Internationalisation strategies of emerging market firms: evidence from Sarawak, Malaysia

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaa Serwaa-Akoto Amoah ◽  
Fidella Nga Huong Tiew ◽  
Ching Seng Yap

Purpose This study aims to explore the internationalisation paths and strategies adopted by firms from an emerging market and serves as a step towards examining the suitability of prevailing internationalisation theories in the context of emerging market firms. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a qualitative methodology and gathered data through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 15 top managers of internationalised firms from the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. Data were analysed thematically. Findings The results revealed that the internationalisation strategies of firms from Sarawak can be classified under three main categories: motivations and markets, modes and measures. The constraints the firms faced were important determinants of their internationalisation strategies. The internationalisation paths and strategies of the firms were also found to exhibit both similarities to and deviations from the tenets of prevailing internationalisation theories. Originality/value The study contributes knowledge to the literature of both internationalisation theories and internationalisation strategies of emerging markets, in particular, it advances Fey et al.’s (2016) Five M Framework.

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Çigdem Vatansever ◽  
Korhan Arun

Purpose – The dynamics of an emerging green entrepreneurship can be different in the emerging markets because the nature of the society and relations of business are different. As a result of these differences, green entrepreneurship also has distinguished dimensions and specific motivations. The purpose of this paper is to analyze individual cases of green entrepreneurs to understand local drivers and dynamics from the perspectives of ecological modernization and the network society theories. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative methodology was followed in which the data were gathered via semi-structured interviews and a content analysis was executed to analyze the data. Findings – Time relativity, relatedness and altruism were found to be the most differentiated factors among other drivers for green entrepreneurs. Originality/value – The theories mentioned that the quality and quantity of entrepreneurs are not enough for the expected results; the society and networks of society also should push or pull. Nevertheless, to explain this, we may say Turkey has its own special dynamics. Heritage or own roots are very important and are observed for all participants. Also not legislation but practice of these legislations is another constraint in front of Turkish entrepreneurs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 299-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Richardson ◽  
Hsin-Wei Wong

Purpose Existing studies on expatriate academics (EAs) are primarily set in advanced-country settings, thus overlooking the EA experience in developing and emerging markets. With this in mind, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the motivating factors behind EAs taking up jobs in Malaysia, and their adjustment and retention experiences in their host country. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 EAs working in four public universities in Malaysia. Findings Among the chief motivating factors for expatriation were familiarity with the country, the perceived desirable cultural/religious environment, and favourable research environment. Adjustment-wise, there was something of a mixed experience, with most adjusting well socially, but many citing disappointment with work. Such sentiment has contributed to reducing retention plans among several of the respondents. Originality/value The study explores the EA experience in the context of an emerging market. At present much of the literature focuses on EAs working in advanced economies. This paper indicates that the motivation, adjustment, and retention cognition of EAs in emerging markets may not be entirely consistent with what previous studies have suggested.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 1111-1131 ◽  
Author(s):  
AbdulLateef Olanrewaju

Purpose – The opportunities that the emerging markets present to the players in the construction industry means that the players need to expand on the scope and size of their responsibilities and duties to the stakeholders. Each of the professionals now demands more specialised and sophisticated services from one another. The other players in the construction industry now require more emerging responsibilities and duties from the quantity surveyors. The purpose of this paper is to examine the roles that “modern” quantity surveyors play by measuring the gaps that exist in the services that the quantity surveyors provide. Design/methodology/approach – Primary data are collected through survey questionnaires. In total, 23 roles played by modern quantity surveyors are identified and addressed to the respondents to rank the rate at which quantity surveyors provide these “emerging” services. The collected data were analysed statistically. Findings – The results of the findings led to the conclusion that the quantity surveyors were not meeting the expectations of other players. Therefore, for competitiveness, quantity surveyors need to better meet demand expectations. Research limitations/implications – This findings of this research are constrained to the services or functions that the quantity provide in the construction industry. Practical implications – This knowledge is valuable to academic institutions that offer quantity surveying programmes, to practicing quantity surveyors, governments, and other players in the construction industry. It will allow quantity surveyors to reconcile supply and demand expectations. Originality/value – There is no known conclusive empirical study on services offered by quantity surveyors in any emerging markets. Therefore, the findings offer a fresh understanding on the services of quantity surveyors not only in Nigeria but elsewhere. While some of the services are common, others are peculiar to emerging markets.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-426
Author(s):  
Violetta Khoreva ◽  
Edyta Kostanek

