out the Best and the Worst in Us?: A Temporal Social Comparison Theory., Organizational Psychology Review, 12 (3): 241-267.
Abstract: This paper seeks to explain when and why people respond to status threat at work with behaviors oriented toward either self-improvement or interpersonal harming. To that end, we extend the established static social comparison perspective on status threat. Specifically, we introduce the notion of temporal proximity of status threat, which is informed by five temporal social comparison markers. We argue that people construe distal future status gaps as a challenge (and thus show self-improvement-oriented responses), but construe a more proximal status gap as a threat (and thus engage in negative interpersonal behaviors). Further, we introduce three factors of uncertainty that may render the underlying temporal comparison less reliable, and thereby less useful for guiding one's response. Overall, our temporal social comparison theory integrates and extends current theorizing on status threat in organizations by fully acknowledging the dynamic nature of social comparisons. Plain Language Summary Employees often compare themselves to others to evaluate their status. If they perceive that their status is at threat or risk losing status, they engage in behaviors to prevent status loss. These behaviors can be positive, aimed at improving one's position or they can be negative, aimed at harming others. This paper develops a theoretical framework to examine when employees engage in more challenge- vs. threat-oriented behaviors. We argue that an important question how employees react to status threat is its temporal proximity—will an employee's status be threatened in the near versus distal future? We propose that the more distal (vs. proximate) the status threat is, the more employees gravitate towards challenge- and less threat-oriented behaviors. But how do employees know when a status threat occurs in the future? We argue that employees will compare their past status trajectories to co-workers’ status trajectories to mentally extrapolate the temporal proximity of such a threat. More specifically, we propose five characteristics (temporal markers) of social comparison trajectories that inform employees about the temporal proximity: their relative current position, the relative velocity and acceleration of their status trajectory, their relative mean status level, and their relative minimum and maximum status. Moreover, we suggest that employees’ conclusions from these markers are weakened by uncertainty in the "data stream" of social comparison information over time, that is, the length of the time span available, the amount of interruptions in this data stream, and the number of fluctuations in their own and others’ status trajectories.
(2022): Estimating the potential of electric mobility in commercial transport considering the availability of charging infrastructure – A behavioural model analysis for the city of Hamburg, Research in Transportation Business & Management, 43: .
Abstract: To address climate change, transport policy tries to accelerate the electrification of vehicles. The impact of policy measures taken is difficult to predict especially in areas like commercial passenger transport where few research exists. In this study we estimate the impact of higher availability of charging infrastructure on the electrification potential of vehicles used in commercial passenger transport. For Hamburg we estimate that the electrification potential could increase by about 35%. We base this analysis on a company survey on vehicle usage patterns in commercial passenger transport and a ranked choice model to quantify the relationship between company sectors and tour patterns. This enables us to estimate the impact on electrification potential for overall Hamburg. The methodological contribution of this paper is to demonstrate a statistically viable approach to extrapolate insights from a behavioural survey to an overall region in the context of commercial passenger transport.
(2022): Orchestrating coordination among humanitarian organizations, Production and Operations Management, 31 (5): 1977-1996.
Abstract: Disasters mobilize hundreds of humanitarian organizations. Despite the common aim to assist beneficiaries, coordination among humanitarian organizations remains a challenge. This is why the United Nations has formed clusters to facilitate information and resource exchange among humanitarian organizations. Yet, coordination failures in prior disasters raise questions as to the effectiveness of the cluster approach in coordinating relief efforts. To better understand barriers to coordination, we developed a grounded theory and augmented the theory with an agent-based simulation. Our theory discerns a cluster lead’s roles of facilitating coordination but also investing in its own ground operations. We find that specifically serving such a dual role impairs trust and consequent coordination among cluster members. The additional simulation findings generalize the detrimental effect of the cluster lead’s dual role versus a pure facilitator role and specifies it against various boundary conditions.
(2022): Dual Leadership in the Matrix: Effects of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) and Dual-Leader Exchange (DLX) on Role Conflict and Dual Leadership Effectiveness, Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 29 (3): 270-288.
Abstract: While strategic management theories have heavily engaged with the reality of matrix organizations, leadership theories that actually focus on the people working within such arrangements are missing. We argue that (a) followers perceive dual leadership effectiveness to be more than the sum of each leader's effectiveness, (b) a core detriment to perceived dual leadership effectiveness is role conflict experienced by the follower, and (c) Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) needs to be theoretically extended to the triadic level to capture the influence of dual leadership. Specifically, followers’ role conflict and leadership effectiveness perceptions are driven not only by how they perceive their LMX relationships with both leaders, but also how they perceive the relationship quality between their leaders (dual leadership exchange, DLX). As such, even though higher LMX is still better than lower LMX, having a similar exchange relationship with both leaders reduces employees’ role conflict and, by extension, heightens dual leadership effectiveness. Additionally, we reason that when employees lack a good relationship with one of the leaders, higher DLX can act as a substitute. We find support for our hypotheses by applying polynomial regression analyses to a dataset of 111 managers from a matrix organization who report to both a regional and business unit leader.
(2022): Aid Worker Adaptability in Humanitarian Operations: Interplay of Prosocial Motivation and Authoritarian Leadership, Production and Operations Management, 31 (11): 3982-4001.
Abstract: Many field office leaders contend that authoritarian leadership improves the performance of humanitarian operations. The common narrative is that authoritarian leadership helps aid workers more quickly adapt to changes and thus deliver better job performance (e.g., by improving operations in their field office). However, given that field reports often highlight extant leadership as the source of serious operational failures, could leaders with an authoritarian style be part of the problem? We draw on psychological theorizing on the nature of human motivation to address this question. Specifically, we note that many aid workers primarily join humanitarian operations with the prosocial motive to help beneficiaries. While proactive adaptability is inherent to prosocial motivation, we hypothesize that authoritarian leadership may curtail the relationship by impeding aid workers’ autonomy. We find support for our theorizing in a sample of 299 humanitarian aid workers from the field. Additionally, we conducted 31 expert interviews to contextualize and validate our empirical findings. The paper concludes by discussing the findings’ theoretical and managerial implications for humanitarian operations.
(2022): Sketch2Process: End-to-end BPMN Sketch Recognition Based on Neural Networks, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering: 1-21.
Abstract: Process models play an important role in various software engineering contexts. Among others, they are used to capture business-related requirements and provide the basis for the development of process-oriented applications in low-code/no-code settings. To support modelers in creating, checking, and maintaining process models, dedicated tools are available. While these tools are generally considered as indispensable to capture process models for their later use, the initial version of a process model is often sketched on a whiteboard or a piece of paper. This has been found to have great advantages, especially with respect to communication and collaboration. It, however, also creates the need to subsequently transform the model sketch into a digital counterpart that can be further processed by modeling and analysis tools. Therefore, to automate this task, various so-called sketch recognition approaches have been defined in the past. Yet, these existing approaches are too limited for use in practice, since they, for instance, require sketches to be created on a digital device or do not address the recognition of edges or textual labels. Against this background, we use this paper to introduce Sketch2Process, the first end-to-end sketch recognition approach for process models captured using BPMN. Sketch2Process uses a neural network-based architecture to recognize the shapes, edges, and textual labels of highly expressive process models, covering 25 types of BPMN elements. To train and evaluate our approach, we created a dataset consisting of 704 hand-drawn and manually annotated BPMN models. Our experiments demonstrate that our approach is highly accurate and consistently outperforms the state of the art.
(2022): Stock market reactions to downsizing announcements: an analysis through an institutional lens, Socio-Economic Review, 20 (4): 1825-1855.
Abstract: In this study, we examine stock market reactions to corporate downsizing using a neo-institutional perspective. Over the course of the 1990s, a time period in which shareholder value orientation gained momentum, downsizing became an institutionalized management practice. We argue and propose that the growing legitimacy of this practice is displayed in investors’ reactions to downsizing announcements. Using a sample of 391 downsizing announcements of the S&P 100 firms for the period 1990–2006, we show that the announcement year has a positive (diminishing) effect on the abnormal stock market return and that prior downsizings in the focal firm’s institutional field have a positive linear impact on abnormal stock market return. In addition, we provide evidence that these relationships are positively moderated by proactive downsizing motives and firm size. Our results contribute to a deeper understanding of the performance effects of corporate downsizing and investors’ role in legitimizing this prevalent business practice.
(2022): Exclusivity strategies for digital products across digital and physical markets, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science: .
Abstract: Digital technologies allow versioning a product (e.g., a movie) for different physical and digital sequential distribution channels to target heterogeneous consumer segments, thereby creating exclusive offers. Extant literature on sequential distribution for movies largely concentrates on the theater-to-home-video window length (e.g., DVD), thus, neglecting digital distribution channels, particularly the potential of exclusive digital offers when multiple subsequent home video channels are available. We empirically examine the impact of exclusive digital movie offers on demand in digital and physical distribution channels. We fit a system of equations to a unique sample of 260 movies distributed in theaters, digital purchases, digital rentals, and physical purchases channels. Overall, the results indicate substantial profits from exclusive offers. Rather than sales cannibalizations, we find positive cross-channel demand spillovers from exclusive digital offers to delayed physical purchases. Exclusive home video offers outperform mere reductions in the theatrical exclusivity period; thus, implementing exclusive digital home video releases is a promising alternative to avoid conflict-prone reductions of the overall theater-to-home-video release window. Our findings are also relevant to industries that use different online and offline release windows (book publishers) or give exclusive access across different platforms (game publishers).
(2022): Social disparities in students’ intention to enter higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic, PLOS ONE, 17 (5): .
Abstract: Research consistently shows that students from academic households are more likely to enter higher education than students from non-academic households. These inequalities are only secondarily due to differences in performance (i.e., primary effects), but mostly due to students' decision making behavior (i.e., secondary effects). The relative share to which primary effects and secondary effects mediate the effect of students' educational background on their intention to enter higher education is affected by external conditions. One significant external influence that may have had an impact on social disparities in students' educational choices is the COVID-19 pandemic. Herein, we present data from N = 596 upper secondary students (41.6% from non-academic households) that were collected in Germany in April 2021. Building on rational choice theory, we scrutinized students' expected benefits (i.e., employment prospects and personal significance), costs (i.e., direct costs and opportunity costs), and subjective probability of success in pursuing higher education as important psychological pillars for their intention to enter higher education. Results show that about 14% of social differences in students' intention to enter higher education were due to primary effects, whereas almost 77% were explained by secondary effects. Specifically, we found that differences in the evaluation of benefits most strongly contributed to social inequalities in students' intention to enroll in higher education. Compared to research on pre- COVID-19 cohorts, our results point to shifts in existing patterns of inequalities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2022): Assessing the value of supply chain management in the humanitarian context - An evidence-based research approach, Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, 13 (1): 1-9.
