The first book-length treatment of theories, practical lessons, and the full set of critical issues that affect international joint ventures. It addresses culture, human resources, learning, legal, management, and research and development, and presents a full set of decisions and detailed guidelines for IJV formation and management. It also thoroughly analyzes 30 case studies.

First Published in 2001. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Explores Korean foreign direct investment, putting forward a theoretical framework to explain why the Korean conglomerates felt compelled to invest in western, central and eastern Europe.

By providing a detailed analysis of the extent to which the McDonald's Corporation adapts or imposes its labour relations policies in Europe, this volume represents a real life case study revealing the interaction between a global multi-national enterprise and the regulatory systems of a number of different European countries.

Contents:
Preface
Part I Introdution
1. The theoretical foundations
Part II Multinational corporations from the resource abundant countries
2. The emergence of multinational corporations from the United States: The period until 1914
3.The evolution of multinational corporations from the United States: The period since 1914
4. The emergence and evolution of multinational corporations from Sweden
5. The emergence and evolution of multinational corporations from Brazil
6. Conclusion: The emergence and evolution of multinational corporations from the resource abundant countries
Part III Multinational corporations from the resource scarce large countries
7. The emergence and evolution of multinational corporations from the United Kingdom
8. The emergence and evolution of multinational corporations from Germany
9. The emergence and evolution of multinational corporations from Japan
10. The emergence and evolution of multinational corporations from Taiwan
11. The emergence and evolution of multinational corporations from South Korea
12. Conclusion: The emergence and evolution of multinational corporations from the resource scarce large countries
Part IV Multinational corporations from the resource scarce small countries
13. The emergence and evolution of multinatioanl corporations from Switzerland
14. The emergence and evolution of multinational corporations from Hong Kong
15. The emergence and evolution of multinational corporations from Singapore
16. Conclusion: The emergence and evolution of multinational corporations from the resource scarce small countries
Part V Conclusion
17. The emergence and evolution of multinational corporations: implications for theory

The first book-length treatment of theories, practical lessons, and the full set of critical issues that affect international joint ventures. It addresses culture, human resources, learning, legal, management, and research and development, and presents a full set of decisions and detailed guidelines for IJV formation and management. It also thoroughly analyzes 30 case studies.

In the context of political tensions and rising economic interdependence between Japan and China, this book studies how Japanese multinational companies try to minimize damages and manage their own fear and uncertainty to sustain their business interests. Using a qualitative approach, including over 150 interviews with Japanese and Chinese business and industry leaders, combined with statistical analysis of unique firm-level data, this book brings a 'firm-level view' to this crucial case of political conflict amid economic interdependence. It argues that there is wide variation in the degree of material damages Japanese multinationals sustain in the aftermath of political disputes, and how threatening they perceive the risks of political conflict to be. This book then goes on to evaluate the different responses to risk, from promoting Japan's culture through privately funded tactics and building common cause with the government, to diversifying a portion of assets abroad and even leaving China entirely. Presenting a new angle on economic globalization in the Asia Pacific region, Risk Management Strategies of Japanese Companies in China will be useful to students and scholars of Asian politics, business, and economics as well as international political economy.

Corporate entrepreneurship involves new business creation within established companies, the strategic renewal of existing business, and, ultimately, the search for sustainable competitive advantage in an increasingly globalised economy. Yet it remains elusive for many firms. In a collaboration between a practitioner and academic, Joe J. Amberg and Sara L. McGaughey explore corporate entrepreneuring within a large conglomerate multinational enterprise: Siemens AG. In early 2009, following a prolonged period of business stagnation and a huge bribery scandal, Siemens' top management identified a severe lack of entrepreneurship as a critical issue. The strengthening of 'local entrepreneurship' became a new priority in the strategic planning for 2010 to 2014. By examining three contrasting ventures in the Siemens business unit Fire Safety between 2008 and 2012, the authors identify key drivers and impediments that sustain inertia in corporate entrepreneuring within this global organisation. This study offers an insightful contribution to our growing - yet still fledgling - understanding of corporate entrepreneurship in global corporations, highlighting the importance of context, interdependencies between critical factors, and the false promise of universal best practice.

Chinese companies have managed to perform well in Malaysia, especially after the recession in the mid-1980s, due to a clear change in the Malay dominated government's attitude to Chinese capital. Despite the problems that prevail among UMNO politicians, the government has provided a stable economic environment and offers opportunities for domestic private investment, even for the Chinese. Given these circumstances, it does appear that Chinese capital in Malaysia has reasonable prospects for further growth in the immediate future. This study examines the dominant role of Chinese capital in the economy, providing in-depth empirical research on its mode of development and styles of operation. Covering the period from colonial times to the present day this study identifies key issues pertaining to Chinese business operations in Malaysia: ownership and control patterns, style of growth, relations with the state, politicians and other Chinese businessmen, and the manner of development of business abroad, whilst debunking the theory that large-scale Chinese capital is not very entrepreneurial in nature.

