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Making sense of renouncing: A typology of types, motives, and approaches to renouncing at work

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Abstract

In this paper, we provide an exploratory account of the experience of renouncing at work—giving up a work‐related aspiration. Despite the importance of the phenomenon, the conceptualization of renouncing has been overlooked by the literature. Taking a narrative sensemaking approach to renouncing, we document variance in individual experiences to renouncing, that is, how they subjectively understand what, why, and how they renounce at work. Through a qualitative approach, we investigate the case of 30 academics working in three French business schools characterized by an increasingly influential managerialist “publish or perish” regime, a context conducive to renouncing. Based on our findings identifying various experiences of renouncing, we inductively build a matrix and a model connecting six experiences of renouncing based on the type of renouncing (renouncing in order to succeed vs. renouncing success itself) and how people approach renouncing (suffered, accepted, or chosen renouncing).
Making Sense of Renouncing:
A Typology of Types, Motives and Approaches to Renouncing at Work
Thibaut Bardon


Sandrine Frémeaux


Clara Letierce


Thomas Roulet*
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European Management Review
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Making Sense of Renouncing:
A Typology of Types, Motives and Approaches to Renouncing at Work
Abstract
)''*'''*%+
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*$****%
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-2'
'2
'   *       
''3
4*''''3'
4
Keywords: 5 6 %  7 8 
8
9
INTRODUCTION
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*%''-.
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%3*!6%911=<!'
91(94'***   . :*# '% $
:*#:*#''
);%#3(>>?4%''
 '   %''  
'$
 ' 3 ; ! % 911><    91(>4 6
 *  %  * '     
   37 (>=@< 8 91104 )     
0
-3*
911=4)*
%
.% %'' * %*  
'' '  -A- '
*
- - ''2    3" (>>9< B'; !
7911>4   -% * 
  3. ! A 911=< 5 !  91994 )  
**%*'
*:'#36*
(>>=' C014%      *
  %  3 ! * 91104 )#  
:#*''%
 * *  *    *% .''    
'  '  *  %    *% 7 
*%%
*%37--91(@4D*
     ; ' *    *%  
-''
;'//01*%
    *   38' (>>C< 5 91914 
-    2' '23E
91(1<7!;91(0<;(>>?4;-**
**.:''#
C
' '         '' '  '
$ .          
-3E  91(>4)  *  
 ** '  '  *%+
'+<
'A*
'''D'

*'*%
 ' ** '''' A
'* *% '  '
  /   '     ' 
 *   '  '     
;'''
*%*''-.
%*    '-  *%
.%''*
*
*'$'
LITERATURE REVIEW
F     '  $ 
'*%*')
*% '' '
G***''*%
'***% 
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''391(>4F'$'3:*#4*
' 3 :*#4  ' 3:*#4E  
*%     ' 3   91(>4     
%/
A narrative sensemaking approach to renouncing at work
.''*%**%%''3;%
(>>?<7 !  91(C4 %   H' ' 
' *   ' '    'I
3*911=D(10=4;%''3
   911><  ! ' 91(94 %*    
   * ' %    *%  . 
''%''%**'
%'*% 3791994
 * *  *    *% /  * 
%
%
.'*
*% ''  :# * ''%
3;!%911>4'
what'
    how ''      *% ' 
*%7*% :
#391(>'(14
; *   *%' *
     '   '  ' '
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2 - ' ' 3 /
(>>?437!A#B(>=@4'3,E(>>J4
.*
391(>4'-''D
    *       . 
**%<
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3!K919(4)$
D
'L*/
 '37!--91(@4
.**%
'* ******** 
%  *% 3"M !  911>< A 91(=4 )  
   *   '   ' '  
**''
Renouncing at work under a ‘publish or perish’ regime
.*%*
*
'%F'-*
3% ! " 91(?4   '
 ' '   38 91(?<  8 ! B$
919148-''*
 *     3E 91(1< 7 ! ; 91(0<
@
; (>>?4    '  '% $ 3;- FN
!' 919(4 '   3% !
" 91(?4     '  2 $2  -
''3E91(>4
F '* '*:' '#
3%!"91(?<%91(94%
3!A#.911?<8!
911C4':''#
'''$A
    - 3;-   919(4   '  
'35911?'J9C< 5 91(?4 )    :
'*    '  
' ' *# 3% !"91(?'(=@>4. * 
*:''#
     ' '   ' 
''3*91(@<%!"91(?<791(@4A
'*$*
**$
*'*
*5'$
'$3
91914G*%****A
*%
'':''#
RESEARCH DESIGN
=
.'*'''
  *%   ''  - ''  
  .   *   * *%   
%**
Research context
     9111     '   
  *  '  '  '% 
$*3!*91(@4L*+
-     %
     '  +     '
'3,!;91(@4:5
# +       '  '% 
$3!'91(94+'
  % 
   3   91(=4 )     ' 
'

