EM Strasbourg Business School

The objective of this paper is to examine the determinants of financial inclusion in Africa. We use the World Bank's Global Findex database on 37 African countries to perform probit estimations. We find that being a man, richer, more educated and older favor financial inclusion with a higher influence of education and income. Mobile banking is driven by the same determinants than traditional banking. We observe that the determinants of informal finance differ from those of formal finance. Our work therefore contains findings to design policies to foster financial inclusion in African countries.

The extracellular matrix molecule tenascin-C is highly expressed during embryonic development, tissue repair and in pathological situations such as chronic inflammation and cancer. Tenascin-C interacts with several other extracellular matrix molecules and cell-surface receptors, thus affecting tissue architecture, tissue resilience and cell responses. Tenascin-C modulates cell migration, proliferation and cellular signaling through induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and oncogenic signaling molecules amongst other mechanisms. Given the causal role of inflammation in cancer progression, common mechanisms might be controlled by tenascin-C during both events. Drugs targeting the expression or function of tenascin-C or the tenascin-C protein itself are currently being developed and some drugs have already reached advanced clinical trials. This generates hope that increased knowledge about tenascin-C will further improve management of diseases with high tenascin-C expression such as chronic inflammation, heart failure, artheriosclerosis and cancer.

Abstract Systematic literature reviews (SLRs) have become a standard tool in many fields of management research but are often considerably less stringently presented than other pieces of research. The resulting lack of replicability of the research and conclusions has spurred a vital debate on the SLR process, but related guidance is scattered across a number of core references and is overly centered on the design and conduct of the SLR, while failing to guide researchers in crafting and presenting their findings in an impactful way. This paper offers an integrative review of the widely applied and most recent SLR guidelines in the management domain. The paper adopts a well-established six-step SLR process and refines it by sub-dividing the steps into 14 distinct decisions: (1) from the research question, via (2) characteristics of the primary studies, (3) to retrieving a sample of relevant literature, which is then (4) selected and (5) synthesized so that, finally (6), the results can be reported. Guided by these steps and decisions, prior SLR guidelines are critically reviewed, gaps are identified, and a synthesis is offered. This synthesis elaborates mainly on the gaps while pointing the reader toward the available guidelines. The paper thereby avoids reproducing existing guidance but critically enriches it. The 6 steps and 14 decisions provide methodological, theoretical, and practical guidelines along the SLR process, exemplifying them via best-practice examples and revealing their temporal sequence and main interrelations. The paper guides researchers in the process of designing, executing, and publishing a theory-based and impact-oriented SLR.

Purpose Supply chain resilience (SCR) is a key concept for managers who wish to develop the capacity to enhance their supply chain’s (SC’s) ability to cope with unexpected turbulence. SC digital tools are often seen as a solution that provides more visibility, anticipation and collaboration (SCR capability factors). The purpose of this paper is to investigate the link between SCR and SC digitalisation Design/methodology/approach A sample was considered with 300 managers in the field of SCM, and the results were analysed using factor analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM). SEM was employed to test the impact of the degree of digital maturity and SC digital tools on SCR. Findings SC digitalization is characterised by the degree of digital maturity and the adoption of SC digital tools. The degree of digital maturity has a strong influence on digital tool adoption. SCR is positively impacted by both the degree of digital maturity and the adoption of digital tools. Research limitations/implications The findings do not indicate which tools contribute the most to SCR. Practical implications Managers should reflect on the need to continue digitalizing their SCs if they want greater SCR in the current uncertain environment. Originality/value This is the first quantitative study that focuses on assessing the impact of the degree of digital maturity and the SC digital tools adopted on SCR. Validation of the hypotheses model confirms the positive impact of SC digitalisation on SCR for researchers and managers.

