A cast of prestigious international business scholars explores here the emerging challenges and issues facing multinational enterprises. The book integrates the latest theories, thoughts and empirical evidence along with several case studies in international business in the 21st century. It is understood that countries view international business in different ways. The contributors reflect this by offering a wide variety of viewpoints and covering an array of issues, such as foreign direct investment, internationalization, trust and leadership, global education and knowledge transfer. Adding to its value are case studies ranging from American restaurant franchises on the world stage to the influence of the internet on Taiwanese SMEs. The book will be useful to scholars as a research resource, to practitioners as a modern guide and to students of international business as a comprehensive text.

This fourth volume in the Studies of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in East Asia series focuses on regional and sectoral dimensions in a number of regional economies and economic sectors. The contributors place special emphasis on the importance of SME networking and clustering initiatives and activities. They argue that these initiatives support and nurture the global competitiveness of local SMEs in various economic sectors across the East Asian region. The book goes on to illustrate the increasing recognition that important local, regional and sectoral dimensions of SMEs, activities require their own specific micro policy measures. This is significant as the vitality of many local regional economies depends upon the activities of these local SMEs. The importance and inherent potential of SMEs as small but significant players in national economies and industries is increasingly recognised by policymakers and scholars around the world. Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in East Asia will therefore strongly appeal to both academics and practitioners involved with business and management, Asian studies, industrial organization and entrepreneurship.

Portraying how entrepreneurs often start out conducting some or all of their trade on an 'off-the-books' basis and how many continue to do so once they become established, this book provides the first detailed account of the vast and ubiquitous hidden enterprise culture existing in the interstices of western economies. Until now, the role of the underground economy in enterprise creation, entrepreneurship and small business development has been largely ignored despite its widespread prevalence and importance. In contrast to much of the previous literature that views the underground economy as low-paid, exploitative sweatshop work that should be deterred, this book takes a fresh, more positive perspective that considers the underground economy as a hidden enterprise culture. Colin C. Williams prescribes the means by which western governments can best harness this hidden culture of enterprise. He outlines detailed policy initiatives that seek to assist business ventures in setting up on a formal footing, and aim to encourage underground enterprises and entrepreneurs to make the transition into the realm of legitimacy. This book provides a lucid guide as to how the hidden culture of enterprise can be brought into the open. As such, it will prove invaluable to a wide-ranging audience including scholars and students of business studies, entrepreneurship, management, economics and regional science.

Charged with developing learning, teaching and assessment practices that go beyond delivering discipline-specific subject knowledge, the demands on entrepreneurial educators have increased in recent decades. This guide will help educators develop more entrepreneurial graduates by demonstrating how they can equip learners with key competencies such as team working, creativity, problem solving, and opportunity recognition. This engaging How to Guide shares the journeys of educators working within different contexts to help the reader design an imaginative entrepreneurship program. Providing critical perspectives and observations that are both forward- looking and practice-led, each chapter offers a wide range of insights into the unique practices of some of the world's leading educators in entrepreneurship, education and creativity. With a focus on the development of students and their ventures, educators at any level or discipline within higher education are invited to reflect upon and advance their own practices. Illustrating a vast range of contemporary practices in the field of entrepreneurial education, this compelling book will be an essential tool for any educator whose teaching incorporates entrepreneurship, enterprise, and creativity.

This book - the third in the Movements in Entrepreneurship series - examines entrepreneurship as a societal phenomenon. It provides an in-depth study of the social aspects of entrepreneurship, illustrating how entrepreneurship affects society. The need to move beyond economy to disclose entrepreneurship in its societal forms is demonstrated, as is the relevance of our understanding of entrepreneurship as a societal phenomenon. The contributors show that entrepreneurship is a society-creating force and as such, it evokes new questions for entrepreneurship research and attempts to engage with new theoretical formulations. They begin with discussions on early Schumpeter and a rhetorical analysis of the current academic literature on social entrepreneurship. They go on to present myriad contextual examples of how entrepreneurship can shape social change, and indicate how this is initiated through various social settings, relationships and communities. Through rich empirical work this book explores the social of 'social entrepreneurship' and in doing so shows us how entrepreneurship is at home where society is created. As such, it will prove a fascinating read for academics, researchers and students with an interest in entrepreneurship, sociology and economic sociology.

