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.

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.

Teasing out fieldwork challenges with e-mail methods in cross-border research

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 402-418
Author(s):  
Coral Ingley ◽  
Smita Singh ◽  
Alanah Malkani
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Senior Executives ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Business Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Reflexive Practice ◽  
International Business Research ◽  
E Mail

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to reflect on the value of e-mails for recruiting and interviewing in a specific context in qualitative research, and second, to reflect on the benefits of the reflexive practice in sharing the research experience for gaining a deeper understanding of the field. The purpose is to raise points for consideration in research design for the e-mail method in this type of study. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on reflexivity and integrates fieldwork experiences to present the shared reflections and insights into the enabling and constraining aspects of using e-mail interviews with hard-to-access participants such as senior executives of international businesses. Findings Closer consideration needs to be given to the use of e-mail interviewing in the research design for such studies, especially regarding culturally held preconceptions about the research environment and how the inevitable challenges in engaging in cross-border research may be resolved. Originality/value The paper yields unanticipated insights into the potential of e-mail interviewing for studies that require responses from key informants who are otherwise unlikely to participate in the research. The paper brings greater transparency to researchers regarding the realities of using the method in this context, and thus, it expands the hitherto small repertoire of such studies in qualitative international business research. The contribution also lies in the value of deliberately creating a space for reflexive conversations that open the possibility of more profound understandings in qualitative research.

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.

Location, Competitiveness, and the Multinational Enterprise

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan M. Rugman ◽  
Alain Verbeke
Keyword(s):  
International Business ◽  
International Economics ◽  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Multinational Enterprise ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Business Research ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Economics Literature ◽  
International Business Research ◽  
Intellectual Foundations

This article provides an overview of the key insights resulting from recent international business research on the interactions between location advantages and the competitiveness of multinational enterprises (MNEs). It consists of four main sections. First, the evolution of the location advantage concept in the international economics literature is discussed. Here, it appears that the international economics literature has substantially broadened its analytical scope in the last few decades. However, the field of international business research had gone even further in its analysis of the interactions between location and MNE competitiveness because of its in-depth focus on the actual behaviour of MNEs. The complex nature of location advantages for MNEs is discussed in more detail in the second section. The third section describes the intellectual foundations of a spatial analysis of MNE activities. Finally, the fourth section discusses the relative contribution of home country specific advantages (CSAs) and host CSAs to MNE competitiveness.

scholarly journals Uneven regulatory playing field and bank transparency abroad

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tai-Yuan Chen ◽  
Yi-Chun Chen ◽  
Mingyi Hung
Keyword(s):  
Risk Taking ◽  
Negative Externalities ◽  
Business Research ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Difference In Differences ◽  
Playing Field ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
International Business Research ◽  
Capital Ratios ◽  
Activity Restrictions

AbstractMotivated by international business research on institutional arbitrage and headquarters–subsidiary relationships, we examine the effect of regulatory distance on multinational banks’ (MNBs) reporting transparency abroad. Using an international sample of foreign subsidiary banks in 46 host countries from 47 home countries, we find that bank transparency declines when the home countries have tighter activity restrictions than the host countries. We bolster the causal inference using difference-in-differences designs that take advantage of banking reforms and cross-border bank acquisitions. We also find that the result is more pronounced when parent banks have lower capital ratios or when host countries have weaker supervisory power, suggesting that parent banks use opaque reporting to conceal risk-taking abroad. Further analysis finds that less transparent subsidiaries are more likely to fail during financial crises. Overall, our findings suggest that regulatory distance creates negative externalities for bank transparency and stability abroad.

Corporate sustainability reporting in Japanese multinational enterprises: a threat to local legitimacy or an opportunity lost for corporate sustainability practices?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Masayoshi Ike ◽  
Jerome Denis Donovan ◽  
Cheree Topple ◽  
Eryadi Kordi Masli
Keyword(s):  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Internal Communication ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Responsible Consumption

Purpose This paper aims to investigate whether Japanese manufacturing multinational enterprises (MNEs) maintain local legitimacy in their host countries through adequate informing of local stakeholders with targeted corporate sustainability (CS) reporting. Design/methodology/approach The paper first identified specific CS activities that were considered important in four Association of Southeast Asian Nations host countries, through semi-structured interviews with 58 participants of 16 Japanese manufacturing MNEs. The degree of establishment of local legitimacy was then measured through the number of references made to these CS activities and other activities specific to the respective host countries in the CS reports of the MNEs across a five-year period. Findings The majority of MNEs in the sample were under-reporting items of specific interest to localhost country stakeholders potentially undermining the MNEs’ image. There were found to be differences on the topics published in CS reports compared to those mentioned in the interviews indicating potential issues with regard to internal communication between the subsidiary and headquarters offices. Originality/value A novel approach is taken to investigate the degree of local legitimacy established by MNEs through comparing the contents of interviews held at subsidiaries with their respective CS reports. This paper highlights the importance of considering MNE subsidiaries when addressing Target 12.6 of the Sustainable Development Goal 12: responsible consumption and production.