Abstract: Purpose The research objective is to study the relevance of supply chain management in the humanitarian context, analyze supply chain expenditures and identify major cost-saving potentials and future research directions. Design/methodology/approach Our research design integrates exploratory and inductive research approaches that are based on existing literature, discussions with supply chain leaders and extensive financial data collected through field studies. Findings Supply chain management is increasingly considered as a critical success factor for humanitarian operations and amounts on average to around 75% of the total response cost. Based on our findings, humanitarian supply chains bear tremendous potential for further improvements to provide more assistance with limited resources available. Research limitations/implications In particular, humanitarian supply chains in conflict situations and procurement processes offer potential for impactful and relevant research. Whilst our study focuses on international organizations, future research should give more attention to supply chain cost structures of local actors to reveal further untapped potential. Practical implications Our findings equipped supply chain leaders with fact-based evidence of the value of supply chain management and supported them in strategic meetings with their executive management and donors. Furthermore, we identified major cost-saving potentials. Social implications For researchers (and practitioners), our findings serve as motivation to intensify their efforts in studying and enhancing supply chain management in the humanitarian context. Originality/value This paper fulfils an identified need to study and provide empirical evidence of the value of supply chain management in the humanitarian context.
(2022): Once a founder, always a founder? The role of former external founders in corporate boards, Journal of Management Studies, 59 (5): 1284-1314.
Abstract: Public corporations often appoint external former founders to their boards in hope that they will encourage a (re-)focus on creating future new business. Seeking to investigate this common practice, we integrate upper echelons theory with imprinting theory, arguing that founding a company indeed represents a formative experience that will leave an imprint on founders and their subsequent board decision-making. Subsequent to their founding experience, however, some founders may be subjected to likewise formative but public corporate experiences, for instance, by taking their own business public or by assuming CEO positions in other corporations, that will lead to a decay of the original founding imprint and its effect. We find support for our reasoning across corporate boards in S&P1500 firms ranging from 2000 to 2012.
(2022): Conducting organizational survey and experimental research online: From convenient to ambitious in study designs, recruiting, and data quality., Organizational Psychology Review, 12 (3): 268-305.
Abstract: Conducting organizational research via online surveys and experiments offers a host of advantages over traditional forms of data collection when it comes to sampling for more advanced study designs, while also ensuring data quality. To draw attention to these advantages and encourage researchers to fully leverage them, the present paper is structured into two parts. First, along a structure of commonly used research designs, we showcase select organizational psychology (OP) and organizational behavior (OB) research and explain how the Internet makes it feasible to conduct research not only with larger and more representative samples, but also with more complex research designs than circumstances usually allow in offline settings. Subsequently, because online data collections often also come with some data quality concerns, in the second section, we synthesize the methodological literature to outline three improvement areas and several accompanying strategies for bolstering data quality. Plain Language Summary: These days, many theories from the fields of organizational psychology and organizational behavior are tested online simply because it is easier. The point of this paper is to illustrate the unique advantages of the Internet beyond mere convenience—specifically, how the related technologies offer more than simply the ability to mirror offline studies. Accordingly, our paper first guides readers through examples of more ambitious online survey and experimental research designs within the organizational domain. Second, we address the potential data quality drawbacks of these approaches by outlining three concrete areas of improvement. Each comes with specific recommendations that can ensure higher data quality when conducting organizational survey or experimental research online.
(2022): Editorial themed volume “Challenges and solutions for current freight transport and logistics”, Research in Transportation Business & Management, 44: .
Abstract: Freight transport and logistics are the backbone for business and society. This becomes especially obvious in times of crisis such as the Corona crisis or the war in Ukraine. While necessary, applied research in this area is particularly difficult since data access is limited, and heterogeneity of players and problems is high. These might be the reasons why less research has been conducted compared to neighboring fields such as passenger transport. This Themed Volume has brought together multiple new contributions in the field of freight transport and logistics. The Volume is multidisciplinary with articles using different methodologies including empirical work, statistical analysis, simulation, or optimization. Many articles originate from contributions to the 2019 European Transport Conference (ETC). After being selected they went through a thorough review process together with other papers submitted to this Themed Volume. The review process for the Themed Volume took place over the period 2020 to 2022. The papers cover multiple domains and include almost all modes of transport. Especially remarkable are four papers in the domain of rail freight, an area in which there is a dearth of papers. A number of articles cover two of the current big topics: new technologies and sustainability. This Themed Volume also includes contributions in “classical” topics of freight transport and logistics namely transport planning, carrier and location choice. The Themed Volume comprises 16 articles. Nine of the articles take a mcro-perspective, looking at problems and analysis at organisational level. The other seven articles take a macro-perspective, detailing transport system observations of relevance for policy decisions.
(2022): Experiential Learing, M&A Performance, and Post-Acquisition Integration Strategy: A Meta-Analysis
, Long Range Planning, 55 (6): 1-25.
Abstract: While research on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) capabilities is accelerating, our understanding of their antecedents and performance implications still remains rather fragmented. Previous research has outlined the importance of learning for building M&A capabilities, but no work has attempted to summarize previous empirical findings regarding different learning mechanisms and their impacts on M&A performance. Mainly drawing upon organizational learning theory and the dynamic capabilities perspective, this study consolidates research on the relationship between different learning mechanisms, post-acquisition integration strategies, and M&A performance. Using meta-analytical techniques, our study shows that the capability-building mechanism relying on deliberate investments in learning tends to be more effective than the capability mechanism based on mere experience accumulation. In addition, our findings indicate that a higher degree of integration is associated with enhanced M&A performance among firms with more developed experiential learning, highlighting the need to explore mediating effects of integration strategy choices on the experiential learning-performance relationship.
(2022): Collaborative planning for intermodal transport with eco-label preferences, Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 112 (11): 1-26.
Abstract: Sustainability is a common concern in intermodal transport. Collaboration among carriers may help in reducing emissions. In this context, this work establishes a collaborative planning model for intermodal transport and uses eco-labels (a series of different levels of emission ranges) to reflect shippers’ sustainability preferences. A mathematical model and an Adaptive Large Neighborhood Search heuristic are proposed for intermodal transport planning of carriers and fuzzy set theory is used to model the preferences towards eco-labels. For multiple carriers, centralized, auction-based collaborative, and non-collaborative planning approaches are proposed and compared. Real data from barge, train and truck carriers in the European Rhine-Alpine corridor is used for extensive experiments where both unimodal carrier collaboration and intermodal carrier collaboration are analyzed. Compared with non-collaborative planning without eco-labels, the number of served requests increases and emissions decrease significantly in the collaborative planning with eco-labels as transport capacity is better utilized.
(2022): Taking a closer look at the bidirectional relationship between meaningful work and strain at work: A cross-lagged model, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 31 (3): 341-351.
Abstract: Research conceptualized meaningful work as an important resource reducing work-related strain. Literature has however neglected the possibility that the relationship between meaningful work and strain may be bidirectional. Based on Conservation of Resources theory and the attention view on stress, we therefore simultaneously examine the relationship between strain and meaningful work in a cross-lagged panel study with 983 participants. We demonstrate that meaningful work reduces employees’ degree of strain more than a month later. Vice versa, the strain that employees experience at work also reduces the degree to which they perceive their work as meaningful. These results indicate that while meaningful work serves as an important psychological resource reducing strain, it may, itself, prove susceptible to high levels of strain.
(2022): Perceived technology turbulence and individual ambidexterity - the moderating role of formalization, European Management Journal, 40 (5): 718-728.
Abstract: Today's turbulent environment, with fast and unpredictable technological changes, requires employees to increasingly act ambidextrously, i.e., to simultaneously incorporate exploitative and explorative tasks in their work roles. To improve our understanding of how to foster individual ambidexterity in technologically turbulent environments, we draw on organizational management theories by arguing (1) that perceived technological turbulence directly affects individual ambidexterity in a positive way and (2) that organizations can strengthen this effect by providing employees with internal stability in these times of external changes through high degrees of formalization. Using data collected in a three-wave online survey of 739 German employees, this study demonstrates that employees who perceive high degrees of technological turbulence in their organization's environment show high degrees of ambidexterity in their work. In addition, we show that formalization in the form of written rules, procedures, and instructions positively moderates this relationship so that employees' ambidexterity is highest when both perceptions of technological turbulence and formalization are high. We conclude by discussing the implications of these findings for the ambidexterity literature, for future research and managerial practice.
(2022): Measuring urban vibrancy of neighborhood performance using social media data in Oslo, Norway, Cities, 131 (12): 1-16.
Abstract: The recent debate on urban vibrancy and its associated spatial characteristics worldwide has increasingly attracted the attention of planners and decision-makers in Norway and the European Union seeking to develop compact cities. This study investigated the spatial pattern of urban vibrancy associated with urban form and the determinants in Oslo, Norway. A total of 552 km2 of the Oslo central metropolitan area was classified into 12 neighborhood groups and a data-driven methodology was applied via SPSS, Python, and ArcGIS to analyze urban vibrancy, where each cell was denoted as a 1 km2 area of 24 variables. As a result of clustering via principal component analysis, six principal components were extracted with 12 critical factors. Results indicated that the location and distribution of commercial buildings, public buildings, residential buildings, and companies and the total population are the most important drivers of neighborhood vibrancy in Oslo. Vibrant neighborhoods usually appear in high-density, central urban areas with a high concentration of commercial and public buildings with various functions along main streets. In contrast, less vibrant neighborhoods have fewer service facilities and are surrounded by single residential areas, large venues, green spaces, vacant land, or land for transportation in the low-density suburban and semi-urbanized areas. This research offers a quantitative basis for a wider range of neighborhood performance assessments, provides a discussion of compact city theory, and draws the attention of decision-makers on planning policy at the neighborhood level, which can also be adapted to other European cities.
(2022): Collaboration-competition dilemma in flattening the COVID-19 curve, Production and Operations Management, 32 (5): 1345-1361.
Abstract: Testing for COVID-19 is a key intervention that supports tracking and isolation to prevent further infections. However, diagnostic tests are a scarce and finite resource, so abundance in one country can quickly lead to shortages in others, creating a competitive landscape. Countries experience peaks in infections at different times, meaning that the need for diagnostic tests also peaks at different moments. This phase lag implies opportunities for a more collaborative approach, although countries might also worry about the risks of future shortages if they help others by reallocating their excess inventory of diagnostic tests. This article features a simulation model that connects three subsystems: COVID-19 transmission, the diagnostic test supply chain, and public policy interventions aimed at flattening the infection curve. This integrated system approach clarifies that, for public policies, there is a time to be risk-averse and a time for risk-taking, reflecting the different phases of the pandemic (contagion vs. recovery) and the dominant dynamic behavior that occurs in these phases (reinforcing vs. balancing). In the contagion phase, policymakers cannot afford to reject extra diagnostic tests and should take what they can get, in line with a competitive mindset. In the recovery phase, policymakers can afford to give away excess inventory to other countries in need (one-sided collaboration). When a country switches between taking and giving, in a form of two-sided collaboration, it can flatten the curve, not only for itself but also for others.
(2022): Drug shortages: A systems view of the current state, Decision Sciences, 53 (6): 969-984.
Abstract: The objective of this thought leadership article is to create a systems view of drug shortages based on the perceptions of practitioners and policymakers. We develop a comprehensive framework describing what stakeholders are currently doing when faced with drug shortages and show the outcomes of their actions. In a review of practitioner literature and public reports published from 2010 to 2020, we identify cause-and-effect relationships related to generic drug shortages in six high-income European countries (Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK) in normal times. By combining and connecting data from these different sources, we develop a systems view of the current state. Though several of the associations covered in the systems view are well known, putting them all together and considering their interrelationships is what is offered by this research. Based on this systems view, we derive three basic solution archetypes for drug shortages: (1) let the market handle it; (2) search for alternatives; and (3) bend the rules. The interactions between these archetypes generate causal ambiguity making it harder to understand and solve the problem as the side effects of solutions can be missed. We show how the interaction of archetypes can compromise intended behavior or escalate unintended behavior. However, our systems view allows us to suggest higher-level solution archetypes that overrule such side effects. The basic and higher-order solution archetypes can provide baselines for research and support the development of future interventions.
