scholarly journals Between liability and asset: a critical review of 25 years of foreignness research in international business

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Young Hoon An ◽  
Stefan Zagelmeyer ◽  
Asmund Rygh
Keyword(s):  
International Business ◽  
Business Strategy ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Central Place ◽  
Journal Articles ◽  
Business Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
International Business Research

Purpose The dialectics of liabilities of foreignness (LOF) and assets of foreignness (AOF) have led to further explorations of what it means for an organisation to be foreign. This paper reviews, synthesises and contextualises recent research on both the challenges and benefits of foreignness, to develop a balanced and integrated view of this international business concept. Design/methodology/approach This review aims at mapping the key concepts, theories, methods and contexts in the literature and organising the key findings in an antecedent-outcomes-strategy framework, explicitly comparing LOF and AOF to explore their interrelationships. Drawing on a sample of 126 journal articles, NVivo was used to code and identify key thematic areas. Findings The review confirms a shift in the literature towards acknowledging the notion of AOF. Using different theoretical lenses, it identifies, reviews and discusses antecedents, consequences and strategy implications of LOF and AOF. It argues that foreignness will continue to be a fundamental concept in international business research and suggests that AOF and LOF deserve an equally central place in an integrated analytical framework of foreignness in international business strategy. Originality/value The paper is the first systematic attempt to integrate the literature on LOF and AOF. The systematic comparison across drivers, outcomes and strategies allows for a better understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of foreignness and the underlying phenomenon of foreignness. The authors also explore the paradox perspective on foreignness.

Expanding international business research on foreignness

2014 ◽  
Vol 37 (12) ◽  
pp. 1018-1025 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arpita Joardar ◽  
Tatiana Kostova ◽  
Sibin Wu
Keyword(s):  
International Business ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
International Business Research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present our viewpoint on the research on foreignness and provide directions for future studies. We suggest that research on foreignness can be expanded by exploring its complexity. Design/methodology/approach – This article takes the form of a viewpoint. Findings – We identify three facets of foreignness – foreignness effect (liabilities or assets) foreignness level (organizational or individual) and foreignness locus (external or internal to an entity), which have not been sufficiently examined in prior research. Originality/value – We discuss how these aspects can inform a novel research agenda in this area.

scholarly journals Low-intensity conflict in multinational corporations

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakob Lauring ◽  
Poul Houman Andersen ◽  
Marianne Storgaard ◽  
Hanne Kragh
Keyword(s):  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
International Business ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Business Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
International Business Research

Purpose This paper aims to identify antecedents for, and consequences of, low-intensity inter-unit conflict in multinational corporations (MNCs). Inter-unit conflict in MNCs is an important and well-researched theme. However, while most studies have focused on open conflict acknowledged by both parties, much less research has dealt with low-intensity conflicts. Still, low-intensity conflicts can be highly damaging – not least because they are rarely resolved. Design/methodology/approach The authors used a qualitative approach to understanding low-intensity conflict relying on 170 interviews in four Danish MNCs. Findings They describe consequences of low-intensity conflict and identify three types of actions by headquarters’ representatives that could lead to the development of low-intensity conflicts, namely, ignoring, bypassing and educating. Originality/value Very few studies have dealt with low-intensity conflict – not least in international business research. The authors argue that the study of low-intensity conflict in MNCs can provide relevant, novel knowledge of MNC functioning.

Understanding cross-border crime: the value of international business research

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 119-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Enderwick
Keyword(s):  
International Business ◽  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Research ◽  
International Commerce ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
International Business Research ◽  
Criminal Groups ◽  
Two Sectors

Purpose Based on a considerable degree of commonality between multinational enterprises (MNEs) and cross-border criminal organisations, the purpose of this paper is to identify ways and areas in which international business (IB) research could be of value in improving understanding of the operations of cross-border criminal organisations and in the development of effective countermeasures to global crime. Design/methodology/approach A review of the characteristics of legitimate MNEs and cross-border criminal organisations is undertaken to assess the applicability of IB research approaches in understanding the strategies and structures of organised criminal groups. Findings Despite some obvious differences there appears to be sufficient commonality between legitimate and illegitimate international commerce so that the firm-centric focus of IB research could provide valuable insights complementing the policy-oriented approach of criminology. Some adaptation of IB research tools may be required. The exchange is not one-way: studies of cross-border crime also offer lessons for IB scholars. Research limitations/implications IB scholarly work on cross-border crime could enrich both the fields of IB and transnational criminology. Better understanding of criminal enterprises could also facilitate the design of more effective interdiction policies. Originality/value Despite their commonalities and interactions, the two sectors of international enterprise have developed separately, and this paper identifies and explores possible synergies between the two.

