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The purpose of this paper is to propose a comprehensive framework for service appropriation, specifying the different facets of the phenomenon.

A literature review summarizes views of the appropriation concept from various disciplines (human and social sciences, information systems, marketing), reinforced by an exploratory study in the health sector.

Six underlying dimensions of service appropriation emerge: service knowledge; service consciousness; self-adaptation to service; service control; service creation; and psychological ownership of the service.

This paper is mainly conceptual and requires empirical testing in other domains to confirm the applicability of the proposed framework.

This study offers insights into how service providers and managers should design services and integrate customers in the service coproduction process.

The complementary view of appropriation in the context of services defines it as a cognitive, measurable state. The outcome of this approach is an original, integrative framework applied to services, not just spaces or immersive experiences.

Despite their high number, most mergers end in failure. Academic studies of how these failures occur have remained rare, first, because of the difficulty of accessing the cases, and second, because of the difficulty of obtaining – for the purposes of qualitative analysis – objective and freely shared perceptions from the stakeholders, who tend to avoid speaking about failure. This is unfortunate, however, as failure can serve as a stimulus for organizational learning and readaptation for the future.

The author investigated how an organization managed failure during the post-merger integration stage. The author described the merger of two listed French companies using longitudinal data.

This in-depth case study provides new insights into failure during post-merger integration. The paper highlights the complexity of post-merger integration processes and the failures that the integration stakeholders had to address. The author underlined how they recognized failures and put into place solutions. They particularly highlighted two failures and how they were managed by the managers who acted as knowledge brokers within the new organization and by stakeholders who deconstructed the organization to ensure its future.

The limitations are those concerning a single case study.

The paper identified trigger events in the merger process that prompted stakeholders to step in and manage and resolve failures during the integration period. Such triggers can be considered as steps for managers and stakeholders to solve organizational issues in the merger process. The paper highlighted the complexity of post-merger integration processes and the failures faced by integration stakeholders. The analysis thus contributes to an inclusive and integrative view of the challenges in this process.

Despite their high number, merger and acquisition failures remain surprisingly high. This paper explored how stakeholders deal with failures by identifying which solutions are best adapted to their organization.

The case provides a vivid illustration of failure management during a merger process. Theoretical concepts and empirical findings from the literature are combined to present a single consistent picture.

Organizational resilience, defined by a firm’s speed in reaching a dynamic equilibrium after a shock and after the shocks are absorbed, and crisis management are critical in a global crisis. The concept of resilience is increasingly used in the economic press; nevertheless, few studies demonstrate empirically how firms became resilient and the lessons to be learned from it. Traditionally, the concept of resilience is approached as resistance in the face of a crisis. The authors go further by showing three-loop learning, which is part of a logic of innovation and regeneration. This study aims to examine how a business can regenerate itself by effectively managing the external threats and disruptions caused by a crisis. Also, this study deepens knowledge on learning process. The double-loop learning process is known in the literature as enabling firms to learn from unexpected events and react accordingly. The findings point out a third loop implying the co-invention of a new business model and a collective mindfulness of changes made.

Using longitudinal data, the authors investigate how the global crisis affects merger negotiations between two companies. This study analyzes the period of dialogue (negotiation) between the two entities with a view to carrying out a merger and then their withdrawal from the project during the pandemic, reshuffling the cards for each company. The negotiation period is not normally disclosed because of its highly confidential and strategic nature and it is therefore difficult for researchers to access merger operations at the negotiation stage. From this viewpoint, this case study was chosen because of the availability of generally inaccessible documentation.

This in-depth case study provides new insights on organizational resilience and the recovery capacity of a firm. The results underline four main triggers that a firm should develop in facing a major crisis: skills; credits; previous and historical relationships; and corporate culture. Recovery capacity depends on reactivity, flexibility, learning and regeneration. Finally, this study points out a three-loop learning experience that can be understood as a learning process in two steps to generate lasting and adaptive changes.

The limitations are those concerning a single case study.

This study highlights the ability to deal with unexpected events. First, this work identifies concrete items that can be perceived by managers as elements enabling a firm to develop resilience. Second, the results show main elements enabling this capacity as reactivity – both companies react quickly and effectively to disturbances to limit the impact on their performance; or flexibility – firms adapt their business model to deal with disruptions. Third, this work underlines a learning capacity process in three steps to recover capacity. This process stimulates creativity and innovation by the teams and stakeholders by placing them at the heart of the change.