(2022): Sustainable network design for a non-profit food bank supply chain with a heterogeneous fleet under uncertainty, Computers & Industrial Engineering, 171 (9): 1-25.
Abstract: Starvation and food insecurity are on an upward trajectory as the world population and food prices increase. Food insecurity continues to create life-threatening health concerns while a significant amount of food is wasted due to the ineffective management of food supply chains including inappropriate storage and transportation activities. To save surplus food, reduce food waste, and improve food security, this paper presents a multi-objective, multi-period, and multi-product mathematical model for a non-profit food bank supply chain considering cold chain transportation and storage facilities, heterogeneous fleet, and time limitations. In this research for the first time a three-objective two-stage stochastic program is developed in the non-profit food bank supply chain including 1) minimizing costs of food collection, storage, distribution or transportation, and food banks establishment, 2) minimizing carbon emissions of food waste and transportation as well as incrementing carbon emissions saving through preserving surplus food and 3) optimizing social performance including demand satisfaction, job creation, and unpleasant odor of food waste. Two solution approaches, namely NSGA-II and augmented -constraint are employed and compared for small, medium, and large-scale problems. The parameters of the meta-heuristic algorithm are tuned using the Taguchi approach. Then the proposed model is utilized to tackle a real-life case study and the results indicate its efficiency. In addition, the results reveal that applying a heterogeneous fleet is necessary to reduce food waste and transportation costs where cold chain transportation and refrigerated fleets have significantly had direct and positive effects on demand satisfaction and food waste rate.
(2021): Commitment follows beliefs: A configurational perspective on operations managers´ commitment to practice adoption, Journal of Operations Management, 67 (4): 450-475.
Abstract: Companies that seek to improve their operational performance by adopting new practices often report disappointing adoption rates. The literature concerning practice adoption has tended to focus on efficacy and legitimacy drivers at the organizational level. However, there exists convincing evidence that practice adoption largely depends on the commitment of those managers involved in the adoption of a given practice. Thus, we investigate what prompts operations managers to commit to practice adoption. We draw on the theory of planned behavior to explore the cognitive foundations of 76 operations managers' commitment to new operational practices. Using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, we identify three belief configurations associated with high levels of commitment—“the Follower,” “the Pragmatist,” and “the Reformer.” We contribute a behavioral operations perspective to the literature on practice adoption by providing an individual-level and configurational view of managerial commitment to change.
(2021): Humanitarian Operations and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Production and Operations Management, 30 (12): 4343-4355.
Abstract: During emergencies humanitarian supply chains need to respond swiftly, very often without time for good planning. That may end up in excessive waste and emissions. This short-term focus on saving people’s lives during disaster responses may harm communities and the planet in the long-run. Even long-term (development) focus on improving the life conditions of the poor may be either unsustainable due to the lack of community involvement or inequitable due to lack of resources. At the same time, countries closer to fulfilling the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) suffer less from disasters but still struggle with issues such as social equity. There appears to be an important link between humanitarian operations and sustainable development goals. This special issue focuses on this interaction through a rich variety of contributions using different methodologies, data and lenses, while proposing ways to advance the SDGs. The special issue clearly shows the value operations management can bring to short-term and long-term problems society faces.
(2021): System dynamics for humanitarian operations revisited, Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, 11 (4): 599-608.
Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this study is to show that the current complexity of humanitarian operations has only increased the usefulness of system dynamics (SD) in helping decision-makers better understand the challenges they face. Design/methodology/approach A critical analysis to evaluate how SD methodology has been applied to humanitarian operations. Findings Today's humanitarian operations are characterized by huge complexity given the increased number of stakeholders, feedback loops, uncertainty, scarce resources and multiple objectives. The authors argue that SD's tools (causal-loop diagram, data layer, simulation model) have the capacity to appropriately capture this complexity, thereby enhancing intuition and understanding. Originality/value Researchers and practitioners hesitate to use system dynamics when data is missing. The authors suggest alternatives to deal with this common situation.
(2021): A Systems Framework for International Development: The Data-Layered Causal Loop Diagram, Production and Operations Management: .
Abstract: Meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will require adapting or redirecting a variety of very complex global and local human systems. It is essential that development scholars and practitioners have tools to understand the dynamics of these systems and the key drivers of their behavior, such as barriers to progress and leverage points for driving sustainable change. System dynamics tools are well suited to address this challenge, but they must first be adapted for the data-poor and fragmented environment of development work. Our key contribution is to extend the causal loop diagram (CLD) with a data layer that describes the status of and change in each variable based on available data. By testing dynamic hypotheses against the system’s actual behavior, it enables analysis of a system’s dynamics and behavioral drivers without simulation. The data-layered CLD was developed through a 4-year engagement with USAID/Uganda. Its contributions are illustrated through an application to agricultural financing in Uganda. Our analysis identified a lack of demand for agricultural loans as a major barrier to broadening agricultural financing, partially refuting an existing hypothesis that access to credit was the main constraint. Our work extends system dynamics theory to meet the challenges of this practice environment, enabling analysis of the complex dynamics that are crucial to achieving the SDGs.
(2021): Visibility and verifiability in port governance transparency: exploring stakeholder expectations, WMU Journal of Maritime Affairs: 435-455.
Abstract: Transparency remains an under-analyzed topic in port research, and previous research has shown that port decision-making and governance reporting are inconsistent across countries. While transparency might be imposed through legislation or voluntarily adopted, effective transparency also includes (a) an organization’s willingness to consistently communicate and make transparent information available to internal or external stakeholders and (b) the stakeholder`s expectations on the visibility and verifiability of information. This paper focuses primarily on the second of these, extending an earlier study that explored the availability of information accessible to the public and port stakeholders through a port’s most public face—its website (Brooks et al. 2020). This research examines a subset of 27 governance variables from Brooks et al. (2020), who explored 59 separate items to identify transparency practices by ports, revealing uneven levels of port transparency. The scope is to identify what different port stakeholders expect to be visible and readily available in terms of board meeting openness, board director conflict of interest, board provided information, and board reports/publications. Stakeholders also provided their perceptions of how trustworthy board reporting was perceived. The data set includes 134 usable responses from 38 countries and this paper analyzes similarities and differences across stakeholders and countries. The responses from the survey are also considered in the light of the results from Brooks et al. (2020) and the extent that ports currently make these variables visible and available. The study concludes by discussing a further research agenda towards a more transparent and thus better port industry.
(2021): A Comeback of Wind Power in Shipping: an Economic and Operational Review on the Wind-assisted Ship Propulsion Technology, Sustainability (13): .
Abstract: Wind-assisted ship propulsion (WASP) technology seems to be a promising solution toward accelerating the shipping industry’s decarbonization efforts as it uses wind to replace part of the propulsive power generated from fossil fuels. This article discusses the status quo of the WASP technological growth within the maritime transport sector by means of a secondary data review analysis, presents the potential fuel-saving implications, and identifies key factors that shape the operational efficiency of the technology. The analysis reveals three key considerations. Firstly, despite the existing limited number of WASP installations, there is a promising trend of diffusion of the technology within the industry. Secondly, companies can achieve fuel savings, which vary depending on the technology installed. Thirdly, these bunker savings are influenced by environmental, on-board, and commercial factors, which presents both opportunities and challenges to decision makers.
(2021): `Lean 4.0´: How can digital technologies support lean practices?, International Journal of Production Economics, 241: 108258.
Abstract: Digital technologies, such as advanced analytics, autonomous vehicles or the Internet of Things, are often touted as means to substantially improve operations. While this potential has been frequently highlighted and evidenced from single case applications, we still lack a deeper theoretical understanding of the underlying mechanisms how digital technologies can support process improvement in general, and lean practices more specifically. In this paper, we use a qualitative study based on focus group design to understand how manufacturing and supply chain management professionals perceive the potential of digital technologies in support of lean practices. We identify eight digital waste reduction mechanisms that illustrate how digital technologies can support lean practices. These include a cluster of mechanisms that augment operational execution in terms of speed and precision of execution, as well as flexibility in space and time. Furthermore, we identify a second cluster of mechanisms that augment decision-making through visibility, feedback, engagement, and prevention. In terms of managerial implications, our findings provide firms with a structured approach how to identify those digital technologies that can most effectively support their respective process improvement activities.
(2021): Journeys, not Destinations: Theorizing a Process View of Supply Chain Integrity, Journal of Business Ethics: .
Abstract: Integrity is considered an important corporate value. Yet recent global events have highlighted the challenges firms face at living up to their stated values, especially when extended supply chain partners are involved. The concept of Supply Chain Integrity (SCI) can help firms shift focus beyond internal corporate integrity, toward supply chain integrity. Researchers and managers will benefit from an understanding of the SCI concept toward implementing SCI to better align supply chain partners with stated corporate values. This research fully develops and empirically grounds the firm-level, inter-firm-oriented SCI concept. The thematic analysis of six firms’ archival and website content elaborated empirical descriptions of SCI themes and enabled the development of a process model for SCI, presenting a novel view of the underlying process by which firms can assess, develop, and maintain SCI across their supply chains. We propose the SCI model as an evolutionary process to improve a firm’s supply chain sustainability, rather than a dichotomous end state where firms either “have” integrity or they don’t. The SCI model could be used as a tool to help leaders create necessary change to better align values and supporting statements with culture, while influencing and affecting stakeholders across the supply chain. This is particularly important in today’s world, where business leaders must consider all stakeholders and address important stakeholder-driven issues such as supply chain sustainability, resilience, and security, which are now at the forefront in the ever-changing environment.
(2021): Applicant reactions to digital selection methods: A signaling perspective on innovativeness and procedural justice, Journal of Business and Psychology: .
Abstract: Research has shown that the use of digital technologies in the personnel selection process can have both positive and negative effects on applicants’ attraction to an organization. We explain this contradiction by specifying its underlying mechanisms. Drawing on signaling theory, we build a conceptual model that applies two different theoretical lenses (instrumental-symbolic framework and justice theory) to suggest that perceptions of innovativeness and procedural justice explain the relationship between an organization’s use of digital selection methods and employer attractiveness perceptions. We test our model by utilizing two studies, namely one experimental vignette study among potential applicants (N = 475) and one retrospective field study among actual job applicants (N = 335). With the exception of the assessment stage in Study 1, the positive indirect effects found in both studies indicated that applicants perceive digital selection methods to be more innovative. While Study 1 also revealed a negative indirect effect, with potential applicants further perceiving digital selection methods as less fair than less digitalized methods in the interview stage, this effect was not significant for actual job applicants in Study 2. We discuss theoretical implications for the applicant reactions literature and offer recommendations for human resource managers to make use of positive signaling effects while reducing potential negative signaling effects linked to the use of digital selection methods.
(2021): Localisation of logistics preparedness in international humanitarian organisations, Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, 11 (1): 81-106.