Renewable energy in international business

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 325-336
Author(s):  
Valtteri Kaartemo ◽  
Maria Alejandra Gonzalez-Perez
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
International Business ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Guest Editorial ◽  
Renewable Energies ◽  
Business Research ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
International Business Research

Purpose The purpose of this guest editorial is to introduce the special issue entitled “Renewable energy in international business.” Design/methodology/approach This paper presents a research agenda for the topic of the special issue and provides an overview of the articles included. Findings This guest editorial contains a discussion of the themes related to the topic, with a particular focus on the global production and adoption of renewable energies and dark sides of international renewable energy. Research limitations/implications This guest editorial considers how the articles included in the special issue contribute to research on renewable energy in international business and provides an avenue for future studies for a broader impact. Originality/value The discussion raises two important research streams that have remained overlooked in international business research, namely, global production and adoption of renewable energies and dark sides of international renewable energy. This guest editorial also highlights the potential of international business research to become more relevant by incorporating conceptual, methodological and empirical insights that inform the multidisciplinary community of renewable energy researchers.

Critical and mainstream international business research

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 239-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Dörrenbächer ◽  
Jens Gammelgaard
Keyword(s):  
Citation Analysis ◽  
International Business ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Business Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Business Research ◽  
The Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This paper aims to address the relationship between critical and mainstream international business (IB) research and discuss the ways forward for the former. Design/methodology/approach The paper empirically maps critical IB scholarship by analysing more than 250 academic articles published in critical perspectives on international business (cpoib) from 2005 to 2017. The paper also includes a citation analysis that uncovers how critical IB research is recognized and discussed in mainstream IB studies. Findings The extant critical IB research can be broken into five main topical clusters: positioning critical IB research, postcolonial IB studies, effects of international business activities, financialization and the global financial crisis and “Black IB” and corporate social responsibility. The citation analysis demonstrates that critical IB research is rarely recognized in mainstream IB academic outlets. Originality/value This paper is the first to empirically map critical IB research and to measure its impact on mainstream IB research. Based on these insights, as well as discussions of the more critical voices within mainstream IB studies and the debate over critical performativity in critical management studies, ways of developing critical IB research are examined.

With your headphones on: go global or stay local?

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Piotr Wójcik ◽  
Aleksandra Wasowska ◽  
Krzysztof Oblój ◽  
Mariola Ciszewska-Mlinaric
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
International Business ◽  
Business Strategy ◽  
Foreign Market ◽  
Learning Outcome ◽  
Foreign Market Entry ◽  
Class Discussion ◽  
Entry Modes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages

Subject area International Business, Entrepreneurship. Study level/applicability This case has been used previously in an international business strategy module on MA courses at Kozminski University, Poland. Case overview The case details Audioteka’s (a Polish audiobook company) history between 2007 and 2013, from the perspective of Marcin, one of the co-founders. The company was founded in 2008 by Marcin Beme and Blazej Kukla and internationalized soon after. Marcin was an experienced entrepreneur, while Blazej was a sound engineer. Both sought to combine their complementary skills and experience to start a business aimed at selling audio recordings. The case is divided into Parts (A) and (B) and is designed to teach international entrepreneurship, lying at the intersection of international business and entrepreneurship. Part (A) is set in 2011 and tracks the company’s evolution from the conception of an idea to establishing a start-up and developing a product. Part (B) is set in 2013 and covers early foreign expansion between 2011 and 2013. The case is focused on the challenges that Marcin faces when developing Audioteka and expanding abroad. It allows students to understand the decision-making logic of an international new venture (INV), choices made and execution while internationalizing. Students will be able to explore how a company adapts its product; how it enters foreign markets; how it overcomes the liabilities of foreignness, smallness, newness and outsidership through establishing partnerships with big companies (telecoms, automakers); and how it appreciates the risks involved in this process. Expected learning outcomes This case is the basis for a class discussion rather than for illustrating either effective or ineffective handling of a managerial situation. From this case, MA students will learn how an entrepreneurial firm makes strategic decisions and becomes international. The first learning outcome is to evaluate the concepts of liability of origin, foreignness, outsidership, smallness and newness, and to explore ways of overcoming them. Second, the expected learning outcome is to assess differences between the Uppsala model of internationalization and born-global/INV phenomenon. Third, students, by examining particular foreign market-entry modes, are expected to evaluate their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, students are expected to understand the concept of “effectuation” and apply it to the decision-making process in early internationalization. Subject code CSS 5: International Business.