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the evolving patterns and challenges of talent management (TM) in the emerging markets of Russia and Kazakhstan from the employer perspective. Increasing the understanding of how TM is recognized from the employer perspective may better equip us to address how to effectively manage and lead the available talents in these and other emerging markets. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a qualitative study comprising 50 semi-structured interviews, with 37 business leaders from Russian subsidiaries, and 13 from Kazakh subsidiaries, in all cases of Nordic Multinational enterprises (MNEs). Findings The study supports the object approach to TM in the emerging markets of Russia and Kazakhstan. The authors reveal that the exclusive and developable talent philosophy is predominant in these emerging markets, where TM faces the challenges of fierce competition for talents and an insufficient supply, so business leaders tend to be reluctant to inform employees of their talent pool membership. The results demonstrate that MNEs do not act independently of context, thus supporting calls for consideration of the local institutional context. Originality/value TM is still a somewhat novel idea in many emerging economies, and challenges related to managing talents are believed to be far more complex in such settings. Furthermore, to the best of authors’ knowledge, no studies have investigated the notion of talent and TM conceptualization in the emerging markets from an employer perspective.


2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vibeke Thøis Madsen

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges associated with introducing internal social media (ISM) into organizations in order to help them reap the benefits of coworker communication on ISM. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on an exploratory study in ten organizations. The data were collected in semi-structured interviews with ISM coordinators in Spring 2014. Findings According to the ISM coordinators, four challenges were associated with introducing ISM: coworkers could perceive communication on ISM as not work related; coworkers might not understand the informal nature of communication on ISM, and self-censorship might stop them communicating on ISM; ISM was not considered a “natural” part of the daily routines in the organizations; and top managers mainly supported ISM in words, not in action. Research limitations/implications The study is based on the perceptions of ISM coordinators. Further research is called for to explore both coworker perceptions and actual communication on ISM. Practical implications Practitioners introducing ISM should be aware of these four challenges, and should help coworkers to make sense of communication on ISM as work-related communication among coworkers. ISM coordinators’ perceptions of their own role in relation to coworker communication on ISM make a difference. Originality/value The study provides insights into the key challenges associated with introducing ISM, as well as the role of ISM coordinators as community facilitators and sense-givers.


2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 503-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul W Ballantine ◽  
Andrew Parsons ◽  
Katrina Comeskey

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how the holistic atmospheric cues encountered in a retail environment contribute to the creation of a retail experience. The interaction between these cues, and how they impact on the various stages of the retail experience is also explored. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative methodology was employed, using protocol analysis and in-depth semi-structured interviews that were conducted with 18 participants. Data were collected in the context of the women’s fashion sector. Findings – The findings highlight the importance of store owners ensuring atmospheric cues create a store image congruent with their target market’s self-image. A model is also developed which highlights how atmospheric cues are able to affect successive stages of the retail experience. Originality/value – This paper provides a holistic understanding of how retail atmospheric cues are able to influence the overall retail experience; from how a retail store is initially evaluated through to the intention to purchase.


2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 146-163
Author(s):  
Keith J. Kelley

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to revisit the causal relationships of the liabilities of inter-regional foreignness to show that the process of regionalization itself has affected firms’ strategic capabilities and focus. The constraints of these regions, a consequence of regionalization that limits the strategic options of multinational enterprises, are known as the liabilities of regionalization (LOR). Design/methodology/approach This study reviews previous literature and uses a mixture of theory and inference to make propositions regarding the existence of liabilities attributable to the regionalization process. The propositions discuss macro-level, and industry and firm-level strategic impact on firms of Triad and non-Triad regions. Findings It is argued specific emerging market attributes, in relation to the developed Triad regions, will influence strategic focus of those emerging market firms. This in turn will also influence global strategic behavior and capabilities in the future, creating additional LOR in some cases and reducing them in others. Originality/value Previous scholars have focused on the liabilities of inter-regional and regional foreignness and its effect on international diversification strategy both upstream and downstream. This study attempts to explain the formation of regions that shape the FSAs that limit global strategic diversification, which are characterized as the LOR. More importantly, it discusses them from perspective of emerging market firms, which on the outside of the Triad regions, may form their own regions and FSAs.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nitin Pangarkar ◽  
B. Elango