International Entrepreneurship in Family Businesses illustrates that family firms have always been active agents in the global economy and that their participation in the international competitive dynamic will only increase in the coming years. Indeed many of the large multinational firms that dominate today's world markets were founded as, and continue to be, family firms. The authors document the particularities of the family business phenomenon from a holistic, multi-paradigmatic, and global viewpoint. The book integrates intensive studies of family business that encompass wide-ranging areas of research and contexts, including psychology, sociology, organizational behaviour, financial studies, strategic management and internationalization. Practical examples and case studies of multinational family firms underpin the exploratory empirical research. Academics, researchers and students of international business, and more specifically, family business will find much to interest in them in this book, as will entrepreneurs and practitioners with a vested interest in the family firm.

For too long, researchers have regarded local dynamism as the result of the actions of certain entrepreneurs. If this were the case, how could we explain the simultaneous presence of 'winning', stagnating or declining areas with very similar socioeconomic profiles within the same region? Departing from this restrictive and somewhat inadequate approach, Pierre-Andre Julien considers entrepreneurship as a collective behaviour specifically related to the dynamism of the milieu in which it develops. The author introduces a complex, innovative theory of local entrepreneurship, demonstrating that the emergence of new ventures and the development of existing enterprises cannot be understood without taking into account certain factors: locale, social capital, networking and entrepreneurial culture within a given area are all crucial to entrepreneurial growth. Expanding upon this theory, the book demonstrates how entrepreneurship can be fostered in order to support collective development. Various forms of partnership among socioeconomic actors are then analysed to highlight the social conventions and entrepreneurial culture that connect and intensify the energies at the root of local dynamism. This highly original book represents a departure from entrepreneurship literature that is largely limited to the study of entrepreneurs' behaviour. Its dynamic presentation of holistic theory will prove an extremely absorbing read for those with an academic or professional interest in business and management, entrepreneurship and regional development.

Business Networks and Strategic Alliances in China addresses how knowledge transfer and innovation are interwoven within complex networks and how social capital contributes to the acquisition of crucial resources and business success in multi-type enterprises in China. The book explains how China's remarkable global economic impact in recent years has developed from foreign investment and that the dominant vehicle for economic development has been the International Joint Venture (IJV) between Chinese manufacturers and overseas enterprises. Strict guidelines on FDI mean that foreign firms have been obliged to form relationships with Chinese organizations. The authors illustrate that as a direct result, the quality and nature of the relations, networks, and alliances forged is crucial for the success of Chinese businesses. A sophisticated empirical, theoretical, comparative and historical guide to understanding the nature of business networks in China is provided by this work. As such, it makes a distinct contribution to the furtherance of evidence-based management theory and practice and will strongly appeal to those with an interest in management, international business and Asian studies.

With a wide-ranging set of contributions, this book provides a compilation of cutting-edge original research in the field of entrepreneurial opportunities. The book reopens the subject from diverse perspectives focusing on theories and approaches to entrepreneurial opportunities. It provides a brief history of the idea of opportunity and a framework how opportunities develop in space and place. Further, this Research Handbook looks at process and context-based views on the topic. It also includes the latest research on impact factors, such as individual values on creating entrepreneurial opportunities. The book has been complemented by an outstanding Delphi panel of six leading scholars of the field: Lowell Busenitz, Dimo Dimov, James O. Fiet, Denis Gregoire, Jeff McMullen and Mike Wright. This carefully edited selection of current and topical contributions will be of immense value to students, researchers and scholars interested in the field of entrepreneurial opportunities. Contributors include: C. Albornoz, J.E. Amoros, T. Baker, B. Bjerke, L. Busenitz, M. Chiasson, D. Dimov, J.O. Fiet, J. Gaddefors, W.B. Gartner, D.A. Gregoire, A. Haas, T.P. Kenworthy, S. Korsgaard, A. Kurczewska, C. Leger-Jarniou, F. Linan, M. Marchesnay, J.S. McMullen, S.P. Sassmannshausen, F. Sautet, B.T. Teague, S. Tegtmeier, S.J. Vliamos, R.D. Wadhwani, M. Wright