A major new edition of the classic work that revolutionised the way business is conducted across cultures and around the globe. It provides leaders and managers with practical strategies to embrace differences and successfully work across diverse business cultures. Capturing the rising influence and the seismic changes throughout many regions of the world, cross-cultural expert and international businessman Richard Lewis has significantly broadened the scope of his seminal work on global business and communication. Thoroughly updated to include the latest political events and cultural changes, as well as covering nine new countries to complete Europe, broadening the scope of the book. Building on his LMR model, Lewis gives leaders and managers practical strategies to embrace differences and work successfully across increasingly diverse business cultures.

This volume is a detailed account of the evolution and theory of multinational trading companies. In the history of multinational business, trading companies have played an especially significant and strategic role which continues until the present day, when Japan's "sogo shosha" and giant commodity traders feature among the world's largest businesses. However, the origins and strategies of multinational trading companies are little known compared to those of manufacturing multinationals. The book features contributions from an international selection of US, European and Asian economists and business historians which demonstrate the importance of trading companies in trade and investment flows in the world economy from the 19th century to the late 1990s. The authors adopt evolutionary and comparative perspectives to examine diversification strategies and organizational structures. This study contributes to our knowledge of the history and theory of international business.

As global and regional integration move forward, firms must be innovative and sustainable when setting up operations in new countries and markets. The AIB-LAT book series presents research findings and theoretical developments in international business, with special emphasis on studies focusing on internationalization, innovation and sustainability in Latin America - three increasingly interconnected and important issues for firms around the world. Latin America continues to gather business and academic attention as the region plays a growing role in the global economy. The chapters of this volume will further readers' understanding of how business enterprises from and in Latin America strive to create and implement sustainable and innovative solutions while developing their international operations by presenting research findings from top scholars working in the region.

First Published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Recent analysis of international competitiveness has helped to increase levels of interest in technological innovation as a crucial factor determining the kind of advantages required in an economic scenario. At the same time, particular attention has been devoted to the role which multinational corporations are playing in the production of technological capabilities for the global markets. The aim of this study is to contribute to an understanding of those intermediate countries with specific reference to two relevant international areas. On the one hand, those countries of southern Europe whose dynamic is very much influenced by the phases of European construction. In this context, multinational corporations are reorganizing their strategies among which technology creation is central. On the other hand, in most industrialized countries of Latin America the opening up process has changed the traditional role played by multinational corporations.

Multinational Investment and Economic Structure examines the relationship between industrial development and foreign direct investment (FDI) activities, and the interaction between multinational (MNE) activity and economic structures. It deals with the changing structure of the world economy as a whole, and the dynamics of the relationship between industrial development and the extent of FDI activities across countries. It evaluates the concurrent (and interrelated) evolutionary processes behind economic growth and MNE activity and how these evolutionary forces impact on the economic structure of individual economies in the industrialised world as their economies converge through globalisation.

This work examines the evolution of Japanese direct investment in Europe and explores its determinants. It then illustrates how, as multinationals, Japanese firms adapt to local conditions and try to take advantage of a global organization. In this respect, three areas are more particularly explored: human resource management, relationships with suppliers, and research and development unit locations. The impact of Japanese locations on their host countries is also studied. While Japanese industrial units may represent a challenge to European competitors they may also accelerate useful technological awareness. The macroeconomic impact, on employment in particular, is negligible but regional or sectoral impacts can be sizeable.

The 41st Annual Conference of the Academy of International Business UK and Ireland Chapter was held at The University of York in April 2014. This book contains records of keynote speeches and special session on key topics, as well as selection of some of the best papers presented at the conference.

Because of the potential ease with which transnational corporations can relocate, many governments have avoided direct attempts to intervene in their activities. Nonetheless, the major economies have adopted a wide range of policies towards transnational corporations. Some (Japan and France in particular) have been very concerned by the impact of such firms. Others (most notably Britain) have had a relatively relaxed attitude. This book offers an account of policy towards transnationals over the last 30 years or so. It features: detailed, up-to-date accounts of policy in Japan, France, Germany, the United States and Britain; the role of organizations other than governments, including trade unions, business and opposition parties; summaries of which issues have most concerned which countries overall characterizations of each country's policy stance. The result should appeal to those interested in industrial economics, international business, global political economy, and international law.

Transnational corporations are now of immense significance for most economies. However, by definition they are involved in international production and this poses problems for national governments. The threat of a major company leaving gives it leverage over its host government. This means that even though there is a broad consensus that in some respects the impact of a transnational on an economy can be negative, there is a marked reluctance on the part of governments to try to do anything about it. Although they remain sensitive to the problems posed by transnationals, the authors of "Making Transnationals Accountable" do not accept that there is nothing that can be done to influence the behaviour of transnationals. The authors advocate a policy of monitoring their activities and use a comparative approach to show that many governments know surprisingly little about the impact of transnationals on their economies. They identify areas which governments might like to know more about. In an attempt to show what their approach might mean in practice, they draw upon the new techniques developed in social accounting to prepare a detailed social and economic account of "Glaxo".