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine whether the usage of informal finance helps exports of emerging market firms. Design/methodology/approach The study analyzes a large dataset of observations on emerging market firms. To address the issue of a non-random sample and correct for self-selection in the regression analyzes, this paper uses the two-stage Heckman procedure. In the first stage, this study uses a sample of 74,148 firms from 135 countries over an 11-year time period (2006 to 2016). In the second stage, which includes only firms involved in exports, the analyses are based on 13,608 observations on firms from 135 countries over the same time period. Findings The study finds that the usage of informal finance helps exports of emerging market firms. Furthermore, the interactive effect between informal finance and home country affluence also influences exports. Research limitations/implications The analyses do not account for destination market characteristics such as size and growth. Practical implications The study suggests that emerging market firms should not shy away from using informal finance which can often be more convenient, and sometimes cheaper, than formal finance. Informal finance’s timeliness might be particularly useful for pursuing strategies such as exporting. Originality/value Studies in international business implicitly assume that finance is available for pursuing strategies such as exports or foreign direct investment. However, formal finance is scarce in emerging markets. By drawing a linkage between informal finance and exports in emerging markets, the study adds to the international business literature. The study also examines joint and interactive effects of home country characteristics and deployment of informal finance on exporting.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 371-383
Author(s):  
Ariel Kwegyir Tsiboe

Purpose This study aims to describe the lived experiences among older persons with disability during the coronavirus pandemic in rural Ghana. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on a qualitative methodology consistent with a phenomenological approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 participants. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis. Findings During the pandemic, care rendered to older persons with disabilities by their caregivers easily declined because of the lockdown measure. This made the participants suffer in profound loneliness and hunger, and forced some to generate suicidal thoughts. On the other hand, the participants who lived with their family members were also kept indoors for several weeks to reduce their chances of contracting the virus. This was because participants’ family members loosed confidence in the Ghanaian health-care system in protecting their older relatives. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to explore the experiences of older persons with disabilities during coronavirus disease 2019 in rural Ghana. The Ghanaian Government should consider formalized care to ensure continued care of older persons with disabilities especially during pandemics and future related uncertainties.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aly Owida ◽  
P.J. Byrne ◽  
Cathal Heavey ◽  
Khaled S. El-Kilany

PurposeThe purpose of this paper aims to evaluate field repair within product-service system (PSS) models operated by multinational manufacturers in the Egyptian emerging market to better understand the unique characteristics of this evolving market and to identify differences compared to established markets.Design/methodology/approachCase research was conducted on multinational manufacturers providing field repair services in Egypt. The sample is made up of 12 companies across different industries using convenience and purposive sampling. Data were collected using structured interviews.FindingsThere is no common model for field repair PSSs provision in the Egyptian emerging market even within the same industry, which is influenced by several factors. One of these factors is the market type being emerging or established. However, some commonalities have been found between some industries such as computer, telecommunications and document processing. Yet, there is no structural difference in the supply networks used to provide field repair service offerings in the Egyptian emerging market compared to established markets with the trend of outsourcing evident as a main attribute of a PSS in emerging markets. The main differences between established and emerging markets are related to country, culture and customer factors, which are market-based. Among the main challenges and risks that internationalized manufacturers face in Egypt, is the low level of customer awareness.Research limitations/implicationsFindings are limited to the studied cases and industries; yet, internationalized firms must deal with some unique challenges and difficulties in emerging markets.Practical implicationsThis paper assesses PSS requirements and provides deeper insights for companies looking to provide or expand manufacturing-based offerings into the Egyptian emerging market.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the evolving research on PSSs, particularly in emerging markets through identifying and describing different field repair PSS models in the Egyptian emerging market.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document