Globalization is one of the buzz-words in the 1990s. It points to a world in which geographic location becomes increasingly irrelevant, a vision that has aroused both hopes and fears. Surprisingly, globalization is accompanied by increasing regionalization. This volume is a timely contribution to the debate on globalization and regionalism. Coming from several disciplines, its contributors explore the consequences of a world with no geographical barriers. Refuting simple notions of globalization, they argue that location and space will remain important dimensions of economic and social development. In view of this, the book develops a more balanced view of the tension between globalization and regionalism.

This study has been long in the making, and the world has changed dramatically while we have been at work. We initially anticipated a substantial section on the Soviet-dominated Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA or "COMECON"), which offered an interesting contrast to the kind of international business regime typically found among market-oriented countries and industries. As we moved toward publi- tion, the CMEA vanished, and so we mention it only in passing. The USSR subsequently disintegrated into a Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). On the other hand, we began with the assumption that the historic "rule of capture" no long played a significant role in international economic relations. The seizure of Kuwait's territory and wealth by the government of Iraq suggests that this assumption was heavily influenced by wishful thinking. Even though this seizure has been reversed by military action, the experience remains a challenge to generally held beliefs about the strength of "order" versus "chaos" in contemporary international affairs. Some readers of this volume have suggested that it gives insufficient attention to the fact that many of the important business and economic regimes of the postwar period are currently under significant pressure, perhaps even in danger of collapse. We acknowledge that there are many evidences of strain in, for example, the free trade and money exchange regimes, and in many areas of environmental protection.

This book highlights the development of retail marketing in developing economies and presents this sector as a major area of growth and business opportunity. With a special focus on supermarket chains, the authors show that the advancement of technology and infrastructure means that there are now increased electronic capabilities for data collection, giving retailers more opportunities to pursue micro and macro-marketing strategies. The authors explain the evolution of this new era of marketing and the associated impact on all stakeholders, especially consumers. Taking the example of Ghana, which is considered a leader among African nations in the use of loyalty cards, the authors are able to set a benchmark for other emerging countries, especially those that are experiencing similar trends. The book is a valuable resource for students, researchers and foreign companies wishing to expand their knowledge of the marketing strategies employed by emerging economies in Sub-Saharan Africa.

China has used industrial policies to try to build large corporations that can challenge those based in more advanced countries. By the late 1990s the operational mechanism of China's large firms had seen large advances. Simultaneously, a revolution has taken place in global business systems, and China's large firms are even further behind the global leaders than when they began their reforms. The WTO will require China to operate rapidly on the "global playing field" in competition with the world's leading corporations, and this increased gap presents a deep challenge for China's business and political leaders. Peter Nolan presents here the first in-depth case studies of China's large corporations under economic reform, combined with systematic benchmarking of these firms against the world's leading corporations. The book is an unrivalled resource of information on Chinese businesses, and also leads the reader to consider the impact of China's response to its current challenges not only on China itself, but on the wider global economy.

Contemporary businesses are exposed to global competition enhanced by new information technology and liberalized cross-border transactions in many industries. This introduces a new competitive dynamic, influenced by actors in developed and emerging markets. The dynamic puts major demands on executives as they consider future moves that support strategic initiatives. The context of intensified global competition requires attention from practicing (and aspiring) leaders in international business organizations. Drawing on contemporary research, Competitive International Strategy: Key Implementation Issues addresses international business strategy formulation and implementation in the global competitive market. It captures the essential strategy components by elaborating on the implementation of corporate integration and local responsiveness. This is considered a vital dichotomy in the development of international business strategies. Essential components include competition context, firm's resources, strategy directions and competence, implementation issues, and competitiveness. The book includes several detailed company cases. Bridging the strategy formulation and implementation is crucial for the ultimate success of international business firms. This book will be of great value to students at an advanced level, academics, and reflective practitioners in the fields of strategic management, leadership, and international business.

