Does an Imitation Strategy Promote Long-Term Firm Growth in a Dynamic Environment? A Meta-Analysis

The increasing number of successful latecomer enterprises has led to a growing research interest in the area, but there is a lack of consensus in academic circles on the relationship between imitation strategy and firm growth. While some enterprises achieved sustainable growth based on an imitation strategy, others withdrew from the market soon after their initial market entry. In this context, this meta-analysis synthesizes empirical findings including 23 independent samples (N = 66,110) to obtain evidence and explore the extent to which an imitation strategy affects firm growth. Moreover, by further examining the moderating effects of industry conditions, country-specific factors, and performance time horizons, this research also aims to address a complementary research question: in which context is imitation strategy more beneficial for the firm growth? We found that an imitation strategy is more effective in promoting firm growth in low-tech industries than in high-tech industries and in non-OECD countries than in OECD countries. It fosters the short-term performance rather than the long-term performance of a firm. Our research findings are meaningful for enterprises to choose an appropriate imitation strategy according to their unique attributes, enabling sustainable growth in a dynamic environment.

Brand imitation strategy, package design and consumer response: what does it take to make a difference?

Purpose This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a brand imitation strategy for the package design of male-targeted, female-targeted and gender-neutral products. Design/methodology/approach Three (2 × 2 × 2) between-subjects factorial experiments were conducted with three independent variables, namely, visual shape, color and logo, each classified as relevant/divergent. The dependent variables were participants’ attitudes toward the brand, attitudes toward the product and purchase intention. Findings There were no significant main effects or interactions for the male-targeted product. The results for the female-targeted product revealed no significant main effect of visual shape, a significant main effect of color and significant two-way interactions between visual shape and color and between visual shape and logo. Significant main effects were found for visual shape and color for the gender-neutral product. Practical implications A color scheme similar to that of a leading brand in the same product category more powerfully influenced participants’ attitudes and purchase intention, while a more holistically similar design had greater impact than a less holistic design. Some “divergence” or distinctive design elements of the female-targeted product positively influenced participants’ attitudes and behavior. These findings suggest that a brand imitation strategy offers a means for competing in the marketplace, but should be used with caution. Originality/value A conceptual continuum of brand imitation is proposed, incorporating visual semiotics, creativity theory and gender differences in cognitive styles to provide a more systematic method for delineating brand imitation levels.

Strategic consensus on organizational performance: A contingency approach of organizational culture and isomorphic pressure

Purpose: This research aims to test and analyze the consensus of organizational strategy with the contingency of organizational culture and isomorphism pressure which have an impact on organizational performance moderated by human capital. The survey is conducted to the owners/managers of Batik Micro Small Medium Entreprises (MSMEs) in 18 villages in Pekalongan, Indonesia.Design/methodology/approach: The data collecting is using questionnaire and interview to some owner/managers and leader of the Batik group. Pekalongan is a city of Batik that has Batik MSMEs spread in every area of the villages. Therefore, the sampling technique used in this research includes two stages: proportional area random sampling and purposive sampling. 17 MSMEs were taken as samples in each village. Furthermore, after selecting 17 MSMEs, the study used purposive sampling technique with a sample size of 170 MSMEs. This research uses three variables: isomorphism, organizational culture, and organizational strategy measured by semantic scale and use two bipolar typologies. As for organizational performance, it is measured using Likert scale. The data analysis technique is using Euclidience Distance Simple Regression with contingency approach and moderation of Euclidience Distance Simple Regression.Findings: These results provide are; (1) The higher the alignment degree between imitation strategy and hierarchy culture, the higher the organizational performance will be; (2) The higher the alignment degree between innovation strategy and adhocracy culture, the higher the organizational performance will be; (3) Human capital strengthens the consensus of imitation strategy with the contingency of hierarchy culture and benign isomorphism, so that the organizational performance is higher; (4) Human capital does not strengthen the consensus of innovation strategy with the contingency of adhocracy culture and hostile isomorphism, so that the organizational performance is higher.Research limitations/implications: The sampling technique of this research is done using purposive sampling, so it is feared that it cannot generalize to the existing population. The data collection also uses primary data with measurement approach based on the owner/manager perceptions, which sometimes still requires assistance and good understanding for the respondents. Organizational performance will be increase if the condition of hierarchy culture, benign isomorphism, and imitation strategy are supported by the moderation role of human capital that can strengthen the relationship with organizational performance.Practical implications: The higher the alignment degree between imitation strategy and hierarchy culture, the higher the organizational performance will be. If the organization tend to choose imitation strategy, it is more emphasizes on low market pressure, support from government regulation, low public and media pressure, and stable politic and safety, and vice versa.Originality/value: This research wants to fill the research gap by examining the importance of having an alignment of organization strategy (Imitation vs Innovation) related with the contingency of organizational culture (Hierarchy vs Adhocracy) and isomorphism pressure (Benign vs Hostile) so that Batik MSMEs entrepreneurs can further improve their organizational performance (operational performance and environmental performance).

Subtitling Strategies in “The Boss Baby: Back in Business” Series

This research aims to find out the translation strategies in “The Boss Baby: Back in Business” series from the application called Netflix. This research uses descriptive qualitative method in which the data is collected in the form of words or pictures rather than numbers. The analysis of this research focuses on the translation strategies used in the web television series on Netflix. This research applies strategies of translation theory by Gottlieb to analyze the subtitle of the series. The result of this research shows that there are six strategies in the web television series entitled “The Boss Baby: Back in Business,” namely transfer strategy, decimation strategy, deletion strategy, paraphrase strategy, imitation strategy, and transcription strategy.

