Special Issue of Transnational Corporations on the role of the Multinational Corporation in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

Special Issue of Transnational Corporations on the role of the Multinational Corporation in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

Transnational Corporations 

Special Issue on the role of the Multinational in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Proposed Title: MNEs and the Sustainable Development Goals
Editors: John Dilyard, Ph.D. and Caroline Witte, Ph.D.

Dear Fellow Scholars and Researchers: 

 
The highly successful Town Hall meeting, ‘How the AIB Community Can Best Contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals’, held at the 2016 AIB Annual Meeting in New Orleans generated several ideas for research on the link between the private sector, particularly multinational enterprises (MNEs), and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As a way to both highlight existing and encourage further work on this topic, we are proposing a special issue (and potentially a series of issues) of Transnational Corporations, UNCTAD’s policy-oriented journal on MNEs (TNCs), FDI and development. UNCTAD is one of the leading agencies supporting the implementation of the SDGs, and has a long-standing partnership with the AIB. The first special issue is planned for early 2017 to coincide with the 2017 AIB conference in Dubai and its theme “The Contribution of MNEs to Building Sustainable Societies”.

As was discussed in New Orleans, IB research is shifting increasingly toward the relationships between MNEs and developing countries, sustainability, socially responsible investment, socially responsible behavior and public policy. The scale, scope and ambition of the SDGs creates an opportunity for IB research to systematically analyze these relationships and to serve as an advocate for both the promotion of sustainable practices by MNEs and the design of policies to support them. And while there are many resources devoted to the private sector and sustainability, academic work specifically linking the private sector to the SDGs is sparse. Our proposed issue, therefore, helps fill a void. 

 
The Sustainable Development Goals can be found here. Further information on the related Financing for Development (FfD) and 2030 Action Agenda (for the SDGs) can be found at the webpage of the UN Inter-agency task force on Financing for Development. In addition, the Business for 2030 initiativeillustrates how the UN envisions private sector contributions to the SDGs. Work on the SDGs is also being done by the UN Global Compact (https://www.unglobalcompact.org/sdgs) and the World Business Council on Sustainable Development ([https://wbcsdpublications.org]https://wbcsdpublications.org). Examples of studies and resources can be found on the latter’s SDG Business Hub.

We are interested in contributions on relevant themes, perhaps linked to your existing work, on the role of the MNE in achieving the SDGs. While our focus is on developing countries, we recognize that the SDGs apply to all countries and that interesting work on how MNEs contribute to the implementation of SDGs in developed countries may exist. We are looking first for ‘op-ed’ and essay style contributions that are lightly referenced rather than heavy quantitative and/or theoretical analysis. The purpose here is to facilitate new, yet concrete, ideas that can generate ongoing research and policy discussions. Hence, we are interested in research agendas and perspectives in support of meeting specific SDGs (or targets within SDGs), but we also invite short empirical or theoretical papers for which the criteria for robustness, thoroughness or completeness are not as high as those for a typical journal submission. Because the SDGs involve many different scientific disciplines and are highly interconnected, we also encourage interdisciplinary efforts. The review process will include the editors of the issue, as well as editors of TransnationalCorporations. 

The following topics are meant to illustrate the range of possible submissions:

• To what extent do the SDGs influence (international) business conduct?
• How can MNEs support and promote poverty alleviation?
• What is the role of MNEs in promoting gender equality, particularly in developing countries?
• How can the pursuit of sustainable supply chains in MNEs contribute to the SDGs?
• What are the characteristics of successful public private partnerships in support of the SDGs?
• How could the SDGs affect MNEs’ value chains?
• What is the link between MNEs’ corporate social responsibility activities and the SDGs?
• What are the governance implications for MNEs if they choose to commit to the SDGs?
• Which characteristics or contexts make MNEs more likely to actively contribute to the SDGs?

The theme of the special issue is dependent on the number of initial submissions received and the topics they address. 

• Length of contributions: Between 2500-5000 words.
• Submission deadline: February 28, 2017.

Please send questions regarding this special issue and submissions to either:
John Dilyard jdilyard@sfc.edu, or
Caroline Witte witte@ese.eur.nl

CfP: The Evolution of International Business Theories

Call for Papers:

The Evolution of International Business Theories: Internalization vs. Externalization

• Deadline for Submissions: April 1, 2016
• (Submissions open: March 1, 2016)

Guest Co-editors:

Pervez N. Ghauri
Professor
Birmingham Business School
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
Email: p.ghauri@bham.ac.uk

Byung Il Park
Professor
College of Business
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
Imun-dong, Seoul, 130-791, South Korea
Email: leedspark@hufs.ac.kr

The Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences welcomes submissions to a special issue on “The Evolution of International Business Theories: Internalization vs. Externalization.

About the Topic:

International business scholars have long been raising the question of why multinational enterprises (MNEs) choose foreign direct investment (FDI) in spite of the presence of liabilities of foreignness, and these discussions, which attempt to solve this query, are still on-going. Internalization theory (e.g., Buckley & Casson, 1976; 1999; Rugman & Verbeke, 1995) argues that under imperfect business environments in intermediate product markets, firms confine transactions within corporations by shifting assets between subsidiaries across borders rather than in open markets. In addition, because knowledge has public good characteristics, internalization is required for MNEs to prevent other firms from copying proprietary knowledge and to protect knowledge reservoirs.

In contrast, John Dunning (e.g., 1993; 2000) integrates motivations pushing firms to go abroad (i.e., ownership-specific advantages) and factors pulling firms to invest (i.e., location-specific advantages) with internalization (emphasis added) to illustrate the growth of MNEs and the spread of FDI. This eclectic paradigm suggests that if firms enjoy competitive advantages by possessing strong organizational assets (e.g., trademarks, production techniques, entrepreneurial skills, and returns to scale) and discover appropriate locations to undertake value adding activities without an internalization advantage, they tend to be engaged in licensing rather than FDI. According to his explanations, sufficient conditions for FDI are met only in the case where transaction costs in the free market are higher than internal costs, thus shedding light on the importance of internalization.

However, the scholarly debates described above overlook the crucial fact that no one firm possesses enough resources and competitiveness to efficiently compete with other firms. According to the resource-dependence perspective (e.g., Pfeffer, & Salancik, 1978), firms often seek complementary resources from foreign organizations and even competitors operating in overseas markets and try to obtain strategic assets that compensate for their organizational shortcomings from external environments. In other words, firms try to offset their weaknesses through co-opetition with other firms in international joint ventures and try to remedy knowledge imbalances against other firms through international mergers and acquisitions. These dialogues clearly indicate that conventional international business theories and extant literature have focused on the internalization motivation for FDI, and thus we do not yet know enough about why some MNEs externalize their activities in foreign markets. 

A reason for the presence of the research gap is most likely because current academic experiments mainly focus on FDI from developed to developing and emerging countries, which is a fragmental area of international business territory. In this regard, we believe that this is the time to combine internalization motivation with an externalization concept in order to encompass various directions of foreign investments, redress the asymmetric stance observing the phenomenon, and extend our understanding on FDI. Thus, the aim of this special issue is to bring together theoretical and empirical advancements that contribute to the evolution of international business theories and that merge externalization ideas into the internalization perspective to present a precise overview of MNE activities. We seek both theoretical and empirical papers that may address, but are not limited to, the following list of research questions:

• Does the internalization theory fully explain the reality? Which additional ingredients may add extra value to the theory?
• How can we achieve an evolution of international business theories? Is there any possibility to develop internalization theory into IE paradigm (i.e., internalization + externalization perspectives)? 
• What are key determinants influencing MNEs’ internalization and externalization motivations, respectively?
• Do different motivations (i.e., internalization vs. externalization) influence MNEs’ behaviors and responses (e.g., subsidiary control or corporate social responsibility activities) in foreign markets?
• Why is the investment into conventionally advanced economies by emerging market MNEs becoming a new trend in the global arena? What potential theory can explain this phenomenon? 
• How can recent increases in externalization activities by MNEs be harmonized with internalization theory? 
• Why do MNEs pursue co-opetition with competitors? 
• How do subsidiaries established from developing/emerging markets MNEs in the North (i.e., developed economies) become creative miniatures and transmit own assets to parent firms in the South (i.e., developing and emerging economies)?

Journal Submission guidelines:

Consideration will be given to theoretical and empirical papers for this special issue. The format of papers should not exceed 40 pages including references, tables, and figures. All papers should conform to American Psychological Association (APA format) guidelines. Submission guidelines can be found at: http://cjas-rcsa.ca/authors/how-to-submit/

Please submit your manuscripts through the Manuscript Central online system http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjas1 and specify that your submission is for the special issue on The Evolution of International Business Theories: Internalization vs. Externalization. Please do not submit to the special issue any earlier than March 1st, 2016.

All submitted papers to CJAS will undergo a “double-blind” peer review. If a topic of an article does not fit with the special issue, the author(s) will be contacted to determine if the paper should be forwarded to the review process for a regular CJAS issue. Both French and English papers will be accepted for review.

The guest editors are seeking reviewers for this issue and are soliciting nominations and volunteers to participate as reviewers. Please contact the guest editors to volunteer or nominate a reviewer.


