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Specific teaching and learning objectives include to identify factors influencing market expansion decisions and recommend appropriate entry modes, understand factors in the international business environment that contribute to success or failure of international businesses in developing countries, evaluate strategies enabling international businesses to sustain market presence in developing countries and overcome local competition, analyze the concept of local responsiveness in international business operations and suggest strategies for internationalizing domestic companies from developing countries.

The McDonald’s case examines the challenges associated with market expansion by global brands. The case occurs during the early-globalization era in the 1990s. Barbados, a developing country, is the site for potential expansion. Prospective investors, the Winters, are desirous of establishing a McDonald’s in Barbados. They need to thoroughly analyze the previous experience of McDonald’s against the host country’s current international business environment, e.g. political, economic, cultural and competitive environment. This case analysis provides a framework for understanding the multifaceted reasons behind McDonald’s exit from Barbados, considering the complex interplay of political, economic, sociocultural, technological and legal factors in the international business environment. The case equips the instructor and students to explore the risks of international expansion, particularly in developing country markets. The case study on McDonald’s failure in Barbados highlights the need to thoroughly examine one’s market entry strategy and available information on the host market and be more locally responsive regarding tastes and preferences. The case study also presents essential lessons for firms and planners from developing countries. Local firms innovated and enhanced their operations in response to the threat from the entry of the global fast-food giant. Yet, they did not seek to internationalize once McDonald’s exited the Barbadian market. The case study, therefore, considers strategies firms from developing countries could utilize to penetrate markets from developed countries.

At the undergraduate level, the McDonald’s Barbados case can be used in international business classes to highlight risks in the international business environment and the need for a carefully planned and executed market entry strategy.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS5: International Business.

This chapter discusses the Government of Barbados’s 2014 introduction of partially student paid tuition fees for Barbadians attending the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus. This introduction of a student paid tuition component came after fifty years of state-funded education at the local UWI campus. In this chapter I assert that this introduction of fees altered the existing postcolonial “social contract” that has developed in the country and that has been integral to Barbados being presented as a “model” for small developing states in the Caribbean and beyond. In the chapter I argue that the social contract in the country was altered in light of the alleged demands of financial crisis and that this crisis climate allowed for “decision-making by surprise” in a country in which collaborative education governance has grown to be accepted as the norm.

Barbados has been driven by agricultural pursuits for most of its existence and successive decision makers have failed to create a tradition or culture with a focus on service. In a move to change this focus in support of a service culture, the National Initiative for Service Excellence (NISE) was launched on November 30, 2004. A highlight of the event was the tripartite commitment made by the leaders of the social partnership (government, labour and the private sector). The purpose of this article is to examine the topic of service leadership – and the role the three leaders must play in achieving service excellence.

This article is as a result of observations and experiences while the author served as Lead Champion for NISE. It is also informed by research on the subject. “Achieving service excellence – customer service strategies for the hospitality/tourism industry in Barbados”.

Barbadians must determine the factors for a foundation that the country needs if it is to have a service excellence culture. The foundation for Barbados might be found in the people of Barbados and in the church which is an influential institution in Barbados.

Behavioural change must start with three leaders of the social partnership. This message is valuable to these service leaders in the journey towards achieving service excellence in Barbados.

Employing a case study of Barbados, the purpose of this paper is to highlight key stakeholders involved in the construction sector, discusses the roles of construction stakeholders in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and the key stages of the construction process where proactive DRR inputs could be made, The following objectives are addressed: to describe the main natural hazards in Barbados; to reveal key stakeholders involved in the decision making during the design, construction and operation process (DCOP) and DRR process; to discuss the roles of construction stakeholders in DRR and the key stages of the DCOP where proactive DRR inputs could be made; to emphasise the main barriers to the implementation of DRR in the Barbados’ construction sector.

A qualitative case study methodology, that includes semi-structured interviews with construction stakeholders in Barbados, a critical review of relevant literature and media coverage of natural hazards, and construction site visits.

The key construction stakeholders that should be responsible for DRR integration in construction process are identified. The main barriers to the implementation of DRR in the Barbados’ construction sector are also discussed; these include the absence of an enforced building code and complacency towards natural hazards from the general population as well as construction stakeholders.

Whilst some attempts have been made in mainstreaming DRR into construction projects in Barbados, many of the measures are not effectively implemented due to various constraints. In addition, little research has been done on the state of the construction sector and its use of DRR in the Caribbean. This paper aims to fill this research gap.

The purpose of this paper is to measure the extent of the adoption of human resource management (HRM), the existence of a formal HR strategy, and the development of the HR function in the Barbados hotel industry compared with Hoque's sample of hotels in the UK.

A quantitative survey, covering 46 hotels out of a population of 75 hotels was conducted with the respondents being the hotel's management: a general manager, HR manager or line manager.

It was found that the adoption of human resource (HR) practices was more prevalent in Barbados hotels than in the UK sample. With respect to the existence of a formal HR strategy, the results were mixed. The results also show that in many respects the Barbados hotels are ahead of their UK counterparts in the development of the HR function.

The research focused on a small sample in a developing country. In addition, responses were obtained from top management rather than all levels of staff.

The findings about HR practices were based on management assertions. There is need for a follow‐up with more tangible evidence.

The paper highlights the importance of HR practices in a developing country. These findings were unexpected, given that the UK is a mature western economy, where Barbados is classified as a developing country. They may be explained by the better‐developed formal systems for the management of employment relations at an industry‐level in Barbados.

