In recent years many multinational enterprises have increased the amount of their R and D performed in dispersed locations overseas. In some cases this aims to provide improved products and processes for host countries and in others to establish internationally integrated programmes of more basic work taping into geographically dispersed sources of scientific expertise. The detailed survey and interview results reported in this volume provide the basis for a detailed discussion of issues relating to both parent company perspectives on such dispersed R and D, and the viewpoints of the overseas "subsidiary" laboratories performing such work. The issues covered include, the nature of the work done in overseas facilities; the specialization of roles in geological R and D; co-ordination practices; sources of ideas implemented in R and D programmes; sources of funding in overseas R and D; attitudes to government policies. Another key concern of the book is to analyse the consequences of the spread of R and D by MNES for the various countries in which they operate.

Based on a dissertation written for the University of Iowa in 1997 and several published articles on the subject. Discusses the entire history and practice of advertising in China, dating back to the beginning of the 20th century and the first booms in the 1920s and 1930s. Also discusses modern Chinese advertising in depth.

Managers in developing countries, whether operating in the private or public sectors, are constantly aware of the problems of underdevelopment. Effective management of international business activities in developing countries can improve the competitiveness and development prospects of these countries and, in turn, the companies operating within them. But to do so, managers need a developing country perspective on international trade agreements, international finance, foreign exchange, and national financial management. These topics, as well as practical chapters on the management of export production, financing exports, government export programs, and international investment make this very valuable reading for executives and those interested in international business.

The Development of International Business offers an extensive understanding of contemporary international business through detailed, engaging discussion of the development of the multinational enterprise (MNE) over the past half-century. By providing an analytically informed basis for understanding MNEs, two parallel strands of analysis in International Business (IB) are reviewed: the `theoretical' and the `practical'. Firstly, Robert Pearce identifies how the practical restructuring of the MNE as an organisational form has responded to changes in the wider global economy and how this evolution has interacted with the enrichment of theory on the topic. Secondly, by tracing the persisting dynamics of the MNE's structure and strategic positioning, he demonstrates the use of these systems and how they can help to understand and organise the future evolution of not only MNEs but of international business as a whole. Highly accessible with an informed overview of the entire IB subject area, The Development of International Business is an essential text for students and academics of business, management, economics and development. More generally, business leaders, economists and politicians will value the exceptional insight into the progression of international business and its future.

Looking at the new diplomacy between the multinational firm and the nation-state, this book focuses on the interdependencies, conflictual and co-operative, between the two primary actors in the global economy. International contributors (UK, USA, Canada and Sweden) from a variety of disciplines (international relations, political science, public policy, economics and business studies) discuss the theory and practice of MNE-state relations in the 1990s.

Drawing upon his three decades of experience as a corporate economist, including 17 years as a senior economist with Business International Corporation, Alex Rubner here offers an incisive study of the multinational corporation as its fortunes have waxed and waned over the years. The author traces the evolution of the modern multinational corporation and the popular, academic, and governmental sentiments associated with it, arguing that the transnational corporate entity is far from the all-powerful, supranational giant many have envisioned. In contrast, Rubner shows, the modern multinational is a fragile, strife-ridden business operation, often with significantly lower profit margins than smaller local or regional firms. Written for both international business scholars and lay readers interested in business matters, "The Might of the MultinationalS" provides a compelling look at the real and imagined power of the world's largest and most well-known corporations.

Following an introductory chapter which sets the stage for the discussions that follow, the author addresses the concepts of the multinational company as formulated by idealistic advocates and vehement adversaries. Rubner shows that populist perceptions of the power of multinationals are of relatively recent vintage and derive from a variety of sources including religious and trade union leaders, politicians, businessmen, and academic theorists. The second section explores the actual day-to-day realities that govern the operation of multinationals and examines such issues as the inhospitability of host countries, the inability of large bureaucratic organizations to react quickly to changing conditions, and the hypersensitivity of multinationals. Finally, Rubner looks to the future, evaluating the revised strategies of Western multinationals regarding overseas investments. He concludes that the power of the major transnationals is diminishing--along with the legends that gave birth to that perception.

