Prestigious Honorary Fellowship presented at annual ERIM Awards for research

Researchers from the Institute, which is approaching its 20th anniversary, were encouraged to venture out and ensure societal impact by aiming higher and seek diversity in the publication portfolio. Prof. Pursey Heugens, Scientific Director of ERIM and RSM Dean of Research introduced the aims for the Institute in his welcome, before he presented the ERIM Awards for achievements such as excellence in dissertations, and scientific impact.

Exploring Chinese culture

The 2018 Top Article Award was presented to Dr Tina Davidson for her article with Prof. Linn van Dyne and Dr Bilian Lin Too attached to speak up? It depends: How supervisor–subordinate guanxi and perceived job control influence upward constructive voice, which was published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. Tina Davidson is an Associate Member of ERIM and Assistant Professor in the Department of Organisation and Personnel Management at RSM. The jury said: “Writing a paper using Chinese data and being published in a top journal can be challenging. In this case, a theory that has its origins in Chinese culture is tested. But the paper successfully avoid being so narrow as to be a ‘Chinese case’ paper. It clearly links and relates to existing Western theories and culture while introducing the reader – in a very well-written way to important and novel features of the Chinese culture. Moreover, the paper has clear practical contributions. It should be a must-read for any manager doing business in China!”

The art of writing theory

Another 2018 Top Article Award was presented to Prof. Joep Cornelissen for his article Editor’s comments: Developing propositions, a process model or a typology? Addressing the challenges of writing theory without a boilerplate which was published in Academy of Management Review. Joep Cornelissen is Member and Fellow of ERIM and Professor of Corporate Communication and Management in the Department of Business-Society Management at RSM. About this paper, the jury wrote: “This paper has already gained a lot of traction in the academic community. It is a must-read for all scholars who want to master the art of writing theory. It is well-written, insightful and to-the-point. The paper should also be compulsory reading in any PhD programme.”

An alternative to panels in research

The 2018 Top Article Impact Award was presented to Dr Gabriele Paolacci for his article with Dr Jesse Chandler Inside the Turk: Understanding Mechanical Turk as a Participant Pool published in Current Directions in Psychological Science. Gabriele Paolacci is Member of ERIM and Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing Management at RSM. The jury said: “There are good reasons why this paper is cited so often. The paper became a must-read for any researcher (regardless of the research field) that uses or considers to use Mechanical Turk for his or her research. Written in an extremely accessible way, the paper shows when and when not (and also how) ‘MTurk’ can be used as a low-cost alternative to other online panels. That knowledge helps researchers across fields to make the right decisions for or against MTurk, successful survey or experimental design, and avoiding costly mistakes.”

Acquiring status in networks

The 2018 Dissertation Award was presented to Dr Bruno Jacobs from ESE for his dissertation entitled Marketing Analytics for High-Dimensional Assortment, which examines how companies can acquire status in external networks, and how the effect of this – plus their innovation strategy – affects company performance and behaviour. His promotors were Prof. Dennis Fok and Prof. Bas Donkers. Bruno Jacobs is currently Assistant Professor in Marketing at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, College Park. The jury said: “The thesis is technically very advanced but does not lose sight of practical relevant problems. First, it transfers methods created originally for text mining to a new area: high-dimensional product assortments. Second, the methods are not just transferred – they are modified for the new area of application, plus they are improved, plus new methods are developed. Finally, while being a strong academic contribution, the thesis also offers many practically relevant contributions to marketing managers.” Bruno Jacobs was not able to attend the ceremony so Dennis Fok – one of his promotors – received the honour on his behalf.

Two performance winners

The 2018 ERIM Award for Outstanding Performance by a Young Researcher for ERIM Members or ERIM Associate Members who received their PhD less than five years ago has two winners this year. One went to Dr Emilio Marti, High Performance Member of ERIM and Assistant Professor in the Department of Business-Society Management at RSM. The jury said: “Since completing his PhD in 2015, Emilio has published three papers in P* publications, including two in the Academy of Management Review. This is a stellar achievement for a young researcher, demonstrating his exceptional conceptual abilities and research skills. His work has also been very impactful in the community; all three papers have also been shortlisted for various prizes and awards, with the latest AMR paper securing two prestigious awards in France and Germany. Finally, it is also noteworthy that he won two awards for his dissertation as well.”

The other 2018 ERIM Award for Outstanding Performance by a Young Researcher went to Dr Christophe Lembregts, Member of ERIM and Assistant Professor in the Department of Marketing Management at RSM. The jury said: “Christophe has published three papers in the leading journal in consumer behaviour, the Journal of Consumer Research (P*), one in the Journal of Consumer Psychology (P*) and one in the Journal of Marketing Research (P*, conditionally accepted). Such productivity in the top journals in marketing three years after a PhD is exceptional and rare by any standard. Importantly, he was also successful in acquiring an NWO Veni grant. In general, his research approach is characterised by its rigor and the ability to extend insights from the judgment and decision-making literature to topics of high relevance to consumer behaviour and marketing. His research is highly innovative, important and relevant.”

A rare and prestigious honour

For the first time in several years, ERIM invited one of its members to take up an exceptional membership category, Honorary Fellow, which is a position for life. Honorary Fellowship of ERIM is the most prestigious honour ERIM could bestow on any of its members. It is awarded only to exceptional individuals on exceptional occasions. The recipient of this ERIM Honorary Fellowship is Prof. Philip Hans Franses, ERIM Fellow and Professor of Applied Econometrics and Professor of Marketing Research at ESE. He has contributed immensely to the flourishing of ERIM and the academic careers of its members, both academically and in the ERIM organisation. Since ERIM’s founding in 1998, Prof. Franses has continuously and wholeheartedly supported ERIM’s advancement with effective actions, commitment and support. He has performed many roles within ERIM; as associate academic director; chairman of the supervisory board; ERIM high performing member and Fellow; and PhD supervisor for over 35 PhD candidates. One of his important contributions was the long-term nurturing of the partnership between ESE and RSM, with the intention of building a vibrant community of scholars, stimulating professionalism, bringing the field of management research to the top in Europe, and encouraging PhD talents to become outstanding independent scholars.

• View photos of the ERIM Awards ceremony

Photos: Chris Gorzeman / Capital Images