It is observed that many destinations are implementing sport tourism offerings to enhance their ability to attract visitors through satisfying their desires of new experiences. This has led to a highly competitive sport tourism market and as a result destinations engage in various marketing techniques and promotional tools to gain an advantage. For that reason this research was undertaken to acquire a greater understanding of the importance of promotional tools to successfully and efficiently market sport tourism experiences.

The construct of this study comprises of two stages. The aim of the first stage is to evaluate the specific tools used to promote sport tourism and sport tourism experiences in Barbados by examining the responses of various sporting and tourism bodies. The second stage of this research was conducted to present and analyze how marketing/promotional tools could contribute to better market sport tourism experiences.

The research found that many of the promotional tools implemented in Barbados during their marketing process correspond with those used internationally. However, problems of poor and insufficient sporting facilities as well as little collaboration between tourism and sporting entities, hamper the success of Barbados as a sport tourism destination. This further minimized Barbados’ ability to market favorable tourism experiences. This therefore shows that while promotional tools are essential in attracting tourists, other elements must also be taken into consideration to ensure sport tourists have positive experiences which would lead to a successful sport tourism destination.

Few studies in this area have been undertaken in the Caribbean. This study attempts to fill this gap by examining the implementation of sport tourism offerings to attract visitors to Barbados.

Whistleblowing has been receiving increased attention and support in recent times as a means of detecting and correcting wrongdoing in organizations. This study aims to examine perceptions, attitudes and consequences (actions and reactions) of whistleblowing, as well as the predictors of internal and external whistleblowing intentions, by using Graham’s (1986) model of principled organizational dissent in a small emerging and collectivist culture like Barbados.

The study utilized a self-administered survey of 282 accounting employees working in organizations in Barbados.

Results reveal that there is little awareness of whistleblowing legislation. Most respondents perceive whistleblowing as ethical and favor internal over external whistleblowing. Findings show that personal responsibility and personal costs significantly influence internal whistleblowing intentions, while personal costs influence external whistleblowing. Using qualitative data, several themes emerged as influencing whistleblowing: perceived benefits of whistleblowing, actual whistleblowing experiences (handling of reports), personal costs (climate of fear and hostility), perceived lack of anonymity and cultural norms.

Future research should control for social desirability bias and use more rigorous qualitative approaches such as face-to-face interviews and focus groups to gain in-depth opinions and feelings on the topic.

Whistleblowing can be achieved through such mechanisms as perceived organizational support, strong ethical codes of conduct, rewarding ethical behavior and promoting sound work ethics in organizations.

This paper explores whistleblowing in an emerging economy where there has been little research on the topic. Thus, this study supplements the existing research in emerging economies by examining the applicability of Graham’s (1986) model of principled organizational dissent.

Considers the inclusion of environmental policy dimensions into strategic development planning for the coastal environment of Barbados. Coastal zone management forms one aspect of development planning in Barbados, focusing on strategic development planning within the coastal environment. The environment and development are closely linked in a complex cause and effect relationship. Almost all types of development tend to erode a country’s resource base and this can undermine a country’s development strategies. Development continues to be seen and practised in the narrow context of growth; and little substantive progress has been made over time in explicitly integrating the environmental dimension into the regular programmes and activities of public and private sector organizations. One of the recurring features is that, in contemporary Barbados, environmental policies tend to muddle through and evolve incrementally as the need arises. Concludes that a durable development lesson for all lower income countries around the world is that development cannot be sustained for long if the environment continues to be undermined.

The purpose of this article is to explore the under‐representation of women in union leadership in Barbados. The article asks if there are specific conditions faced by women there or if the barriers for Barbadian women are the same or similar to those facing union women in developed countries.

The study was a small qualitative one. In‐depth interviews were carried out in 2007‐2008 with 17 women leaders from the two dominant general unions in Barbados, from two smaller female‐dominated unions and an international union federation.

The findings show that many of the barriers union women in developed countries face are also encountered in Barbados, including family and domestic and workplace/union. However, the paper shows that the local context of Barbados produces a locally specific version of oppressive gender relations that impact on union women and their ability to access leadership. In particular, the “male marginalisation thesis” holds purchase in the public mindset and has created a backlash against one of the major strategies for addressing women's under‐representation in unions – women's separate organising.

This was a small study based on one Caribbean island and the findings do not necessarily apply to the wider region. Nevertheless, it raises sufficient questions about gender relations in union in the Caribbean to warrant further investigation both by unions and academics.

There is little in the international literature on women and unions in the Caribbean region.

Since the decline of export agriculture and the loss of trade preferences, most Caribbean countries have shifted their economies towards the provision of tourism services. Barbados, for example, receives more than two‐thirds of its foreign exchange earnings from tourism. The sustainability of tourism in the Caribbean can potentially be affected by climate change. This paper aims to address this issue.

This paper provides an assessment of the likely effects of climate change in the small state of Barbados and suggests some recommended adaptations. Climate change is expected to impact on temperature, rainfall and severe weather, sea levels and sea surface temperatures, biodiversity loss, and lead to erosion and seasonal shifts on the island.

The paper finds that, in relation to tourism demand, as travellers from source markets become more conscious of their carbon footprint and the implementation of green taxes, there might be some alteration in demand for long‐haul destinations such as Barbados. On the supply‐side, increased operating costs, due to higher insurance premiums (particularly for beachfront properties) and greater cooling costs, to name a few could all impact on the profitability of hotels in the island. As climate change impacts on the water table, there is also likely to be some competition for water resources for residential and tourism purposes.

The paper supplies useful information on sustainability of tourism in the Caribbean and the effects of climate change.