Research on innovation in family businesses: are we building an ivory tower?

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Fuetsch ◽  
Julia Suess-Reyes
Keyword(s):  
Family Business ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Family Businesses ◽  
Recent Criticism ◽  
Practical Relevance ◽  
Journal Articles ◽  
Business Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Research ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose One of the central requirements of research is that the knowledge acquired should not only be academically rigorous, but also socially useful. If an article fails to address practical relevance, the audience will question its value and respond with “so what?”. Due to recent criticism regarding the practical relevance of innovation research, the purpose of this paper is to examine whether a similar “ivory divide” prevails in research on innovation in family businesses. More specifically, this paper investigates to what extent and at what depth researchers generate practical implications for innovation in family businesses. Furthermore, different strategies to bridge the “ivory divide” are discussed. Design/methodology/approach This literature review systematically analyses the findings of 50 journal articles focusing on innovation in family businesses published between 2004 and 2015. Based on this, the articles are classified according to their degree of practical relevance. Findings Although the findings unanimously show the relevance of innovation for strengthening business’s performance, only a minority of articles offer in-depth implications for practitioners in terms of practical guidance for action and application-oriented recommendations. A number of reasons for the development of this “ivory divide” are discussed and suggestions for how the connection between research and practice could be strengthened are provided. Originality/value This paper attempts to provide an impulse toward more practically oriented family business research in order to increase its interestingness to academics and its value to practitioners.

Universities as multinational enterprises? The multinational university analyzed through the eclectic paradigm

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 216-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Guimon
Keyword(s):  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Multinational Enterprise ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Business Research ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Education Literature ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
International Business Research ◽  
Eclectic Paradigm

Purpose The aim of this paper is to examine the emergence of multinational universities through the lens of Dunning’s eclectic paradigm. Design/methodology/approach An analytical framework combining the eclectic paradigm with the three missions of universities is proposed to explore the motives behind the cross-border activity of universities. Findings Although the analogy between a university and a multinational enterprise is flawed, this paper shows how the eclectic paradigm can still serve the purpose of better understanding why universities locate fully pledged campuses or research departments in foreign locations. A set of implications for universities and host countries are also discussed. Originality/value The internationalization of universities has been widely analyzed in the higher education literature, but few attempts have been made to draw connections with international business research. The originality of this paper lies in addressing this cross-disciplinary gap.

scholarly journals Culture in international business research

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Portugal Ferreira ◽  
Dan Li ◽  
Nuno Rosa Reis ◽  
Fernando Ribeiro Serra
Keyword(s):  
International Business ◽  
Cultural Models ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Business Research ◽  
Bibliometric Method ◽  
National Cultures ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Crucial Component ◽  
International Business Research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to conduct a study on the articles published in the four top international business (IB) journals to examine how four cultural models and concepts – Hofstede’s (1980), Hall’s (1976), Trompenaars’s (1993) and Project GLOBE’s (House et al., 2004) – have been used in the extant published IB research. National cultures and cultural differences provide a crucial component of the context of IB research. Design/methodology – This is a bibliometric study on the articles published in four IB journals over the period from 1976 to 2010, examining a sample of 517 articles using citations and co-citation matrices. Findings – Examining this sample revealed interesting patterns of the connections across the studies. Hofstede’s (1980) and House et al.’s (2004) research on the cultural dimensions are the most cited and hold ties to a large variety of IB research. These findings point to a number of research avenues to deepen the understanding on how firms may handle different national cultures in the geographies they operate. Research limitations – Two main limitations are faced, one associated to the bibliometric method, citations and co-citations analyses and other to the delimitation of our sample to only four IB journals, albeit top-ranked. Originality/value – The paper focuses on the main cultural models used in IB research permitting to better understand how culture has been used in IB research, over an extended period.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document