More Information:

To obtain additional information, please contact the guest editors:

• Pervez N. Ghauri, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom (p.ghauri@bham.ac.uk)
• Byung Il Park, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, South Korea (leedspark@hufs.ac.kr)

References

• Buckley, P. J., & Casson, M. (1976). The future of the multinational enterprise. London: Macmillan
• Buckley, P. J., & Casson, M. (1999). A theory of international operations. In: Buckley, P. J. and Ghauri, P. N. (eds.), The internationalization of the firm. London: International Thomson Business Press, 55-60.
• Dunning, J. H. (1993). Multinational enterprises and the global economy. Wokingham: Addison-Wesley.
• Dunning, J. H. (2000). The eclectic paradigm as an envelope for economic and business theo
• Pfeffer, J., & Salancik, G. R. (1978). The external control of organizations: A resource dependence perspective. New York: Harper and Row.
• Rugman, A. M., & Verbeke, A. (1995). Transnational networks and global competition: An organizing framework. Research in Global Strategic Management, 5, 3-23.
• CJAS is an ISI-listed journal (search ISSN - 0825-0383) published by Wiley. Papers accepted for publication will be accessible electronically from the Wiley Online Library Platform, as well as appear in the print copy of the journal. For more information about CJAS, visit our website at http://www.cjas-rcsa.ca

General call for papers: Organizations and Markets in Emerging Economies (OMEE)

The Multidisciplinary Research Journal: Organizations and Markets in Emerging Economies (OMEE)

General Call for Papers

Journal website: www.om.ef.vu.lt

Organizations and Markets in Emerging Economies mission is to contribute to the development and dissemination of multidisciplinary knowledge on organizations and markets in emerging economies, to increase dialogue among scholars focused on more narrow research issues within the OMEE scope and, finally, to offer an outlet for high quality scholarship.

The journal takes a broad definition of emerging economies. As such, emerging economies include the transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe, Asian nations (China, India, Vietnam, and others) that are increasing their free-market systems, countries in Central and South America, and finally countries in Africa. Each of these regions faces unique challenges and we encourage research that highlights the uniqueness of the particular region or country, while whenever possible seeks to identify shared patterns of organizational and market behaviour across different emerging economy contexts and across emerging economy and developed economy contexts.

The submitted papers can take economic, sociological or psychological perspectives. The Journal is open for various types of articles:

• Review articles, which summarize and evaluate the current stock of knowledge on a specific issue;
• Conceptual/theory building articles, which develop propositions and outline directions for further research;
• Empirical papers, which study specific issues employing qualitative or quantitative methodologies.
• Other types 

Topics of special interest include, but are not limited to:

1. Organizational learning and change in emerging economies.
2. MNE’s in emerging economies.
3. Alliances, networks and clusters in emerging economies.
4. Corporate and functional strategies in emerging economies.
5. Market development and consumer behaviour in emerging economies.

We equally appreciate and encourage submissions by scholars from both emerging and developed economies. The strength of the journal is openness to contributions of scholars coming from diverse geographical contexts disciplinary backgrounds, theoretical traditions, and methodological approaches. This is reflected in the structure of our editorial board as well as in the way Journal assigns reviewers. Such philosophy and ensuing practice allows the double-blind peer review procedure to be rigorous, constructive, and stimulating, which helps advance research papers.

The submissions will be considered for upcoming issues of Organizations and Markets in Emerging Economies. For more information, please visit homepage of the Journal www.om.ef.vu.lt. Inquiries and papers should be sent by e-mail organizations.markets@ef.vu.lt.

Prof. Sigitas Urbonavicius,
Editor-in-Chief Organizations and Markets in Emerging Economies

Call for Papers, Special issue on: From Emerging to Emerged: A Decade of Development of Dragon Multinationals

Asia Pacific Journal of Management

Special Issue and Conference on:

“From Emerging to Emerged: A Decade of Development of Dragon Multinationals”

• Submission Deadline: April 15, 2015
• Conference Place and Date: 11-12 December, 2015 
• Venue: Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
• Estmated Date of Publication: November 2016

Special Issue Guest Editors:

• Jane Lu (University of Melbourne and National University of Singapore)
• Xufei Ma (Chinese University of Hong Kong)
• Lucy Taksa (Macquarie University)
• Yue Wang (Macquarie University)

Special Issue Consulting Editors:

• Mike Peng (University of Texas at Dallas) 
• Ravi Ramamurti (Northeastern University) 

Conference Sponsor:

Department of Marketing and Management, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.


In 2006, the Asia Pacific Journal of Management (APJM) published an influential article “Dragon multinationals: New players in 21st century globalization” (Mathews, 2006a, 23:5-27). In this conceptual article, John Mathews (Macquarie University, Australia) defines firms from the periphery—especially those from the Asia Pacific region—as ‘dragon multinationals’. The author develops a new model to illustrate the three pillars common in these firms’ pattern of accelerated internationalization and summarizes them into his linkage, leverage, and learning (LLL) model.

According to Mathews (2006a), for dragon multinationals, the best and the quickest way to capture global opportunities and to tap into global resources is first to link up with firms around the global, second to leverage such links to overcome resource barriers (including foreign direct investment (FDI) through acquisitions), and third to learn to build up their own capabilities in a cumulative fashion. These three pillars of linkage, leverage and learning are what make dragon multinationals’ international expansion distinctive from the internationalization pattern of Western incumbents.

To the extent that firms that lack initial resources may take advantage of the increasingly interconnected global economy in a pattern consistent with the LLL model, the LLL model may become one of the dominant paradigms in international business (IB) research in the 21st century, just like how the OLI model was viewed by the IB and management community in the 20th century. We do not know whether this significant paradigm development will happen, but the fact that John Mathews’ article won the second APJM Best Paper Award in 2009 and became the second most cited APJM paper ever (with over 600 Google Scholar citations) in just a few years after its appearance in 2006 is a strong signal that the IB and management community may just be ready to embrace such a paradigm development. However, whether such a paradigm development will materialize (Dunning, 2006; Narula, 2006) is at least dependent on two critical issues, which will be addressed in this Special Issue. First, do we have accumulated sufficient evidence to suggest that there is indeed a need for a new paradigm such as the LLL model to account for a very different internationalization process? Second, nearly ten years since Mathews (2006a), do we have sufficient knowledge about ways that those already emerged dragon multinationals (such as Acer, Li & Fung, and Lenovo that appeared in Mathews’ original article) manage their global operations?

To further enrich our understanding of the merits and limits of the LLL model, we also call for papers that provide new theoretical or empirical insights to help us better understand the internationalization patterns and strategies adopted by firms from the rapidly developing Asia Pacific region including those are still emerging and those already emerged in the global stage. To the extent that management problems remain the same over time while their solutions differ from part of the world to part of the world (Hostede, 2007), we also welcome manuscripts that look at the impact of the emerging or emerged dragon multinationals on the strategies and behaviours of Western MNEs in different parts of the world.

Overall, this Special Issue provides an opportunity to (1) reflect on John Mathews’ influential article on the then emerging dragon multinationals, and (2) bring together research on recent development of those dragon multinationals that are already emerged in the global market as well as research on the interactions between these (relatively) new players and incumbent western players in an increasingly interconnected global business environment. To serve these purposes, manuscripts are not restricted to, but could deal with the following topics:

• · Empirical studies to test the validity of the LLL model in a broader range of firms (including but not limited to emerging and emerged dragon multinationals). 
• · How the strategies, structures, and management practices (e.g. how to manage the challenge of diverse workforce) adopted by those emerged dragon multinationals differ from MNEs from the West and Japan. 
• · How the LLL model and OLI model complement or substitute each other. 
• · How the expansion of dragon multinationals to regions such as Africa and Australia affects the strategies of Western MNEs in these regions.
• · How the pattern of expansion of dragon multinationals is affected by varying institutional conditions in their home countries.
• · What the performance implications are as a result of the expansion of dragon multinationals.

Papers for the Special Issue should be submitted electronically to the APJM Online Submission System at https://www.editorialmanager.com/apjm/, and identified as submissions to the “From emerging to emerged: a decade of development of dragon multinationals” Special Issue. The deadline for receipt of papers for this special issue is April 15, 2015. The format of submissions must comply with submission guidelines posted at the APJM website. Please indicate that your submission is to be reviewed for the Special Issue on “From Emerging to Emerged: A Decade of Development of Dragon Multinationals” (choose that in the “article type” item during the submission process).

Papers will be double-blind peer-reviewed. We will make initial editorial decisions by July 1, 2015. Authors invited to revise and resubmit their work will be invited to present the papers at a Special Issue development conference hosted by the Department of Marketing and Management at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.

The papers accepted and presented at the special issue conference will be considered for publication in the Special Issue of the APJM. Presentation at the conference does not necessarily guarantee publication in the special issue. The combination of a development conference and a Special Issue nevertheless follows a highly successful APJM initiative to bring out the full potential of authors and papers.

For questions about the special issue, please contact any of the Special Issue Editors:

Jane Lu
Professor, Department of Management and Marketing, University of Melbourne; and National University of Singapore
Email: jane.lu@unimelb.edu.au

Xufei Ma
Associate Professor, Department of Management, Chinese University of Hong Kong
Email: xufei@cuhk.edu.hk

Lucy Taksa
Professor, Department of Marketing and Management, Macquarie University
Email: lucy.taksa@mq.edu.au

Yue Wang
Associate Professor, Department of Marketing and Management, Macquarie University
Email: yue.wang@mq.edu.au

References:

• Hofstede, G. (2007). Asian management in the 21st century. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 24: 411-420.
• Dunning, J. H. (2006). Comment on Dragon multinationals: New players in 21st century globalization. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 23: 139-141.
• Narula, R. (2006). Globalization, new ecologies, new zoologies, and the purported death of the eclectic paradigm. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 23: 143-151.
• Mathews, J. A. (2006a). Dragon multinationals: New players in 21st century globalization. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 23: 5-27.
• Mathews, J. A. (2006b). Responses to Professors Dunning and Narula. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 23: 153-155.