The human body is an intricate biochemical-mechanical system, with an exceedingly precise hierarchical organization in which all components work together in harmony across a wide range of dimensions. Many fundamental biological processes take place at surfaces and interfaces (e.g., cell-matrix interactions), and these occur on the nanoscale. For this reason, current health-related research is actively following a biomimetic approach in learning how to create new biocompatible materials with nanostructured features. The ultimate aim is to reproduce and enhance the natural nanoscale elements present in the human body and to thereby develop new materials with improved biological activities. Progress in this area requires a multidisciplinary effort at the interface of biology, physics, and chemistry. In this Review, the major techniques that have been adopted to yield novel nanostructured versions of familiar biomaterials, focusing particularly on metals, are presented and the way in which nanometric surface cues can beneficially guide biological processes, exerting influence on cellular behavior, is illustrated.

International audience

Purpose This study seeks to contribute to the international literature by researching the factors influencing audit fees in France, where law requires a joint auditing process involving two separate auditors for firms that publish consolidated financial statements. Design/methodology/approach Since, 2003, the disclosure of audit fees has been compulsory in France, but numerous firms decided to voluntarily disclose their audit fees for the year 2002. An attempt is made here to elucidate the amount spent on audit fees in 2002 in a sample of 127 French (non‐financial) firms. Findings The main finding is that audit fees depend on firm size, firm risk, and the presence of two of the Big Four firms. When two Big Four firms audit company accounts, the fees charged (adjusted for company size) are significantly lower in comparison with those paid in the other cases. These results appear not to have been influenced by the share of fees paid by the companies to the main auditor. Originality/value This study is original because the French law requires a joint auditing process involving two separate auditors.

The triplet lifetimes of the ethynyl-bridged binuclear RuII complexes 1 (m = 0, 1; n = 1, 2) are significantly longer than that of the parent mononuclear complex, despite much lower triplet energies. This effect, which arises from electron delocalization over an extended π* orbital, decreases upon removal of the second RuII cation or if phenyl rings are incorporated into the π-electron system. Counterion: PF.

In the last few years, competitiveness, problems of globalization and concerns about sustainability require new approaches and models for the planning of transport networks. Horizontal logistics cooperation has been considered an emerging and innovative approach in the design and management of sustainable supply chains. This approach is based on the sharing of resources between actors at the same level in different supply chains. This study provides a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) about sustainability and collaboration in the freight transport sector. It aims to analyze the existing literature in order to reveal the studies already conducted and to identify gaps and opportunities for future research. A total of 89 articles have been published between 2010 and 2020 which have been examined. The results show that the integration of these three dimensions of sustainable development in the field of collaborative network optimization, especially the social considerations have been little studied. In addition, the analysis shows that most of the authors have focused their research on transport optimization at the operational level, with few works on the problem of designing and managing the integrated supply chain.

When supply chain management (SCM) intersects with Big Data Analytics (BDA), uncountable opportunities for research emerge. Unfortunately, how analytics can be applied to supply chain processes is still unclear for both academics and industries. To better connect SC processes needs and what BDA offer, we present a structured review of academic literature that addresses BDA methods in SCM using the supply chain operations reference (SCOR) model. The literature since 2001 is reviewed to provide a taxonomy framework resulting in a nomenclature grids and a SCOR-BDA matrix. The most important result of this paper indicates a clear disparity and points to an urgent need to bring the efforts closer in a collaborative way for more intelligent use of BDA in SCM. Furthermore, this paper highlights a misalignment between data scientists and SC managers in BDA applicability. It also highpoints upcoming research tracks and the main gaps that need to be stunned.

In their quest to attract talent and appear as an employer of choice, organizations must articulate the benefits of having a diverse and inclusive workforce. By communicating the attractiveness of the workplace, a company increases its exposure to the environment as an employer of choice. Within the context of employer branding, we highlight two emerging concepts that encompass corporate communication in the form of diversity and inclusion statements: diversity branding and inclusion branding. We examine the websites of 75 major companies in five different countries (France, Germany, Spain, the UK and the US). The article highlights that organizations use diversity and inclusion branding to attract talent, become employers of choice and dimensionalize diversity to signal that specific dimensions of diversity are relevant to the organization. We show that diversity and inclusion branding has become ‘mainstream’ and how a focus on diversity is particularly useful to attract talent while to appear as an employer of choice a focus on inclusion seems particularly beneficial.

