Innholdsfortegnelse for September/October 2024 i The European Business Review

TOP C-SUITE INTERVIEWS Q Good day, Mr. Wang! It's a pleasure to have you with us today. Since its founding in 2015, Elegoo has achieved remarkable growth. What key factors do you believe have been instrumental in driving the company's rapid success? A It'1s been quite a journey! Our growth has been driven by a strong focus on our customers. We constantly communicate with our users, gathering feedback and fostering a community where we can co-create products together. We want our users to feel that their voices are heard and that they play an integral role in shaping our products. By understanding and prioritizing their needs and creative aspirations, we've built a product lineup that appeals to everyone, from beginners to professionals. Quality and affordability have also been at the…

EDITOR'S PICK Many economic actors around the world are seeking the next generation of new business models, focused, passionate, and stubbornly determined to take advantage of digital technologies, particularly AI, to invent the next Amazon, the next Facebook, the next Google, or another current digital giant. States, too, are heads and eyes riveted in this Digital gold rush, now AI, and exacerbate this headlong rush, dominated by the thought of economic progress in which new technologies are the Holy Grail. The market capitalization of the top 100 global companies reached $40 trillion by the end of March 2024, marking a record level in five years. Technology giants recorded the highest growth among all companies, representing nearly one-third of this total market capitalization on their own, particularly due to the excitement…

ORGANIZATION INTRODUCTION In recent years, the dynamics of motivation, emotion, and group interactions within the context of creative start-ups have garnered significant attention from researchers and practitioners alike. BBVET, as a representative endeavour in the realm of creative start-ups, provides an intriguing setting to investigate the intricate relationship between motivation and group dynamics. This article endeavours to delve into the nexus of motivational factors and their impact on group dynamics within the specific context of the BBVET project, ultimately aiming to shed light on the underlying mechanisms that drive creativity and innovation in start-up environments. Our research has shown that there is a close connection between motivation, emotion, and group dynamics. We have found that the success of the company revolves around the premise that the interplay of motivation, emotion,…

In an era marked by constant change and uncertainty, individuals are bombarded with messages emphasizing the importance of resilience in navigating life's inevitable challenges. Self-help gurus and motivational speakers extol the virtues of bouncing back from setbacks, framing resilience as a prerequisite for success and fulfillment. In a society obsessed with productivity and achievement, the ability to weather storms and persevere in the face of adversity has become a coveted attribute, fueling the proliferation of resilience as a buzzword. Moreover, the romanticization of struggle and hardship in popular culture has further bolstered the status of resilience as a buzzword. From inspirational stories of individuals overcoming insurmountable odds to viral social media posts celebrating resilience, the narrative of resilience has been mythologized and glorified, perpetuating the notion that resilience is not…

ENTREPRENEURSHIP KNOWLEDGE AND NETWORKS Spinout ventures are created when employees leave established organizations to form new businesses. What makes them successful? Spinout founders’ familiarity with the inner workings, industry nuances, and organizational intricacies of their parent companies provide them with a head start in navigating the entrepreneurial landscape, akin to having a secret map to uncharted territories. In addition, within the halls of their former workplace, spinout founders are able to develop strong networks. Former colleagues, mentors, and industry contacts become lifelines, offering support, introductions, and collaborative opportunities. These connections act as turbochargers for the spinout ventures, propelling growth. For example, Zoom's triumph owes much to the 40 engineers who migrated from Cisco, and Intel's ascent emerged from a “brain drain” out of Fairchild. Ideas also fuel spinouts. Consider Kik,…

BUSINESS MODEL My own experience calls for seeing art and business more closely together. This means an art-inspired approach to business, as explained in my new book. I have broached this topic in part in earlier articles in The European Business Review1 and I by IMD.2 Also, UBS,3 the Swiss bank, have discussed how my approach to collecting art differs from that of typical collectors, who tend to go more for artworks with high potential for profit. However, few collectors seem to have brought the two topics, art and business, together like I did, as discussed in my new book Art and Business.4 I have classified my art collection, some 125 items, into ten categories, each of which is relevant to me by lending support to decisions I have made,…