Brand imitation in the modern simulacrum market versus marketing ethics

The article presents some brand imitation issues considering the specific features of the contemporary postmodern economy where tangible items (products) are factually replaced with their simulacra (brands). The contradiction between the “spirit and letter” of the American Marketing Association Code of Ethics and the opportunities to violate its rules while branding is highlighted. It is shown that brands represented as simulacra open extensive opportunities for imitating brand leaders. A semantic ramification of terms “brand leader” and “brand imitator” in Anglophone Internet environments is represented. A typology of brand leader imitation methods with relevant examples and comments is given. The concept of “consumer confusion” is clarified and the factors determining the impact of imitated brand leaders on consumer behavior are systemized and analytically described. The legal aspects of a brand imitation strategy (proactive and reactive options) are briefly discussed. The article is supplied with relevant tables and pics.

THE PROBLEM OF IMITATING MODELS IN THE POETOLOGY OF FRENCH CLASSICISM

The article shows how the idea of imitatio auctorum, known since antiquity, was interpreted in the poetology of French classicism. The opposition of «servile» and free imitation, as well as the correlation between the concept of imitation and the notions of invention, translation, copying, theft and conquest come under scrutiny. A distinction is drawn between different objects of imitation. Poetologists recommend imitating not so much the specific thoughts and expressions of the original as its general idea, «spirit», manner, and also the very creative strategy of the author. In the latter case the object of imitation is not the completed work, but the process of its creation. The imitation strategy was justified by the argument of reciprocity: we imitate the ancients in the same way as the ancients themselves imitated their predecessors.

PATENTING OR SECRET? THE INTERACTION BETWEEN LEADING FIRMS AND FOLLOWING FIRMS BASED ON EVOLUTIONARY GAME THEORY AND MULTI-AGENT SIMULATION

Firms who want to appropriate innovation often need to make decision facing the trade-off between patenting and secret. This paper explores how leading firms make trade-off between patenting and secret through the view of the interaction between leading firms and following firms who have the option of imitation or substitution, based on the evolutionary game theory. Then, a simulation model is built combining the evolutionary game model and agent-based modelling method, which allows us to implement bounded rationality and interactivities. The simulation is run with different gain parameters and the results are checked by cross-validation. It is found that leading firms are more likely to adopt patenting strategy with well developed patent protection regime. While depending on variations on patent protection effectiveness, technological characteristics, and leading firms’ investment in patent portfolio development, following firms may choose imitation strategy or substitution strategy. Considering bounded rationality, firms could choose sub-optional strategies and leads to scenarios other than evolutionary equilibrium solutions, which provide deeper insights of strategic choices of leading firms and following firms. This paper makes contributions to theory by using the perspective of multi-agent view and integrating bounded rationality in the simulation. Finally, this paper draws conclusion and puts forward some suggestions.

Controversy and Exhaustion of Postmodernistic Project

The main subject of the research in the present article is exhaustion of Postmodernism as a philosophical doctrine and aesthetical practice. Postmodernism failed to become a generally accepted phenomenon in the contemporary Ukrainian literature, which experiences a difficult process of getting out from the colonial dependence. It appeared in Ukraine in 1986–1991 as an answer to the outlook that was popular in the West. The author associates the end of this artistic trend with the events that took place in 2013–2014, when Ukrainian society and Ukrainian culture moved into a new phase of existence. The consequences of these events, reflected in the media, in public opinion and also in literature lead to rejection of the postmodern postulates. The author states that these postulates reveal a clear dysfunction. Postmodern play and general skepticism, as it turned out, not only may show the position of an independent intellectual person, but also be an imitation strategy that conceals a neo-imperial doctrine shown as a liberal project. Sometimes it’s too difficult to distinguish one manifestation from another. Thus, the author defines the boundaries of postmodernism clearly, showing the crash of its basic principles. In the course of time this phenomenon got quite different interpretation, that’s why the whole project now needs a systemic reset. From such point of view, the thesis about the death of postmodernism has its reasons especially in the East of Europe. In the Ukrainian case it looks like a real perspective due to characteristic intersection of time and place (the East of Europe) and puts the western project of postmodernism into a dead end, prompting us to search for alternative worldview and aesthetic models. However, this artistic trend can motivate a modern Ukrainian intellectual in a special way, opening new horizons of comprehending his own epoch.

Pengembangan Produk Funding KSPPS BMT Amanah Ummah Jawa Timur

BMT must be able to compete with financial institutions, so that BMT must have an appropriate strategy in its operational, including product development strategy. This research aims to find out how funding product development strategy works on KSPPS BMT Amanah Ummah West Java. This research uses qualitative approach with a case study. And it also uses sharia finance product development strategy that is according to Suwailem.Suwailem has three main strategies, which are Imitation, Mutation, and Satisfaction. The data collection technique uses interview to informants in KSPPS BMT Amanah Ummah.The result shows, KSPPS BMT Amanah Ummah has 11 types of deposit products. The first strategy is Imitation Strategy that has transferred conventional product to sharia product. After that, the products development more use mutation strategy. Mutation strategy is a strategy that develops new product by knowing existing product at sharia financial instituion, then it is modified to social needs.