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This article aims at reviewing existing theories relevant to human resource management (HRM) and providing theoretical contexts to explain the importance of managing people across borders for emerging Chinese multinational enterprises (MNEs).

Based on a literature review approach, the author examines the phenomenon of emerging Chinese MNEs from the lenses of three streams of theories: organisation‐based view; resource‐based view; and institution‐based view.

Existing theories offer sufficient insights to explore differences between emerging and established MNEs, particularly in strategic international HRM research. First, Chinese EMNEs were driven to internationalising by different motives, thus creating impact on the strategic choice and global HRM policy consideration. Second, Chinese EMNEs are operating under constantly changing institutional environments, both at home and in host countries. As a result, they are required to balance and rebalance the choices made in formulating and implementing IHRM strategies. Third, there will be different internationalisation outcomes pursued by Chinese EMNEs. Therefore, IHRM policies and practices are to achieve individual, organisational and societal well‐being.

The article has important implications for HRM theory and research. It may lead to developing relevant analytical frameworks for future research in Chinese human resource management. It is also beneficial to understand the formation and implementation of HRM policy and practices in EMNEs originated not only in China, but in other developing countries.

This article contributes to the international HRM literature in relation to Chinese emerging MNEs from a theoretical perspective. Synthesizing existing core theories with examples from Chinese MNEs, it proposes future research directions for analysing further development of such enterprises.

This research seeks to develop a better understanding of internationalization patterns of agrifood firms and explains why different paths are adopted. Further, a conceptual framework to support public and private decision-making is proposed.

An exploratory qualitative research framework was developed featuring case studies about three highly internationalized Brazilian meat processing firms. Top managers were interviewed, and documents were collected to support the intraand crosscase analyses.

Results suggest that meat processing firms tend to adopt a dual internationalization pattern. Distribution-oriented foreign direct investment (FDI) is normally established gradually, whilst horizontal FDI – the establishment of foreign production facility – tends to be conducted through a fast-paced expansion mode. Interestingly, it was found that food safety issues play a central role in internationalization decisions.

An extension to the Uppsala model was provided by considering agrifood characteristics in the analysis. The results have broad appeal to managers and policymakers. Agribusiness managers could use the theoretical and empirical evidence to support their internationalization decisions. Policymakers can also use this research to gain a better understanding of how agrifood firms expand internationally to either attract or foster FDI.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of different kinds of merger and acquisitions (M&As) on domestic industries’ productivity in the form of technological change (TC) and efficiency change (EC) in the Brazilian extracting and processing industries.

Panel data analysis is employed to test the impact of different kinds of M&As spillovers on each component of productivity growth. The database contains data collected from 2007 to 2011 referring to the Brazilian industries. The estimation procedure involves two stages. The first stage decomposes TFP growth into EC and TC using a input-based Malmquist Productivity Index. In the second step, EC and TC indexes are used interchangeably as a dependent variable in panel data regressions on the M&As-spillover variables.

The results indicate a positive relationship between TC and M&As made by Brazilian majority capital acquiring foreign-held capital from a company established abroad, which is consistent with reverse spillover theory. They also suggest an inverse relationship between TC and M&A operations made by companies with foreign majority capital acquiring both Brazilian-held capital and foreign-held capital from a company established in Brazil. Only the sectors that are capable of increasing their productivity via TC are able to benefit from technology transfer.

This study is limited by the extent of data aggregation applied, which did not identify M&A transaction effects at the firm level. The available data do not allow isolating the effects of M&A processes on industry performance, given the co-occurrence of several factors that affect the performance of the industry. The study results imply that public managers must remain cognizant of the critical need to preserve and maximize competition between foreign and domestic firms while promoting a competitive environment that encourages the development of domestic technological capacities and skilled human capital.

M&A processes raise important issues with respect to organizational decisions and industrial policy. Studies of M&A transactions may be of fundamental importance to the expansion of healthy companies as they evolve through successive stages of growth and development. Liberalizing regulations to promote M&A transactions, and corporate market control is only justified if it promotes social welfare and economic development. Understanding the complexity and dynamics of this phenomenon and appreciating the heterogeneity of possible outcomes can lead to more relevant discussion regarding their contributions.