Abstract: Purpose To meet the rising global needs, the humanitarian community has signed off on making a strategic change toward more localisation, which commonly refers to the empowerment of national and local actors in humanitarian assistance. However, to this date, actual initiatives for localisation are rare. To enhance understanding of the phenomenon, the authors explore localisation of logistics preparedness capacities and obstacles to its implementation. The authors particularly take the perspective of the international humanitarian organisation (IHO) community as they are expected to implement the localisation strategy. Design/methodology/approach A phenomenon-driven, exploratory and qualitative study was conducted. Data collection included in-depth interviews with 28 experienced humanitarian professionals. Findings The findings showed the ambiguity inherent in the localisation strategy with largely different views on four important dimensions. Particularly, the interviewees differ about strengthening external actors or internal national/local offices. The resulting framework visualises the gap between strategy formulation and implementation, which forms major obstacles to the localisation aims. Research limitations/implications Further research is required to support the advancement of localisation of logistics preparedness capacities. Important aspects for future research include triangulation of results, other stakeholder perspectives and the influence of context. Practical implications The authors add to the important debate surrounding localisation by offering remedies to overcoming obstacles to strategy implementation. Further, the authors’ proposed framework offers a language to precisely describe the ways in which IHOs (should) view localisation of logistics preparedness capacities and its operationalisation. Originality/value To the best of authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first academic article on localisation within the humanitarian logistics context.
(2021): Subcontracting New Product Development Projects: The Role of Competition and Commitment, Decision Sciences, 52 (5): 1039-1070.
Abstract: Should a firm, which seeks to subcontract a new product development project, leverage competition among potential suppliers and ask all of them to engage in research and development in parallel? Or should it first invite offers and commit to the supplier with the best offer, before only this supplier engages in development? Building on analytical literature on both formats, we apply game theory to answer these questions. We identify Bayesian Nash equilibrium strategies and characterize advantages of both formats. We find that having multiple suppliers engage in new product development in parallel is favored only if enough suppliers can be attracted, which is the case when development uncertainty and learning benefits are high. The participation decision also depends on the specific structure of the project's development costs. If administrative overhead and material costs are substantial, while engaging in development and exerting effort is relatively cheap but does not offer many learning opportunities, the number of suppliers who would be willing to engage in parallel development is limited. First inviting offers and selecting the best supplier to exclusively engage in new product development then becomes more attractive for the buyer. We discuss further implications and characterize environments that may foster more innovativeness in this context.
(2021): Artificial intelligence and robotics: Shaking up the business world and society at large, Journal of Business Research, 124: 405-407.
(2021): Coordination at the 10-year mark of the JHLSCM–from global response to local preparedness, Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, 11 (4): 585-598.
Abstract: Purpose At the inception of the Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management (JHLSCM), logistics coordination was identified as important, both in practice and research, but few studies on the topic had been published. Ten years later, many, if not most, papers in the journal mention the topic. So the picture has changed, but to what extent? This paper discusses how coordination research has followed humanitarian logistics practice and vice versa. Design/methodology/approach The point of departure in the present article is the most salient topic from the study’s original papers (Jahre et al., 2009; Jahre and Jensen, 2010). The authors discuss how these topics have developed in research and practice. A recent literature review (Grange et al., 2020) enables us to pick relevant papers from JHLSCM and supplement them with more recent ones. The authors complement this approach with updated data on the cluster system, particularly the logistics cluster, to add insights from the empirical domain. Findings In practice, the cluster concept has developed from coordination within clusters in response to the inclusion of inter-cluster coordination in preparedness, and more recently a focus on localized preparedness. However, JHLSCM research does not appear to have kept pace, with a few notable exceptions. The majority of its papers still focus on response. To the extent that preparedness is covered, it is primarily done so at the global level. Originality/value The authors use a framework to discuss humanitarian logistics coordination research and identify important gaps. Based on developments in practice, the study’s key contribution is a revised model with suggestions for further research.
(2021): Service transformation: How can it be achieved?, Journal of Business Research, 136: 219-228.
Abstract: Service transformation calls for a revolutionary strategic mindset within service firms. Service firms aspire to achieve a distinctive vision through service transformation, often engaging technology and digitalization as critical partners in creating long-term firm success in the market by nurturing enhanced customer and stakeholder benefits. Therefore, it is imperative for us to examine, understand, and seek ways in which transformation can be utilized effectively by service firms. A new conceptualization is proposed that highlights how service transformation can follow many strategic paths, ranging from a relatively minor linear evolutionary reformation of service offerings to a cyclical and ongoing complete creative destruction and reincarnation of the firm. This manuscript first proposes an organizing framework to understand the internal and external factors that have the potential to render service transformation achievable, as well as the range of internal and external outcomes that can result from successful transformation. We then draw upon theories of evolution to delineate the process of transformation over time in service contexts, resulting in a conceptual model of service transformation that articulates three viable pathways to service transformation, which we call the “3Rs of Service Transformation” – reformation, renovation, and reincarnation. We define and provide examples of these three paths of service transformation and identify situations and contexts in which each approach may be most appropriate for certain firms. We conclude with a discussion of future research directions.
(2021): Married CEOs and Stock Price Crash Risk, European Financial Management, 28 (5): 1376-1412.
Abstract: This study examines whether marriage, as a social construct and cultural norm, can affect firm-level stock price crash risk. We find that firms managed by married CEOs are associated with lower future stock price crash risk, after controlling for a set of firm characteristics and CEO traits. We document that CEO marriage reduces crash risk by curbing bad news hoarding and formation activities. Moreover, the attenuating impact of CEO marriage on crash risk is more pronounced among firms with weaker corporate governance and those run by less prominent, higher-delta and lower-paid CEOs.
(2021): The Consequence of Incongruent Abusive Supervision: Anticipation of Social Exclusion, Shame, and Turnover Intentions, Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies: .
Abstract: We investigated the turnover intentions of employees who perceive that they are being treated with more or less abusive supervision than their coworkers. We call this incongruent abusive supervision. Our findings support our theory that employees associate incongruent abusive supervision with anticipation of social exclusion from their coworkers. Furthermore, this appraisal of social exclusion threat is associated with feelings of shame, which, in turn, increase turnover intentions. Two experimental vignettes provide support for our theoretical model. These findings highlight coworkers’ abusive supervision as an important context for the experience of one’s own abusive supervision and introduce shame as an emotional mechanism important for understanding employee responses to incongruent abusive supervision.
(2021): Managers are less burned-out at the top: The roles of sense of power and self-efficacy at different hierarchy levels, Journal of Business and Psychology, 37: 151-171.
Abstract: While managers generally seem to enjoy better mental health than regular employees, there are also plenty of reports about them suffering from burnout. The present study explores this relationship between hierarchy level and burnout in more detail. In doing so, we not only investigate what impact managerial rank may have on burnout, but we also contrast two different theoretically meaningful mediators for the relationship: sense of power (feeling in control over people) and work-related self-efficacy (feeling in control over tasks). The results of two surveys—the first with 580 managers (single-source) and the second with 154 managers matched with ratings from close others (multi-source)—show a negative relationship between managers’ hierarchy level and burnout that is explained by both mediators independently. Additional analyses reveal that high sense of power and high self-efficacy are both necessary conditions for low levels of burnout. Such fine-grained analyses allow us to understand why managers at the top are less threatened by burnout, in contrast to what some media reports suggest.
(2021): The effect of credit shocks in the context of labor market frictions, Journal of Banking & Finance, 125: .
Abstract: The recent financial crisis was associated with a large and prolonged deterioration of the credit supply. I build and calibrate a structural model to explore the impact of credit-supply shocks on firm behavior in the context of labor market frictions. I discover that (i) a negative shock to the credit supply can lead to a protracted depression in business activities when firms have a steady level of productivity (demand) and that (ii) a reduction of labor adjustment costs can improve investment and mitigate the negative impact of credit-supply shocks, especially for firms with a high level of productivity. I also empirically corroborate that a lower labor unionization rate can mitigate the negative impact of supply shocks on high-demand firms during a crisis.
(2021): The Influence of Logistics Management on Freight Transport Research: A Short History of a Paradigm Shift, Journal of Transport Economics and Policy, 55 (2): 104-123.
Abstract: The study of freight transport has been subject to a long-term paradigm shift since the 1970s as the movement of freight has increasingly been researched as an integral part of logistics systems and supply chains. It has also benefited from the development of logistics and supply chain management as a business activity and academic discipline. This paper outlines the history of this 'logistification' of freight transport research, examining its impact on the modelling of freight flows and its relevance to a series of major transport policy issues, and discusses the methodological implications of this reorientation and diversification of the field.
(2021): Embedding energy optimization in organizations: A case study of a Swiss decentralized renewable energy system, Energy and Buildings, 235: 110710.
Abstract: Decentralized renewable energy systems (DRES) integrate renewable energy sources with energy-efficient building technologies and represent an important instrument for a sustainable built environment. Given their technological complexity, DRES also include comprehensive monitoring systems that offer important opportunities to optimize energy flows and increase energy efficiency. For these reasons, research has developed a range of automated optimization models and algorithms, such as association rule mining or fault detection diagnosis. To date, however, it remains unclear under what conditions these advanced and automated technologies may best be integrated to optimize DRES. This paper provides a complementary industry perspective, drawing on an in-depth case study of the optimization activities within one of the most advanced DRES in Switzerland. Over the course of five years, some of the optimization measures helped reduce energy consumption by 55–60%. Yet, the optimization potential of other measures remained unclear. The case study shows that, while technical aspects have given rise to optimization potential, organizational aspects have prevented, or at least delayed, the application of scientific algorithms, and have thus obstructed the realization of this optimization potential. These findings call for researchers to better integrate the technical and operational aspects into the optimization of energy systems and also offer important recommendations for policymakers, investors, and energy planners.
(2021): Clarifying the boundary conditions of value creation within dynamic capabilities framework: a grafting approach, Review of Managerial Science, 15: 1797-1820.
Abstract: This study extends dynamic capabilities research by examining the underlying and fundamental concepts of capabilities, resource allocation, fungibility, and environmental change with respect to value creation and appropriation (VCA). Scholars generally assume that VCA depends on the amount of resources allocated to generate future capabilities. We diverge from this ability-performance tautology and instead ground dynamic capabilities in a resource allocation framework. By introducing two boundary conditions, we suggest that environmental change and fungibility between current and dynamic capabilities determine whether resource allocation leads to VCA. We believe that our findings not only represent a fruitful path for future research by strategy and organization scholars, but also provide an important contribution to our knowledge of managing resources in dynamic environments to create future capabilities.
(2021): Change only happens when managers believe what they're saying, California Management Review Insights - Frontier: .
(2021): Intermittent demand forecasting for spare parts: A Critical review, Omega, 105: .
Abstract: Spare parts demand forecasting has received considerable attention over the last fifty years as it is a challenging problem for many companies. This paper provides a critical review and quantitative analysis of the current literature on spare parts demand forecasting methods. First, we describe how different research streams in the literature have developed over time and review each stream extensively. Then, by gleaning information from the available studies, we carry out a quantitative analysis to provide granular insights into why and when a particular forecasting method should be preferred.
