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This paper compares AMT adoption practices in large American and British companies, investigating their motives, size and nature of their investments, planning processes, fit between AMT and strategy, functional areas involved, nature of financial techniques employed and the anticipated benefits, risks and difficulties. Data collected from 93 large American companies and 67 British companies is used for this comparison. The results show that American and British companies invest in AMT for similar reasons, however, there are differences identified in terms of the nature and size of investments and the AMT planning process. American companies are more sophisticated in their evaluation of AMT proposals and place greater importance on many of the expected benefits of AMT than do British companies. In American companies there is more involvement in AMT adoption from managers in different functional areas than is the case in British companies.

The study analyzes different early African‐American life insurance enterprises and illustrates how these organizations significantly influenced both cultural and economic development in African‐American communities. Because African Americans purchased at least one billion‐dollars worth of insurance by the end of the 1930s and because African‐American insurance companies carried at least $340,000,000 of this insurance, African Americans also played a significant role in developing the United States’ financial infrastructure during the first half of the twentieth century. This paper explores the cultural and economic issues used by this industry to overcome the environment constraints that hindered many other African‐American industries.

Different companies have their own polices and practices that are influenced by their national cultures and company environments. Chinese professionals have different working environmental needs based on whether they work in a Chinese‐owned or American‐owned company in China. Two sets of hypotheses are advanced about the relationships. These hypotheses are illuminated empirically with two types of questionnaires: one type from Chinese professionals working for Chinese‐owned R&D companies, and another from Chinese professionals working for American‐owned R&D companies. The need for internal self‐determination is related to cultural differences, and the need for external stimulants is related to economic development.

The main purpose of the study is to identify the differences and similarities in the communication between B2B participants in cross-cultural environments.

The research methods used in the study are two-fold: the literature analysis is complemented by primary qualitative research conducted in small- and medium-sized enterprises operating in Poland and doing business internationally. The research was focused on two culturally different markets: China and the United States. In the empirical research, the authors used one of the qualitative methods – Individual Depth Interview (IDI).

General findings showed that the strongest influence of culture was identified among older (+50 years old) business partners. The younger ones are eager to adapt and try to understand others' viewpoints. The research results may be used in creating business communication models in the countries researched for companies that plan to enter both American and Chinese markets.

The results of the study may have useful applied managerial value and be used in cooperation between SMEs' B2B business partners, not only from Poland but also from the whole region of Central and Eastern Europe and the United States and China.

The findings may help to understand and communicate with culturally different social groups such as co-workers, students, teachers, etc.

The research presented in the paper covers the gap in the literature because it relates to some new factors (like cultural heritage, age and type of industry) which determine the effectiveness of personal business communication between partners in the international marketplace.

This paper aims to determine the level of awareness and implementation of family‐responsible parameters: policies, enablers, practices, and culture, in Spanish and Latin‐American companies, and how they impact work‐life balance.

The study uses data from different national IESE's Family‐Responsible Employer Index surveys in Spain (1,000 companies) and five Latin‐American countries (1,155 companies), Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador and Peru, done between 2006 and 2008. This is a structured questionnaire that assesses the stage of development the organization is in regarding four main family‐responsible parameters: policies, enablers, practices, and culture.

Latin‐American countries get a slightly higher number of companies that are fully supportive of work‐family balance environment than Spain, but with lesser formal policies implemented and a stronger presence of enablers and practices. Policies are important but might not be as effective if not accompanied by the example of managers and staff as well as by a deep understanding of the cultural value placed by them on work, family and personal life.

The survey‐based data used limits insight into causal relationships. Qualitative and longitudinal studies are needed in order to clarify motives for individual and organizational decisions regarding work‐life initiatives. Data collected are from one source only: employer's management. Multi‐source studies must follow and include the public sector.

This is the first comparison between Spanish companies and companies from five Latin‐American countries regarding work‐family policies, enablers, practices and culture with such an ample number of companies. Findings will aid HRD practitioners in developing work‐family initiatives and help researchers to address new questions in cross‐cultural comparisons.