Call for papers: Special Issue on te Role of multinational enterprises in local market developments

European Journal of International Management (EJIM)

Special Issue on: “THE ROLE OF MULTINATIONAL ENTERPRISES IN LOCAL MARKET DEVELOPMENTS”

Guest Editors

• Pervez N. Ghauri, King’s College, UK 
• 
  
• Byung Il Park, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, South Korea

Description

As globalization intensifies and new middle classes emerge in most markets, multinational enterprises (MNEs) have significantly increased their international business efforts. The recorded figure for 2010 revealed a more than triple increase of the worldwide foreign direct investment (FDI) activities since the year 2000, amounting to US$20.4 trillion (UNCTAD 2011). The reason for the consistent expansion in MNEs foreign operations is closely associated with the increased realization that the presence of foreign firms is beneficial for both home and host countries. One view is that MNEs possessing sophisticated knowledge often function as a conduit for local firms to acquire foreign technology and know-how. In addition, MNEs also help in the creation of employment opportunities and an increase of exports strengthening the balance-of-payments position of the local economies (Park, 2011; Park and Ghauri, 2011). Likewise, home economies of MNEs achieve market expansion and learn about foreign markets.

However, some scholars (e.g., Chang, 2004; Ziegler, 2005) have shed light on the negative aspects of MNE operations, and even argue that MNEs are one of the primary obstacles inhibiting economic growth in developing countries. The explanations given by these scholars, proposing negative impacts are the following; often MNE activities are too vitalized and excessive, foreign firms attempt to dominate the market they enter and present a challenge to national sovereignty. Moreover, the aggravation of local competition against MNEs inevitably culls locally grown enterprises, which results in the deterioration of employment. In particular, MNEs re-invest only a fraction of their revenues in local economies and drain positive effects from both capital injections and the balance of payments. This leads to serious reductions in foreign exchange reserves, forces local governments to borrow more foreign debt and pushes the local economy into a vicious economic circle. These negative effects cause hardship for local governments and negatively influence their investments in infrastructure, education and technology development. In this vein, they suggest that MNE operations are not much different from the establishment of colonies.

A key problem is that it is perhaps hard to say that an unlimited open-door toward MNEs and limitless competition based on market principles is the only correct answer for economic growth. In other words, we cannot merely overlook the adverse aspects of MNEs, and need to practically assess the value of foreign investment. There is a general consensus that the fundamental goals and aims of MNEs are to pursue corporate profits and increase organizational competitiveness in overseas markets, and thus such gloomy opinions about MNEs are unavoidable to some extent. In this vein, it is time to think about the ways to lessen the skeptical attitudes of FDI by identifying the role of MNEs in local market developments. We also suggest that the negative impression of FDI might be significantly reduced if MNEs engage in actions that go beyond their direct economic and financial interests, involve themselves in activities that are not required by the law but further social good and use their internal resources in ways to benefit local markets through committed participation as members of society.

Taken together, the objective of this special issue is to bring both theoretical and empirical advancements examining the role of MNEs in developing local markets in various areas (e.g., economic, social, institutional and ethical developments).

Subject coverage

We seek both theoretical and empirical papers that may address, but are not limited to, the following list of potential research questions:

• How does FDI function as a vehicle to enhance economic development in local markets? Does FDI from MNEs based in advanced economies trigger economic growth in developing countries in the long term?
• Who obtains more benefits from inward FDI between advanced and developing countries? Are there avenues for MNEs based in advanced economies to help developing countries to promote economic growth?
• Are there any different patterns of economic development through FDI between advanced and developing countries? What implications can be drawn from countries that have successfully leapfrogged into better economic status?
• What are the key factors promoting the positive spillover effects of FDI in developing economies?
• In the perspective of developing countries, what are the primary conditions that inhibit the negative economic outcomes from inward FDI?
• How does FDI contribute to social evolution, particularly in emerging and developing countries?
• What is the effect of profit remittance by MNEs in the local market economy? What encourages MNEs to re-invest profits in local markets?
• What motivates corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices in foreign markets? Is there any particular relationship between the level of foreign CSR and economic development in emerging and developing countries?
• What facilitates knowledge transfer from advanced to developing economies through FDI?
• Is there a correlation between FDI types (e.g., ‘vertical versus horizontal’ or ‘export-driven versus market-seeking’) and economic contributions in emerging and developing countries?

References

• Chang, H-J. (2004), Globalization, economic development and the role of the State, London, NY: Zed Books.
• Park, B. I. (2011), “Knowledge transfer of multinational enterprises and technology acquisition in international joint ventures”, International Business Review, Vol. 20, pp. 75-87.
• Park, B. I. and Ghauri, P. N. (2011), “Key factors affecting acquisition of technological capabilities from foreign acquiring firms by small and medium sized local firms”, Journal of World Business, Vol. 46, pp. 116-125.
• UNCTAD (2011). World investment report: Non-equity modes of international production and development. Geneva: United Nations.
• 
  
• Zilgler, J. (2005), L'empire de la honte, Paris: Fayard.

Notes for Prospective Authors

Submitted papers should not have been previously published nor be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere.
All papers are refereed through a peer review process. A guide for authors, sample copies and other relevant information for submitting papers are available on the Author Guidelines page.

Deadlines for submission

• Submission of Manuscripts: January 15, 2015
• Notification to Authors: April 1, 2015
• Final Versions Due: December 1, 2015
• The issue is published: May 2016

Editors and Notes

All papers must be submitted online. To submit a paper, please go to Online Submissions of Papers. If you experience any problems submitting your paper online, please contactsubmissions@inderscience.com, describing the exact problem you experience. (Please include in your email the title of the Special Issue, the title of the Journal and the names of the Guest Editors).

Guest Editor(s) contact details:

Dr. Pervez N. Ghauri

King’s College London, Department of Management, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, UK
Tel:
00-44-(0)20-7848-4122, Email: pervez.ghauri@kcl.ac.uk



Dr. Byung Il Park
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, College of Business Administration, 270, Imun-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 130-791, South Korea
Tel:
00-82-(0)10-4157-3532, Email: leedspark@hufs.ac.kr

Call for conference papers: European International Business Academy (EIBA)

European International Business Academy (EIBA)

40th Annual Conference
Conference website: www.eiba2014.org
Uppsala University, Sweden

December 11-13, 2014

The Future of Global Organizing

Call for Papers

Introduction & Background

Over the past four decades, since the establishment of the European International Business Academy (EIBA), we have seen large changes with regard to the organization and structure of international firms. Partly as a consequence of the on-going globalization process, we see today a great variety of organizational and geographic structures in multinational corporations (MNCs). These structures, in turn, reflect the tensions between different organizational principles, such as, the MNC as a hierarchy or a network, internalizing or externalizing core business activities, and the relative importance of headquarters and subsidiaries in the value creation processes. Such tensions are crucial issues for further research on the future of global organizing – the underlying theme of this year’s EIBA Annual Conference.
We have also seen an increased interest in the interplay between the environment and the MNC. While earlier studies tended to concentrate on the impact of national and cross-national institutions on the organization of business, recent studies have also focused on the political role of MNCs and their possibility to shape the rules and regulations in different countries. The interplay between the institutional environment and the MNC leads to new challenges as well as a variety of opportunities for multinational corporations to ultimately affect the way in which business across national borders is organized. Taking a more critical stance towards MNCs has raised questions of organizational politics and power, not only reacting to unethical behaviours and financial crises, but more fundamentally challenging our overall understanding of the MNC; post-colonial organizational and intersectionality theories have also provided new understandings.
When we observe contemporary phenomena around us we find a number of interesting organizational forms, which potentially may characterize global organizing in the future. One example is cross-sector partnerships where firms join together with non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, and local communities to pursue unattainable goals and resources. Further, individuals outside the MNC are increasingly involved in the firm in novel ways such as in the use of ‘open innovation’, or ‘equity crowd funding’. We can raise questions as to whether these large groups of investors in the future may be interested in more than profit in return for their investments, and if so, what does that imply for firm management and organization? We have also seen how small local players who organize themselves into networks have become competitors seriously challenging large global firms, as for example, when small energy producers in Germany challenged large multinationals on the market. Will such independent local network organizations spread across the world and become a new form of global organizing in the future?

The above raises questions like:

• What new forms of global organizing can we expect in the future, and will the MNC as we know it become extinct?
• How can we understand the value creation processes in the MNC and the contributions of different units in these processes?
• How is the tension between corporate and local rationality handled in the contemporary MNC?
• Are market power and political power of the contemporary MNCs relevant issues for research among IB scholars?
• How can MNCs meet the often conflicting demands of corporate social responsibility, sustainable operations, and responsible (ethical) leadership, and remain viable in the long run?
• What do contemporary digital and technological developments, e.g., social media, virtual worlds, and cloud services, imply for the international organization of work, communication, and management practices?
• How can MNCs’ human resource management practices become inclusive yet motivating, flexible yet representative, and how do they link to employer branding efforts on a global scale?
• How do linguistic and cultural diversity enrich global organizations and their activities?