This case provides a vivid illustration of firms’ adaptation to a rapidly evolving context because of a global crisis. Theoretical concepts and empirical findings from the literature are combined to present a single consistent picture.

When talking about mergers and acquisitions (M&As), few announcements clearly define if the operation will deal with a merger (where firms have an equal-to-equal relation) or acquisition (when one firm is in control of the operation and decides the integration process). Operations are commonly labeled M&A. Nevertheless, mergers remain rare, and the authors see that most of the time, operations designed and integrated with firms as equals end in the control of one of the entities over the other.

The authors investigate how two CEOs and their managers communicate during the due diligence period of a merger. The author describes the project merger of two French companies using longitudinal data.

This in-depth case study provides new insights into the due diligence period and the differences between M&As. The findings highlight how the decision to add an associate from a rival firm to the board ended the merger project as the situation evolved toward an acquisition in CEOs’ minds.

The limitations are those concerning a single case study.

The paper highlights the complexity of merger negotiations and the unexpected events faced by stakeholders. The analysis, thus, contributes to an inclusive and integrative view of the challenges in the due diligence process, whereas first defining the operation as a merger or an acquisition is a first step in identifying the degree to which autonomy and interdependence will be given across firms, and how some strategic decisions will be implemented. This case study highlights two specific items that can be understood by managers as key elements in deal success: defining operations as a merger or an acquisition help internal and external stakeholders in planning the operation; leaving space for adjustment among partners engaged in negotiations during the due diligence period is also useful.

Despite their frequency, merger and acquisition failures remain surprisingly high. This paper explores how stakeholders deal with merger negotiations.

The case provides insights into the due diligence period and the way minor events can impact the planned integration. Theoretical concepts and empirical findings from the literature are combined to present a single consistent picture. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, few studies address insights on strategic decisions made as the negotiation period remains a secret and sensitive stage, especially for a failed deal, but we were able to delve beneath the surface.

Coopetition includes cooperation and competition, sometimes simultaneously, among firms from a specific industry involved in a merger and acquisition (M&A) operation. However, despite their high number, most mergers end in failure. Therefore, looking at how firms cooperate and compete when planning a merger operation can be a key to better understand post-merger integration, set achievable synergies for both parties and better understand the organizational culture of both companies. Also, external events in a rapidly changing environment can affect the global strategy of organizations and impact the desire for firms to engage in mergers and acquisitions.

The author investigates how merger negotiations were conducted and influence coopetition among two firms engaged in such an operation. The author describes the project merger of two French companies using longitudinal data.

This in-depth case study provides new insights into coopetition dynamics during merger negotiations and the influence of a global crisis on the overall strategy of two firms. The authors specifically detail how cooperation and competition were present in M&A negotiations and how the rapidly changing environment influenced the planned operation. First, cooperation was privileged as companies enhanced information sharing and communication for their joint strategy. Then, with the evolution of the environment, new opportunities were given to the target company, which decided to quit the merger project. Therefore, both firms engaged in a competitive context as the crisis helped the target company (in difficulty at the beginning of negotiations) to develop new projects and to become a real rival of the acquiring company in its local ecosystem.

The limitations are those concerning a single case study.

The study highlights the complexity of merger negotiations and the unexpected events faced by integration stakeholders. The analysis, thus, contributes to an inclusive and integrative view of the challenges in the merger process. The study questions coopetition issues in regional clusters as both firms operate in the same industry in the same region. For practitioners, the study questions how to balance the risks and rewards of coopetition activities over time. The case addresses information sharing in coopetition projects and the fear that the data and information revealed during negotiations will affect the company’s competitive advantage once the merger plan is abandoned. In the context of the rapidly changing environmental crisis, managers will reflect on continuing to cooperate with their competitors or pursuing their activities on their own.

Despite their high number, M&A failures remain surprisingly high. This study explores how stakeholders deal with merger negotiations and how external events impact such negotiations and merger projects by raising coopetitive tensions among firms.

The case provides a vivid illustration of firms’ adaptation to a rapidly evolving context due to a global crisis. The research questions coopetition in business ecosystems and the unexpected in merger processes. The study addresses critical risks in knowledge exchange during merger negotiations and coopetitive dynamics among stakeholders over time. Theoretical concepts and empirical findings from the literature are combined to present a single consistent picture.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the major difficulties and challenges encountered during the crucial process of family succession. In this study, the authors list and analyze issues encountered by managers or by the CEO of a family business.

Using a single longitudinal real-time case study conducted over a period of 10 years in a French family business, this study identifies the challenges encountered during family succession. The authors were allowed to follow, over a long period, the planning of the CEO’s succession.

