International business negotiations in Brazil

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 591-605 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony Fang ◽  
Josephine Schaumburg ◽  
Daniella Fjellström
Keyword(s):  
International Business ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Negotiation Process ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovative Strategy ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Business Negotiations ◽  
Qualitative Nature

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore an innovative strategy for studying the Brazilian negotiator’s unique and paradoxical characteristics from a cultural point of view to acquire a better understanding of the nature of international business negotiations in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach The study is of a qualitative nature, using a multiple-case study design at three levels (small-, medium- and large-scale negotiations). Interviews were conducted with Brazilian and German managers to capture the emic–etic view of the Brazilian negotiator. The Strategic Trinity Model was developed to assess the behavior of the Brazilian negotiator in agreement with three metaphors: “African Capoeirista”, “Portuguese Bureaucrat” and “Indigenous Warrior”. Findings The three roles “African Capoeirista”, “Portuguese Bureaucrat” and “Indigenous Warrior” comprised similar as well as contradicting characteristics. The Brazilian negotiator chose naturally and even paradoxically from these role features, effectively negotiating any given situation, context and time. During the pre- and post-negotiation phases, traits of the “African Capoeirista” and “Indigenous Warrior” were the most salient. During the formal negotiation phase, however, the characteristics of the “African Capoeirista” and “Portuguese Bureaucrat” dominated. Research limitations/implications International business negotiations in Brazil call for an in-depth comprehension of the paradoxical roles that local negotiators take on to achieve better negotiation outcomes. Originality/value The present study unveiled the contradicting Brazilian negotiating style in international business negotiations, thus acquiring a better understanding of the negotiation process in the Brazilian market.

Knowledge acquisition via internet-enabled platforms

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charmaine Glavas ◽  
Shane Mathews ◽  
Rebekah Russell-Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Acquisition ◽  
International Business ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Study Methodology ◽  
Flow Of Information

Purpose Technology has profoundly transformed the international business environment, particularly regarding the flow of information and the way in which knowledge is acquired and shared. Yet, the extent of this transformation is still underappreciated. The purpose of this paper is to examine how small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owner/founders acquire and utilize knowledge for internationalization via internet-enabled platforms. Design/methodology/approach The empirical analysis draws on multiple case study methodology to examine 13 Australian SME owner/founders and the knowledge they acquire from utilization of internet-enabled platforms. Findings The analysis reveals four differing types of internet-enabled experiences: “technical internet-enabled experiences,” “operational internet-enabled experiences,” “functional internet-enabled experiences,” and “immersive internet-enabled experiences.” The findings indicate that internet-enabled experiences can generate both explicit and tacit forms of knowledge for the pre, early and later phases of internationalization. Practical implications The findings provide a structured approach by allowing SMEs to “plot” themselves against the classification of internet-enabled experiences to denote their level of technological involvement, and for discerning the types of knowledge that can be acquired. The findings are particularly helpful for owner/founders, highlighting that internet-enabled platforms are affecting the ways in which knowledge can be acquired and applied to international businesses processes. Originality/value The findings extend the conventional notion of knowledge acquisition for international business by highlighting how information and knowledge can be acquired via internet-enabled platforms. The findings lay the necessary groundwork for building an evidence base and theoretically extending the concept of knowledge acquisition via internet-enabled platforms.

Short-distance corporate relocation: the employee experience

Facilities ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 38-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peggie Rothe ◽  
Anna-Liisa Sarasoja ◽  
Christopher Heywood
Keyword(s):  
Short Distance ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Workplace Change ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Ways Of Working ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Qualitative Nature ◽  
Employee Experience