The growth of the multinational enterprise (MNE) has led to an increasing interest in international business strategy from scholars, professionals, and policy makers alike. MNEs must contend with challenges in both their home and host international markets, and increasingly uncertain conditions in the international business environment demand superior firm-level capabilities for multinational firms to achieve and maintain competitive advantages in the long-run. This Handbook explores the progress made in international business strategy theory and practice in the last few decades. Written by an international team of leading experts, it captures the differences in motivations and decision-making processes between smaller and larger firms, private, family, and state owned firms, and emerging or developed market multinationals. It elaborates on the links between international strategy and the social responsibilities of the firm in its various host market contexts, including the deployment of effective and ethical human resource practices in international markets. Most importantly, it lays out how the classic principles of international competitive strategy are transformed in today's markets, in great part due to digitalization, and provides suggestions on how MNEs can develop international business strategies to respond to these transformations. The implications of these discussions for strategy and practice are becoming ever more profound. This Handbook will prove a valuable resource for both international business scholars and practitioners.

This absorbing book addresses the seemingly simple question of who rules the world by linking it to debates about who owns the world and what this means for the dynamics of global power distribution. Several expert contributors focus on global issues, including the role of transnational finance, interlocking directorates, ownership and tax havens. Others examine how these issues at the global level interact with the regional or nation state level in the US, the UK, China, Australia and Mexico. The book scrutinizes globalization from a fresh, holistic perspective, examining the relationship between the national and transnational to uncover the most significant structures and agents of power. Possible policy futures are also considered. Academics and researchers across a varied spectrum of fields encompassing business and management, international studies and public policy will find this book both fascinating and important. Contributors: W.K. Carroll, B. Cronin, F.-X. Dudouet, E. Gremont, J. Harris, G. Murray, D. Peetz, A. Salas-Porras, J. Scott, C.L. Staples, A. van Fossen, A. Vion

This book is a timely study in light of the resurgence of resource nationalism that is currently occurring in several resource-rich, developing countries. It moves away from the traditional explanations for the disappointing economic performance of resource-rich, developing countries, notably those advanced by key researchers.

This book takes a close look at how the sport industry has been impacted by the global Coronavirus pandemic, as entire seasons have been cut short, events have been cancelled, athletes have been infected, and sport studies programs have moved online. Crucially, the book also asks how the industry might move forward. With contributions from sport studies researchers across the world, the book offers commentaries, cases, and informed analysis across a wide range of topics and practical areas within sport business and management, from crisis communication and marketing to event management and finance. While Covid-19 will inevitably cast a long shadow over sport for years to come, and although the situation is fast-evolving and the future is uncertain, this book offers some important early perspectives and reflections that will inform debate and influence policy and practice. A timely addition to the body of knowledge regarding the pandemic, this is an important resource for researchers, students, practitioners, the media, policy-makers, and anybody who cares about the future of sport.

Hardbound. This book contains a collection of chapters discussing the issues involved in establishing a stable global exchange rate system. In doing so, the authors review the advantages and disadvantages of the various exchange rate regimes used throughout the world during the last fifty years, analyze the role of exchange rate systems in recent international financial crises and explore the probability of constructing a stable global arrangement in the next century.

Both quantitative and qualitative analysis is used to review China's stock market in a book containing the latest research on China's IPO market, the 2006-07 market bubble, the development of institutional investors, the stock index futures market, stock sector performance, corporate governance of listed firms and China's growth enterprise market.

The book outlines the importance of Indian manufacturing sector and its growth under alternative policy regimes. The authors highlight the significance of various firm-specific and macroeconomic factors on the level of efficiency and profitability of the firms operating in the diverse manufacturing sector during the post-liberalization era. The book also examines the dynamic relationship between the select manufacturing sector-specific stock market indices and the various macroeconomic variables.

