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Purpose – The purpose of this chapter is to develop a more fine-grained model of the relationship between multinational corporation (MNC) external embeddedness and subsidiary contribution to firm-level competitive advantage.

Methodology/approach – We briefly review previous international management literature and show that the conception of MNC embeddedness in external networks is often simplistic. We develop the concept of the HQ–subsidiary dyad being externally embedded and derive propositions on how this more holistic concept of MNC embeddedness influences subsidiary contribution.

Findings – We argue that subsidiary contribution depends not only on the relational embeddedness dimension of the subsidiary but that there is a complex interplay between several embeddedness dimensions on multiple levels. We suggest that the much emphasized effect of subsidiary relational embeddedness might be contingent on the HQ's own relationships, and the structure of the overall network. We also develop propositions which show that subsidiary relational embeddedness mediates the relationship between overall network structure and subsidiary contribution.

Research limitations – For the sake of theoretical stringency, we keep other influencing factors such as MNC strategy and specific subsidiary mandates as constant.

Originality/value of the chapter – Subsidiaries are an important source of firm-level competitive advantage. Subsidiary resources have also been shown to develop to a large extent in relationships with external actors. Despite this importance, we argue that our understanding of how the MNC is embedded in external networks and how this in turn influences subsidiary contribution is limited. This chapter attempts to make a first step into filling this gap.

Consumers are constantly confronted with negative information on defective or dangerous products (product‐harm crisis): the car does not stop at the red light due to faulty brakes or the t‐shirt causes the skin to itch. This research aims to provide a holistic picture of consumers' experience of product‐harm crises (p‐h c). The study sets out to investigate under which conditions consumers are impacted by the crisis and how they experience p‐h c in real‐life.

The study draws on in‐depth interviews with both experts and consumers in order to investigate factors influencing consumers' experience in crisis situations.

Based on in‐depth interviews, a theoretical model is developed that captures the impact of p‐h‐c on consumers. Impact consists of personal relevance and perceived severity of the crisis and is a prerequisite for consumers' response. The study finds evidence that the personal impact and the consumer response to crisis situations are influenced by the crisis context, consumer context and company context.

Given the qualitative nature of the study, a quantitative approach should now be used to further substantiate the presented findings and validate the theoretical model.

Consumer response to crises is primarily influenced by the personal impact of the crisis. The nature of the crisis as well as consumer characteristics heavily influence the way a consumer is impacted by a crisis event.

This study illustrates the complexity of consumers' p‐h c experience and contributes to a better understanding of their behavior in p‐h c situations.

At the pinnacle of the knowledge management hype, international consulting firms were widely viewed as the undisputed champions of the discipline. They were the ones that pioneered the development of innovative knowledge management systems, they were at the forefront of creating knowledge management cultures and they recognized the productive potential of knowledge workers. While knowledge continues to be prominent on the strategic agenda of leading consulting firms, several knowledge management challenges remain unsolved. To shed light on this matter the paper aims to investigate how knowledge management is really embedded in their organizations and with which critical issues these firms still struggle .

The paper presents a qualitative empirical study based on 37 in‐depth interviews with representatives from international consulting firms in different locations around the world.

It is found that the promise of knowledge management can only be realized if people are open to changing business processes and adopt new ways of thinking.

The study sheds fresh light on the knowledge management practices that have emerged in the consulting industry, and provides insights into the interplay of people and systems, the structuring of knowledge management, the divide between knowledge generalists and specialists, and the knowledge management strategy.

The paper presents a general approach to embedding knowledge management along the dimensions of people, systems and business processes and develops an integrative framework that links knowledge management strategies to a typical consulting project cycle. In addition, it sheds light on individual perceptions on the benefits from knowledge management.

Compares the affinity credit card markets in the USA and the UK, focusing on the members of the partnership trio: charities, card issuers and cardholders. The affinity card market in both the USA and the UK is expanding rapidly. Explores the motivations for entering the partnerships and the satisfaction derived from the partnerships. Discusses the results in the light of an increasing deregulated marketing environment permitting foreign credit card issuers entry into the UK market.

Examining individual tolerance for unethical consumer behavior provides a key insight to how people behave as consumers worldwide. In this study, consumer reactions to 11 unethical consumer behavior scenarios are investigated using sample data from Austria, Brunei, France, Hong Kong, the UK, and the USA. Nationality is found to be a significant predictor of how consumers view various questionable behaviors. Gender is not a significant predictor, while age and religious affiliation are found to be significant predictors of consumer ethical perceptions. The study identifies distinct consumer clusters based on their perceptions of consumer unethical behavior. Implications of the findings are discussed and future research directions are provided.

Previous studies have looked at how socio‐economic and political factors play a role in consumers' ethical positions, but few have considered the role of religion which is a major driver of ethics. This paper seeks to address this.

From a survey of over 700 consumers this paper explores the similarities and differences between consumers' ethical positions in three different religions namely; Christian (from three countries), Islam, and Buddhism.

It was found that a reduced item scale measuring the two factors of Forsyth's idealism and relativism was applicable in all five religions, but variations were seen because of religious teachings. In particular, Austrian Christians were significantly less idealistic and relativistic than all other religions, even other Christians from the United States and Britain.

The results have implications for measuring ethical positions internationally and for developing ethically based marketing messages and products.

The paper shows for the first time how ethical positions are affected by religions and should be of interest to marketers involved in ethics research and ethical marketing.

Based on theoretical input from punctuated equilibrium theory and the exploration vs exploitation paradigm, a set of innovation drivers and propositions is developed. The purpose of this paper is to present a starting point for a more comprehensive investigation of companies’ innovation trajectories towards balance.

The paper builds on a thorough analysis of the literature and suggests the notion of “strategic inflection points” (SIPs). These points are supposed to mark the transgression between innovation types as reflected in respective performance enhancements.

The propositions developed in this paper serve as a basis for further understanding and for subsequent empirical research.

Managerial implications relate to the understanding that companies need to balance innovation types in order to increase performance.

This paper discusses a variety of innovation types and suggests the notion of SIPs.

Asserts that new technology will completely change the business environment as we know it. Highlights the interrelated changes that are already occurring: mushroom companies; virtual enterprises; electronic markets; blurring industry boundaries; and “fragvergence” of cultural differences. Outlines the implications for marketing management. For instance, suggests that the majority of all marketing activities will have to be international, as target groups are scattered throughout different countries; market research on the Internet will increase in importance; efficient and quick promotion of ideas, business concepts and services is essential; enhanced customer intimacy; and reduction of price flexibility.

The concept of psychic distance has gained widespread theoretical recognition as a predictor of export behaviour. However, the empirical validation of the concept remains patchy and contradictory in terms of the results obtained. Consequently, this paper attempts to shed fresh light on the empirical usefulness of the psychic distance concept. First, a wider assessment base is offered through the development of two new US samples. Subsequently, the US findings are compared with previous empirical evidence from Japan, Germany, Finland and Austria. Taken collectively, the results call into question the practical value of the current operationalisation of psychic distance in explaining export behaviour and provide pointers for required conceptual and measurement improvements.