Purpose – This paper aims to examine short-distance firm relocations, the most frequent form of relocation, to better understand how employees as individuals experience those relocations. Design/methodology/approach – This study was a multiple-case study with five organisations that had relocated within the same metropolitan area during the previous 18 months. To understand why and how the relocation was carried out, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with company representatives who were actively involved in making decisions and executing the relocation of their organisation. Subsequently, to study the employees’ experience and perception of the process, 17 employees who did not have an assigned role in the process were also interviewed. Findings – The findings show that even within the same organization, people experience relocation differently; therefore, the employees should not be treated as one object of change but as several individuals who experience change. Further, it was identified that relocation included both location and workplace change aspects. Research limitations/implications – The study is of qualitative nature and, therefore, the findings should not be generalized to individuals outside of the context of study. Instead, the value lies in the description and the themes developed in the specific context. The findings show that emphasis needs to be put on how the relocation process is managed, and that relocation change management efforts should include both location and workplace changes. Originality/value – This study provides new insight on how individual employees experience the relocation process and augments the previous body of knowledge on employee experiences and satisfaction with various elements in the work environment and/or with new ways of working, and the previous studies on relocation that focus on comparing employees’ experiences of the old office with the new one.

Managers’ psychic distance and its impact on Chinese FDI to Germany in the environmental industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 155-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katiuscia Vaccarini ◽  
Christoph Lattemann ◽  
Francesca Spigarelli ◽  
Ernesto Tavoletti
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Psychic Distance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Environmental Industry ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, to analyze the impact of Chinese managers’ psychic distance (PD) with Germany on their businesses; and second, to investigate whether managers’ previous experiences affect their PD. Design/methodology/approach A multiple case study research design is adopted. It is based on six Chinese companies that have recently entered Germany through FDI. Findings PD influences the decision making of Chinese FDI to Germany, it has an impact on Chinese businesses in Germany on 4 out of 12 dimensions, namely, legal, political, cultural aspects as well as language. Managers with no international experience (study, work, foreign investment practice) perceive a higher impact of PD dimensions on business with the host country, whereas the opposite is true for experienced ones. Originality/value While extensive research has been conducted on the PD construct under the point of view of the differences between the home and host country’s characteristics, this paper sheds lights on the impact of pre- and post- periods of investment, as well as over international experiences of managers investing abroad. It examines the environmental industry for Chinese FDI to Germany.

Barriers to the growth of micro tailoring businesses in Nigeria: assessing socio-economic and socio-cultural environments

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 397-414
Author(s):  
Ajogwu Akoh
Keyword(s):  
Participant Observation ◽  
Religious Practice ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Bottom Of The Pyramid ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Cultural Conditions ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Qualitative Nature

Purpose The purpose of this study is to uncover ways to enhance the growth of micro tailoring businesses by assessing the socio-economic and socio-cultural environments at the bottom of the pyramid (BOP). Design/methodology/approach The study used a qualitative research design involving a multiple case study with data from semi-structured interview and non-participant observation. Findings The study reveals how micro tailoring businesses modify tailoring practices to cope with the religious practice of seclusion and use entrepreneurial actions to deal with unstable electricity, inadequate finance and conditions of extreme poverty that limit the growth of micro tailoring businesses at the BOP. Research limitations/implications The qualitative nature of this study with a focus on micro tailoring businesses in BOP context could limit the generalization of findings. However, replication of the study can be done in other contexts to validate the findings. Practical implications The study shows the need for entrepreneurial leadership which continually modifies tailoring practices in ways that sustain tailoring businesses and circumvent the possibility of failure in adverse socio-economic and socio-cultural conditions. Originality/value This study is the first to unravel the experiences of micro tailoring businesses at the BOP. Past studies have assessed barriers to the growth of small and medium scale enterprises in general, but this study uncovers the distinct aspects of tailoring business in a largely under-researched context.

scholarly journals DETERMINING FACTORS OF INNOVATIVE PERFORMANCE: MULTIPLE CASE STUDY

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Corchuelo Martínez-Azúa ◽  
◽  
Pedro E. López-Salazar ◽  
Celia Sama-Berrocal ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Innovative Strategy ◽  
Innovative Performance ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Determining Factors ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Study Methodology

The agri-food industry plays an important role in the manufacturing industry in the Autonomous Community of Extremadura (Spain). The objective of this research is to identify which factors influence the success of the innovative performance in this regional industry. For this, a case study methodology was designed to analyze, from an organizational point of view, which elements contribute to the ability of various companies to develop an innovative strategy. This study validates the proposed model in which Management, Strategy, Structure, Culture, Climate and Market Orientation are factors that determine innovative Performance.