We encourage and would welcome the IB community at large to submit their thought-provoking and adventurous papers on these and related questions to the EIBA 2014 theme track on the future of global organizing.

Conference Tracks

We invite competitive papers and working papers on any of the following EIBA 2014 conference tracks.

For more information and key words for each track, please visit the conference website:http://www.eiba2014.org/.

Competitive papers, presented in competitive sessions, should be close to a publishable state, whilst working papers, presented in interactive sessions, may be in an earlier stage of development.
Proposals for panel sessions can also be submitted to the most appropriate track.


1. Theme track: The Future of Global Organizing

Track chair: Ivo Zander, Uppsala University

2. Developments In IB Theory and Methods, Trends and Critical Approaches

Track chair: Ana Teresa Tavares-Lehmann, University of Porto

3. Internationalisation Process, SMEs and Entrepreneurship

Track chair: Olli Kuivalainen, Lappeenranta University of Technology

4. Corporate Governance, Finance, and Accounting

Track chair: Niels Hermes, Groningen University

5. International HRM, Global Leadership, Language and Cross-Cultural Management

Track chair: Dana Minbaeva, Copenhagen Business School

6. MNC Strategy and Organisation

Track chair: Tina Ambos, University of Sussex

7. International Marketing and Value Chain Management

Track chairs: Tomas Hult, Michigan State University, and Vicky Bamiatzi, University of Leeds

8. Knowledge Management and Innovation

Track chair: Kristiina Mäkelä, Aalto University

9. MNCs, Governments and Sustainable Development

Track chair: Mo Yamin, Manchester Business School

10. Teaching International Business

Track chair: Elizabeth Rose, University of Otago

Submission of Papers

All papers will be double-blind refereed. Copies of all the accepted papers for competitive and interactive sessions will be published in the EIBA 2014 Conference Proceedings. Detailed guidelines for the submission of conference papers will be available on the conference website: http://www.eiba2014.org/.
The submission deadline for all competitive and working papers, as well as for panel proposals, is Tuesday, July 15, 2014.
All papers should be submitted via the conference website to the Chair of one (and only one) of the conference tracks. The submission system will be live from May 15, 2014.

Pre-Conference Activities

Doctoral Tutorial & Doctoral Symposium

The 2014 EIBA Annual Conference is proud to host the 28th John H. Dunning Doctoral Tutorial in International Business. This one-day event gives selected doctoral students the opportunity to discuss their research with distinguished international faculty, and enables the students to become better acquainted with an international network of researchers in international business.

EIBA 2014 is also pleased to host the 3rd EIBA Doctoral Symposium, recently initiated to increase the number of student participants to EIBA doctoral events and conferences as well as offer and provide more feedback opportunities for young scholars in the field of IB.

More information about both doctoral events will be available on the EIBA 2014 conference website; the submission deadline for thesis proposals is September 1, 2014. Note that students participating in the Doctoral Tutorial or the Doctoral Symposium are expected to register for the EIBA conference.

IBR & JIBS Paper Development Workshops

Among the featured EIBA 2014 pre-conference activities will be Paper Development Workshops for theInternational Business Review (IBR) and the Journal of International Business Studies (JIBS). Authors who have not yet been published in the respective journal can submit their papers for the workshop of their choice; deadline September 1, 2014. Note that papers submitted to these workshops cannot also be presented at the conference.

For more information about the above pre-conference events, please visit the EIBA 2014 website.

Conference Venue

The EIBA 2014 conference will be held in Uppsala University’s main building and in the Centre for Economic Studies. The beautiful university main building and the Auditorium (Aula), built in the 1880s, will be the venue of the opening session and welcome reception on Thursday evening, December 11, 2014. On December 12and 13, delegates will be in the Centre for Economic Studies that will house the remaining plenary sessions – including a lecture by the 2014 Nobel prize winner in economics on December 13 – as well as the parallel competitive and workshop sessions. Both venues are within walking distance (5-10 minutes) of each other and are located close to the city centre, which is also the older part of Uppsala. To complete the conference, the gala dinner on Saturday evening will take place in Uppsala Castle, located on a hill overlooking the city centre.

The international airport of Stockholm (Arlanda) is located between Stockholm and Uppsala.
Several means of transportation will take participants directly to Uppsala within 30-50 minutes.
Hotel accommodation has been reserved in advance, ranging from low-budget to high-quality standards.

Conference Fees and Registration

The EIBA 2014 conference fee includes: conference participation, breaks and lunches, the opening reception, the gala dinner, the conference handbook and CD-ROM (including the proceedings), EIBA membership for 2015, and a one-year journal subscription to the International Business Review. There are reduced conference fees for PhD students and persons accompanying registered delegates who wish to attend the gala dinner.

Contact Information

Detailed information about EIBA 2014 Uppsala can be found on the conference website.

All related inquiries should be sent via e-mail to info@eiba2014.org.

EIBA President & 2014 Conference Chair: Rian Drogendijk (Uppsala University)

Call for papers. Special Issue: European Journal of International Management (EJIM)

European Journal of International Management (EJIM)
SPECIAL ISSUE

Special Issue on: “The ROLE OF MULTINATIONAL ENTERPRISES In LOCAL MARKET DEVELOPMENTs”

Guest Editors

• Pervez N. Ghauri, King’s College, UK 
• Byung Il Park, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, South Korea

Description

As globalization intensifies and new middle classes emerge in most markets, multinational enterprises (MNEs) have significantly increased their international business efforts. The recorded figure for 2010 revealed a more than triple increase of the worldwide foreign direct investment (FDI) activities since the year 2000, amounting to US$20.4 trillion (UNCTAD 2011). The reason for the consistent expansion in MNEs foreign operations is closely associated with the increased realization that the presence of foreign firms is beneficial for both home and host countries. One view is that MNEs possessing sophisticated knowledge often function as a conduit for local firms to acquire foreign technology and know-how. In addition, MNEs also help in the creation of employment opportunities and an increase of exports strengthening the balance-of-payments position of the local economies (Park, 2011; Park and Ghauri, 2011). Likewise, home economies of MNEs achieve market expansion and learn about foreign markets.

However, some scholars (e.g., Chang, 2004; Ziegler, 2005) have shed light on the negative aspects of MNE operations, and even argue that MNEs are one of the primary obstacles inhibiting economic growth in developing countries. The explanations given by these scholars, proposing negative impacts are the following; often MNE activities are too vitalized and excessive, foreign firms attempt to dominate the market they enter and present a challenge to national sovereignty. Moreover, the aggravation of local competition against MNEs inevitably culls locally grown enterprises, which results in the deterioration of employment. In particular, MNEs re-invest only a fraction of their revenues in local economies and drain positive effects from both capital injections and the balance of payments. This leads to serious reductions in foreign exchange reserves, forces local governments to borrow more foreign debt and pushes the local economy into a vicious economic circle. These negative effects cause hardship for local governments and negatively influence their investments in infrastructure, education and technology development. In this vein, they suggest that MNE operations are not much different from the establishment of colonies.

A key problem is that it is perhaps hard to say that an unlimited open-door toward MNEs and limitless competition based on market principles is the only correct answer for economic growth. In other words, we cannot merely overlook the adverse aspects of MNEs, and need to practically assess the value of foreign investment. There is a general consensus that the fundamental goals and aims of MNEs are to pursue corporate profits and increase organizational competitiveness in overseas markets, and thus such gloomy opinions about MNEs are unavoidable to some extent. In this vein, it is time to think about the ways to lessen the skeptical attitudes of FDI by identifying the role of MNEs in local market developments. We also suggest that the negative impression of FDI might be significantly reduced if MNEs engage in actions that go beyond their direct economic and financial interests, involve themselves in activities that are not required by the law but further social good and use their internal resources in ways to benefit local markets through committed participation as members of society.

Taken together, the objective of this special issue is to bring both theoretical and empirical advancements examining the role of MNEs in developing local markets in various areas (e.g., economic, social, institutional and ethical developments).

Subject coverage

We seek both theoretical and empirical papers that may address, but are not limited to, the following list of potential research questions:

• How does FDI function as a vehicle to enhance economic development in local markets? Does FDI from MNEs based in advanced economies trigger economic growth in developing countries in the long term? 
• Who obtains more benefits from inward FDI between advanced and developing countries? Are there avenues for MNEs based in advanced economies to help developing countries to promote economic growth? 
• Are there any different patterns of economic development through FDI between advanced and developing countries? What implications can be drawn from countries that have successfully leapfrogged into better economic status? 
• What are the key factors promoting the positive spillover effects of FDI in developing economies? 
• In the perspective of developing countries, what are the primary conditions that inhibit the negative economic outcomes from inward FDI? 
• How does FDI contribute to social evolution, particularly in emerging and developing countries? 
• What is the effect of profit remittance by MNEs in the local market economy? What encourages MNEs to re-invest profits in local markets? 
• What motivates corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices in foreign markets? Is there any particular relationship between the level of foreign CSR and economic development in emerging and developing countries? 
• What facilitates knowledge transfer from advanced to developing economies through FDI? 
• Is there a correlation between FDI types (e.g., ‘vertical versus horizontal’ or ‘export-driven versus market-seeking’) and economic contributions in emerging and developing countries? 

References

Chang, H-J. (2004), Globalization, economic development and the role of the State, London, NY: Zed Books.

Park, B. I. (2011), “Knowledge transfer of multinational enterprises and technology acquisition in international joint ventures”, International Business Review, Vol. 20, pp. 75-87.