In order to capture the complex interaction among multinationals, development strategies and class alliances as well as their impacts on development Alschuler offers a new conceptual framework which incorporates features of dependency theory and world system analysis. This study in comparative political economy compares Argentina, the Ivory Coast and Korea to assess the adequacy of current development theories and to assess current controversies over development policies.

China is poised to gain global importance as a growth engine for the world economy on a par with Europe and the USA. Japanese multinational enterprises are increasingly active in relocating to China their R&D and capital- and knowledge-intensive production for both export-platform and target market reasons. It is at the juncture of the growing impact of China-related activities of Japanese corporations on the transformation of Japanese management philosophies, on the one hand, and the transformation of the Japanese economy more generally, on the other, that this book is situated. As Japanese corporations re-align activities to increasingly accommodate the growing importance of China as a business location, inter-regional expansion will integrate more deeply the Chinese economy within their global strategies, business structures and decision-taking. By presenting current research and thinking on the significance of corporate Japan's growing engagement with China, the book explores the following imminent questions: What is China's future position in the global corporate activities of Japanese firms? How has China's investment profile changed and how and with what purpose do Japanese firms enforce their Chinese presence? The book sheds light on the implications for European businesses and policy-makers of the consequences of deepening integration of these two economic powerhouses. This book was published as a special issue of Asia Pacific Business Review.

As multinational firms struggle to compete in a global economy, their operating and accounting decisions are being made in an environment that's characterized by fluctuating exchange rates, innovative and flexible organizational structures, and a dynamic and diverse control strategy. As a result, managerial accounting techniques have to adapt to this unique environment by devising new ways to solve decision problems. This book explores the major issues that accountants in multinational corporations, and their outside consulting firms, must deal with if they are to understand how the corporation is performing financially, and if they are to effectively advise top management.

To describe the specific environment of multinational management accounting and the particular accounting techniques required for efficient operation, Ahmed Belkaoui divides his study into four topical sections. The first offers an introductory overview of the new international business environment and the extent of financial engineering. Section two focuses on managing exchange rate risks, and covers such issues as the management of foreign exchange risk, the management of economic exposure, and the management of transaction exposure. Organization and controlling are detailed in section three, with separate chapters exploring the organizational structures and control of multinational operations and performance evaluation techniques. The final section examines management accounting issues, including international financial analysis, international capital budgeting, pricing strategies, the lease-or-buy decision, and advanced capital budgeting. This work will be an essential resource for accounting professionals working in multinational organizations and the international business environment, as well as for students in accounting and international business courses. Public, academic, and business libraries will all find it to be a valuable addition to their collections.

The fifth volume of the Academy of International Business Series concentrates on three crucial areas of International Business: organizational issues across multinational enterprises, international market entry strategy and emerging markets. It examines theory and practice in parent-subsidiary relationships, in host country and MNE interactions, and in the organizational response of international business to dynamics in the global economy.

This fourth volume in the Academy of International Business Series examines three main areas of internationalization: the internationalization process; competitive advantage in an international context; and international business in emerging markets. The cohesive theme threading through the chapters comprises the twin objectives of assessing the current state-of-the-art research into international business phenomena and looking forward to emerging research themes for the new milennium.