(2021): Mapping the intellectual structure of the coronavirus field (2000-2020): a co-word analysis, Scientometrics, 126: 6625-6657.
Abstract: Over the two last decades, coronaviruses have affected human life in different ways, especially in terms of health and economy. Due to the profound effects of novel coronaviruses, growing tides of research are emerging in various research fields. This paper employs a co-word analysis approach to map the intellectual structure of the coronavirus literature for a better understanding of how coronavirus research and the disease itself have developed during the target timeframe. A strategic diagram has been drawn to depict the coronavirus domain’s structure and development. A detailed picture of coronavirus literature has been extracted from a huge number of papers to provide a quick overview of the coronavirus literature. The main themes of past coronavirus-related publications are (a) “Antibody-Virus Interactions,” (b) “Emerging Infectious Diseases,” (c) “Protein Structure-based Drug Design and Antiviral Drug Discovery,” (d) “Coronavirus Detection Methods,” (e) “Viral Pathogenesis and Immunity,” and (f) “Animal Coronaviruses.” The emerging infectious diseases are mostly related to fatal diseases (such as Middle East respiratory syndrome, severe acute respiratory syndrome, and COVID-19) and animal coronaviruses (including porcine, turkey, feline, canine, equine, and bovine coronaviruses and infectious bronchitis virus), which are capable of placing animal-dependent industries such as the swine and poultry industries under strong economic pressure. Although considerable research into coronavirus has been done, this unique field has not yet matured sufficiently. Therefore, “Antibody-virus Interactions,” “Emerging Infectious Diseases,” and “Coronavirus Detection Methods” hold interesting, promising research gaps to be both explored and filled in the future.
(2021): Potential and limiting factors in the use of alternative fuels in the European maritime sector, Journal of Cleaner Production (291): .
Abstract: The maritime sector is a key asset for the world economy, but its environmental impact represents a major concern. The sector is primarily supplied with Heavy Fuel Oil, which results in high pollutant emissions. The sector has set targets for deacrbonisation, and alternative fuels have been identified as a short-to medium-term option. The paper addresses the complexity related to the activities of the maritime industry, and discusses the possible contribution of alternative fuels. A sector segmentation is proposed to define the consumption of each sub-segment, so to compare it with the current alternative fuel availability at European level. The paper shows that costs and GHG savings are fundamental enablers for the uptake of alternative fuels, but other aspects are also crucial: technical maturity, safety regulation, expertise needed, etc. The demand for alternative fuels has to be supported by an existing, reliable infrastructure, and this is not yet the case for many solutions (i.e. electricity, hydrogen or methanol). Various options are already available for maritime sector, but the future mix of fuels used will depend on technology improvements, availability, costs and the real potential for GHG emissions reduction.
(2021): Blockchain für KMU, Zeitschrift für wirtschaftlichen Fabrikbetrieb, 116 (3): 157-160.
Abstract: Blockchain-Lösungen für Supply Chain und Logistik können die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit von Unternehmen stärken. Aber wie sollten sich insbesondere KMU diesem Thema nähern? Basierend auf 26 Experteninterviews arbeiten wir in diesem Beitrag zunächst Einsatzpotenziale für Blockchain heraus. Zur Realisierung der Potenziale leiten wir anschließend drei idealtypische Rollen ab. Diese Typologie kann Praktiker bei der Entwicklung eines unternehmensindividuellen Blockchain-Ansatzes unterstützen.
(2021): Workforce Scheduling with Order-Picking Assignments in Distribution Facilities, Transportation Science, 55 (3): 725-746.
Abstract: Scheduling the availability of order pickers is crucial for effective operations in a distribution facility with manual order pickers. When order-picking activities can only be performed in specific time windows, it is essential to jointly solve the order picker shift scheduling problem and the order picker planning problem of assigning and sequencing individual orders to order pickers. This requires decisions regarding the number of order pickers to schedule, shift start and end times, break times, as well as the assignment and timing of order-picking activities. We call this the order picker scheduling problem and present two formulations. A branch-and-price algorithm and a metaheuristic are developed to solve the problem. Numerical experiments illustrate that the metaheuristic finds near-optimal solutions at 80% shorter computation times. A case study at the largest supermarket chain in The Netherlands shows the applicability of the solution approach in a real-life business application. In particular, different shift structures are analyzed, and it is concluded that the retailer can increase the minimum compensated duration for employed workers from six hours to seven or eight hours while reducing the average labor cost with up to 5% savings when a 15-minute flexibility is implemented in the scheduling of break times.
(2021): Kingdon´s Multiple Streams Approach in New Political Contexts: Consolidation, Configuration, and New Findings, Governance, 34 (2): 523-543.
Abstract: There is a need to conduct more diverse cross-case analyses in the Multiple Streams Approach (MSA) literature which originated in the United States, to show how key concepts, such as a windows-of-opportunity and the role of policy entrepreneurs, manifest in different political contexts. We apply Qualitative Comparative Analysis for a cross-case analysis of a unique dataset representing 20 countries from four continents. This approach allows us to highlight distinct pathways to influencing policies. We identify four configurations for expanding civic spaces and two configurations for changing policies. We identify three findings novel to MSA: there are two distinctive policy entrepreneur roles involving local and international civil society actors; effective entrepreneurship is conditional on strengthening civic voice and creating civic space conducive to advocacy; and, therefore, effective entrepreneurs often must focus on expanding the civic space to discuss policy problems and the technical and political feasibility of policy solutions.
(2021): What leaders tell and employees hear–an intention-perception model of storytelling in leadership., Organization Management Journal, 19 (2): 72-83.
Abstract: Purpose Storytelling is considered an effective leadership behavior. However, research on storytelling’s effects on followers is scarce and disconnected from leadership theory. This paper aims to explore the perspectives of both leaders and followers with a focus on interaction-based moderators and affective mediators of storytelling effects, building on transformational leadership and leader-member exchange theory. Design/methodology/approach Data from semi-structured interviews (N = 27 independent leaders and followers) were analyzed with a combined content-analytic and grounded theory approach. Findings Leaders’ intended effects of storytelling (transformation, relationship and information) evoked either positive or negative affective reactions in followers depending on how well the story met followers’ needs (need-supply fit), the adequacy of the input load transported by the story (story load) and how followers interpreted their leaders’ story (story appraisal). Followers’ positive or negative affective reactions translated into positive effects (corresponding to leaders’ intended effects) or negative effects (contradicting leaders’ intended effects), respectively. Results were integrated into an intention-perception model of storytelling. Originality/value Proposing an intention-perception model of storytelling, this paper explains when and why unintended effects of storytelling happen, and thus provides an alternative view to the one-fits-all approach on leaders’ storytelling advocated by popular management literature.
(2021): Different Reasons for Different Responses: A Review of Incumbents’ Adaptation in Carbon-Intensive Industries, Organization & Environment, 34 (2): 323-346.
Abstract: Organizations often respond in different ways to common external shocks. To advance theories on organizational adaptation and performance heterogeneity, it is essential to understand different reasons for different organizational responses. We examine how incumbents in carbon-intensive industries adapt to heightened environmental pressure to reduce carbon emissions. Based on a review of the literature, we propose three dimensions along which diverse organizational responses can be efficiently mapped out: goal, timing, and scope. Building on our proposed dimensions, we develop a typology of five different organizational responses. With this, we show that organizational responses are more diverse than a one-dimensional scale could show but that the heterogeneity is somehow limited as the positions on the dimensions are not independent but correlated. To understand this observed limited heterogeneity, we proceed by identifying reasons behind different organizational responses. Furthermore, we discuss the theoretical implications of our findings for research on organizational adaptation and sustainability.
(2021): Natural Language-based Detection of Semantic Execution Anomalies in Event Logs, Information Systems, 102: 101824.
Abstract: Anomaly detection in process mining aims to recognize outlying or unexpected behavior in event logs for purposes such as the removal of noise and identification of conformance violations. Existing techniques for this task are primarily frequency-based, arguing that behavior is anomalous because it is uncommon. However, such techniques ignore the semantics of recorded events and, therefore, do not take the meaning of potential anomalies into consideration. In this work, we overcome this caveat and focus on the detection of anomalies from a semantic perspective, arguing that anomalies can be recognized when process behavior does not make sense. To achieve this, we propose an approach that exploits the natural language associated with events. Our key idea is to detect anomalous process behavior by identifying semantically inconsistent execution patterns. To detect such patterns, we first automatically extract business objects and actions from the textual labels of events. We then compare these against a process-independent knowledge base. By populating this knowledge base with patterns from various kinds of resources, our approach can be used in a range of contexts and domains. We demonstrate the capability of our approach to successfully detect semantic execution anomalies through an evaluation based on a set of real-world and synthetic event logs and show the complementary nature of semantics-based anomaly detection to existing frequency-based techniques.
(2021): Value of data in multi-level supply chain decisions: a case study in the Dutch floriculture sector, International Journal of Production Research, 59 (5): 1368-1385.
Abstract: While many supply chain decisions could take advantage of big data, firms struggle with investments into supply chain analytics since they are not able to assess the application areas and benefits of these initiatives. In this paper, we provide a multi-level perspective to assess the value of supply chain data. We develop a framework that highlights the connections between data characteristics and supply chain decisions with different time horizons (i.e. short- or long-term) as well as different supply chain levels (i.e. individual-firm level or supply-chain level). As data gets more complex in one or more of the 4 V dimensions (i.e. volume, variety, velocity, veracity), firms must assess how to best take advantage of the opportunities offered. We use the Dutch floriculture sector as a case study for our framework in which we highlight four data analytics applications to improve logistics processes. In the applications, we demonstrate how the data is used to support the decisions at different time horizons and supply-chain levels. We find that each of the big data’s Vs is required differently according to the decisions’ characteristics. Based on the findings, applications in other industries and promising directions for future research are discussed.
(2021): Proactivity at work: The roles of respectful leadership and leader group prototypicality, Journal of Personnel Psychology, 20 (3): 114-123.
Abstract: We propose that two aspects of leadership, perceived respectful leadership and the degree of leaders’ prototypicality, positively affect employee proactivity. A multisource and multilevel field study of 234 employees supervised by 62 leaders shows that respectful leadership relates positively to employee proactivity in terms of personal initiative and that leader group prototypicality diminishes this effect. Moreover, perceived respectful leadership and prototypicality substitute for one another in their relation to follower proactivity. This study contributes to previous research that shows leader–follower relationships enhance proactivity by showing the impact of perceived respectful leadership and leader group prototypicality.
(2021): Short of drugs? Call upon operations and supply chain management, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 41 (10): 1569-1578.
Abstract: Purpose This “impact pathways” paper argues that operations and supply chain management (OSCM) could help address the worsening drug shortage problem in high-income countries. This significant societal problem poses difficult challenges to stakeholders given the complex and dynamic nature of drug supply chains. OSCM scholars are well positioned to provide answers, introducing new research directions for OSCM in the process. Design/methodology/approach To substantiate this, the authors carried out a review of stakeholder reports from six European countries and the academic literature. Findings There is little academic research and no fundamental agreement among stakeholders about causes of shortages. Stakeholders have suggested many government measures, but little evidence exists on their comparative cost-effectiveness. Originality/value The authors discuss three pathways of impactful research on drug shortages to which OSCM could contribute: (1) Developing an evidence-based system view of drug shortages; (2) Studying the comparative cost-effectiveness of key government interventions; (3) Bringing supply chain risk management into the government and economics perspectives and vice versa. Our study provides a baseline for future COVID-19-related research on this topic.