Park, B. I. and Ghauri, P. N. (2011), “Key factors affecting acquisition of technological capabilities from foreign acquiring firms by small and medium sized local firms”, Journal of World Business, Vol. 46, pp. 116-125.

UNCTAD (2011). World investment report: Non-equity modes of international production and development. Geneva: United Nations.

Ziegler, J. (2005), L'empire de la honte, Paris: Fayard.

Notes for Prospective Authors

Submitted papers should not have been previously published nor be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere.

All papers are refereed through a peer review process. A guide for authors, sample copies and other relevant information for submitting papers are available on the Author Guidelines page.

Deadlines for submission

• Submission of Manuscripts: January 15, 2015
• Notification to Authors: April 1, 2015
• Final Versions Due: December 1, 2015
• The issue is published: May 2016

Editors and Notes



All papers must be submitted online. To submit a paper, please go to Online Submissions of Papers. If you experience any problems submitting your paper online, please contact submissions@inderscience.com, describing the exact problem you experience. (Please include in your email the title of the Special Issue, the title of the Journal and the names of the Guest Editors).

Guest Editor(s) contact details:

• Dr. Pervez N. Ghauri

King’s College London, Department of Management, 150 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NH, UK
Tel: 00-44-(0)20-7848-4122, Email: pervez.ghauri@kcl.ac.uk

• Dr. Byung Il Park

Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, College of Business Administration, 270, Imun-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 130-791, South Korea
Tel: 00-82-(0)10-4157-3532, Email: leedspark@hufs.ac.kr

Call for papers: Clusters and MNEs innovation strategies

Special Issue of the Competitiveness Review

Clusters and MNEs innovation strategies

Editors: Philippe Gugler and Christian Ketels

Submission deadline : August 30th 2014


The Competitiveness Review invites research papers in the field of clusters and MNEs innovation strategies and in particular on the role of clusters in home and host countries as location advantages fostering MNEs competitiveness
The evolution of the global economy and improved access to goods and resources from distant locations have placed knowledge at the core of firms’ competitive advantages (Zander and Kogut, 1995, p. 76; Jensen and Szulanski, 2007, p. 1716; Sala-I-Martin et al., 2012, p. 7). As a result of their ability to supersede the market and internalize the benefits of the geographic distribution of their activities, multinational enterprises (MNEs) have distributed their value chain around the world and implemented a global network of subsidiaries that allow them to take advantage of the specific profile of different environments (Sölvell, 2002, p. 3; Ketels, 2008, p. 124; Mudambi and Swift, 2011, p. 1).
Firms are constantly driven to generate new knowledge to maintain a competitive edge (Sala-I-Martin et al., 2012, p. 7). The important role of the internationalization of R&D has been studied in detail since the 1990s (Kummerle, 1997; Cantwell et al., 2004, p. 58; Criscuolo, 2004, p. 39). Since the 1980s, strategic asset-seeking investments have exhibited increased importance as a significant motivator for FDI and have helped explain the increased internationalization of R&D (Dunning and Narula, 1995; Dunning, 1998, p. 50).
Because MNEs have the special ability to internalize the benefits of their geographic dispersion of activities, they can significantly improve their competitive advantages by spreading their activities across locations and taking advantage of the specificities of each business environment (Sölvell, 2002, p. 3; Dunning, 2008, p. 83). Innovation scholars have analyzed the tendency of innovative activities to concentrate spatially (Kline and Rosenberg, 1986; Freeman 1991; Nelson 1993; Malmberg et al., 1996). As noted by Maskell and Malmberg (1999, p. 172) and Asheim and Gertler (2005, p. 292), tacit knowledge represents a key ingredient in the development of unique capacities and innovations.
Although the literature on innovation and new knowledge generation has provided significant documentation of the benefits of agglomeration, few studies have analyzed the role of clusters in the global innovation strategies of knowledge-intensive MNEs (Dunning, 1998, p. 60; Birkinshaw and Sölvell, 2000, p. 3; Tavares and Texeira, 2006, p. 1; De Beule et al., 2008; p. 224; Asmussen et al., 2009; Mudambi and Swift, 2010, p. 463). Knowledge capabilities and innovation are the main drivers of a firm’s competitiveness (Zander and Kogut, 1995, p. 76; Jensen and Szulandski, 2007, p. 1716).
Clusters appear to be a unique source of knowledge dissemination and generation and may play an important role in the global innovation strategy of MNEs (Birkinshaw and Sölvell, 2000; Tavares and Teixeira, 2006; Mudambi and Swift, 2010). Defined in their strictest sense as “geographic concentrations of interconnected companies, specialized suppliers, service providers, firms in related industries, and associated institutions in particular fields” (Porter, 1998, p. 197-198), clusters provide an environment that is particularly conducive to innovation. In addition to the positive influence of clusters on productivity and new business creation, recent empirical studies have confirmed the role of clusters in the stimulation of innovation (Jaffe, 1989; Feldman, 1994; Baptista, 2001; Audretsch et al., 2005; Breschi et al., 2005; Cumbers et al., 2008; De Beule et al., 2008).
By referring to the traditional notions developed in the international business (IB) literature, clusters not only offer strong CSAs for regions and countries but also represent unique sources of FSAs for MNEs in their perpetual quest for new knowledge and innovation. Clusters represent a new target for strategic asset-seeking investments in the global innovation strategies of MNEs that we could label “CSA-cluster.” As highlighted by Rugman and Verbeke, “(…) an FSA may be developed internally from three possible geographic locations, each associated with particular CSAs: a home country operation, a host country operation, or an internal network whereby operations in various countries are involved” (2001, p. 240).
These three dimensions are particularly important for knowledge-intensive MNEs to improve their FSAs. The acquisition and generation of new knowledge through home and host cluster relationships may constitute a unique source of new knowledge and innovation for MNEs (Park, 2011; Yao et al., 2013; Nell and Andersson, 2012). (Note: this text above is extracted from a paper in progress of Gugler, Keller and Tinguely).

Themes of this special issue

We welcome submissions that provide a contribution through interdisciplinary approaches. We invite conceptual papers and empirical studies based on qualitative and/or quantitative methods. Potential themes includes, but are not limited to:

• · How MNEs develop innovative capabilities thanks to their location with host countries’ clusters?
• · Which kind of interactions with clusters’ members are the most appropriate for MNEs to operate R&D and innovate?
• · To what extend clusters constitute an important asset for countries to attract technology intensive MNEs?
• · To what extend clusters constitute a valuable alternative to other mean to get access to foreign technology?
• · How MNEs may organize and manage their internal and external networks in combination with clusters activities within their home and host countries?
• · How clusters constitute powerful home and host CSAs and how to consider clusters in the literature based on the interactions between FSAs and CSAs?
• · Do clusters create negatives externalities for firms that may induce some firms to adopt specific strategies to avoid that their knowledge being “lost” through spillovers within a cluster ?
• · How cluster initiatives may play a crucial role to attract technology intensive MNEs?

Submissions:

1. All papers will be subject to double-blind peer review, according to author guidelines available at: www.emeraldinsight.com/cr.htm
2. Submissions to Competitiveness Review are made using ScholarOne Manuscripts: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/comprev (please select the correct special issue from the drop-down menu)

Submission deadline : August 30th 2014

Papers will be published in 2015.

References:

Asheim, B.T. and Gertler, M.S. (2005), “The Geography of Innovation – Regional Innovation Systems,” in J. Fagerberg, D. C. Mowery and R. R. Nelson (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Innovation, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 291-317.

Asmussen, C.G., Pedersen, T. And Dhanaraj, C. (2009), Host-Country Environment and Subsidiary Competence: Extending the Diamond Network Model, Journal of International Business Studies 40 (1): 42-57.

Audretsch, D.B., Lehmann, E.E. and Warning, S. (2005), University Spillovers and New Firm Location, Research Policy 34: 1113-1122.

Baptista, R. (2001), Geographical Clusters and Innovation Diffusion, Technological Forecasting and Social Change 66 (1): 31-46..

Birkinshaw, J. and Sölvell, Ö. (2000), Preface, International Studies of Management and Organization 30 (2): 3-9.

Breschi, S., Lissoni, F. and Montobbio, F. (2005), “The Geography of Knowledge Spillovers: Conceptual Issues and Measurement Problems,” in S. Breschi and F. Malerba (eds.), Clusters, Networks, and Innovation, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 343-376.

Cantwell, J., Glac, K. and Harding, R. (2004), The Internationalization of R&D – The Swiss Case, Management International Review 44 (3): 57-82.

China. In: Henderson, J.V. & Thisse, J.F. (eds.). Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, Vol 4. Elsevier, Amsterdam.

Criscuolo, P. (2004), R&D Internationalisation and Knowledge Transfer: Impact on MNEs and their Home Countries. Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology.

Cumbers, A., MacKinnon, D. and Chapman, K. (2008), “Innovation, Collaboration and Learning in Regional Clusters: A Study of SMEs in the Aberdeen Oil Complex,” in C. Karlsson (eds.), Handbook of Research on Innovation and Clusters, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 300-317.

De Beule, F., Van Den Bulcke, D. and Zhang, H. (2008), “The Reciprocal Relationship between Transnationals and Clusters: A Literature Review,” in C. Karlsson (eds.), Handbook of Research on Cluster Theory, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

Dunning, J.H. (1998), Location and the Multinational Enterprise: A Neglected Factor?, Journal of International Business Studies 29 (1): 45-66.