Data collection
.*  *  91(=  ' 01**
 *%      3(1 * '  4
''3(4'394
'91304*%B791(=(
;*''
1 . %       %       
'*% 3L’ÉtudiantLe FigaroChallengesLe
PointLe Parisien4
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:#%
3 ! ' 91(94 ; '    *   
'*-
     '   *%    * 
*% -  '
   '      *% /3 
' 91(J4*' * *
- *    *       * 
 ;*''''
*23891(?4;**
*''
')*''*?
'''
  * 35 91(?4        
)*#''.(

).(

 *   *    *  * 
'        38 91(?4 .
'  ''   *
% ;*/
'%'<*%
'*
(1
';'/%'*
*
  '    L  '  
'*
'' 3B ! " 91(>4 )  *  % 
%''3*911=4*''
*   *  *   A '  ' '' 
3!%91(@4'''

Data analysis
**9@>9C1*.
*-*
***;'''3-(>>=4
** *''   '
'''';
     
'**
.'*
'' '*
'**'-*
         *    
;'
'**
   '     ''    * 
''2
((
  D *     '    
*      
   A         
3%4''
. 9- *. 
'+*.
*''D'


).9

FINDINGS
Mapping out renouncement
.'**
'')*':''#
'''
'more tactical, more strategic approach 3O9(4     # '
D'You need to publish, publish, publish and even now, still, I need to publish because as
we said before, the CV is important3O(04D
‘The goal is to have as many publications as possible to fill my CV. When I want to change
position, I know very well that the number of publications is something that will be extremely
important for future employers’3O9@4
‘We are not only asked to publish but also to publish more and to publish in better journals’
3O(14.
(9
;*'    
* ***
'%*$*-
*''*
Renouncing to succeed as a researcher
.'''
%D
‘We are evaluated based on the number of stars that we bring back, so I concentrated on the
production of starred publications (...) I regret it, of course, I came into this business because
I wanted to do things that I like but here the job is to publish’ (#27).
.         '  
'''
'   '<
   **%  *  $  
D'
*
Renouncing as a sacrifice
6'-'
'D
‘When I started my career as a researcher, I was passionate about research and had time to
get into theories, to write papers that I really liked (...) What I renounce today is the pleasure.
Today, it’s about publishing’3O9@4
.            '  
'$L
'%
'D
(0
‘It’s necessary to sacrifice this freedom to publish because we have the freedom to participate
but we don’t have the freedom to be (...) I don’t write as I want, I write as required by the
journal in which I want to publish’ 3O994
)''
$D
‘I’m very interested in topic 1. The problem is that this topic is not publishable (...) This is
typically a topic that I like a lot, but I haven’t worked on it because I know that I won’t be
able to write a paper that is clear, acceptable and understandable by reviewers of a good
journal’ 3O9@4
.''-
‘work on fashionable topics rather than less fashionable ones to increase their chances of
being published 3O9(4