(2021): Experiential learning for Chinese companies to complete cross-border acquisitions: the case of Chinese acquirers, International Journal of Emerging Markets, 16 (4): 647-695.
Abstract: Purpose In a contribution to the emerging research examining Chinese cross-border acquisitions (CBAs), the authors observe experiential learning applications for enhancing M&A completions. By emphasizing knowledge transfer, the authors reveal how target-to-target industry similarity and bidder-to-target cultural distance affect learning outcomes. Design/methodology/approach Using a binary logistic regression model, the authors examine a sample of CBA attempts announced by Chinese companies from January 2002 to December 2012 to identify the variables that affect the completion of CBAs. Findings The authors find that foreign acquisition experience but not domestic acquisition experience enhances subsequent acquisition attempts, especially when prior and focal target companies share the dominant industrial logic. Learning transfer is negatively affected when target countries are more culturally distant from China, but learning benefits appear to increase under strong bidder-to-target cultural distance. Originality/value By investigating learning in the precompletion stage in Chinese outward CBAs, the authors complement research that uses postacquisition performance to assess learning. The authors’ more fine-grained characterization reveals that acquisition experience increases knowledge transfer through experiential learning. Furthermore, the authors show that dominant industrial logic and cultural distance are underexplored contextual conditions, although they interact with foreign and domestic experience to affect the completion of CBAs.
(2021): Designing smart replenishment systems: Internet-of-Things technology for vendor-managed inventory at end consumers, European Journal of Operational Research, 295 (3): 949-964.
Abstract: Motivated by recent advances in Internet-of-Things (IoT) technology for household appliances, we analyze a Smart Replenishment system that leverages point-of-consumption (POC) information at end consumers to decide on deliveries of consumables. As such, we extend the classic Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI) concept to end consumers. We model the system for a single manufacturer who directly serves end consumers with uncertain demand. End consumers partially adopt the new Smart Replenishment mode, which results in a mix of VMI and non-VMI customers. We assume that unfulfilled demand is lost and that the manufacturer’s dispatch capacity is constrained. Customers compete for the same capacity while featuring different out-of-stock risks and service-level expectations, both of which are costly to the manufacturer. Considering various adoption levels, we decide on the design of such a system and focus on (i) inventory control, (ii) customer prioritization, and (iii) degree of smart, integrated decision-making. Using discrete-event simulation and a full-factorial experiment, we show that replenishment decisions can be significantly enhanced with POC information. It leads to substantial improvements in service levels and capacity utilization without loading customers with inventories. This improvement potential is highest for a low demand coverage of the replenishment quantity, a high gap in the ordering behavior of manufacturer and end consumers, and a long lead time. To realize this improvement potential, we propose a flexible reorder corridor to manage inventories at VMI customers that balances the trade-off between out-of-stock risk and service-level expectation inherent in the system.
(2021): Port system evolution in Ecuador - Migration, location splitting or specialisation?, Journal of Transport Geography, 93: .
Abstract: Port facilities expand or are relocated from their original locations according to several factors, such as outgrowing a limited space or avoiding clashes of use with expanding cities. Previous spatial models such as the famous Anyport model imply a natural evolution in port systems which can in reality be complicated by issues of port governance and competition. The goal of this paper is to enrich the Anyport model with insights from port governance and the port life cycle model, focusing on strategies of port actors to avert a potential decline when the port reaches geographical or economic constraints. The empirical application explores the evolution over five decades of the port of Guayaquil, Ecuador's primary port and the second-busiest container port on the west coast of South America. In the 1990s and 2000s, port governance reform introduced devolution from the national level to local port authorities, the signing of terminal concessions to private operators and competition from other ports in the vicinity. In 2006 a new deep-water port, 85 km downriver and in a different governance jurisdiction, was proposed. Continuous legal and operational challenges stalled the construction of the new port, until it finally entered into operation in 2019. Despite this development, the existing Guayaquil port decided to go ahead with more channel dredging and to extend the existing container terminal concession for an additional 20 years in order to maintain its operations. Thus, rather than a simple port migration to deeper water based on specialisation of tasks between deep sea and feeder activities, what has emerged is a competitive situation for the same hinterland between old and new ports. The port life cycle model provides a more dynamic view than purely spatial models, highlighting governance conflicts between local and national levels, power dynamics between global carriers and port terminal operators, changes in intra- and inter-port competition and horizontal complexities arising from municipal and regional boundaries between existing and available port locations.
(2020): Innovation in the maritime sector: aligning strategy with outcomes, Maritime Policy & Management, 47 (8): 1045-1063.
Abstract: Innovation is identified as one of the main avenues to maintain competitiveness and its importance is well established in business studies. Along maritime logistics chains, innovation is being increasingly recognized as a determinant of success. However, beyond the naval architecture literature, little attention has been given to the role that innovation plays in maritime business. Notwithstanding the increasing number of innovation efforts that can be traced in the industry, little is known of the processes and mechanisms that make innovation successful, with the result that initiatives are often uncoordinated, unfocused, poorly managed, and do not deliver the expected results. In order to improve innovation processes, better insight is needed into what motivates innovation along maritime supply chains, in particular for ocean carriers, (inland) terminal operators, port managers, and hinterland transport operators. To this end, the paper proposes an index-based approach using data collected for 59 innovation cases to capture the degree of alignment between innovation strategy and outcomes in various maritime logistics business sectors. Substantial misalignment exists between company strategies and innovation success, and efforts should be made to improve the strategic processes that lead to collaborative innovation in maritime supply chains.
(2020): Supply Chain Risk Governance: Towards a Conceptual Multi-Level Framework, Operations and Supply Chain Management Journal, 13 (4): 382-395.
Abstract: The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is currently putting high pressure on most countries’ critical infrastructures (not only health care), creating huge uncertainties in supply and demand, and disrupting global supply chains. The global crisis will demonstrate the extent to which different parties (countries, public authorities, private companies etc.) can work together and take holistic decisions in such situations. A core question in supply chain management asks how independent decision-makers at many levels can work together and how this joint work can be governed. Supply chain risk management (SCRM), however, has focused mostly on how focal private companies apply SCRM processes to identify, analyse and mitigate risk related to upstream and downstream flows in their supply networks. At the same time, interorganisational collaboration to handle diverse risks is always needed. A risk that hits one organisation often affects other, interconnected organisations. This study aims to develop the term supply chain risk governance with an associated conceptual framework that embraces various types of supply chains and actors. In a cross-disciplinary literature study, we dissect, compare and combine risk governance with interorganisational aspects of SCRM and find that the mechanisms suggested in the risk governance literature coincide with many of those in SCRM. We suggest a combination of these to govern risk processes at an inter-organisational level, regardless of the type of organisation included in the supply chain. This would be suitable for critical infrastructures that often contain a mixture of private and public actors. The scope of the literature employed is limited, and some articles have played a larger role in the framework development. The paper explores new territory through this cross-disciplinary study, extends existing multi-level frameworks with inter-organisational governance mechanisms and proposes new governance mechanisms to the field. This study could support the understanding of how critical infrastructures in our society are governed so as to increase their resilience to both smaller and larger disruptions.
(2020): A review of corporate sustainability drivers in maritime ports: a multi-stakeholder perspective, Maritime Policy & Management, 47 (8): 1027-1044.
Abstract: Maritime ports play a pivotal role in facilitating trade, serving as key nodes in global transport chains. Competitive pressure exists for port managers and operators to search for ways to deliver consistent improvements in productivity and profitability. Additionally, external effects associated with port activities have been given more attention in recent years, thus favouring a holistic integration of sustainability into port planning and operations. In this process, factors driving ports to become more sustainable need to be examined. This study, which is based on a systematic review of literature published since 1987, synthesizes various research perspectives for corporate sustainability drivers in maritime ports using the lens of stakeholder theory. Thirty drivers of corporate sustainability were identified, classified into 10 main drivers and further grouped into five clusters, serving as the basis for development of a multi-stakeholder perspective. This study also discusses examples of actions taken by ports in response to perspectives of various stakeholders using selected case examples from existing literature. This study provides an understanding of how decisions for adopting corporate sustainability are motivated in ports according to a multi-stakeholder perspective, and highlights how ports have responded to shifts through developing and implementing sustainability strategies using global case examples.
(2020): The impact of daily weather on retail sales: an empirical study in brick-and-mortar stores, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 52: Article 101921.
Abstract: In this study, we examine the influence of weather on daily sales in brick-and-mortar retailing using empirical data for 673 stores. We develop a random coefficient model that considers non-linear effects and seasonal differences using different weather parameters. In the ex-post analysis using historic weather data, we quantify the explanatory power of weather information on daily sales, identify store-specific effects and analyze the influence of specific sales themes. We find that the weather has generally a complex effect on daily sales while the magnitude and the direction of the weather effect depend on the store location and the sales theme. The effect on daily sales can be as high as 23.1% based on the store location and as high as 40.7% based on the sales theme. We also find that the impact of extreme bad and good weather occurrences can be misestimated by traditional models that do not consider non-linear effects. In the ex-ante analysis, we analyze if weather forecasts can be used to improve the daily sales forecast. We show that including weather forecast information improves sales forecast accuracy up to seven days ahead. However, the improvement of the forecast accuracy diminishes with a higher forecast horizon.
(2020): An ETA Prediction Model for Intermodal Transport Networks Based on Machine Learning, Business & Information Systems Engineering: .
Abstract: Transparency in transport processes is becoming increasingly important for transport companies to improve internal processes and to be able to compete for customers. One important element to increase transparency is reliable, up-to-date and accurate arrival time prediction, commonly referred to as estimated time of arrival (ETA). ETAs are not easy to determine, especially for intermodal freight transports, in which freight is transported in an intermodal container, using multiple modes of transportation. This computational study describes the structure of an ETA prediction model for intermodal freight transport networks (IFTN), in which schedule-based and non-schedule-based transports are combined, based on machine learning (ML). For each leg of the intermodal freight transport, an individual ML prediction model is developed and trained using the corresponding historical transport data and external data. The research presented in this study shows that the ML approach produces reliable ETA predictions for intermodal freight transport. These predictions comprise processing times at logistics nodes such as inland terminals and transport times on road and rail. Consequently, the outcome of this research allows decision makers to proactively communicate disruption effects to actors along the intermodal transportation chain. These actors can then initiate measures to counteract potential critical delays at subsequent stages of transport. This approach leads to increased process efficiency for all actors in the realization of complex transport operations and thus has a positive effect on the resilience and profitability of IFTNs.
(2020): Impact of proactive postsales service and cross-selling activities on customer churn and service calls, Journal of Service Research, 23 (1): 53-69.