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) of 1977 and its amendment – the Trade and Competitive Act of 1988 – are unique not only in the history of the accounting and auditing profession, but also in international law. The Acts raised awareness of the need for efficient and adequate internal control systems to prevent illegal acts such as the bribery of foreign officials, political parties and governments to secure or maintain contracts overseas. Its uniqueness is also due to the fact that the USA is the first country to pioneer such a legislation that impacted foreign trade, international law and codes of ethics. The research traces the history of the FCPA before and after its enactment, the role played by the various branches of the United States Government – Congress, Department of Justice, Securities Exchange commission (SEC), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); the contributions made by professional associations such as the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICFA), the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), the American Bar Association (ABA); and, finally, the role played by various international organizations such as the United Nations (UN), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). A cultural, ethical and legalistic background will give a better understanding of the FCPA as wll as the rationale for its controversy.

Our annual surveys seek to provide insight into important market dynamics, opportunities and problems in the North American third party logistics (3PL) industry, from the perspective of the chief executive officers (CEOs) of major logistics service companies. The information generated is not only useful to managers considering using such services, but also to provider CEOs to facilitate industry benchmarking.

For the past decade, that insight has been sought by conducting annual surveys of the CEOs of many of the largest 3PL companies serving North America.

The CEOs projected substantial revenue growth in the North American 3PL marketplace over the next three years. Their companies are becoming increasingly customer selective, and aggressively selling along customer supply chains. They are increasingly focusing attention on the possible large‐scale adoption of RFID technology in the industry, and seeking ways to overcome industry pricing pressures.

This survey focused on the largest 3PL companies operating in North America. However, many small‐medium size companies now participate in that market, and little work has been done to document developments in that sector of the industry. Further, little research has been conducted concerning the provision and use of 3PL services in other geographies.

As previously noted, the findings not only give insight into the industry for those considering the use of 3PL services, but also give provider CEO a means of benchmarking their companies against industry averages.

Data generated in this survey provide a basis for comparison with that generated in our previous annual surveys, and an understanding of current 3PL market conditions.

Japanese multinational corporations have been establishing subsidiaries and joint ventures in the U.S. in increasing numbers. They have used many of their own managers who bring with them Japanese attitudes and a style of management developed in Japan. When they are transferred to the U.S. they must work with, and often manage, Americans whose culture and work habits are vastly different from what they are used to.

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the scarce body of academic research on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in BRIC countries and Russia in particular, by performing a comparative analysis of CSR, reporting of ten major players in the energy sector in the USA and Russia.

This study applies a content analysis research design in order to obtain an in-depth understanding of the key themes communicated in the reports. Drawing on an institutional approach to CSR, this study attempts to explain revealed differences in CSR reporting in Russian and American companies.

The results suggest that Russian companies compared to American ones report more extensively on the areas of social performance and CSR issues related to employees and consumers. Nevertheless, American reports contain topics of global concern in the scope of environmental performance that are omitted by Russian companies.

The paper deepens the understanding of CSR reporting specificity related to an institutional context and suggests that CSR fills different needs in different types of societies.

The study contributes to the academic research on CSR in BRIC countries and provides some insights into how the revealed differences between Russian and American reports in the energy industry can be explained using an institutional approach.

Price becomes a main instrument for rationing pharmaceutical drugs in Central America as a consequence of pro‐market reforms implemented in the 1980s. Under market‐rationing conditions, people's access to branded drugs does depend on their purchasing power and on the vector of prices they face. The purpose of this paper is to study the regional pricing strategy followed by pharmaceutical firms across Central American countries. These countries differ in such economic factors as per capita income, income distribution, market size, and nature and extent of their social‐security system; thus, there are conditions that foster the implementation of price‐discrimination practices across the region.

The investigation takes advantage of a large database with information about prices of identical drugs sold across Central American countries and produced by 17 large pharmaceutical companies. Regression analyses are used to study whether price discrimination exists in Central American drug markets and what pricing strategies are followed by different pharmaceutical companies.

Results show that there are significant differences in the prices of identical drugs across the Central American countries, as well as that pharmaceutical companies follow different pricing strategies.

Cross‐country price comparisons are usually based on constructed price indices, which imply losing detailed information about the products being compared. This investigation uses prices of identical drugs, rather than constructed price indices, to study cross‐country price differences by pharmaceutical companies across the Central American region. The study of price discrimination is crucial to understanding how markets end up rationing such an essential product as pharmaceutical drugs.