Gifts as conduits in choice overload environments

This study investigates competing for theoretical stances (i.e., choice overload vs. choice cornucopia) and explores how increases in spending occur in high and low choice conditions following receiving promotional gift offers in a service consumption setting. This study includes a nonobtrusive field experiment (n = 200) that includes measured and manipulated variables: purchase versus nonpurchase conditions and size of expenditures. The study's context tests the use of two versus five promotional gift options and two levels of gift value (6 vs. €20). Findings using symmetrical (analysis of variance [ANOVA]) and asymmetrical (fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis [fsQCA]) methods of analysis support the choice overload hypothesis in this unobtrusive field experiment. Also, spending in the high versus low choice condition increased when hotel guests were offered a high‐value gift for using room service. Given the nature of the nonobtrusive field experiment, this study provides valuable information for marketers and consumers regarding the moderating effects of promotional gifts in many option environments. While prior studies explore the conditions of choice cornucopia versus choice overload, to date few or possibly no attempts to identify practical ways of reducing the negative effects of choice overload.     

Order and disorder in a Born Global organisation

In this paper, we explore Goffman's social order in an emergent organisational form featuring global dispersion, technology mediation, and the lack of established structure and routines. In a 14‐month case study, we documented practices of ordering, disordering and individual ordering. We propose a processual approach of social order and highlight the importance of identification in social order practices.     

Corporate culture, strategic orientation, and business performance: New approaches to modeling complex relationships

This paper introduces the idea of using a complex biochemical model as an alternative method for modeling managerial constructs in order to incorporate change within organizations. To illustrate the potential of using this type of modelling, two well established managerial concepts (strategic orientation and corporate culture) are reviewed and the differences and similarities between the constructs discussed. Traditional simplistic models are presented and the limitations of these for dealing with change within and between organizations are discussed. A more complex model based on enzyme action is presented, and integrated with case study material which allows rich, complex and dynamic modeling including the incorporation of evolutionary and co-evolutionary change within organizations.     

Co-evolutionary dynamics in strategic alliances: The influence of the industry lifecycle

This article examines the application of co-evolutionary theory to the way in which firms form, perform, compete and change within alliance relationships over the period of the industry life cycle. This extends the work of Volberda and Lewin who extensively critiqued the use of single-theme explanations for explaining the adaption and selection of firms. Delineating the aspects of change (adaptation) and selection, and using case material from different stages of the Industry life cycle, we propose that co-evolution is a better explanator of strategic alliance and industry dynamics at early and late stages of the cycle, whilst evolution and survival of the fittest is more useful in the middle stages.     

Middle-school teachers’ understanding and teaching of the engineering design process: a look at subject matter and pedagogical content knowledge

This paper reports on research investigating six middle school teachers without engineering degrees as they taught an engineering unit on the engineering design process. Videotaped classroom sessions and teacher interviews were analyzed to understand the subject matter and pedagogical content knowledge the teachers used and developed as they introduced the eight steps of the engineering design process (from content standards for the state of Massachusetts, USA). The teachers demonstrated wide-ranging knowledge of the engineering design process, and this paper describes two of the steps the teachers showed a more sophisticated understanding—constructing a prototype and redesigning. Examples from the teachers illustrate strengths that can be built upon as well as some areas for further development.