Abstract: In recent years, service providers have identified the proactive postsales service (PPS) as a viable measure for preempting service failures and their negative consequences. Due to the high costs associated with PPSs, companies are looking for ways to increase their efficiency. To understand how companies can increase their revenues and lower their costs, this study investigates how cross-selling activities and different media types affect the impact of a PPS on inbound service calls and customer churn. Based on a large-scale field experiment in the telecommunications industry, as well as a controlled lab experiment, the results demonstrate the overall effectiveness of the PPS and indicate two mediating effects. While the effect of cross-selling on customer churn and service calls is mediated by the customers’ uncertainty regarding the company’s motives, it is the customers’ perception of privacy invasion that mediates the influence of the contact medium on the effectiveness of the PPS. Our finding that PPS contacts have to be clear in their message and should not be perceived as invasive is an indication of the importance of service-(post)sales ambidexterity.
(2020): Multiperiod Inventory Management with Budget Cycles: Rational and Behavioral Decision-Making, Production and Operations Management, 29 (3): 643-663.
Abstract: We examine inventory decisions in a multiperiod newsvendor model. In particular, we analyze the impact of budget cycles in a behavioral setting. We derive optimal rational decisions and characterize the behavioral decision‐making process using a short‐sightedness factor. We test the aforementioned effect in a laboratory environment. We find that subjects reduce order‐up‐to levels significantly at the end of the current budget cycle, which results in a cyclic pattern during the budget cycle. This indicates that the subjects are short‐sighted with respect to future budget cycles. To control for inventory that is carried over from one period to the next, we introduce a starting‐inventory factor and find that order‐up‐to levels increase in the starting inventory.
(2020): Humanitarian Operations: A World of Opportunity for Relevant and Impactful Research, Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 22 (1): 135-145.
Abstract: The number of people affected by disasters has increased over the past decades, whereas funding has declined. The need for effective humanitarian aid is, therefore, larger than ever. Humanitarian organizations have recognized the critical role of supply chain management in reaching beneficiaries, and they have introduced commercial routines and best practices. Academics realized that humanitarian operations constitute a fruitful new research area and adapted solution techniques developed for commercial operations to disaster situations with mitigated success. Meanwhile, the problems that humanitarian practitioners face quickly evolve. In this paper, we highlight challenges in matching practitioner needs with academic publications and outline the great opportunities for impactful and relevant research.
(2020): Intermodal hinterland network design games, Transportation Science, 54 (5): 1153-1438.
(2020): Identifying the market areas of port-centric logistics and hinterland intermodal transportation, European Journal of Operational Research, 285 (2): 599-611.
Abstract: Many port authorities have developed ambitious strategies to foster hinterland intermodal transportation. In addition, port-centric logistics, that is, the provision of distribution facilities and value-adding activities in the port area, has expanded in multiple ports. Obviously, such port-centric logistics may impact the operations in the hinterland substantially and could potentially reduce opportunities for intermodal transport in the hinterland. We analyze the interaction between port-centric logistics and hinterland intermodal transportation. We take a logistics service provider’s perspective and we include some key elements in the model, such as detention fees, extra handling, transport efficiency and empty container repositioning. We develop new analytical results identifying the optimal market areas of truck-only transportation, port-centric logistics and hinterland intermodal transportation. Our results show that tension between port-centric logistics and hinterland intermodal transportation is quite likely to happen in practice. We additionally study the use of continental containers as a way to reconcile port-centric logistics and hinterland intermodal transportation and we derive further results. We illustrate our results via an example and we highlight managerial insights.
(2020): Designing Representative Model Worlds to Study Socio-Technical Phenomena: A Case Study of Communication Patterns in Engineering Systems Design, Journal of Mechanical Design, 142 (12): 121403-121420.
Abstract: The engineering of complex systems, such as aircraft and spacecraft, involves large number of individuals within multiple organizations spanning multiple years. Since it is challenging to perform empirical studies directly on real organizations at scale, some researchers in systems engineering and design have begun relying on abstracted model worlds that aim to be representative of the reference socio-technical system, but only preserve some aspects of it. However, there is a lack of corresponding knowledge on how to design representative model worlds for socio-technical research. Our objective is to create such knowledge through a reflective case study of the development of a model world. This “inner” study examines how two factors influence interdisciplinary communication during a concurrent design process. The reference real world system is a mission design laboratory (MDL) at NASA, and the model world is a simplified engine design problem in an undergraduate classroom environment. Our analysis focuses on the thought process followed, the key model world design decisions made, and a critical assessment of the extent to which communication phenomena in the model world (engine experiment) are representative of the real world (NASA’s MDL). We find that the engine experiment preserves some but not all of the communication patterns of interest, and we present case-specific lessons learned for achieving and increasing representativeness in this type of study. More generally, we find that representativeness depends not on matching subjects, tasks, and context separately, but rather on the behavior that emerges from the interplay of these three dimensions.
(2020): Agenda 2020: Research Opportunities with Managerial and Economic Impact (Editorial), Journal of Media Economics: 1-5.
(2020): Beyond the ritualized use of questionnaires: Toward a science of actual behaviors and psychological states, The Leadership Quarterly, 31 (4): 101449.
Abstract: Similar to the field of psychology (Baumeister, Vohs, & Funder, 2007), the fields of management and leadership have lost sight of studying what individuals in organizational and institutional settings actually do in terms of their behaviors; they also miss the mark in measuring individuals’ veritable feelings or thoughts. How should we study individuals, whether leaders, followers, observers, or any kinds of social agents in terms of their behaviors (true actions and choices) as well as their psychological states (attitudes, perceptions, preferences, and feelings)? Modeling what individuals actually do as well as their true states must lie at the core of any social science striving to understand causal links that can meaningfully inform theory and practice. That several branches of social science research have gone astray is largely due to the deep-rooted, almost unquestioned dependence on questionnaires as a research tool, despite the substantial doubt regarding the extent to which questionnaires capture real actions or states (e.g., Hirsch & Levin, 1999; Hansbrough, Lord, & Schyns, 2015). This ritualized overreliance—and increasing proliferation—of questionnaires has se- verely limited what social scientists understand about actual organi- zational dynamics (Alvesson, 2020). Questionnaire ratings depend on much more than what individuals actually do, think, or feel. Indeed, unmodeled variation at various levels (e.g., target, observer, and con- text) severely confounds measurement (Alvesson & Einola, 2019; Gottfredson, Wright, & Heaphy, 2020). Moreover, questionnaire re- sponses are often elicited in contrived informational settings driven by social desirability, bear no actual social or economic costs, or are used in hypothetical scenarios that do not capture real-world dynamics (Antonakis, 2017; Baumeister et al., 2007). However, there is still hope: Leadership (and management more broadly) can be a science, and researchers demonstrated this fact al- ready in the first half of the 20th century when they developed a re- markable variety of approaches for empirically studying leadership. For instance, Lewin, Lippitt, and White (1939) pioneered field experi- mentation and manipulated leadership styles, Preston and Heintz (1949) used laboratory experiments to study the different effects of participatory and supervisory leadership, and Bales (1950) developed a behavioral coding scheme to examine leader emergence in initially leaderless groups. Despite their methodological heterogeneity, all these approaches to studying leadership have one thing in common: they experimentally manipulated or objectively measured leader behaviors. Since then, much of social science research has pivoted and the use of questionnaire measures to capture what individuals do, think or feel is strongly ingrained in today’s research practices (Eden, 2020; Hunter, Bedell-Avers, & Mumford, 2007). Despite, or maybe because of their prevalence, questionnaire measures are seldom called into question. Yet, numerous limitations make their use highly problematic. The fol- lowing list summarizes some of the problematic issues:
(2020): From the Digital Internet to the Physical Internet: A Conceptual Framework with a Stylized Network Model, Journal of Business Logistics: .
Abstract: Despite the increasing academic interest and financial support for the Physical Internet (PI), surprisingly little is known about its operationalization and implementation. In this paper, we suggest studying the PI on the basis of the Digital Internet (DI), which is a well‐established entity. We propose a conceptual framework for the PI network using the DI as a starting point, and find that the PI network not only needs to solve the reachability problem, that is, how to route an item from A to B, but also must confront a more complicated optimality problem, that is, how to dynamically optimize a set of additional logistics‐related metrics such as cost, emissions and time for a shipment. These last issues are less critical for the DI and handled using relatively simpler procedures. Based on our conceptual framework, we then propose a simple network model using graph theory to support the operationalization of the PI. The model covers the characteristics of the PI raised in the current literature and suggests future directions for further quantitative analyses.
(2020): Supplying to mom and pop: Traditional retail channel selection in megacities, Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 23 (1): 19-35.
(2020): A call for consensus on the use of representative model worlds in systems engineering and design, Systems Engineering, 23 (4): 436-442.
Abstract: Systems engineering and design (SE&D) researchers increasingly tackle questions at the intersection of technical and social aspects of complex systems design. Practical challenges of access, limited observation scope, and long timescales limit empirical study of SE&D phenomena. As a result, studies are typically conducted in model world settings abstracted from the real world, such as behavioral experiments with student subjects. Model worlds must be representative of the phenomena being studied to ensure insights generalize to the real-world settings. Currently, there is a lack of shared understanding and standards within the SE&D research community to evaluate representativeness of model worlds. This communication captures the results of ongoing efforts to build consensus on this topic: it defines the concept of model worlds, disambiguates representativeness from related concepts, and draws comparisons to other research domains. It outlines a potential path forward and calls for community participation in establishing shared standards for model world representativeness in SE&D research.
(2020): Translating High Hopes Into Tangible Benefits: How Incumbents in Supply Chain and Logistics Approach Blockchain, IEEE Access, 8: 34993-35003.
Abstract: Blockchain is expected to have a transformational effect on supply chain and logistics due to its promise to improve the information flow between the supply chain partners. However, despite their high hopes, incumbent companies from supply chain and logistics are still struggling to deliver on this promise. In this explorative, qualitative interview study, we identify how incumbent companies try to make use of Blockchain in supply chain and logistics and we also analyze the barriers hampering them. The analysis of twenty-four semi-structured expert interviews and extensive secondary data collates a comprehensive picture of incumbent companies' activities around Blockchain adoption. We find that companies use Blockchain to drive digital transformation, constitute new business models and unify the industry through consortia. The main barriers to such solutions are a lack of technological usability and long-term uncertainties. The results of our study provide evidence for theoretical constructs and guide managerial practice.
(2020): Does the digital gap matter? Estimating the impact of ICT on productivity in developing countries, Eurasian Economic Review, 10 (2): 189-209.
Abstract: Could the adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) be the means to higher growth and productivity in developing countries? An alarming slump of global productivity growth rates, especially after the global financial crisis, underlines the relevance of this question which does not find a clear answer in the literature. What we do is to estimate the impact of ICT on total factor productivity using capacity and usage-based approaches. Latest panel data of 76 developing countries from 1991 to 2014 is entering our regression models. The results of the different approaches, which allow for unobserved country effects and non-linear relationships, are not optimistic: ICT is only a minor engine of TFP growth. Countries with relatively high ICT investment may be able to increase their TFP growth rates by between 0.1 and 0.3% annually relative to those with modest investment rates. That is, the digital gap matters, but reducing the digital gap alone is not enough to markedly increase growth rates.
(2020): Comparing emission estimation models for rail freight transportation, Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 86 (9): 1-13.