Post-acquisition control strategy and cross-border acquisition performance of Chinese MNEs: a fsQCA approach

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qi Yue ◽  
Ping Deng ◽  
Yanyan Cao ◽  
Xing Hua
Keyword(s):  
Fuzzy Set ◽  
Control Strategy ◽  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Cultural Distance ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Acquisition Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Chinese Mnes

PurposePost-acquisition control is a crucial factor affecting acquisition performance. We investigate how post-acquisition control strategy affects cross-border acquisition performance of Chinese multinational enterprises (MNEs) through a configurational perspective.Design/methodology/approachBased on 70 cross-border acquisition cases by Chinese MNEs, we adopt fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to study the combined effects of strategic control, operational control, institutional distance, cultural distance, relative capacity and business relatedness on the cross-border acquisition performance.FindingsOn the basis of fuzzy set analysis of multiple interdependent factors, we identify six configurations that are conductive to achieving high cross-border acquisition performance and two configurations that relate to the absence of high performance, thus shedding light on the casually complex nature of performance drivers of acquisitions.Originality/valueThis study provides a holistic, configurational approach to investigating cross-border acquisition performance by emerging market firms. Our results provide some compelling evidence that accounts for the causal complexity of post-acquisition control strategies and acquisition outcomes in the context of emerging economies.

Are multinational enterprises in retreat?

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 94-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan-Erik Vahlne ◽  
Inge Ivarsson ◽  
Claes G. Alvstam
Keyword(s):  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
External Trade ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Advanced Economies ◽  
Economic Interaction ◽  
Political Decisions ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose This paper aims to contribute to the debate concerning the asserted end of the globalization process. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a description of the evolution of all Swedish MNEs, the 50 largest companies and the ten truly global MNEs, building on data compiled by the authors, mainly from annual reports. Findings The largest Swedish MNEs have continued to globalize and have at the same time improved their financial performance during the period of study, 2010-2016. Practical implications The proposition that multinationals are heading home cannot be confirmed in the Swedish case. There is therefore a need to compare Swedish experiences with other national examples to better generalize the findings. Social implications The political decisions regarding external trade and foreign direct investment should support continuous liberalization and facilitation of cross-border economic interaction. Originality/value As Swedish MNEs are more globalized than the average in advanced economies, this study offers insight into the contemporary internationalization process.

Cultural and organizational integration in cross-border M&A deals

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 1109-1135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrei Panibratov
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Integration Process ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Organizational Integration

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify key factors that influence the integration process in cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals of emerging multinational enterprises (EMNEs). The research questions are: how national and organizational culture coupled with other organizational characteristics influence M&A deals of EMNEs? Which factors influence the process of cultural and organizational integration in cross-border M&A deals, initiated by EMNEs? What is the effect and consequences that different integration factors have on cross-border M&A deals by EMNEs? Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a multiple case study research, considering cross-border deals of Chinese and Russian firms separately. Each block consists of two cases, describing M&A integration of companies operating in two sectors: high technology and finance. The authors obtained the data for case studies from companies’ official websites, annual reports, press releases, other official documents where companies were mentioned, business-media sources (newspapers and magazines), published interviews, documented speeches, letters, laws, as well as through blogs and social networks. The authors have also used the published information from articles, books, databases, and previously conducted case studies. Findings The authors have identified the factors influencing deals’ results of Chinese and Russian MNEs, with explanation based on case studies’ analysis. The full list of factors is presented in Table IV in the manuscript. The authors have also identified the set of elements that were derived from the case studies’ analysis only, without having any strong support in the literature, such as changes at a senior management level, educational and business exchanges, CSR policy, and the government involvement. Originality/value The authors have identified the key factors that influence integration of emerging market firms in cross-border M&A deal. The list of factors was adjusted and actualized in accordance with the results of four cases of cross-border M&A deals of Chinese or Russian companies. As a result, the authors founded the combination of characteristics of cultural and organizational integration process of firms from China and Russia.

Multinational Enterprises and Home Country Institutional Pressure

2020 ◽  
pp. 105649262097028
Author(s):  
Zheng Joseph Yan ◽  
Jiuhua Cherrie Zhu ◽  
Di Fan ◽  
Paul Kalfadellis
Keyword(s):  
International Business ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Home Country ◽  
Institutional Innovation ◽  
Global Competition ◽  
Business Research ◽  
Policy Regime ◽  
Institutional Pressure ◽  
International Business Research

This qualitative research explores how multinational enterprises (MNEs) respond to institutional pressure at home. Focusing on the case of China, a major source of outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) in the world, we analyze and theorize the meanings of firm actions within a policy regime designed for global competition. We find, in a country where its governments (both national and regional) seek OFDI development through policymaking, that domestic firms will confront these regulative interventions with four types of strategies—institutional compromise, institutional innovation, institutional manipulation, and institutional defiance—as they pursue value creation from internationalization. More importantly, these responses are driven by two key enabling conditions: the flexibility of the institutional arrangements and the actor’s position in the field. Our findings provide valuable insights for international business research surrounding the theme of home country institutional pressure and MNE agency.

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