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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

scholarly journals Bibliometric analysis of scientific production on sharing economy

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sérgio Lima ◽  
Francisco de Assis Carlos Filho
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Sharing Economy ◽  
Scientific Production ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Citation Networks ◽  
Critical Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
Scopus Database ◽  
New Consumer

Purpose In recent years, much has been discussed about new consumer practices based on the sharing economy. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to map out the international scientific production on sharing economy. Design/methodology/approach The research adopted a descriptive qualitative approach. Based on a sample of 95 documents collected in the Scopus database, analyses of bibliometric and sociometric indicators were carried out, as well as content analyses were conducted to identify the main thematic categories in the field. Findings The results show that sharing economy is an emerging topic, and of late, the research in this field has grown rapidly. The study provides a mapping of top journals and authors, works of greatest impact and of co-authorship, co-citation and bibliographic coupling networks, which evidence the low intensity of researcher’s interactions and scientific production dispersion in the field. The main subjects found in the sharing economy literature are determinants, motivations and barriers, sharing economy impacts, regulation, models and frameworks, critical approach and entrepreneurship and sharing-based new businesses. Research limitations/implications The analyses did not take into account the timing perspective. Further research could undertake a timeline-based approach in order to present direct citation networks and to relate works according to the year when they were published. Originality/value The study innovates by identifying the main subjects in the sharing economy literature, as well as by presenting network analysis for some bibliometric indicators, complementing previous research in the field.

Trapped in a vicious circle: can low-weight subsidiaries get headquarters’ attention?

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 166-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hammad ul Haq
Keyword(s):  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
International Business ◽  
Multinational Corporation ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Vicious Circle ◽  
Central Position ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Limited Access ◽  
Low Weight

Purpose Subsidiaries use their weight and/or voice to get attention for the initiatives they share with the headquarters. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether subsidiaries with a low weight can effectively use their voice to get the headquarters’ attention. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a combination of the attention-based view of the firm and the issue-selling literature applied to the context of subsidiaries selling their initiatives to the headquarters of a multinational corporation. Findings Subsidiaries with a low weight are trapped in a vicious circle in which they are unable to get more influence and gain a central position in the organization through the initiative-taking approach. This problem may mainly be attributed to their limited access to (or even entire lack of) direct and rich communication with the headquarters, which impedes the ability of these subsidiaries to gain knowledge about headquarters and the organization in general. As a result, low-weight subsidiaries are unable to make the correct decisions about which selling moves to use regarding initiatives that are able to capture headquarters’ attention; this inability means that they are less likely to gain approval from headquarters for implementing the proposed initiatives. Originality/value Subsidiary voice is not an accessible and effective bottom-up tool available to low-weight subsidiaries for gaining influence, which is contrary to what is claimed by extant mainstream research in international business and strategy. Hence, subsidiaries with low weight are completely marginalized from the sharing of subsidiary initiatives that takes place within multinational corporations.

scholarly journals Global oligopolistic competition and foreign direct investment

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 369-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael W. Hansen ◽  
Anne Hoenen
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
International Business ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Oligopolistic Competition ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Modern Context

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to re-visit and re-invigorate the oligopolistic industry perspective on multinational corporations (MNC) strategy. Design/methodology/approach Based on insights from the industrial organization tradition and strategic management, the paper brings the original insights of the oligopolistic industry perspective into a modern context by outlining a conceptual framework that may guide future international business (IB) research on MNC strategy in oligopolistic industries. Findings This paper demonstrates how contemporary IB literature pays little attention to a key insight of the early IB literature, namely, that foreign direct investment (FDI) often is driven by strategic interaction among MNCs in oligopolistic industries. Instead, the contemporary IB literature focuses on the FDI as a way to reduce transaction costs and/or as a way to leverage and build capabilities across borders. The paper argues that progressing global concentration in many industries warrants a rediscovery of the oligopolistic perspective on FDI. Originality/value The paper provides a comprehensive and unique literature review of the literature on MNC strategy in oligopolistic industries. Based on this review, the paper develops a novel conceptual framework that may inspire future IB research on MNC strategy in oligopolistic industries.

Why modern slavery thrives in multinational corporations’ global value chains

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Stringer ◽  
Snejina Michailova
Keyword(s):  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
International Business ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Case ◽  
Global Value Chains ◽  
Crimes Against Humanity ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Modern Slavery

PurposeModern slavery, one of the most abhorrent crimes against humanity, is a profitable international business (IB). It often operates in a hidden form in the global value chains (GVCs) governed by multinational corporations (MNCs). The purpose of this paper is to examine why slavery exists in GVCs and what this means for MNCs.Design/methodology/approachThe paper borrows insights from the GVC literature to conceptually link MNCs and modern slavery. Different from the IB literature that predominantly focusses on the MNC as a single firm, the paper emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the MNC value chains and their complexity and fragmentation.FindingsThree factors which help explain modern slavery in GVCs are examined: the complexity of GVCs and the challenges this poses to their governance, the business case for slavery and the conditions that enable modern slavery. These factors, taken together, provide an explanation why modern slavery can creep into, persist and thrive in MNCs’ GVCs.Research limitations/implicationsThe argument is put forward for the need for IB scholars to borrow from the GVC literature to help understand why slavery can exist in the GVCs of MNCs. This opens the opportunity for examining the MNC in ways not considered by IB scholars so far.Originality/valueThe paper addresses an issue long ignored in IB research and issues a call for IB scholars to study MNCs in a new way, namely, linking MNCs’ activities with modern slavery.

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.

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