Abstract: This study reviews emission estimation models that aim at providing realistic estimates of the emitted greenhouse gases from rail freight transportation. Five models are considered: two models from the MEET project, the ARTEMIS model, the EcoTransIT World model, and the Mesoscopic model. For each of the five models, this paper describes the estimation principles, methodology, and procedure, as well as relevant input parameters. An experimental study demonstrates the impact of train and trip specific parameters on each model’s emission estimate. Results are presented for varying values of a train’s number of wagons, the payload per wagon, the average speed, the trip distance, the number of stops, and the altitude profile along the route. In so doing, given a specific transportation scenario, the paper supports decision makers from industry and researchers to find and apply an appropriate emission estimation model for evaluating the eco-friendliness of rail freight transportation.
(2020): Emission limits and emission allocation schemes in intermodal freight transportation, Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 141 (9): 1-26.
Abstract: The problem addressed in this paper seeks for an optimal routing of freight orders through an intermodal transportation network. We consider the case of environmentally aware customers that request to ship orders with no more than a specified amount of greenhouse gases, which establishes so-called emission limits. In order to ensure that a routing plan complies with each order’s emission limit, it is necessary to estimate emissions caused by the used transport services and to allocate these emissions to the orders. We model this problem under cost-, emission- and service-objectives and apply it to an intermodal rail/road network in Europe.
(2020): How to deal with the human factor in supply chain management?, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 50 (2): 151-158.
Abstract: Supply chain management (SCM) is an intricate part of the business world at present. As organizations serve the global consumer or user, supply chains must reach a wide range of markets. Markets range from dense megacities to sparsely populated rural communities. Despite this range, supply chain employees must determine how to efficiently, effectively and sustainably deliver products and services to all their customers. The complexities that exist within these various supply chains create a myriad of difficulties for supply chain decision-makers. Furthermore, the introduction of omnichannel retail and the belief that consumers expect delivery within two days or less have further increased complexity. Hence, additional pressure has been added to the ever fast-paced supply chain networks. Consequently, organizations' supply chains are becoming more multifaceted and increasingly challenging to manage. Remaining competitive while addressing increasing requirements on the supply chain forces decision-makers to seek a variety of options. When assessing these options, supply chain decision-makers are faced with critically evaluating the boundaries of their knowledge and the supply chain workforce. The exploration of expanding the limitations of the workforce is illustrated by the growing interest in artificial intelligence, process automation and autonomous machines. Perhaps the limitations of the workforce may be addressed through new technologies. For example, LeMay and Keller (2019) in their article for the special issue explore the history of truck drivers. They report on an industry that is heavily regulated, has long hours and suffers from a shortage of manpower. Within their article, they acknowledge that with the increased demands due to omnichannel, e-commerce and new regulations, trucking is investing in more innovative technologies to help truck drivers focus, get more rest and deal with the demands of the job. There is a constant exploration of how to enhance the abilities of the supply chain workforce to service the dynamic environment businesses must operate within. However, before truly pursuing more technologically advanced options, organizations need to understand the individual competencies of supply chain employees as well as the limits of their capabilities. More specifically, what are the competencies, skills and abilities that are necessary for supply chain employees to be successful in this complex environment? Once these areas are identified, how can organizations complement their employees' individual competencies using technological advances? Furthermore, how much should organizations augment their workforce with varying technological advancements, and is there a point of diminishing returns? Finally, what is the best approach to the introduction of technology and innovation to the labor force? This thought piece seeks to call for research on understanding the challenges faced by the human factor within SCM. Furthermore, we call for additional exploration into how supply chains can expand the capabilities of supply chain decision-makers and supply chain employees through technological advancements, which can help organizations look to the future. Organizations that are successful in integrating the institutional knowledge of supply chain decision-makers and employees with the technological advances within the industry will achieve a competitive advantage. A way to move forward might be to (1) understand the individual competencies and supply chain employees' ability to handle the demands of the field; (2) acknowledge the imperfect human decision-maker by understanding where it is unrealistic and impractical to depend solely on a human decision-maker; and (3) augment the human decision-maker by integrating technological advancements into supply chain processes, providing additional actionable insights to supply chain decision-makers.
(2020): Artificial Intelligence: Emphasis on Ethics and Education, International Journal of Swarm Intelligence and Evolutionary Computation, 9 (3): 1-2.
Abstract: Artificial Intelligence doubtlessly will lead to several changes in today’s world. There will be massive shifts in employment markets with more and more automated jobs and others newly created. Many, if not all employees, will have to acquire new skills if they do not want to end jobless and be replaced by a machine. On an international scale, artificial intelligence might lead to a new world order with China and the US fighting a cold tech war in which Europe is not even part of the picture. Regulation, international cooperation and diplomacy will aim to remedy adverse effects. In this scenario, two areas will be of particular importance: Ethics and Education.
(2020): Rulers of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence, Business Horizons, 63 (1): 37-50.
Abstract: A decade ago, we published an article in Business Horizons about the challenges and opportunities of social media with a call to action: “Users of the world, unite!” To celebrate its anniversary, we look at artificial intelligence and the need to create the rules necessary for peaceful coexistence between humanity and AI. Hence, we now are urging: “Rulers of the world, unite!” In this article, we outline six debates surrounding AI in areas like artificial superintelligence, geographical progress, and robotics; in doing so, we shed light on what is fact and what is utopia. Then, using the PESTEL framework, we talk about the six dilemmas of AI and its potential threat and use. Finally, we provide six directions on the future of AI regarding its requirements and expectations, looking at enforcement, employment, ethics, education, entente, and evolution. Understanding AI’s potential future will enable governments, corporations, and societies at large (i.e., the rulers of this world) to prepare for its challenges and opportunities. This way, we can avoid a scenario in which we return in 10 years to write the article: “Dreamers of the world, unite!”
(2020): When do followers perceive their leaders as ethical? A relational models perspective to normatively appropriate conduct, Journal of Business Ethics, 164: 477-493.
Abstract: In the aftermath of various corporate scandals, management research and practice have taken great interest in ethical leadership. Ethical leadership is referred to as “normatively appropriate conduct” (Brown et al. in Organ Behav Hum Decis Process 97(2):117–134, 2005), but the prescriptive norms that actually underlie this understanding constitute an open question. We address this research gap by turning to relational models theory (Fiske in Structures of social life: the four elementary forms of human relations, Free Press, New York, 1991), which contextualizes four distinct moralities in four distinct interactional norms (i.e., the relational models). We expect that the norms inherent in each model dictate the type of leader relationship that followers deem ethical. Specifically, we hypothesize that, for each norm, followers will perceive leaders as less ethical the more discrepant, i.e., the more incongruent, followers’ ideal relational norm is with the perceived norm that they attribute to their actual leader–follower interaction. We tested the respective incongruence hypothesis in a cross-sectional survey of 101 Dutch employees. Polynomial regression and surface response analyses provide support for the hypothesized incongruence effects in each of the four relational models, suggesting that normatively appropriate conduct should not be limited to caring (i.e., community-oriented) behaviors. Indeed, all four relational models can predict ethical leadership perceptions. We discuss the implications in the context of ethical leadership research and managerial practice. (published online first)
(2020): Real-time temperature prediction in a cold supply chain based on Newton´s law of cooling, Decision Support Systems, 141: .
Abstract: Many goods, including pharmaceuticals, require close temperature monitoring. This is important not only for complying with regulations but also for guaranteeing safety of use. A particular challenge in controlling a product's temperature arises during transportation. In cold supply chains (SCs), temperature is maintained by refrigerated containers. However, many situations, e.g. cooling system failure, lead to ambient temperature changes, and this needs to be detected as early as possible to prevent product damage. Existing approaches to temperature prediction are confined to long-term forecasts with relatively stable ambient temperatures and/or rely on multiple sensors in the known fixed positions. Since interventions in a SC are required immediately, there is a need for methods that provide real-time predictions regarding regular ambient temperature instability, i.e. when the ambient temperature changes unexpectedly in the short term. We propose a novel method that extends the applicability of Newton's law of cooling (NLC) to changeable ambient temperatures based on a set of temperature stability conditions and a sensor measurement error. In the method, an optimal number of measurements that characterize stable ambient temperatures and improve prediction reliability are selected. We compare the adapted NLC with artificial neural networks and autoregressive moving average models with respect to deviation prediction, prediction error, and execution time. Our evaluation based on real-world data shows that the adapted NLC outperforms existing baseline methods. In contrast to existing solutions, our method does not require any knowledge about the positioning of products within the container, further increasing its practical value.
(2020): The impact of value-related crises on price and product-performance elasticities, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 48 (4): 776-794.
Abstract: Previous research on the impact of corporate crises on customers’ elasticity has largely focused on performance-related crises (e.g., product recalls) and found an increasing price elasticity under these conditions. We investigate whether this result differs for value-related crises that are due to ethical violations, such as the use of child labor or environmental pollution. In line with moral foundation theory (MFT), we propose that value-related crises lead to stronger moral outrage and increased boycott intentions, thereby decreasing price and product-performance elasticities. We first analyze more than 360,000 Facebook user comments in relation to four value-related and four performance-related crises and show that the different outcomes for value- and performance-related crises can be explained according to MFT. Then, through discrete choice experiments, we demonstrate that, in contrast to performance-related crises, price elasticity decreases substantially for a value-related crisis that affects both violating and nonviolating companies. We also show for the first time the impact on product-performance elasticities with similar negative effects as for price. The results are stable even for different product categories, causes of ethical violations, and measurement conditions. As a result, it is more difficult for companies to recover from value- than performance-related crises.
(2020): Designing a closed-loop supply chain network for citrus fruits crates considering environmental and economic issues, Journal of Manufacturing Systems, 55: 199-220.
Abstract: Most cities, notably major and agricultural ones, are faced with environmental and waste problems. Distribution and collection of agricultural crops can be challenging duties as world demand and production are substantially increased. Accordingly, resource depletion, environmental concern, and the importance of the circular economy have convinced this research group to focus on a Closed-Loop Supply Chain (CLSC) network design. In this study, a new mixed linear mathematical model for a CLSC was developed which minimizes the CLSC’s total costs and which tackles and controls air pollution. Contrary to previous works about supply chain network design, we firstly consider citrus fruits’ crates in our model. To solve the model, two leading algorithms, Genetic Algorithm and Simulated Annealing, are employed and a third recently successful method, Keshtel Algorithm, is utilized. Further, two hybridization algorithms stemmed from mentioned ones are applied. Finally, the results are assessed by different criteria and compared, and then the two best algorithms are chosen in this case. Consequently, in order to achieve the most effective result, a real case study of crates was conducted. The results obviously presented applicability and efficiency of the proposed model. Thus, the most suitable network for CLSC of citrus fruits’ crates was designed in which the costs and emissions were reduced.
(2020): Brave New World? On AI and the Management of Customer Relationships, Journal of Interactive Marketing, 51 (1): 44-56.
Abstract: In light of the emerging discourse on AI systems’ effect on society, whose perception swings widely between utopian and dystopian, we conduct herein a critical analysis of how artificial intelligence (AI) affects the essential nature of customer relationship management (CRM). To do so, we survey the AI capabilities that will transform CRM into AI-CRM and examine how the transformation will influence customer acquisition, development, and retention. We highlight in particular how AI-CRM's improving ability to predict customer lifetime value will generate an inexorable rise in implementing adapted treatment of customers, leading to greater customer prioritization and service discrimination in markets. We further consider the consequences for firms and the challenges to regulators.