This exciting book provides fresh insight into how institutions, governments, regulations, economic freedom and morality impact entrepreneurship and public policy. Each chapter contains a rigorous analysis of the consequences of public policy and the effects of institutional decisions on the productivity of entrepreneurs. Expert contributors highlight the importance of institutions for economic outcomes while focusing specifically on the impact of public policy. One standout feature is the presentation of concrete examples regarding the role of institutions as well a clear analysis of entrepreneurship research. The editors also examine and compare productive versus unproductive public policies. Some of the conclusions made within this book include: Successful recruitment spending by states creates an incentive for unproductive entrepreneurs to seek economic rents Regulatory measures impact firms in a continuous and evolving fashion Economic actions and morality may converge given certain conditions More economic freedom in a given country is associated with greater levels of entrepreneurship Public Policy, Productive and Unproductive Entrepreneurship will help policymakers direct their efforts at creating a positive economic environment for entrepreneurs to flourish and give scholars a better understanding of the role policy plays in entrepreneurial activity. Its practical application for academic research will be great for students, helping them to connect theoretical economic fundamentals to real and familiar economic outcomes. Contributors include: J. Fetzner, J.C. Hall, P.G. Klein, M. Latta, R.A. Lawson, G.M. Randolph, M. Rivero, S. Roychoudhury, M.E. Ryan, R.F. Salvino, R.S. Sobel, M.T. Tasto, P.A. Yakovlev

In recent years, the pace of technological growth-from the very first stages of research and development to full-scale industrial implementation-has quickened at an exponential rate. To better keep pace with rapidly-changing market demands, the gap between university research incubators and public-sector start-up companies has undergone a marked contraction. Competitive Strategies for Academic Entrepreneurship: Commercialization of Research-Based Products seeks to fill the gap in research between universities and the public, and offers cutting-edge insight into the current state of the field. Charting a course that moves from discussions of academic resistance and implications for knowledge-transfer theory to current case-studies of academic/industrial launch-pads like COTEC's Technology Commercialization Accelerator and the Maryland Industrial Partnerships program, this publication targets an audience of academicians, administrators, researchers, entrepreneurs, and established professionals, and seeks to provide insight into the mechanisms by which the research of today becomes the household names of tomorrow.

The protection of the environment and economic growth are two important aspects of modern sustainability initiatives. By placing these two together, a competitive advantage is developed by utilizing green factors with investing. Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Investments in the Green Economy is an essential reference publication for the latest research on green entrepreneurship and its impacts on investment activity within sustainable development and competitive markets. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics and perspectives such as contemporary enterprises, global feeding, and waste management, this book is ideally designed for practitioners, students, and academicians seeking current research on green entrepreneurship and investments.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often have difficulty competing in the global economy unless they collaborate with domestic or foreign partners or with public sector organizations. This book addresses the resource leverage and innovation challenges that increased global trade represents for SMEs. In doing so, it explores how SMEs can become more competitive at home and in foreign markets as stand-alone firms or as members of supplier and customer networks. SMEs are turning increasingly to innovation as a source of competitive advantage in order to protect their home markets and participate in expanding foreign markets. The contributors to this volume - leading experts in entrepreneurship, innovation, and international business - provide in-depth coverage of the most compelling issues facing SMEs. These include: innovation as a competitive strategy, network dynamics, ways to leverage technology, internationalization, and the role of the public sector in helping SMEs to overcome resource deficiencies. This comprehensive look at SMEs in the global marketplace will be of great interest to academics who study entrepreneurship, innovation, or international business, officials from public sector agencies with responsibility for helping SMEs to internationalize and become more innovative, and senior executives of SMEs or executives of larger companies who are considering collaboration with SMEs.