Dunning, J.H. (2008), “Space, Location and Distance in IB Activities: A Changing Scenario,” in J.H. Dunning and P. Gugler (eds.), Foreign Direct Investment, Location and Competitiveness, Oxford: Elsevier, 83-110.

Dunning, J.H. and Narula, R. (1995), The R&D Activities of Foreign Firms in the US, International Studies in Management Organization 25: 39-73.

Economic Literature, American Economic Association, 28 (4), pp. 1661–1707.

Feldman, M.P. (1994), The Geography of Innovation, Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Freeman, C. (1991), Networks of Innovators: A Synthesis of Research Issues, Research Policy 20: 499-514.

Jaffe, A.B. (1989), Real Effects of Academic Research, The American Economic Review 79 (5): 957-970.

Jensen, R.J. and Szulanski, G. (2007), Template Use and the Effectiveness of Knowledge Transfer, Management Science 53 (11): 1716-1730.

Ketels, C.H.M. (2008), “Microeconomic Determinants of Location Competitiveness for MNEs,” in J.H. Dunning and P. Gugler (eds.), Foreign Direct Investment, Location and Competitiveness, Oxford: Elsevier, 111-131.

Kline, S.J., and Rosenberg, N. (1986), “An Overview of Innovation,” in R. Landau and N. Rosenberg (eds.), The Positive Sum Strategy: Harnessing Technology for Economic Growth, Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 275-304.

Kuemmerle W. (1997), Building Effective R&D Capabilities Abroad, Harvard Business Review 75 March, 61-70.

Malmberg, A., Sölvell, Ö. and Zander, I. (1996), Spatial Clustering, Local Accumulation of Knowledge and Firm Competitiveness, Geografiska Annaler 78 B (2): 85-97.

Maskell, P. and Malmberg, A. (1999), Localized Learning and Industrial Competitiveness, Cambridge Journal of Economics 23: 167-86.

Mudambi R. and Swift T. (2011), Leveraging knowledge and competencies across space: The next frontier in international business, Journal of International Management 17 (3), 186-189.

Mudambi, R. and Swift, T. (2010), “Technological Clusters and Multinational Enterprise R&D Strategy,” in T. Devinney, T. Pedersen and L. Tihany (eds.), The Past, The Present and The Future of International Business and Management, Volume 23, Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing.

Nell P.C. and Andersson U. (2012), The complexity of the business network context and its effect on subsidiary relational (over-) embeddedness, International Business Review 21 (6), 1087-1098.

Nelson, R.R. (1993), National Systems of Innovation: A Comparative Study, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Park B.I. (2011), Knowledge transfer capacity of multinational enterprises and technology acquisition in international joint ventures, International Business Review 20 (1), 75-87.

Porter, M.E. (1998), On Competition, Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

Rugman, A.M. and Verbeke, A. (2001), “Location, Competitiveness, and the Multinational Enterprise,” in A.M. Rugman and T. Brewer (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of International Business, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 150-177.

Sala-I-Martin, X., Bilbao-Osorio, B., Blanke, J., Crotti, R., Drzeniek Hanouz, M, Geiger, T. and Ko, C. (2012), “The Global Competitiveness Index 2012-2013: Strengthening Recovery by Raising Productivity,” in K. Schwab, The Global Competitiveness Report 2012-2013, Geneva: World Economic Forum, 3-48.

Sölvell, Ö. (2002), The Multi-Home Based Multinational – Combining Global Competitiveness and Local Innovativeness, Paper presented at the Symposium in honor of John Stopford, London.

Tavares, A. T. and Teixeira, A. (2006), “Introduction,” in A.T. Tavares and A. Teixeira (eds.), Multinationals, Clusters and Innovation: Does Public Policy Matter, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Yao Z., Yang Z., Fisher G.J., Ma C. And Fang E. (2013), Knowledge complementarity, knowledge absorption effectiveness, and new product performance: The exploration of international joint ventures in China, International Business Review 22 (1), 216-227.

Zander, U. and Kogut, B. (1995), Knowledge and the Speed of the Transfer and Imitation of Organizational Capabilities: An Empirical Test, Organization Science 6 (1): 76-92.



Prof. Dr. Philippe Gugler
Center for Competitiveness
Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences
University of Fribourg - Switzerland
Bd Pérolles 90
CH - 1700 Fribourg
tel. +41 26 300 82 26
philippe.gugler@unifr.ch
http://www.unifr.ch/pes
http://www.unifr.ch/competitiveness

Call for book chapters: The UN Global Compact: Fair competition and environmental and labour justice in international and domestic markets

Scope and Aims of the Book Chapters:

Proposed title: “The UN Global Compact: Fair competition and environmental and labour justice in international and domestic markets”
Since UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan launched the Global Compact in 1999, over 12,000 organisations around the world have voluntarily adopted and promoted its values and Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and corruption.
This corporate citizenship initiative has seen as a non-compulsory alternative to international market regulations. Around the globe, the United Nations Global Compact has promoted the creation of local and regional networks for businesses to act together to mainstream the Ten Principles of Global Compact.
This edited volume brings together contributions from around the planet on the specific implications for business when embracing the Global Compact. Managerial, internationalisation, legal, behavioural and sociological perspective will be reflected at this volume in which both evidences and theoretical developments will be reflected.

Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Global Compact: Its background, context and current influence
• · Political, cultural and social responsibility issues at the firm level
• · Corruption and competitiveness
• · Global Compact and business experiences
• · Private sector challenges and the United Nations
• · Business managers and the adoption of Global Compact
• · Multinational corporations and Human Rights
• · Business implications of child labour
• · Labour relations and international business
• · Sustainability and international business
• · Multinational enterprises (MNEs) at the local and international environment
• · Challenges for MNEs operating in emerging countries
• · MNEs and poverty alleviation
• · International Business ethics and global risk
• · International business and the illegal economies
• · IB, corruption and bribery
• · IB and criminal organisations
• · Public- Private and Business-Community partnerships
• · Corporate Philanthropy
• · Investment and CSR
• · Climate change and international business
• · Corporate Diplomacy
• · Role of corporations in shaping global business policy
• · Corporate Governance (CG) within the framework of International Business
• · Corporate Citizenship
• · Global Compact and IB
• · Social Responsibility Networks
• · Freedom of association and IB

Important dates:

• · Submission deadline for chapter proposals (title and 300-500 words abstract): April 1st 2014
• · Notification of acceptance/rejection of chapter proposals: April 15th 2014
• · Deadline for full chapter: 1st of August 2014
• · Notification of acceptance/rejection of chapter proposals: 30th of August 2014
• · Deadline for submission of final chapters: 1st of October 2014

Accepted chapters will be compiled in a book, which will be published by Emerald Books within theAdvances in Sustainability and Environmental Justice (indexed in Scopus)

Book Editors:

• Dr. Liam Leonard, Editor of CRIMSOC and Advances in Sustainability, United States/Ireland.liam_leonard@yahoo.com
• Prof. Dr. Maria Alejandra Gonzalez-Perez, Universidad EAFIT, Colombia mgonza40@eafit.edu.co

Call for conference Papers. AIB 2014

Academy of International Business

AIB 2014 Annual Meeting
Vancouver, Canada
June 23-26, 2014

For the full version of the Call for Papers, please visit http://aib.msu.edu/events/2014/CallforPapers.asp }
Call for Papers

Theme: Local Contexts in Global Business

Submission Deadline: Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Program Chair: Klaus Meyer, China Europe International Business School ( AIB2014@ceibs.edu )

Globalization is increasing opportunities for business to create value by bridging across different local contexts. At the same time, these local contexts retain their distinct characteristics in terms of, for example, culture, regulations, resources and human capital. Increasing interactions across nations, however, does not necessarily lead to convergence: Local communities retain their distinctiveness. In fact, for many, local identity may even become more important in response to the anonymous forces of globalization. On the other hand, some communities, such as our host city Vancouver, thrive on the interaction of people from a diversity of backgrounds, and become hubs of global business. Communities also build on local values, which can themselves become global. Vancouver, the home of Greenpeace, aspires to be the world's greenest city and the home to companies producing green technologies.

The tension between the globalizing and localizing forces in our societies create major challenges for businesses. For example, how do firms and individuals engage with the dual demands of acting both local and global? How do companies exploit the diversity of the world economy to gain competitive advantage in a variety of local markets? How do global (or regional) MNEs manage to deliver locally relevant products and services? How do MNE operations in multiple localities shape global innovation processes? How do local concerns about social or environmental issues in communities of place and indigenous societies get heard in a world of global business? How are global concerns, such as global warming, violent conflicts, and financial crises, reflected in local decisions by businesses?

This tension also creates profound challenges for how we do research in the field of international business. For example, how do we incorporate aspects of local context in our theorizing? How can we make highly abstract theories relevant for different local contexts? How can we derive relevant theoretical insights from single context studies? How can we ensure our measurements of abstract constructs are valid in different cultural contexts?
Paper and Panel Submissions

Paper and panel submissions for AIB 2014 need to be categorized into one of thirteen topical and two special tracks. Each paper or panel proposal must be submitted to only one track. Please select the track closest to your proposal from the list below. All single country studies must focus on IB-relevant topics such as MNCs, international institutions, trade, global value chains, etc.