B2B negotiation tactics in creative sectors

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 429-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aldis Gudny Sigurdardottir ◽  
Anna Ujwary-Gil ◽  
Marina Candi
Keyword(s):  
Negotiation Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The People ◽  
Negotiation Tactics ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Business To Business ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Shed Light

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the negotiation tactics used in business-to-business (B2B) negotiations in creative sectors and to shed light on some of the characteristics of creative sectors that might drive these behaviors. Design/methodology/approach This is a multiple-case study involving interviews with 18 creative sector negotiators engaged in B2B negotiations. Findings The findings suggest that negotiators in B2B firms in creative sectors use a variety of negotiation tactics to reach agreement, but that there are some differences compared with other sectors. One group of tactics, not represented in existing taxonomies, is identified and termed closure-seeking tactics, referring to tactics intended to speed up the negotiation process and reach agreement as quickly as possible. The reasons for creative sector negotiators’ choice of closure-seeking tactics might stem from their desire to expedite the start of new projects to enable them to fulfill their creative drive. Research limitations/implications In addition to the identification of group of tactics observed in creative sectors, but not anticipated by existing research, the findings indicate that negotiators in creative sectors seem to lack interest in, and expertise for, negotiating and might be driven more by the desire to get on with the creative process than by concerns over monetary gains when negotiating. This could reflect unique characteristics of creative sectors and the people who work in these sectors. Practical implications This work offers new insights and understanding about tactics used in B2B negotiations in creative sectors. These findings have important implications for both practitioners in creative sectors, who might be too eager to reach closure quickly, and practitioners negotiating with firms in creative sectors, who need to understand the unique characteristics of these firms. Originality/value The originality of this work lies in its consideration of tactics used in B2B negotiations in the under-studied context of creative sectors and investigation of the reasons that drive the choice of tactics.

scholarly journals Analysing competing logics towards sustainable supplier management

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Verónica León Bravo ◽  
Mariuxy Jaramillo Villacrés ◽  
Minelle E. Silva
Keyword(s):  
Market Access ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Supplier Management ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Market Demand ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multiple Case

Purpose To understand the context surrounding the sustainable supplier management (SSM) process (i.e. selection, development and evaluation), this paper aims to explore institutional logics existing in the Ecuadorian cocoa supply chain (SC). By considering local characteristics and sustainability practices, this study illustrates how competing logic influences SSM. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a multiple-case study method for which the authors interviewed different cocoa SC members in Ecuador and used a ground-up approach to analyse the data and reveal singularities influencing sustainability management. Findings The analysis uncovered two main logics operating within the Ecuadorian cocoa SC SSM process: a commercial logic (e.g. potential for market access, product traceability) and a sustainability logic (e.g. local development and traditions/cultural issues). These logics address market demand requirements; however, some local producers’ needs that impact SSM remains unexplored such as the existence of a regional ancestral culture that poses sustainability as a dominant logic with meaning beyond the triple bottom line. While the two logics have influenced supplier sustainability performance, this paper finds that, of the three SSM sub-processes (selection, development and evaluation), supplier development was the most relevant sub-process receiving attention from SC managers in the studied context. Practical implications By understanding the differences in logic and needs, SC managers can better develop strategies for SSM. Originality/value The study highlighted in this paper investigated the underexplored topic of the effects that competing logic may have on SSM. This paper focusses on the supplier’s point of view regarding sustainability requirements, addressing a consistent research gap in the literature.