'
'*%**%

‘Research methodologies that are demanding are abandoned because there is this pressure to
publish fast. People opt for easier methodologies, faster ones’3O9(4
‘It leads to abuse (...) Falsifying data, taking up other people’s ideas, plagiarising, etc.’
3O(14
.      '   $    
     D ‘Manuscripts that make the
most sense are not necessarily the most successful (...) You know, there is this trend: “We
need a sexy title… and so on” 3O904 A '      
''.%'*
'-      D ‘It is the
division of labour of researchers, it is Taylorism applied to the world of research’ 3O9(4
'''
(C
'  D 'It's only about fitting with norms. For me, it's not
about intelligence, acumen, it's not about getting to the bottom of things3O914
. '   %       '
 ' . L*' 
''$'-'2
*%D
'It creates a kind of cognitive dissonance because we seek to publish in the best journals to
have the biggest impact but, in fact, we realize that we have very little impact on society and
on the business world. (#27).
7'   **%
 %'' ‘we regularly do research
during time that is supposed to be personal time (...) we never disconnect completely from
research even when we go home’ 3O904 ) '  '  
''%$*'D
‘We have a pressure that we bring back home; we must eat fast, and the children should go to
bed as quickly as possible so that we can switch on our computers and start working. And
that becomes difficult to manage’3O9C4
‘I think that it’s very hard for a scholar to have a balanced life; it’s difficult to achieve for
most researchers (...) It’s also a system where the more we do, the more people ask us to do
things for them, so the more you publish, and the more requests you get to review papers’
3O994
)   '     '  ' 
'''
''-'*
'''/D
‘My family life is shit. My children and wife complain a lot. Even when I stay home, I work
very long hours the benefit is that you may have more publications, the cost is on your
personal life and other activities3O(94
(?
          ' 
''
''.''

Renouncing as a self-discipline
 *           $ 
/  'D ‘It’s a world with its own codes, its
own rules, its own language, its own access doors for which you need the right key, otherwise
you can’t succeed’ 3O9=4 6-'
D
‘If we have innovative ideas, we know that we won’t be able to publish them because it’s
tightly circumscribed, everything should perfectly fit the framework…’3O((4
.'%
  D ‘In my view, early on in one’s career as a
researcher, somebody who cares about being a researcher should mostly focus on research
(…) and minimize other things' 3O(04 .  '   
'*'-D
‘To be successful at international level, you have to be ultra-specialized' (#3), i.e. 'someone
who knows perfectly how it works in the world of publication (...) Someone who is very
specialized' (#10).
.   '*    
‘publishing machine[s] in ranked journals’3O9=4'$D
‘It’s hard to get out of this system (...) We want to keep our jobs and we have children to
raise’ (#8).
 '     *   -
'*2<*
%*'
(J
Renouncing as a challenge
  '   ' '
D
‘Even if this game doesn’t make much sense (...) there is nevertheless a kind of personal
challenge to prove that we can play this game and succeed in reaching its objectives. So, it’s
a motivational force, a feeling of self-efficacy’ (#5).
.'<
 ' '   $ $   3 ' 
/4''''
$D
‘It’s important to have these norms for guaranteeing quality (...) Journal norms guarantee
quality and the seriousness of the publication’ (#11).
./'*:'/
*%#3O9=4:'%#3O94D
‘Doing research disciplines me (…) it helped me in the end because it helped me do more in
one area and remain focused on one area... (#22).
.*'''
'     '   *   
''%$
*D
‘People should renounce the ambition to write as they want (…) Conforming [to editorial
requirements] is difficult because many people often enter this profession because they look
for non-conformity, but what I find is that this discipline, very often, stimulates ideas’ 3O994
Renouncing success as a researcher
, 2 '      '   
*'*'
'''L*
(@
$''