Transnational corporations are now of immense significance for most economies. However, by definition they are involved in international production and this poses problems for national governments. The threat of a major company leaving gives it leverage over its host government. This means that even though there is a broad consensus that in some respects the impact of a transnational on an economy can be negative, there is a marked reluctance on the part of governments to try to do anything about it. Although they remain sensitive to the problems posed by transnationals, the authors of "Making Transnationals Accountable" do not accept that there is nothing that can be done to influence the behaviour of transnationals. The authors advocate a policy of monitoring their activities and use a comparative approach to show that many governments know surprisingly little about the impact of transnationals on their economies. They identify areas which governments might like to know more about. In an attempt to show what their approach might mean in practice, they draw upon the new techniques developed in social accounting to prepare a detailed social and economic account of "Glaxo".

Globalization, information and communication technologies, and the millennials who have entered the workforce, compelled corporations to change their resistant and defensive approaches to diversity and to proactively address differences. Companies determined that embracing diversity positively impacts their bottom line, as a result of the variety of perspectives and skills that derive from fostering a diverse workforce. To date, the majority of the studies in the business and communication fields shed light on diversity engagement in the US and leave room for the further exploration of how diversity is construed and approached in international milieus. There is a paucity of recent studies on diversity engagement in the US and the topic requires current investigation of the newest corporate engagement in diversity. Diversity in Multinational Corporations aims to address the two gaps in the literature. For this purpose, the book analyzes the diversity approaches of twenty-eight US companies from ten industries to develop a theoretical framework whose practical application enables companies to make significant contributions to the environments in which they operate. The framework addresses the present challenges that American corporations face in their diversity engagement, namely low employee engagement and "diversity fatigue," and proposes the implementation of a new social responsibility approach, whose aim is to address inequality at a global scale by adaption to the local environment and less focus on immediate business benefits. Finally, because the book discusses diversity engagement in global business environments, its results can be applied by international companies that operate at a global scale.

This study explores the struggle for gains from direct investment between multinationals and developing countries. Its purpose is to explain differences in taxation and nationalization between countries, and to consider how direct investments can best contribute to social welfare worldwide. Using game theory models, and taking into account that the developing countries also compete with each other to attract investors, it is shown that policies which manipulate behaviour do not normally distort direct investments, whilst policies that interfere with ownership do. It also demonstrates that governments that maximize social welfare should not be expected to sacrifice the environment to attract multinationals.

Since the bursting of Japan's bubble economy, from 1990 onwards, its multinational companies (MNCs) have faced new competitive challenges, and questions about the management practices on which they had built their initial success in global markets. Japanese engagement in the international economy has undergone a number of phases. Historically, Japanese MNCs learnt from foreign companies, frequently through strategic alliances. After the post-war 'economic miracle', Japanese manufacturers in particular converted themselves into MNCs, transferred their home-grown capabilities to overseas subsidiaries, and made an impact on the world economy. But the period after 1990 marked declining Japanese competitiveness, and asked questions about the ability of Japanese MNCs to be more responsive and global in their strategies, organization, and capabilities. It has been argued that the established management practices of Japanese MNCs inhibited adaptation to recent demands of global competition. This volume presents new case evidence on how Japanese MNCs have responded to the new challenges of the global market place, and it provides examples of how they have transformed strategies and competitive capabilities. This book was originally published as a special issue of Asia Pacific Business Review.

This book, a valuable reference for students of policy and politics, considers policies towards trade, technology transfer and multinational investment as well as general monetary policies and discusses how development policies may be improved.

Corporate entrepreneurship involves new business creation within established companies, the strategic renewal of existing business, and, ultimately, the search for sustainable competitive advantage in an increasingly globalised economy. Yet it remains elusive for many firms. In a collaboration between a practitioner and academic, Joe J. Amberg and Sara L. McGaughey explore corporate entrepreneuring within a large conglomerate multinational enterprise: Siemens AG. In early 2009, following a prolonged period of business stagnation and a huge bribery scandal, Siemens' top management identified a severe lack of entrepreneurship as a critical issue. The strengthening of 'local entrepreneurship' became a new priority in the strategic planning for 2010 to 2014. By examining three contrasting ventures in the Siemens business unit Fire Safety between 2008 and 2012, the authors identify key drivers and impediments that sustain inertia in corporate entrepreneuring within this global organisation. This study offers an insightful contribution to our growing - yet still fledgling - understanding of corporate entrepreneurship in global corporations, highlighting the importance of context, interdependencies between critical factors, and the false promise of universal best practice.