Corporate acceleration process: a systems psychodynamics perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 1163-1180
Author(s):  
Piotr Wójcik ◽  
Krzysztof Obłój ◽  
Aleksandra Wąsowska ◽  
Szymon Wierciński
Keyword(s):  
Open Innovation ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Acceleration Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Third Phase ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Social Defenses ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the emotional dynamics of the corporate acceleration process, using the systems psychodynamics perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe study applies inductive multiple case study of embedded 10 cases of corporate acceleration, covering both incumbent and startup perspectives, occurring in the context of a corporate accelerator.FindingsWe find that (1) the process of corporate acceleration involves three phases, each of them is dominated by a different emotional state (hope, anxiety and acceptance), triggering different behavioral responses; (2) as a means to deal with negative emotions, entrepreneurs and corporate acceleration program's team members develop different mechanisms of dealing with contradictories in subsequent acceleration phases (defense and copying mechanisms), which are reflected in their behaviors. Coping mechanisms with goal reformulation (i.e. refocus from the officially declared “open innovation” goals toward mainly symbolic ones) is an effective strategy to manage negative emotions in third phase of the acceleration.Research limitations/implicationsOur sample is limited to two relatively similar accelerators established by telecom companies, and therefore, our theoretical and practical conclusions cannot be generalized.Practical implicationsWe supplement the studies of corporate accelerators that imply how to design them better and improve decision-making rules with recommendation that in order to improve their effectiveness in terms of learning and innovations, their managers need not only to learn how to manage structural and procedural differences but also how to overcome social defenses triggered by corporate–startups cooperation.Originality/valueBy documenting a multidimensional impact of acceleration process, and especially shedding light on psychodynamic aspects behind such liaisons, this paper contributes to richer understanding of corporate–startup relationships, typically examined through a rationalistic lens of strategy literature. The study contributes to interorganizational research and open innovation literature, by showing that corporate acceleration process is marked by phases based on the type of emotions intertwined with the nature and dynamism of its life cycle. It indicates how these emotions are managed depending on their type.

A deliberately emergent strategy – a key to successful city branding

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janne Lindstedt
Keyword(s):  
Place Branding ◽  
Place Identity ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
City Branding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emergent Strategy ◽  
Branding Strategies ◽  
Local Stakeholders ◽  
Place Brand

Purpose – The paper aims to address a neglected issue in the literature on place brand co-creation, namely, the strategic planning of the branding process. Furthermore, the paper demonstrates the benefits of a deliberately emergent strategy. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative case study focusing on Turku, Finland, supports the development of the argument. In this study, branding of Turku is examined both during the European Capital of Culture 2011 (ECoC) project and after it. Findings – The contribution of the ECoC 2011 project – which was widely perceived as a success – to Turku’s brand was based on a deliberately emergent strategy. Afterwards, the local government has, however, chosen a different approach to branding. Research limitations/implications – Given the increasing popularity of brand thinking among practitioners all over the world, it would be meaningful for scholars to pay more attention to the application of brand co-creation in place branding strategies. Practical implications – The deliberately emergent branding strategy could be considered an approach to applying the idea of brand co-creation in practice. It enables local stakeholders to make their voices heard and results in increased credibility of a branding process. Originality/value – Place brand co-creation has not yet been examined from strategic planning’s point of view. The need for this kind of examination is apparent, because branding strategies have traditionally been based on the idea of static place identity. The Turku case helps to propose a solution in terms of the notion of deliberately emergent branding.

Territorial capital as a company intangible

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 148-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariachiara Barzotto ◽  
Giancarlo Corò ◽  
Mario Volpe
Keyword(s):  
Great Difficulty ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Capital Growth ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
A Company

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, to explore to what extent being located in a territory is value-relevant for a company. Second, to understand if a company is aware of, and how it can sustain, the territorial tangible and intangible assets present in the economic area in which it is located. Design/methodology/approach – The study presents an empirical multiple case-study, investigating ten mid-/large-sized Italian companies in manufacturing sectors. Findings – The results indicate that the sampled manufacturing companies are intertwined with the environment in which they are embedded, both in their home country and in host ones. The domestic territorial capital has provided, and still provides, enterprises with workers endowed with the necessary technical skills that they can have great difficulty in finding in other places. In turn, companies support territorial capital generation through their activities. Research limitations/implications – To increase the generalisability of the results, future research should expand the sample and examine firms based in different countries and sectors. Practical implications – Implications for policy makers: developing effective initiatives to support and guide a sustainable territorial capital growth. Implications for managers and investors: improving managerial and investors’ decisions by disclosing a complete picture of the enterprise, also outside the firm boundaries. Originality/value – The study contributes to intangibles/intellectual capital literature by shedding light on the importance of including territorial capital in a company’s report to improve the definition of the firm’s value. Accounting of the territorial capital would increase the awareness of the socio-economic environment value in which companies are located and its use.

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