Renouncing as a resignation
'':#3O(4D
'G'
%%D
‘This project that I left (...) maybe a 4-star article will come out of it, but I didn’t find
pleasure in it (...). I prefer to invest myself in other projects that make more sense to me,
where I have more fun’3O(@4
.  *   '     '  ' 
$''
-'
'2D
‘The good researcher is the one who is (…) not only focused on career advancement through
producing and creating a portfolio of publications’3O(=4
‘I’m not ready to renounce finding meaning in what I do (...) Science, initially, is to bring
knowledge that is useful and usable by society’ (#23).
‘It’s a choice, necessarily. From the moment you choose to be versatile, it means that you
renounce being… a researcher recognized as a successful researcher… What matters to me
now is to take pleasure in what I do, and to see the usefulness of what I'm doing from a
societal and managerial point of view' (#20).
. ' '    '   '
.'
'*%'
Renouncing as a mean of self-preservation
5'''
*''''D
(=
‘I would never refrain from working on a topic because it was not fashionable, or because I
could not “sell” my work. I don’t care (...) I could not survive in the academic world
otherwise’3O@4
''$
'D ‘I refuse to renounce my sense of ethics and honesty
3O(?4*$'-D‘I
would never make that sacrifice, even if there is this “publish or perish” system’3O9C4
‘I am not in this “publish or perish” craze, I refuse it... I don’t want to play this game. For
me, research is not about publishing at all costs (...) [It is necessary] to be faithful to certain
values: human values, scientific values’3O(14
      '  '% $
  '   '   *%    
D
‘I know some colleagues who renounce supervising PhD students because they find them to
be a pain in the arse. PhD students don’t do what they are asked (...) For me, renouncing all
these things in order to get published would be tiring’3O994
‘It doesn’t make sense to publish in a journal, to have stars, but have no impact on society.
This isn’t research that makes sense’3O9=4
‘If there is no impact of the research outside of publication, it doesn't make sense. This is a
big give-up, it's a real decision to make. If I have to publish in the top-ranking journals and
not be read, but get bonuses and salary increases, there is no point. It also means that you
have to think about impact from the beginning because you hope to be read. Will it be used by
companies? Can it also be used at the pedagogical level for students? It's very important to
be able to talk as a researcher to a bachelor, master or continuing education student’ 3O9J4
‘I teach students who are going to have managerial responsibilities, I help them to open up,
to see better, to feel better, to understand situations better, and that is what is essential for
me’ 3O(4.
     '      * 
'''%A$
''**D
‘Each activity has its temporality. If we look at research at a very high level, that means
publications in the best journals, we are in long cycles and we have to produce a lot. I'm not
interested in that. I don't care about being a researcher... I'm not interested at all. What
(>
matters to me is that I enjoy what I do and that I perceive a social and managerial utility.
Because I come from the business world, I like to think, but I also need to see a transposition
of the reflection to the practical level’ 3O914
 ' '-  '
D
‘I don’t want to turn into these publication machines. I have friends and colleagues like this
(…) [They renounce] all other things in life. Yes, personal lives’3O(=4
‘I don’t want to sacrifice my family life. It’s impossible. My personal life comes first and only
after is there research’3O>4
.  *            
'     '  ' *    
*'
Renouncing as a means of emancipation
7''
'*D
‘I publish different articles in journals that are not ranked. ... We have different rankings that
are specific to management. I have many articles that are outside these rankings and are not
recognized as such’ 3#19).
.'-**
*D:I started to choose the projects that make the most sense to me, that give
me the most pleasure’3O(@4
.'*''*'
**'*D'It's necessary
to work on publications which are meaningful and publications that "pay the billsH23O904)
'''
5'*%' '
$*'
'D
91
‘Giving ourselves spaces of freedom (…). We write two papers. The three-star paper, very
smooth paper. We had a great idea from the start. And then the other paper which would be
aimed at practitioners, something that addresses practitioners' questions’ (#15)
Contextual determinants of how individuals make sense of renouncing
)   * '   '
*  %    *% ) ' *% 
  * D     -  3 
4