In its October 2010 Green Paper on audit policy, the European Commission suggested that joint audits might be a way of improving the audit market in Europe. However, some parties consider that a joint audit system is not an efficient solution because the perceived improvements in audit quality, if any, are not commensurate with the significant increase in audit fees. We compare audit fees paid during the years 2007--2011 by listed companies in France, where joint audits are mandatory, with those paid by British and Italian companies. Theory suggests that audit fees in countries with high investor protection, such as the UK, are likely to be greater than those in countries with lower investor protection, such as France and Italy, ceteris paribus. However, we find significantly higher audit fees in France after controlling for well-documented auditor, client, and engagement attributes, which vary across countries. Furthermore, since we do not find statistically significant differences in the magnitude of abnormal accruals, the higher audit fees observed in France do not appear to be associated with higher audit quality.

The circular economy (CE) has inspired the emergence of circular supply chains (CSCs) to reduce the environmental impacts of linear production systems. However, the transition to CSCs faces numerous challenges and uncertainties, which in turn impact the sustainability performance of CSCs. Following a systematic review process, this paper aims to identify the uncertainties that CSCs entail and the uncertainty management strategies which can be used to mitigate them to enhance their sustainability performance. A conceptual framework is proposed under which the current literature on CSCs, including 106 peer-reviewed English journal articles, is analysed and discussed based on CE practices, uncertainty management, and sustainability performance indicators. This framework offers guidance to CE and CSC scholars and supports practitioners and policymakers in being aware of the uncertainties related to the operationalisation and implementation of the CE in order to offer CE-inspired solutions. This paper also proposes a research agenda to investigate the integration of CE practices with supply chain management; the ways in which organisations manage different uncertainties simultaneously; and the effect of multiple uncertainty management strategies on firms’ sustainability performance.

Abstract This study is epicentral to analyze the impact of the Russia–Ukraine war on the financial markets, specifically focusing on the connectedness and spillover dynamics of FinTech, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), renewable energy, gold, and Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) indices in developed and emerging countries. Data are collected from Thomson Reuters, ranging from May 8, 2020, to May 11, 2022, and a time‐varying parameter vector autoregression (TVP‐VAR) and the dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH) t‐Copula (DCC‐GARCH t‐Copula) are used to analyze the data. The results show that FinTech, ESG, and MSCI are net transmitters in developed countries, whereas gold and renewable energy are net receivers pre‐ and during war periods. ESG and MSCI are net transmitters in emerging countries, while FinTech, renewable energy, and gold become net receivers in both periods. The hedging ratio sheds light on the costs and weights of efficient pair investments that might change in the context of each region and under the combined scenario. The study has important implications for merchant bankers, policymakers, investors, hedgers, and risk managers.

Vibrational strong coupling (VSC) has recently been shown to change the rate and chemoselectivity of ground-state chemical reactions via the formation of light-matter hybrid polaritonic states. However, the observation that vibrational-mode symmetry has a large influence on charge-transfer reactions under VSC suggests that symmetry considerations could be used to control other types of chemical selectivity through VSC. Here, we show that VSC influences the stereoselectivity of the thermal electrocyclic ring opening of a cyclobutene derivative, a reaction which follows the Woodward-Hoffmann rules. The direction of the change in stereoselectivity depends on the vibrational mode that is coupled, as do changes in rate and reaction thermodynamics. These results on pericyclic reactions confirm that symmetry plays a key role in chemistry under VSC.