1. People and Careers in Cross-Cultural Business
Track chair: Davina Vora, State University of New York at New Paltz, USA ( 2014track1@aib.msu.edu )

2. Entrepreneurship, SMEs, and Born Globals
Track chair: Shameen Prashantham, Nottingham University Business School China ( 2014track2@aib.msu.edu )

3. Organization, Management and Human Resources of the MNE
Track chair: Dana Minbaeva, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark ( 2014track3@aib.msu.edu )

4. Marketing and Consumers in IB
Track chair: Janet Y. Murray, University of Missouri-St. Louis, USA ( 2014track4@aib.msu.edu )

5. Global Value Chains and the Geography of IB
Track chair: Vikas Kumar, University of Sydney, Australia ( 2014track5@aib.msu.edu )

6. Innovation and Knowledge Management
Track chair: Felipe Monteiro, INSEAD, France ( 2014track6@aib.msu.edu )

7. Competition and Collaboration in IB
Track chair: Aya Chacar, Florida International University, USA ( 2014track7@aib.msu.edu )

8. Global Strategy, M&As and Competitiveness
Track chair: Jordan Siegel, Harvard Business School, USA ( 2014track8@aib.msu.edu )

9. Home Economies and the MNE
Track chair: Pavida Pananond, Thammasat University, Thailand ( 2014track9@aib.msu.edu )

10. Theories of the MNE and of FDI
Track chair: Gabriel Benito, BI Norwegian Business School, Norway ( 2014track10@aib.msu.edu )

11. Stakeholders, Responsible Leadership and Governance
Track chair: Sheila Puffer, Northeastern University, USA ( 2014track11@aib.msu.edu )

12. The Institutional and Political Environment of IB
Track chair: Pei Sun, Fudan University, China ( 2014track12@aib.msu.edu )

13. International Finance and Economics
Track chair: Lars Oxelheim, Lund University, Sweden ( 2014track13@aib.msu.edu )

14. Research Methodology in IB (Special Track)
Track chair: Timothy Devinney, University of Leeds, UK ( 2014track14@aib.msu.edu )

15. Teaching IB (Special Track)
Track chair: Andreas Schotter, Ivey Business School, Canada ( 2014track15@aib.msu.edu )


We will be accepting two types of submissions - papers and panels. Paper and panel submissions need to be categorized into one of the thirteen topical tracks or into one of the two special tracks described above. Each paper or panel proposal must be submitted to only one track. For the special tracks on teaching and research methods, please contact the track chairs to discuss the preferred format of the sessions.

All submissions will be handled through the AIB online submission system. All manuscripts and proposals must be submitted by January 15, 2014. Please refer to the detailed submission instructions page for additional information on how to prepare and submit your submission. For up-to-date information about the conference and related events, please check the conference website at http://aib.msu.edu/events/2014/. Any questions regarding this call for papers should be addressed to the track chairs or the Program Chair, Klaus Meyer.

Klaus Meyer
Program Chair, AIB 2014 Annual Meeting
China Europe International Business School, Shanghai
AIB2014@ceibs.edu

Call for papers: International Business and Society on the Transitional Periphery: Comparative Perspectives

Call for Papers Special Issue: International Business Review

International Business and Society on the Transitional Periphery: Comparative Perspectives

• Guest Editors: Mehmet Demirbag and Geoffrey T. Wood

Submission deadline: 31 December 2013

Context

There has been a growing body of literature dealing with business and management issues in the transitional economies of Central and Eastern Europe. In contrast, a few notable exceptions notwithstanding, the literature on the “transitional periphery” – the post-Soviet economies of the Caucasus and Central Asia is sparse – with existing accounts largely dealing with macro-economic and political developments. Yet, many of these economies are of considerable importance and relevance owing to rich natural resource endowments, combined with strategic locations.

However, economies in the region generally battle under weak and corrupt political institutions, with a large number of endemic border and internal ethnic disputes, as well as rising social inequality Many emerging businesses battle under chronic failings by governance, even if others benefit from political patronage: another burden is that traditional supply chain routes have broken down following on independence. All countries have faced rising social inequality, lop-sided and underdeveloped consumer markets, and potentially destabilizing levels of youth unemployment. It would be a mistake, however, to assume that organizational outcomes across the region are homogenous: there is evidence, for example, of much difference in managerial practices reflecting variations in cultural setting.

A number of these countries are significant producers of oil and gas, which brings with it dangers of the resource curse: this would include an over-reliance on a single revenue source to the neglect of other areas of the economy, over-valued currencies, regional imbalances, and rising corruption. Indeed, there is much evidence that this process is already well underway, even while oil resources are fast depleting. In addition, all countries have faced rising social inequality, lop-sided and underdeveloped consumer markets, and potentially destabilizing levels of youth unemployment. A further phenomenon has been the rise of quasi-states in the Caucasus (for example, Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia), disrupting trade and markets and making for open-ended tensions.

Despite this, natural resource endowments and, in some instances, historic links and/or prosperous diasporas have meant that countries on the transitional periphery have also become important destinations for foreign direct investment (FDI) and multinational firms’ (MNCs) operations. FDI flows to transitional periphery not only from western developed economies, but also from other emerging countries and regions (South-South FDI). Given the transitional nature of institutions and complexities associated with governance of organizations, management of relations with governments, political elites, and trade unions appear to be increasingly challenging. Countries on the periphery of transition have administrative heritages which are significantly different than that of other emerging regions.

To date, transitional countries on the periphery are still a terra incognita and our stock of knowledge in business and management practices remain mired in anecdotal evidence. Given the importance of these resource rich countries and potential for investment, the neglect of publications focused on periphery of transition is astonishing. Over the last two decades these countries have been undergoing profound and uneven institutional transformations which have ramifications for both emerging and developed country MNCs. Institutional settings in periphery of transition often necessitates MNCs to design different strategies to deal with the complex competitive dynamics in these countries. This special issue will provide insights into the challenges faced by MNCs in the region and develop concepts, models and tools for both policy makers and managers in these countries. The proposed special Issue offers a rare and unique opportunity for scholars engaged in research on these firms to share their findings in such a scholarly outlet.

Key Issues

Papers should preferably involve cross-national comparative analysis; if based on a single country, this should be analyzed within a broader comparative perspective. Comparisons with countries outside the region, particularly with other variants of transitional or emerging market capitalism, are welcome. Papers could deal with the following issues, although innovative work in related relevant areas would be welcome:

• · MNCs and the local political economy: trends in FDI and relations with local elites.
• MNCs and political risk management in the region
• · In what ways are MNCs are affecting institutional changes in the region?
• · Coping and beyond: How have firms in the region dealt with adversity?
• · How do MNCs engage powerful external stakeholders, such as religious and ideological groups, political institutions, powerful political actors and civil society organizations?
• · MNCs and the Quasi-States (South Ossetia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia).
• · MNCs: How are firm practices amended in specific cultural and institutional settings?
• · Sunset industries in the region: Beyond redemption?
• · Market entry strategies of developed country MNCs compared to emerging country MNCs in the region.
• · Do MNCs use conventional models and methods to enter and operate in these countries, or do they opt out for new approaches?
• · How do MNCs select and manage their partners in the region?
• · Mergers and acquisitions: challenges on the periphery of transition
• · Supply chains and markets: dealing with new barriers and opportunities.
• · MNCs and environmental issues in the region
• · Doing business in the region: Ethical issues.

The special issue is open and competitive and submitted papers will undergo the normal rigorous, double-blind review process to ensure relevance and quality. The key criteria for acceptance of manuscripts are (1) relevance to the theme of the special issue, (2) scholarly rigor of analysis, and (3) practical orientation. Submitted papers must be based on original work not under consideration by any other journal or outlet. Reviewers for papers submitted to the Special Issue will be drawn from the Special Issue Editorial Review Board and IBR editorial review board. No submission will be reviewed prior to the closing date.

A guide for authors and other relevant information for submitting papers are available on IBR’s web page (http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-business-review/)

All submissions should be submitted electronically to http://ees.elsevier.com/ibr/ choosing ‘Transitional Periphery SI’ as the article type.


Submission deadline: 31 December 2013

Guest Editors

Prospective authors are urged to contact the guest editors with their initial proposals or ideas well in advance of the deadline for final paper submission.

Contact details

• Mehmet Demirbag, University of Strathclyde (mehmet.demirbag@strath.ac.uk) (demirbag1@gmail.com) 
• Geoffrey Wood, University of Warwick (Geoffrey.Wood@wbs.ac.uk ) 

Call for papers: International knowledge flows in the context of emerging economy MNEs and increasing global mobility

CALL FOR PAPERS

Special Issue of International Business Review

International knowledge flows in the context of emerging economy MNEs and increasing global mobility

Guest Editors: 

• Xiaohui Liu, Loughborough University 
• Axèle Giroud, UNCTAD/University of Manchester

Deadline for Submission: 31 January 2014

Existing studies on multinational enterprises’ (MNEs) cross-border knowledge flows have predominantly focused on the movement of knowledge within developed countries’ MNEs and/or on how local firms in developing countries benefit from the entry of foreign firms (Gupta and Govindarajan, 2000; Buckley et al., 2002; Görg and Strobl, 2005; Liu and Buck, 2007; Blalock and Simon, 2009; Ghauri and Yamin, 2009; Liu et al., 2009; Meyer and Sinani, 2009; Giroud et al., 2012; Irsõvá and Havránek, 2013). Such dominance may reflect the technologically leading position of developed countries. However, emerging economy firms that have lagged behind firms from developed countries in the past are now rapidly catching up. In particular, emerging economy MNEs (EMNEs) have gained new momentum in the world economy through actively engaging in outward FDI. These changes have been reflected in a new body of literature which goes beyond early explanations for FDI from emerging economies (Wells, 1983; Lall, 1983; Amsden, 1989), since FDI outflows from emerging economies have increased significantly and represent a rising share of global FDI (UNCTAD, 2006; 2013). The new literature strives to understand whether EMNEs follow different internationalisation paths or whether their strategies differ from those of MNEs from developed countries (Fleury and Fleury, 2011; Ghauri and Santangelo, 2012; Witt and Lewin, 2007); whether existing theoretical concepts apply similarly for these firms (Liu et al., 2005; Luo and Tung, 2007; Matthews, 2006; Wang et al., 2012); whether there are unique differences in the case of EMNEs investing in other emerging economies or least developed countries (UNCTAD, Global Investment Monitor, 2013).