-*
*'.
  ' *  '    ' 
      *   
 )   *   * /  '
   /  ' '   
: # 3O(4D      ' '.
  ' 
*%**%D
‘We prefer to work on what we want, without which research activity would be void of
meaning’ 3O((4
‘I don’t want to do it, and I won’t be able to do it anyway. It would be too costly for me,
psychologically speaking. I need meaning, and producing articles for the sake of producing
articles; I don’t find it meaningful (...)’3O914
.*''
$''
'-*'2D
9(
‘The good researcher is the one who is (…) not only focused on career advancement through
producing and creating a portfolio of publications’3O(=4
‘I’m not ready to renounce finding meaning in what I do (...) Science, initially, is to bring
knowledge that is useful and usable by society’ (#23).
'It's a choice, automatically. From the moment you choose to be versatile, it means that you
renounce being… a researcher recognized as a successful researcher… What matters to me
now is to take pleasure in what I do, and to see the usefulness of what I'm doing from a
societal and managerial point of view' (#20)."
**%'7'
%*'%
    )      %   
%D:I think that with experience, you want to do
what you like’3O(@4
)'$*
/ *   ''**
*D
‘Okay, we'll have to publish, but first we have to go back to “what do I want to do? Who do I
want to work with?”’3O9=4I
DISCUSSION
A*''*'
 ' $ :' '#
 *  * '
 '  *      '   ) 
* *    *%
'*how, whywhat 
An inductive model theorizing renouncing at work
99
(*'  *%A *
*')3''' (4
''*'D
$')
''$
 ' * )
-'%$
:''#
A*''D
 3  %  4'3 
'43
4; sacrifice
% 3! K
919(4''resignation.
 '3 91104 '/
'*A*
 '
';'
3.! A 911=4   -   
*35!91994)
*self-discipline*
'       means of self-preservation 
  $     # * % ;   
' '         '  3 !
; (>>94  '     self-realization . $ 
90
   *      ) 
  $       '  3'- !
911C< 5 91914D '     
' *$
'' self-improvementD
'

)(

;     * *  *   ' ' ' 
--
      %        
''L**'
-      
 F' ''  '
-
 *  )  *    -  
''%'
Contributions of conceptualizing renouncing at work

     *%    3" (>>9< B'
; ! 7 911>4 *        
3. !A911=4'  3 *-(>@?4;
9C
* *  *% 3" (>>9<
B';!7911>4**
            '
;D$
'
A''
   *  :''# *      %
5*:$#3E91(>4
'*A*
        '   
' '  ' )     
'     '  '  *%  
')/'
       *   '  
 *  3591914'   
    /     $  
35911?<%!"91(?4
'#*%#'*
*3,'!91(14
A      %
'%''-
 3%   91(94 8   *   :'  '#
 '   ''   ' 
'3%!"911?<7!;91(04
 %3 911><*911=4 
9?
          
-    3" (>>9<  ! ; 91194
5            
;'*
     /  )
' * '     
 .       :'   
# 3" 911J ' (0C14        
-   #     
-   '' + 
+-3L91994/
'%
              
%   *  *'*
  3" ! 7 91114 A  % ''
3! ' 91(9< 7 91994   *    
*  *  3 91(>4
E'%*-''
   *    '   ' 
'3*!
L911J<"!791114
**'''
+$*'-
35911?<%!"91(?<
*91(@4
9J
Practical implications, limitations and future research
A*%''-)
:#3!P*91994A'*%
'*D
'*-
/D%
'#*A-
*%/'
,'     '      
''.*'''
   +  38' (>>C<
591914%3891(?<591(?<
91914G'
A  '  
:''#'*%3%91(9<*
91(@4   *%
      ''    
  *      '  3'- !
911C4*''
*% * '      $   -
*''
''D''*
', ''
'*
*    * )  '   '  '' 
9@
'''
*%' '
*3LFQ
!5 919(4 ' ''' *%
          