This volume continues this series of international business issues with an exploration of the development and growing complexity of the global marketplace. One section should be of particular interest to those involved in European business. Entitled "Enlarging the European Perspective," it deals with marketing strategy in post-Cold War Eastern Europe and European integration and banking in Greece. The international theme is further developed with chapters on Mexico, the US and Japan.

This book presents new ideas and tools across a wide range of marketing activities, from product and market selection and definition, to pricing, promotion and distribution. All companies and all managers can and should apply some of the practical advice presented in this fundamental text. You'll be surprised at how this book can help change the way you sell your products.

This significant new book addresses the important issue of diversification in an age where it is vital to reduce volatility on investments. Properly applied portfolio management can lead to greater gains. The expert authors guide investors through international portfolio diversification, make clear how to help improve the efficiency of their investments, and explain how international diversification reduces the risk of an investment portfolio. This key book educates investors about how international mutual finds enhance the performance of their portfolio. The authors analyze which factors are most essential to investors, and find that both financial factors and behavioural arguments must be considered. This book is a crucial tool for any investor looking to improve the profit gain from their investment.

The globalization of financial markets worldwide has progressively pushed toward simultaneous globalization of accounting information. Thus, during the last 50 years, categories of preparers, users, and regulators have devoted their efforts to support the global comparability of financial reporting aiming at favoring the comparison of corporates' financial performances at a cross-country level. In the same vein, IASB, national standard setters, and jurisdictions have participated in and given momentum to this process. At the same time, academic research has followed this process and tried to build a theoretical framework to address the related issues, to assess the impact on preparers, users, and regulators, while defining hindrances and obstacles to the comparability of financial reporting especially in an IFRS environment. In this context, this book reviews research studies on the comparability of financial reporting at a global level as well as highlights empirical analyses that demonstrate the extent to which global comparability has been achieved, and how it enhances value relevance of earnings across countries. It also looks at the cross-country investors' perspectives by shaping the empirical analysis to provide further insights on the role of the "Big Four" auditing services in enhancing the comparability of earnings. The book provides an original contribution to the current debate about the comparability of financial reporting under IFRS and will be useful for researchers in the field.

This innovative book analyses the geographical patterns in foreign direct investment flows by combining elements from the theory of international production and the theory of economic geography. It develops a model for explaining why foreign direct investment is attracted to certain locations. The book examines foreign direct investment from a spatial perspective and considers how knowledge, regional synergies, economic integration, corporate strategies and networking affect patterns of investment. Using a model, Robert Morsink derives sets of determinants for different foreign direct investment patterns of multinationals and evaluates the corporate strategy behind these flows. First, he analyses investment flows within the European Union. Then, he goes into investments originating from the United States, Japan, Germany and the Netherlands and destined for Western Europe, South and Southeast Asia and North and South America. These analyses enable him to make suggestions for government policy at both the national and international level to attract foreign investment. Foreign Direct Investment and Corporate Networking will be of interest to economists working in the areas of international trade and investment, economic geographers and corporate strategy advisors as well as to policymakers from government and non-governmental organizations.

How do boundary-spanning organizations use their choices for leadership positions? How could hybrid organizations and leaders improve the effectiveness of those organizations in order to increase the chances of success for their business organizations in East Asia? How can we observe the best practices that could guide foreign managers to adjust in host business environment in East Asia?To answer these questions, the author presents a theoretical framework and investigates the preferences and networkability in the corporate, market and living environment of expatriated managers in China and Japan.