The "family effect" remains a challenge for researchers interested in both the family firm's organizational form and in the effects of familial ownership on a firm's strategy, structure, and performance. Governance mechanisms, management quality, ownership concentration, and family involvement all have relevant effects in terms of influencing monitoring costs, investment decisions, the development of the portfolio of resources and capabilities, and family firm competitiveness. Nevertheless, few studies to date have opened the black box of the "family effect." Competitiveness, Organizational Management, and Governance in Family Firms is an essential reference source that makes a clear distinction between the separation of ownership and management, on the one hand, and the institutional development of family governance instruments, on the other, to help uncover the asymmetric effects of these two choices. It also allows the examination as to which of the two strategies employed in family firms reinforce managerial capital that has a greater positive impact on the "family effect," thus helping to achieve better managerial capabilities. Featuring research on topics such as corporate governance, private business, and successional leadership, this book is ideally designed for managers, executives, CEOs, company owners, consultants, business professionals, entrepreneurs, academicians, and researchers interested in an in-depth understanding of the keys to success and survival of family-operated organizations.

'Entrepreneurial identities permeate virtually every facet of the venturing process, but the study of these identities has received surprisingly little attention among scholars. Thomas Duening and Matthew Metzger address this problem with this insightful and timely edited volume. They have compiled an impressive array of research that covers both macro- and micro-level explorations of entrepreneurial identities. Most importantly, these chapters provide numerous examples of tangible advice to interested educators about how to foster the entrepreneurial spirit and build the entrepreneurial identity within their own students. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in entrepreneurial identities.' - Charles Murnieks, Oregon State University, US Entrepreneurship is an academic discipline that, despite decades of growth in research and teaching activity lacks a traditionally distinct or common pedagogy. In this book, editors Thomas N. Duening and Matthew L. Metzger explore entrepreneurial identity as a new basis upon which curricula can be constructed for aspiring entrepreneurs. Critically, this perspective is based on the insight that there is a fundamental difference between venture development and entrepreneur development. Unfortunately, most current interventions for aspiring entrepreneurs focus on the former at the expense of the latter. The editors have collected work from an international team of authors with diverse views on how identity theory applies to entrepreneur development. Chapters focus primarily on macro-level identity issues (that is, how do these entrepreneurial archetypes form, persist, and sometimes change) or micro-level identity issues (that is, how can educators and resource providers identify, communicate, and incentivize identity construction among aspiring entrepreneurs). This book provides a general theoretical background and offers numerous suggestions for application and further research. One example of this is the 'For Further Reading' feature at the end of each chapter which is perfect for assisting those who want to delve deeper into various topics. This essential resource will be of interest to researchers, resource providers and students alike. Contributors include: D. Boje, A. Donnellon, T.N. Duening, R. Gill, B. Mathias, M.L. Metzger, R. Smith, K. Williams-Middleton

MNEs have been involved in Thai manufacturing since the early 1960s but despite this significant involvement their role in the industrialization process remains a controversial issue. This book has three main foci: to evaluate the impact of MNE involvement in Thai manufacturing to gain insight into the principal mechanisms by which MNEs contribute to the industrialization process and obstacles that prevent them from functioning more effectively to recommend policies for maximising the benefits from MNE involvement. The key hypothesis proposed by the author is that gains from MNE involvement are conditioned by the policy environment of the host country. The scope of MNE involvement studies uniquely covers not only FDI but also non-FDI. The study also draws together valuable conclusions and outlines policy lessons for other developing countries. Multinational Enterprises and Industrial Transformation will appeal to post-graduate and advanced undergraduate students in subject areas of international economics, industrial organization, economic growth, development economics and Asian economic development. Professional economists, policy makers and researchers working on industrial organization, international capital mobility and economic growth issues in developing countries will also find much to engage them within the book.