The authors identified six critical points in the succession process: planning succession development; favoring creation of financial value for the shareholders; investment policy, risk taking and time horizon of investments (growth); family employment policy (family private benefit); opening of capital and debt policy (external financing); and financing of capital reduction policy (external financing).

The paper highlights the difficulties, issues and questions encountered by an SME manager or by the CEO of a family business. The analysis gives insights into the deep nature of the family structure, by involving the notions of culture and organizations serving the performance of family businesses.

Strategic alliances play a key role in a company’s growth strategy. They are an alternative to the organic option of creating a new company from scratch and a less risky option than conducting a merger or an acquisition. For five years, most recently in 2022, the results of PwC’s 22nd Annual CEO Survey have shown that 40% of U.S. CEOs plan to enter into a new strategic alliance or joint venture to boost their company’s growth or profitability in the coming year. These operations demand a high level of trust, collaboration and equitable risk-sharing, as well as autonomy granted to both firms. Through an in-depth case study, this study aims to reveal how an alliance was formed between two companies, navigating between entrepreneurial experience and the co-construction of a network to share a technological tool.

The author conducted several interviews with one of the founders of Beta France, and the author had access to a large amount of information on the launch of the entrepreneurial project.

The author presents the reasons for Beta France to join a network of alliances rather than entering into a joint venture. In doing so, the author emphasizes the importance of independence between actors as a key element triggering innovation.

This study points out how a fintech startup opens up perspectives for new digital market participants. The author lists the risks that CEOs joining an alliance must be aware of, and the author details how to avoid falling into an asymmetrical alliance by keeping a center of expertise that cannot be duplicated by other partners.

Established firms are increasingly under pressure to develop new business models (BM) in a continuous manner to cope with competitive constraints and changing market requirements. Business model innovation (BMI) is widely accepted as a viable means to stay ahead of competition. Yet, firms struggle with successful BMI. The barriers to BMI is a widely discussed topic in academia and practice but with little reference to the barriers a firm is confronted with when operating multiple BMs in a corporate portfolio.

This paper investigates the implications for a firm operating a multitude of BMs concurrently. By combining the results of a literature analysis and 15 expert interviews from the fields of corporate strategy, business modelling and consulting, this paper presents and discusses the opportunities and challenges related to BM diversification.

The findings show that a strategic BM portfolio can be installed for enhanced value creation. However, managing multiple BMs and finding the right balance between existing and new business pose a major challenge for many established firms. With these results, the paper contributes to the existing literature in the fields of BMI and BM portfolio management. The findings clearly show the emerging importance of a strategic corporate BM portfolio for both research and practice and may provide an impetus for management discussions involving strategic BM portfolio decisions.

By building on and adding to existing literature and discussing existing works, this paper aims to giving a structured and comprehensive overview of enhancing and impeding factors on value creation when operating multiple BMs in a corporate portfolio.

Intergroup dynamics between the acquirer and the acquired are determinants of post-merger integration success. Mergers and acquisitions scholars call for the adoption of new reading prisms to gain deeper insights on post-merger integration dynamics as the failure rate of mergers remains high. In mobilizing works from social psychology to examine intergroup dynamics, this study aims to respond to this call by shedding light on the post-merger integration process. Typologies of integration processes do not take into account intergroup dynamics that operate within the new entity, which are influencing the decision-making process. To better understand how firms achieve a successful integration (symbiosis), the authors propose a processual analysis of intergroup dynamics in post-merger integration.

The research approach is a qualitative, longitudinal enquiry, which allows us to examine intergroup dynamics in two real-time merger case studies. The integration processes selected for this research include symbiotic integrations. Both integration processes were analyzed over two years, starting with the merger agreement.

This study sheds additional light on the triggers for achieving symbiosis integration by demonstrating the specific role and contribution of each of the parties (majority and minority) during the process. This study shows that post-merger is a process that follows different steps to reach symbiosis, involving majority/minority dynamics. The symbiosis implies minority innovation by adopting new business and organizational practices, mainly inspired by the standards and values of the minority. The study highlights innovation by the minority as a key element in achieving a symbiotic integration. This element can be understood by managers involved in managing the integration as a turning point in the integration process.

The authors investigated symbiotic integration in specific industries; questions can arise about the extent to which findings are transferable to other mergers and acquisitions contexts.

This study advances the understanding of the dynamics between the majority and minority in adopting a processual and longitudinal analysis. On that point, this study gains insights on the “black box” that represents post-merger integration process.