BACKGROUND: Confusion exists over the definition of the care pathway concept and existing conceptual frameworks contain various inadequacies which have led to implementation difficulties. In the current global context of rapidly changing health care systems, there is great need for a standardized definition and integrative framework that can guide implementation. This study aims to propose an accurate and up-to-date definition of care pathway and an integrative conceptual framework. METHODS: An innovative hybrid method combining systematic review, concept analysis and bibliometric analysis was undertaken to summarize qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies. Databases searched were PubMed, Embase and ABI/Inform. Methodological quality of included studies was then assessed. RESULTS: Forty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. Using concept analysis, we developed a fine-grained understanding, an integrative conceptual framework, and an up-to-date definition of patient-centered care pathway by proposing 28 subcategories grouped into seven attributes. This conceptual framework considers both operational and social realities and supports the improvement and sustainable transformation of clinical, administrative, and organizational practices for the benefit of patients and caregivers, while considering professional experience, organizational constraints, and social dynamics. The proposed attributes of a fluid and effective pathway are (i) the centricity of patients and caregivers, (ii) the positioning of professional actors involved in the care pathway, (iii) the operation management through the care delivery process, (iv) the particularities of coordination structures, (v) the structural context of the system and organizations, (vi) the role of the information system and data management and (vii) the advent of the learning system. Antecedents are presented as key success factors of pathway implementation. By using the consequences and empirical referents, such as outcomes and evidence of care pathway interventions, we went beyond the single theoretical aim, proposing the application of the conceptual framework to healthcare management. CONCLUSIONS: This study has developed an up-to-date definition of patient-centered care pathway and an integrative conceptual framework. Our framework encompasses 28 subcategories grouped into seven attributes that should be considered in complex care pathway intervention. The formulation of these attributes, antecedents as success factors and consequences as potential outcomes, allows the operationalization of this model for any pathway in any context.

Regulatory authorities have indicated that new drugs to treat type 2 diabetes (T2D) should not be associated with an unacceptable increase in cardiovascular risk. Human genetics may be able to guide development of antidiabetic therapies by predicting cardiovascular and other health endpoints. We therefore investigated the association of variants in six genes that encode drug targets for obesity or T2D with a range of metabolic traits in up to 11,806 individuals by targeted exome sequencing and follow-up in 39,979 individuals by targeted genotyping, with additional in silico follow-up in consortia. We used these data to first compare associations of variants in genes encoding drug targets with the effects of pharmacological manipulation of those targets in clinical trials. We then tested the association of those variants with disease outcomes, including coronary heart disease, to predict cardiovascular safety of these agents. A low-frequency missense variant (Ala316Thr; rs10305492) in the gene encoding glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP1R), the target of GLP1R agonists, was associated with lower fasting glucose and T2D risk, consistent with GLP1R agonist therapies. The minor allele was also associated with protection against heart disease, thus providing evidence that GLP1R agonists are not likely to be associated with an unacceptable increase in cardiovascular risk. Our results provide an encouraging signal that these agents may be associated with benefit, a question currently being addressed in randomized controlled trials. Genetic variants associated with metabolic traits and multiple disease outcomes can be used to validate therapeutic targets at an early stage in the drug development process.

L’étude morphologique de la région distale des conduits des spermathèques a mis en évidence l’existence de diverticules dont l’aspect varie selon les espèces. Ce critère est utilisé pour la diagnose des femelles du sous-genre Larroussius appartenant à la faune méditerranéenne.

Abstract We study whether bank efficiency is related to bank ownership in Russia. We find that foreign banks are more efficient than domestic private banks and, surprisingly, that domestic private banks are not more efficient than domestic public banks. These results are not driven by the choice of production process, the bank’s environment, management’s risk preferences, the bank’s activity mix or size, the econometric approach, or the introduction of deposit insurance. The policy conclusion is that the efficiency of the Russian banking system may benefit more from increased levels of competition and greater access of foreign banks than from bank privatization.

Abstract There has been a notable debate in the banking literature on the impact of bank competition on financial stability. The aim of this article is to provide the first investigation of the role of bank competition on the occurrence of bank failures. We analyse this issue on a large sample of Russian banks for the period 2001–2007, as the Russian banking industry is a unique example of an emerging market which has undergone a large number of bank failures during the last decade. Our findings support the view that tighter bank competition enhances the occurrence of bank failures. Thus, measures that increase bank competition could undermine financial stability.