Is artificial intelligence making us less intelligent, or can it enhance our capabilities? Can it better equip students for a digital and evolving workforce? The incorporation of AI, including generative AI, is transforming our methods of teaching, learning, and thinking. It empowers educators to customize education, enrich teaching strategies, and broaden the range of human abilities. AI's influence extends beyond traditional classrooms, potentially improving learning experiences outside formal educational settings. AI-driven tools can facilitate lifelong learning by providing personalized content tailored to both professional and personal growth. Adaptive learning platforms, for instance, can adjust to a learner's progress and interests, ensuring that education remains a continuous and engaging experience. ENHANCED AND PERSONALIZED EDUCATIONAL CONTENT Some students, known as reflexive learners, thrive when they can contextualize what they're learning and make…

DIGITAL INNOVATION Companies and startups cohabit in an environment constantly animated by new challenges, from fluctuating economies to geopolitical uncertainty, from ecological transition to demographic issues. In this context of “permanent crisis”, the adoption of digital and truly open innovation seems to be an important critical success factor. Digital and Open Innovation are in fact the paradigms on which the development of the last few years has been driven, particularly from 2020 onwards. In a world of constant change, Open Innovation1 has proven to be a catalyst for transformation. The experience gained in recent years has accelerated the adoption of this approach, becoming a common practice for most large companies. According to data from the Startup Thinking Observatory of the Politecnico of Milan2, 86 per cent of large companies in…

INTRODUCTION Nissan, one of the largest automobile companies in the world, exists in an era of champion breeding and teamwork. “Nissan 180” consisted of a vision and a goal but could add huge value to corporate strategy. The program caused further developments and the secret of their success is in the word “transparency”. One of the tenets of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is to share your experience and success. Nissan follows a similar rule, they have nothing to hide, and all customers and stakeholders will have a clear image of the company without any restrictions. Nissan has opened a new factory in America, which is a great success. On October 6, 2022, Nissan celebrated 5 million vehicles produced at the Mississippi plant and advanced electric vehicle (EV) transformation.…

LOGISTICS The staging of sporting mega-events over several weeks traditionally poses major logistical challenges, not only in terms of managing the flow of spectators from all over the world, but also in terms of organising multiple procurement systems for food and equipment for spectators, athletes, support staff, and residents. Numerous academic studies have focused on this subject in the past1, in contexts as diverse as the FIFA World Cups, CAF African Cups of Nations, Rugby World Cups, and the Summer and Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Olympic and Paralympic Games held in Paris in July-August 2024 are no exception to the rule, and a few figures enable us to assess the logistical challenges encountered: over 10 million visitors attending 550 events staged at 35 competition venues, including 25 in…

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INTRODUCTION Drawing inspiration from human brain function, we advocate for implementing rhythmic information transmission protocols within AI systems. This means designing AI to process and communicate information in rhythmic patterns that align with natural human brain activity. By harnessing the innate advantages of human physiological rhythms, we posit the utilization of verbal synchrony as a foundational principle in AI training. This approach encourages AI to adopt language patterns congruent with human communication norms, thereby fostering a sense of trust and rapport between AI and humans by aligning AI communication patterns with human cognition. Research suggests that such congruence can significantly enhance user trust and engagement. Furthermore, insights from team synchrony research emphasize the importance of synchronized behaviors in fostering cooperation and collaboration among individuals. This highlights the potential…

ORGANIZATION Non-hierarchal companies are in right now. More and more organizations are ditching the traditional top-down management and opting for “flat” or “de-centralized” company models. This doesn't necessarily mean getting rid of bosses altogether – at least not always. It's a matter of restructuring a company so that each team works as an autonomous committee where responsibility falls on those closest to the task, instead of on a boss that's far removed from day-to-day activities. Essentially, the idea is that every role is equally important. There's no hierarchy, hence the name – and employees have more agency over their work. But because it's still a somewhat unconventional approach, these companies tend to be met with suspicion and false assumptions: It can't work because it's chaotic, there's no structure, and decisions…

AN OVERVIEW OF THE NEUROBIOLOGY OF TRUST The neuroscience basis of trust is a fascinating topic that considers the intricacies of the human brain and its ability to build and maintain strong relationships. Trust is a fundamental aspect of human relationships and is essential for social bonding and collaboration.2 It is a complex phenomenon that involves a combination of cognitive, emotional, and social processes. The neuroscience of trust is largely based on understanding the brain's reward system, which is responsible for regulating our emotions and behaviors. Studies have shown that when we trust someone, our brains release several hormones that are associated with social bonding and attachment. The chemical reaction creates a sense of warmth, closeness, and intimacy, which reinforces the bond of trust between individuals. Furthermore, the prefrontal cortex,…