Challenging the Theoretical Lenses of Internationalization

Internationalization involves an active behavior to compete in international markets. Several theories, as well as several entry modes, have been developed to explain why and how firms compete internationally. Nevertheless, the internationalization process is difficult to implement as it involves not only historical reasons, as well as traditional strategies that sometimes are usually not questioned by the firm. This chapter aims to depict a case study in which a firm is trying to deploy an opportunity-driven internationalization, shifting its traditional modus operandi. The firm is analyzed based on several theories, namely the Uppsala model, the network-based theory, the born globals and the born again globals, and it is possible to conclude that despite its more than 80 years of existence, neither of the four theories can be properly used to explain the firm's international behavior. Moreover, to embrace international challenges, the firm needs to reposition its traditional business behavior.

Sustainable Competitive Advantage Through Business Model Innovation

Conventionally, businesses focus on their offerings for growth. But the increasingly unpredictable business environment is making them irrelevant in the market. So, businesses should resort to a system of dynamic management by innovating on the business models rather than a single aspect of the business. Business model innovation demands neither new technologies nor creation of new markets, but cares about delivering the existing products produced by existing technologies to the existing markets, through a unique model. Hence, defining, innovating, and evolving new business models have become the new basis of competition. A differentiated, hard-to-imitate, effective, and efficient business model is more likely to ensure higher profits and long-term survival. In this context, the present chapter attempts to furnish multiple global evidences and discuss the Indian perspective of business model innovation.

Collaborative System Approach for Enterprise Engineering and Enterprise Architecture

Today we are living in a constantly changing world and today's strong competition and changing market conditions enforce enterprises to adopt fundamental methods and new approaches to enhance their capabilities. Enterprises are goal-oriented, designed, and complex systems and they need to implement new strategies easily and control Key Performance Indicators to maintain their competitiveness. Enterprise engineering (EE) is a developing field and an enabler for informed decision making for addressing the required changes to be competitive and for tackling the complexity of enterprises' design issues on business, organization, information, and technology domains. Enterprise architecture (EA) is one of the basic elements of EE and it is about the structure of the whole of enterprise. There is an important and strong relationship between EE and EA. Although there are specific individual studies for EE and EA, this chapter aims to explore the fields of these two subjects in a collaborative system approach as a whole with existing literature review by assessing the core concepts and the methods used.

Workforce Management Practices in Volunteer-Based Operations for the Generation of Social and Economic Value

In recent years, hybrid organizations have been spreading in the competitive landscape, combining characteristics from both private and social sectors. To be successful, they need to do a great job managing limited resources. To this end, an effective operations strategy must be at the core of their priorities. Most of these organizations often rely on volunteer work to conduct their activities; therefore, mobilizing and engaging volunteers on a continuous basis is a key issue for many hybrid organizations. The present chapter aims to identify relevant workforce management practices in hybrid organizations. Building on the literature, the chapter offers a presentation of the main concepts underlying the setup of an operations strategy, highlighting the main particularities and challenges faced by hybrid organizations, and focusing on workforce management decisions. The chapter then identifies and discusses three workforce management practices employed by two hybrid organizations, whose operations are based on volunteer work.

Thought Process of a New Graduate Which Leads to Behavioral Intention to Apply for a Job Vacancy

Due to inadequacy, there is a call for more research on the thought process of job seekers. This chapter argues that employers have to communicate their company's job-seeker value proposition to new graduates to create job-seeker perceived value in their minds. Job-seeker perceived value will lead to behavioral intention. Further, the chapter proposes that a company's job-seeker value proposition has a direct positive relationship with behavioral intention and the relationship is moderated positively by voluntariness and gender. The technology acceptance model and the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) were used to develop arguments related to each relationship proposed in the conceptual framework. Marketing management literature was used to label both constructs: company's job-seeker value proposition and job-seeker perceived value; and the same is employed to complement the arguments borrowed from management information system. Theoretical contribution, practical contribution, limitations, and opportunities for future research are also discussed in the chapter.

Diversity Management Interventions for Enhancing Competitive Advantage

Diversity and diversity management is a new organizational paradigm and a business imperative. We already have a vast and rich literature base on these two. Many and varied empirical findings are also available from earlier qualitative and quantitative research studies. An attempt is made in this chapter (1) to examine various theoretical concepts and constructs used in diversity and diversity management, (2) to come up with a synthesis of management research and current literature on diversity and diversity management, (3) to develop a theoretical framework, and (4) to suggest directions for future research as well. This chapter lists some of the challenges faced by firms, the major issues to be addressed, potential research directions, and themes in the Indian context before finally coming up with a conceptual model detailing the antecedents and consequences of diversity and diversity management.

Facing the Challenges of Nostalgia International Markets

Internationalization is a business strategy that normally aims at expanding the business of the firm outside its domestic market. It may also involve the creation of an integrated network of contacts and partners. The aim of this chapter involves a firm that distributes high-end wines and other alcoholic drinks to the domestic market and is seeking to expand its activities abroad. Taking into account the “nostalgia market,” with many Portuguese living throughout Europe, this chapter seeks to analyze how a Portuguese firm seeks to embrace the internationalization strategy of serving these ex-pats, through local retailers, and afterwards the possibility of serving the market abroad using the contacts so far developed. As such, the firm seeks to serve both the ex-pats and the local market alike. The chapter analyzes the Spanish, French, and German market, and it is possible to conclude that France is the market with the higher likelihood of success, economically and culturally.

Modern Approaches for Organizational Dynamism

This chapter primarily provides a thorough account of what the process perspective encompasses to address the attention that business processes perspective in today's postmodern organizations attracts. It exhibits how organizations designed around business processes are able to become more agile, competitive, dynamic, flexible, and adaptable to constantly shifting market realities. Accordingly, this chapter also covers the underlying logic behind business process orientation (BPO) as a comprehensive view of the process perspective. As BPO is thought to offer an integrated approach that encompasses structures of the organizations, their information technology systems and strategies, it is considered to possess qualities that will continuously create value for the global market.