In recent years, a great deal of scholarly and popular ink has been spilled on the subject of globalization. Relatively few scholars have addressed the political sociology of globalization, and specifically, the emergence of global class formations and a nascent global governance framework. This book is a contribution towards redressing this imbalance. The book traces the emergence of the World Bank as a key driver of globalization, and as a central source of an evolving form of elite-driven transnational governance which the author describes as 'global managerialism'. The book argues that the Bank has expanded its sphere of activity far beyond provision of low-cost capital for development projects, and plays a central role in pursuing global economic and social policy homogenization. The World Bank and Global Managerialism features a new theoretical approach to globalization, developed through an analytical exposition of the key stages in the institution's growth since its creation at the Bretton Woods conference of 1944. The author details the contemporary Bank's central policy framework, which includes the intertwining of public and private initiatives and the extension of global governance into ever-wider policy and geographic spheres. He also argues that contemporary globalization marks the emergence of a transnational elite, straddling the corporate, government, and civil society sectors. The book provides two detailed case studies that demonstrate the practical analytical utility of the theory of global managerialism. The theoretical approach provides a robust but flexible framework for understanding contemporary global development. It is essential reading for courses in areas such as International Organizations, Global Political Economy, and Globalization and its Discontents, and is also relevant to students of development policy and international economic architecture, among others.

International Business and Institutions after the Financial Crisis provides an in-depth discussion and offers new insights concerning the ways in which firms from developed and developing countries are performing in the aftermath of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. This book examines various issues from different viewpoints, particularly that of institutions, and draws on research conducted in different country settings. This book examines various issues from different viewpoints, particularly that of institutions, and draws on research conducted in different country settings.

The Emergence and Impact of MNC Centres of Excellence explores an important new element in the development of the multinational corporation. Whilst previously the parent company was seen as the centre, and the foreign subsidiaries as the periphery, today, it is recognized that different subsidiaries have different roles, and are linked to each other in a complicated pattern. One crucial aspect of this is that some subsidiaries become 'centres of excellence' (COE) controlling resources on which other parts of the corporation depend for their operations. This book investigates the existence of COEs in different countries, examining why they emerge and analysing their impact on corporate strategy.

Original essays identify the channels through which inward investment can affect host economies and shape the size and structure of industrialized economies over the last decade. Leading experts in international investment and the behavior of national and multinational firms combine innovative methodologies and firm-level data to evaluate the impact of inward investment on such issues as productivity, technology, and innovation. They compare UK developments to those experienced by French, Italian, German and US economies.

How has cultural diversity affected the business climate of the growing European Union? What are European institutions and enterprises doing to manage it? In 'EuroDiversity, ' Dr. Simons gathers issue-centered perspectives on how Europe's entwined past, present, and future have made it the most strikingly diverse part of the world and what this means for doing business there. 'EuroDiversity' provides:
* Insights into Europe's cultural challenges of globalization, diversity dilemmas, and opportunities
* Case studies, best practices, and resources for finding the common ground and developing the competence needed to succeed

'EuroDiversity' addresses how cultural diversity affects the business climate of the growing European Union and describes what European institutions and successful organizations are doing to manage it. The book's multinational team of authors gives us issue-centered perspectives on how Europe's entwined past, present and future have made it the most strikingly diverse part of the world and what this means for doing business there. They address Europe's cultural challenges of globalization and provide abundant insights into diversity dilemmas and opportunities. They point to the best practices and resources that will assist both European enterprises and those actively present in or trading with Europe to find the cultural common ground and competence they need to succeed.
Contributors: Arjen Bos, Marie-Therese Claes, Ph.D., Elena A. A. Garcea, Ph.D., Nigel Holden, Ph.D., Michael Stuber
Diversity in Europe is not the same as diversity in North America. Here is a book that not only makes clear why imported diversity models often fail in Europe, but alsoidentifies true European diversity issues and what to do about them.This is a book about the world's most culturally diverse area that explores how businesses must manage differences here to be successful in the global marketplace.The book's multinational team of authors show us concrete cases of big corporations handling diversity successfully.

Countries adopt policies that attract foreign multinationals, stimulate industrial clustering and foster innovation. This book links these topical issues, examining activities of multinational enterprises alongside the efficiency, appropriateness and sufficiency of such policies. With new empirical evidence, it makes practical proposals throughout.