*
CONCLUSION
*%%*'
5'*%'
$.%*
'*%
/ :'
'#   *   '  * *  *
*%;*
  '    )'    '
'D*'
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7!'391(J434T;'*
'*Journal of Organizational Change Management,9>3(49>+C?
 7 ! ; L 3(>>94 A    '   
-Academy of management review,(@304C09+CJC
B';77G5.'7!%6391(>4
.  8  7 ;%D )   ' ) 27
;%D8'9(Journal of Management Studies,?J304C=(+C>>
;E!A#. 3911?4L**Harvard Business
Review,=03?4D>J+(1C
9=
7 !*,391(@4F-'
Organization Studies,0=3(4@+9>
-5F3(>>=4Transforming Qualitative Information: Thematic Analysis and Code
Development.A%D8
* 5!5A391(@4  7
    :#D .     '
Organization Studies,0=3>4((=?+(91@
*  ,  8 ! 6% 3911=4 7%   %
Human RelationsJ(3=4(10?+(1J9
6!'391(94GOrganization,(>3J4=>(+>10
,E8!,391(=4Les business schools en FranceFU
 !K,3919(4; 8,*T .8, 
'SEuropean Management ReviewS(=394(?@+(@(
*  ! L 6 3911J4 .   *%D .    
'Human Resource Management Review,(J394
(>>+91=
  ;  ! % 5 3911>4 %   '
'D; *  ' ' 
TJournal of Applied Behavioral ScienceC?3C4C>=+?91
%   ! " , 391(?4   D   
$Human Relations,J=3(94(=J?+(===
%",! 391(94T
Scandinavian Journal of Management,9=3(4?+(?
87!B$8B3919148D.
%Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management(@304CJ?+C>C
!'391(94D7%'
%Human RelationsJ?3(4J0+==
E!*,391104'''
-"'Human Relations?J3?4?J0+?=J
,' F !7B 391(14 7*%T6' %- 
*%V   '' '   '' Organization,
(@3C4C0@+C?>
67 3919(4SJustice in the Workplace: Overcoming Ethical DilemmasF*
F8
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,.!,391((4;TBritish Journal
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 T       British Journal of
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73(>=C4Histoire de la sexualité3K94E
E391(14A-D8''Organization Studies,
0(3J4J@@+J>C
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L"FQ,!5 3919( 48
'   D ,  '  (9 
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L   8 " , 5 .  L ;  ! F " 391994
A- D .% %  ' *   SJournal of
Management Studies
/53(>>?4 Manufacturing the Employee: Management Knowledge from the 19th to
21st CenturiesBD8
*- 7 3(>@?4     SAmerican Journal of
sociologyS=(3(4=9+(1=
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*SAcademy of Management AnnalsS=3(4?@+(9?
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O91 7 9 ?(1 8 A-VL57 J9
O9( 7 0 (1(? 8 VF'' J?
O99 7 0 Y91 8 V ?0
O90 7 0 1? 8 A-VL57 00
O9C  0 ?(1 8 7% ?9
O9?  0 (1(? 8 A-VL57 09
O9J 7 0 (1(? 8 VF'' =C
O9@ 7 0 ?(1 8 7% C@
O9= 7 0 ?(1 8 VF'' J(
O9> 7 0 (1(? 8 A-. J(
O01  0 (1(? 8 A-. 0@
09
.9D.*':''#
Suffered renouncing Accepted renouncing Chosen renouncing
Renouncing
in order to
be successful
5
‘The pressure to publish
in very good journals
means that we are forced
to abandon the freedom
to work on certain
topics’ (#21).
5
'
We have to choose the
right subjects, collect
data, process them, craft
a theory on to them that
fits well and write in
really impeccable
English’ (#27)
5
‘Very often, discipline
stimulates ideas’ (#22)
Renouncing
success
5

‘From the moment you
choose to be versatile, it
means that you renounce
being a researcher
recognized as a
successful researcher’
(#20)
5
'
‘It’s something that I
have firmly decided. I do
not want to pollute too
much my personal life
with my professional life
(...) It may require the
postponement of
research projects, or the
delay of some projects
(…) to renounce top-
publications’ (#29).
5
'
‘To be a good researcher,
you have to give up on
having a great career. In
the sense that the
publications that make
sense are not necessarily
the ones that will be
promoted, not necessarily
the ones that will have
hundreds of citations’
(#23).
(D*%
00
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