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Organizational socialization tactics in Japan

Mélia Arras-Djabi, Kerstin Kuyken and Sakura Shimada
The taxonomy of organizational socialization (OS) tactics developed by Van Maanen and Schein (1977), and later operationalized by Jones (1986), has become a reference model widely applied beyond its original context. However, qualitative research examining these tactics in other cultural settings remains scarce. The analysis of divergent management systems highlights the need for context-sensitive approaches, particularly in cultures distant from that of the United States, such as Japan. This study addresses this gap by identifying the main polarities of OS tactics in the Japanese context and revealing three new dimensions: centralized–decentralized, in-the-work-setting–outside-the-work-setting, and explicit–tacit. It ultimately proposes an integrated framework grounded in the Japanese concept of ba.

A microlevel experience of local–global tension in virtual communities of practice: The case of a multinational company in the tire industry

Lisa Obringer, Mickaël Géraudel and Michaël Bénédic
This research advances the literature on tension by investigating how actors experience local–global tension and how this tension cascades from the macrolevel to the microlevel. Using a social constructivist approach and an individual discursive perspective, we examine a multinational corporation (MNC) in the tire manufacturing industry. We explore seven virtual communities of practice (VCPs) whose aim is to generate process innovation; and based on 34 interviews, we propose a model that highlights how macrolevel tension cascades into several tensions experienced by VCP participants at the microlevel. Moreover, we reveal how underlying ends–means tension is experienced at the mesolevel and how actors cope with it. We thereby show an interconnection among tensions that crosses organizational levels.

How the multinational company Michelin and its stakeholders orchestrated the transition to a sustainable business model: The case of Movin'on

Laurent Simon, Farideh Bahrami, Erik Grab and Patrick Cohendet
Amid climate change and growing sustainability imperatives, firms must transform their strategies and business models, particularly in the automotive sector where decarbonization challenges are significant. This study examines how Michelin collaborated with stakeholders to support the transition toward sustainable business models. Using a longitudinal case study of the Movin’On Open Lab, an initiative bringing together industrial partners around societal challenges, we analyze how leaders orchestrate stakeholder networks, manage collective uncertainty, and integrate multiple Communities of Interest (CoIs) to co-create innovative value propositions. We contribute to the literature on sustainable ecosystem transitions by proposing a temporal model of ecosystem reconfiguration that captures their sequential dynamics. Findings highlight how stakeholder orchestration, knowledge sharing, events, and CoIs foster alignment, collaboration, and sustainability-oriented innovation.

La territorialisation européenne de la souveraineté numérique : vers une autonomie stratégique par coopétition

Wafa Bouaynaya, Julien Cloarec and Marc Bidan
Cyberspace is composed around a digital network controlled by entities polarized between the United States and China. To address this polarization, Europe is moving toward a territorialization of its digital sovereignty through the Gaia-x project by bringing together all European cloud providers. By examining the Gaia-x project, we attempt to decipher how coopetition between cloud computing providers in Europe promotes the territorialization of digital sovereignty. The results of this work highlight the strategy of standardizing technical practices with a diversification of applications among cloud providers. This research also demonstrates that the European vision of digital sovereignty is similar to a strategic autonomy of digital technology.

Duo ou duel : comment le New Public Management (NPM) influence-t-il la capacité de construction de la résilience des organisations publiques ?

Roula Masou and Florence Gangloff
The constant challenges faced by public organizations highlight the importance of resilience as a proactive strategy. Taking New Public Management (NPM) as an angle of analysis, this study questions the compatibility between the logics of NPM and the resilience capacity of public organizations. In this literature review, we show that the logics conveyed by NPM have impacted the ability to build resilience. Two perspectives are highlighted: the mobilization of resources and the formation of organizational slack. We propose a critical analysis, emphasizing that resilience must be recognized as a fundamental value to be built and developed continuously in order to face ongoing challenges, whether predictable or not.

Influence minoritaire et intégration émergente dans une fusion transnationale : le cas Air France-KLM

Guillaume Mignot and Olivier Meier
The merger between Air France and KLM, finalized in 2004 but whose integration model has continued to evolve over time, represents a complex example of organizational transformation involving distinct cultures. It illustrates the tensions, resistances, and developments inherent to such processes, particularly in contexts where structural and cultural differences come into play. Serge Moscovici’s theoretical approach—focused on minority influence, norms and counter-norms, and socio-cultural dynamics—provides a valuable framework for analyzing the mechanisms at work in this merger. Beyond demonstrating the relevance of this analytical framework, our research contributes to enriching the theory of minority influence by showing that it may also involve a shift or reappropriation of dominant norms, in addition to the proposal of counter-norms.

Quand la motivation de service public nourrit la performance : les mécanismes intermédiaires du lien DGS-Élu et de l’esprit d’équipe

Pauline Colin and Pierre Garner
The administrative structure of local authorities in France is built around the central role played by the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), who interacts both with civil servants and elected officials. The demanding environment characterizing local government encourages CAOs to give their best in a performance-oriented logic. Public service motivation grounded in values appears to be a factor that enhances performance. A quantitative study was conducted on a sample of 308 local government CAOs. The results show that team spirit, measured through Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCB), as well as the CAO’s contributory role toward elected officials, captured through Leader-Member Exchange (LMX), mediate the effects of commitment to public values (Public Service Motivation, PSM) on performance.