Innovation Spaces in Asia provides insight into how and why Asia is poised to impact global innovation. Asia is undergoing rapid developments in markets, sources of technology and user preferences. This book provides an empirical understanding and initial conceptualization of these dynamic processes, including the role of multinational enterprises, entrepreneurship and public policy.The accomplished contributors explore case studies of entrepreneurs and large companies in Asia in order to discuss the ways in which customers, institutions and firms, both domestic and foreign, are interacting to affect global processes of innovation and production. Innovation spaces are analyzed within Asian countries and firms, from Asia to the world, and from the world to Asian countries. Students and researchers pursuing innovation, international business and entrepreneurship will find this to be a useful read. This book will also be of interest to innovation managers and public policy practitioners looking for a thorough guide on the topic. Contributors: S. Bagchi-Sen, E. Bourelos, X. Chen, G. Cheng, E. Deiaco, P. Fan, E. Gifford, S.J. Haakonsson, M. Holgersson, C. Jeding, J. Jin, P. Kedron, K. Lagerstroem, A.H. Lassen, R. Lema, X. Liu, M. McKelvey, T.A. Meraxa, T. Schunder, R. Schweizer, D. Slepniov, Y. Wang, O. Zaring, Z. Zhang

In their foreign markets, MNCs interact not only with customers and suppliers but also with governments and bureaucrats. The book is an outcome of several years of research on MNCs market activities in developing and industrialized countries. Different from the earlier studies this book addresses how interactions not only with business partners, but also with the vast variety of governmental and legislative organizations, affect local firms and MNCs??? businesses. Based on the business network theory, the book develops a new model for the exchange relationship between local customers and MNCs and investigates the effect of different political organizations and other business firms. It examines relationship using several dimensions, business, social and political, through multiple cases from a developing country (DC) and industrialized countries. The comparison provides deepened knowledge on strength and longevity of business relationship in these two different business worlds. The outcomes reveal new insights with the claim for general appliance for DCs. The book supports the management of MNCs in their understanding of local firms??? behavior in such markets and to retain appropriate measure in their globalization efforts. The book also enables governments in DCs to realize consequences of their political actions for both local firms and MNCs and thereby industrialization of the country.

This book focuses on social perspectives of women's entrepreneurship, in the context of work-life balance and crowd-based business modelling, and economic perspectives associated with quality-of-life expectations. It focuses on the convergence of business perspectives and the social values and lifestyle of women entrepreneurs. The attributes of women entrepreneurship in developing economies have been discussed with focus on new entrepreneurial trends, changing organizational design and workplace environment, frugal innovation and technology, and shifts in market behavior. The book presents a six-box strategy including learned knowledge, scope of enterprise, innovation and technology, social values, design-development, and entrepreneurial business modeling. The core argument underlies in critically examining the practical, tacit, and intuited strategies to redesign entrepreneurial business models against conventional social values of women entrepreneurs. The author analyzes positivist, constructivist, pragmatist, interpretivist, and phenomenological perspectives to explain entrepreneurial behavior of women and derive cognitive synthesis to enhance business performance, entrepreneurial mindset, and perceptual schema.

The tremendous expansion of American overseas business in the postwar era has evoked a mixed public response. The author scrutinizes carefully each of the aspects of international business which has caught the public eye, summarizing the charges which have been leveled, stating the facts that bear on them, and drawing justifiable conclusions.

Unlike other economies, family businesses in China are greatly affected by the derived Confucian culture, excessive marketization, as well as the seemingly endless institutional supervision by a transitional Chinese government. China has a strong historical legacy, devoted to patriarchal values and strong family-centered traditions. This volume discusses the current status, upcoming challenges, and future prospects for family businesses in China. It explores unique organizational characteristics that are associated with Chinese family firms, such as being entrepreneurial, having concentrated power in the hands of the family business owners, and extensive family and semi-family involvement in the business. It also discusses shared features of strategic actions among Chinese family firms that include technology innovations, diversification, and internationalization, as well as the political connections that Chinese family firms often have. This book offers researchers a comprehensive overview of small family firms that are likely to be home-based microenterprises as well as large publicly traded business groups that are frequently owned by business families.

As the business world becomes increasingly global, so increases the need to understand differences and similarities in work behaviour. This volume offers frameworks for analysis which will be needed to understand the dynamics of organizational behaviour in the international arena.