Despite recent literature, there remain gaps in the understanding of how EMNEs engage in the process of intra- and inter-firm knowledge transfer across borders and within host countries. Many important research questions remain unanswered: What is the best way for EMNEs to be successful in their strategic asset seeking investment in developed countries? How do EMNEs’ strategic motives affect the host countries in which they operate? Do EMNEs have new ways of learning or unique mechanisms through which cross-border knowledge flows are facilitated? The lack of answers to these questions is all the more surprising given claims that (1) EMNEs actively invest in developed economies through acquisition in order to access key assets, resources and technologies, and (2) they may have a more positive impact on host developing countries due to similarities in the level of economic development and institutional contexts (Ramamurthi and Singh, 2009; Giroud et al., 2012).

Facilitating international knowledge flows, a significant increase in human mobility has become a major aspect of the globalization process. Emerging economies have attracted a large number of return migrants who moved to developed countries in the past and are now returning to their home countries after several years of education and business experience abroad. This increasing trend of human mobility across countries may have profound implications for international knowledge flows. And yet we know relatively little about whether the cross-border knowledge flows of EMNEs differ from those of developed MNEs in the presence of international labour mobility (Liu et al., 2010; Gao et al., 2013).

These new developments challenge the dominant view of cross-border knowledge flows based on established MNEs from developed countries and represent opportunities to advance existing research in this area. It is theoretically and practically important to examine the nature, direction, process and impact of international knowledge flows in the context of EMNEs and increasing human mobility across borders, and enrich our understanding of these key issues. In particular, we need to unpack the socio-cultural process of cross-border knowledge flows by taking account of the characteristics of EMNEs and increasing global mobility.

This special issue aims to extend this line of research by focusing on cross-border knowledge flows and their impact in the context of EMNEs and human mobility. We wish to encourage IB and management scholars to identify new research questions and reveal new dimensions of international knowledge flows in order to reflect the new landscape of the world economy (i.e. EMNEs and an increasing trend of international labour mobility).

Themes of this special issue

We welcome submissions that make a contribution through interdisciplinary approaches. We invite theoretical/conceptual papers and empirical work that draws on qualitative or quantitative methods or an innovative combination of both. Potential themes include, but are not limited to:

• How do EMNEs learn from host countries?
• In what way is OFDI used as a tool to access international knowledge for EMNEs?
• What are the challenges and difficulties facing EMNEs in terms of reverse knowledge transfer (RKT)/spillovers?
• Have EMNEs established internal or unique mechanisms to enhance cross-border knowledge flows?
• What specific roles do expatriates and/or migrants play in enhancing learning by EMNEs from host countries?
• How or to what extent do institutional contexts affect RKT/spillovers for EMNEs?
• To what extent do host countries learn/benefit from EMNEs?
• What impact do EMNEs have on developed and developing host countries (notably through knowledge spillovers and linkages)?
• How do EMNEs’ strategic characteristics affect their potential for knowledge spillovers and linkages in host countries?
• Do knowledge spillovers and linkages of EMNEs differ from those of established MNEs from developed countries?
• What is the role of expatriates and migrants in enhancing the impact of EMNEs in host countries?

Guidelines and submission information: 

All papers will be subjected to double-blind peer review in accordance with IBR guidelines. Authors should follow IBR guidelines, http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-business-review/. All submissions should be submitted electronically to http://ees.elsevier.com/ibr/choosing SI: International knowledge flows and EMENs as the article type. Submission deadline: 31 January 2014. Questions about the special issue can be directed to the guest co-editors: Xiaohui Liu (X.Liu2@lboro.ac.uk); Axèle Giroud (axele.giroud@mbs.ac.uk).

References

Amsden, A. (1989). Asia's Next Giant: South Korea and Late Industrialization. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Blalock, G., and Simon, D. (2009). Do all firms benefit equally from downstream FDI? The moderating effect of local suppliers’ capabilities on productivity gains. Journal of International Business Studies, 40(7): 1095-1112.

Buckley, P. Clegg, J., and Wang, C. (2002). The impact of inward FDI on the performance of Chinese Manufacturing Firms. Journal of International Business Studies, 33(4): 637-655.

Fleury, A., and Fleury, M.T. (2011), Brazilian Multinationals - Competences for Internationalization. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Gao, L., Liu, X., and Zou, H. (2013). The role of human mobility in promoting Chinese outward FDI: A neglected factor? International Business Review, 22(2): 437-449.

Ghauri, P., and Santangelo, G. (2012). Multinationals and the changing rules of competition, Management International Review, 52(2): 145-154.

Giroud, A., Jindra, B., and Marek, P. (2012). Heterogeneous FDI in transition economies: A novel approach to assess the developmental impact of backward linkages. World Development, 40(11): 2206-2220.

Giroud, A., Mirza, H., and Wee, K. (2012). South-south foreign direct investment: Key role of institutions and future prospects. Handbook of Institutional Approaches to International Business. Wood, G and Demirbag, M. Cheltenham, Northampton, Edward Elgar: 365-381.

Görg, H., and Strobl, E. (2005). Spillovers from foreign firms through worker mobility: an empirical investigation. Scandinavian Journal of Economics 107(4): 693-709.

Govindarajan, V. and Ramamurti, R. (2011). Reverse innovation, emerging markets and global strategy. Global Strategy Journal, 1: 191-205.

Gupta, A. K., and Govindarajan, V. (2000). Knowledge flows within multinational corporations. Strategic Management Journal, 21(4): 473-496.

Irsõvá, Z., and Havránek, T. (2013). Determinants of Horizontal Spillovers from FDI: Evidence from a Large Meta-Analysis. World Development, 42: 1-15.

Lall, S. (1983). The New Multinationals: The Spread of Third World Enterprises. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons.

Liu, X., Buck, T., and Shu, C. (2005). Chinese economic development, the next stage: Outward FDI? International Business Review, 14(1): 97-115.

Liu, X. and Buck, T. (2007). Innovation performance and channels for international technology spillovers: Evidence from Chinese high-tech industries. Research Policy, 36(3): 355-366.

Liu, X., Wei, Y., and Wang, C. (2009). Do local manufacturing firms benefit from transactional linkages with multinational enterprises in China. Journal of International Business Studies, 40(7): 1113-1130.

Liu, X., Lu, J., Filatotchev, I., Buck, T., and Wright, M. (2010). Returnee entrepreneurs, knowledge spillovers and innovation in high-tech firms in emerging economies. Journal of International Business Studies, 41(7): 1183-1197.

Luo, Y., and Tung, R. (2007). International expansion of emerging market enterprises: A springboard perspective. Journal of International Business Studies, 38 (4), 481-498.

Mathews, J. (2006). Dragon multinationals: New players in 21st century globalization, Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 23(1), 5-27.

Ramamurti, R. (2012). What is really different about emerging markets multinationals? Global Strategy Journal, 2, 41-47.

Ramamurti, R., and Singh, J.V. (2009). Emerging Multinationals in Emerging Markets. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

UNCTAD (2006). World Investment Report 2006: FDI from Developing and Transition Economies, Implications for Development (Geneva and New York: United Nations).

UNCTAD (2013). Global Investment Trends Monitor (Geneva and New York: United Nations).

Wang, C., Hong, J., Kafouros, M., and Boateng, A. (2012). What drives the internationalization of Chinese firms? Testing the explanatory power of three theoretical frameworks. International Business Review, 21(3): 426-438.

Wells, L.T. (1983). Third world multinationals: The rise of foreign investment from developing countries. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Witt, M. A., and Lewin, A. Y. (2007). Outward foreign direct investment as escape response to home country institutional constraints. Journal of International Business Studies, 38(4), 579–594.

About the special issue editors

Xiaohui Liu is Professor of International Business and Strategy at the School of Business and Economics, Loughborough University. Her main research interests include knowledge spillovers, human mobility, innovation and the internationalisation strategies of firms from emerging economies. She has published widely, with publications in the Journal of International Business Studies, Research Policy, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, International Business Review, Journal of World Business, Management International Review, Management and Organization Review and Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal. She is area editor of the International Journal of Emerging Markets and the Secretary-General of the Chinese Economic Association (UK).

Axèle Giroud is currently working for the Investment Issues Section in the Division on Investment and Enterprise at UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development). She is on leave of absence from her position as Reader of International Business at the Manchester Business School University of Manchester. Her main research interests are in multinational corporations’ technology and knowledge transfer, and inter-firm linkages. She has published widely, including books and articles in journals such as World Development, International Business Review, Journal of World Business and Management International Review. She sits on the editorial boards of a number of academic journals.