Contents:
Part I: Where Do We Stand?
1. Multinational Enterprises and the End of the Global Strategy
2. Location Determinants of Multinational Firms: the Effects of Firms' Strategic Choices of the WTO Trade-Investment Regime
3. The International Competitiveness of the UK: is it Eroding or Rather Chaging Form?
Part II: Globalization and Regional Integration
4. Regional Economic Integration between the EU and Central and Eastern Europe: the Impact Upon FDI and Trade
5. The Locations of US Multinational Firms in the European Community: Determinants of US Foreign Direct Investment into the EC, 1951-1990
6. The Impact of European Integration on FDR: The UK Food Industry in the 1990s
7. The Governance Structure of Japanese Subsidiaries in Western Europe and Evidence
Part III: Location Strategies
8. Hierarchical Location Choice and Multinational Firms' Strategy, a Nested Logit Model Applied to Japanese Investment in Europe
9. The Geographic Concentration of FDI in Asia
10. Relocation and Public Aid: a First Report
11. Clusters, Innovation and Growth: a Comparative Study of European Countries

This text gathers together 13 articles that deal with the internationalization strategies of firms, effects of foreign investment on host countries, and host country policies vis-a-vis foreign multinationals. It illustrates how the behaviour of multinational firms and their effects on the host country are likely to differ between countries in a systematic manner, depending on the host country's economic policies and market conditions and provides an approach on how to look at multinational firms.

This book provides an in-depth analysis of the management and investment strategies of Japanese multinational companies, examining foreign investment from a Japanese perspective by studying international business practices and the behaviour of multinational companies in the global environment. Beginning with an overview of recent trends in international capital flows and the role of international mergers and acquisitions, it describes the global environment for Japanese multinational companies as it affects Japanese foreign direct investment, as well as the impact of Japanese foreign investment in the host countries. The domestic cultural environment of Japanese companies is investigated, providing a background to the understanding of the expansion of Japanese business activities throughout the world. Foreign investments in various parts of the world are examined in detail, as are their impact on the domestic economy of Japan. A comprehensive analysis of the strategic planning process in Japanese multinational companies follows, and the book concludes with an assessment of the management and leadership styles of Japanese multinational companies and how they differ from Western leadership styles. This book is a valuable source of information about recent developments in the international economy in which Japan is playing a prominent role.

Multinational enterprises have played a crucial role in post-war international economic integration. They have promoted intra-firm trade, technology transfer and internal movements of capital and human resources. This book provides wide-ranging evidence on their role in globalizing the service sector - especially financial services - in establishing international networks of research and development and in developing trade and investment linkages in Asia. Particular attention is given to the participation of multinationals in management contracts and joint ventures and the significance of this for host country industrial policy. This book is designed to be of interest to students of business, management and finance, and economics.

Staying at the pinnacle of the advancing business development of transition economies and the impact of changing business conditions is a challenging task for all firms wanting to do business in them. This book provides insight into the way in which businesses function with a comprehensive overview of the major aspects involved.

Foreign-owned firms (FoFs) can have significant implications in terms of employment, income and technology for the national economies involved. This book compares the efficiency of domestic and FoFs, and also looks at the performance of FoFs in several different countries. Contributors take a broad variety of research approaches with a focus on the use of firm-specific data from France, Germany, Austria, and Sweden. They conclude that foreign ownership matters but the real difference is not between FoFs and national firms but between multinational and domestic firms.

This volume is a product of the Interstratos project which brought together research teams from across Europe to study the strategic behaviour of small and medium-sized industrial firms, the determinants of their behaviour, and the impact on performance. The book uses information from annual surveys of companies in Europe during the period spanning the formation of a single European market. It addresses issues affecting small businesses such as marketing, entrepreneurship, export strategies and the single market, on an international basis. The book also contains detailed case studies of individual countries including The Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland and the UK.

This collection of essays addresses questions of the theory of the firm and international business. The first section deals with theoretical issues underpinning multinational enterprise. These are the issues of information, re-engineering and change management and international trade. The second section concentrates on the inter-firm relationships of multinationals, assessing the interplay of co-operation and adversarial behaviour. The third section deals with applications of the principles presented in the first two sections. The applications concern the defence equipment industry the world automobile industry and corporate governance under European Union Regulations.