Results found in this study indicate the need for greater efforts to understand how M&A operations, especially those associated to foreign-held capital, interact with local owned enterprises in developing economies and what benefits can be achieved through public policy. M&A operations need to be well evaluated by considering the kinds and intensities of externalities they might generate, whether and how local firms can potentially internalize those gains, building up absorptive capacities in order to achieve productivity spillover gains.

This study not only offers a more accurate understanding of the diverse nature and effects of M&A operations, but also stimulates a more relevant public policy discussion related to both foreign direct investment and OFDI incentives in Brazil. The growing economic importance of the activities of developing emerging countries’ multinational enterprises is making governments more inclined to re-evaluate their political strategies. Indeed, governments are beginning to recognize that markets need to be created, monitored and nurtured.

Past research demonstrated that reverse innovation initiatives generate tremendous returns for innovators. However, the focus is on multinational corporations (MNCs). This paper aims to provide a framework how Western small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can drive reverse innovation success.

The author adopted an exploratory single case study research design. It draws on the findings from a German SME operating in the healthcare industry.

The research reveals that SME can use emerging markets growth opportunities by leveraging open business networks and a clear strategic focus on emerging economies as well as reverse commercialization. The findings provide a framework for managers of SMEs.

This paper analyses an important way for SMEs to enter emerging markets that has not been explored yet in the management literature and business practice. It offers deep insights of a unique case.

The purpose of this study is to explore how Danish and Mexican communication and management practices are recontextualized at the Latin American office of a Scandinavian multinational corporation (MNC) located in Mexico.

A case study based on interviews, observations and company documents was conducted.

Well-educated Mexican middle managers appreciate the participative communication and management practices of Scandinavian MNCs, which transcend most experiences at local workplaces, but their interpretations and meaning system are influenced by the colonial legacy and political and socioeconomic context framing their working conditions.

This paper provides a contextualized analysis of a rich case study to further illustrate the challenges faced by MNCs in their quest to establish a regional office in a Latin American context and offers a theoretical model of the elements involved in complex recontextualization processes.

El objetivo de este estudio fue explorar cómo las prácticas de comunicación y gestión Danesas y Mexicanas son recontextualizadas en la oficina latinoamericana de una empresa multinacional (EMN) escandinava, ubicada en México.

Se llevó a cabo un caso de estudio basado en entrevistas, observaciones y documentos de la empresa.

Gerentes de mandos medios mexicanos, con educación superior aprecian las prácticas de comunicación y gestión participativa de la EMN escandinava, que trascienden en la mayoría de las experiencias en el lugar de trabajo local, pero sus interpretaciones y sistema de significado son influenciados por el legado colonial y el contexto político y socioeconómico que enmarcan sus condiciones de trabajo.

Este artículo proporciona un análisis contextualizado de un caso de estudio para ilustrar más a fondo los desafíos que enfrentan las empresas multinacionales en su búsqueda por establecer una oficina regional en un contexto latinoamericano y ofrece un modelo teórico de los elementos involucrados en procesos complejos de recontextualización.

O principal propósito deste estudo foi explorar como as práticas de comunicação e gestão, tanto dinamarquesa quanto mexicana, são recontextualizadas no escritório latino-americano de uma multinacional escandinava (MNC) localizada no México.

Foi realizado um estudo de caso baseado nas entrevistas, observações e nos documentos da empresa.

As gerentes intermediárias mexicanas, que são bem qualificados, apreciam a comunicação participativa e as práticas de gestão das multinacionais escandinavas, que superam a maioria das experiências existentes nos trabalho locais, mas suas interpretações e seu sistema de significação são influenciados pelo legado colonial e pelo contexto político e socioeconômico que enquadra as suas condições de trabalho.

Este artigo fornece uma análise contextualizada de um estudo de caso completo, que visa ilustrar melhor os desafios que serão enfrentados pelas multinacionais na sua busca por estabelecer um escritório regional neste contexto latino-americano, além de oferecer um modelo teórico dos elementos envolvidos nestes complexos processos de recontextualização.

This study aims to offer a value chain (real options) approach for reducing uncertainty exposure by pursuing a global frictionless trade ethos almost exclusively. Jolts of significant proportion, such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic and corresponding reshoring phenomena observed in Mexico and Central America, enhance the topic’s relevance.

This conceptual study sheds light on heightened systemic uncertainty because of extreme events; proposes a mitigation protocol rooted in real options (ROs); and prescribes incentivizing regional value chains through public–private partnerships (PPPs).

This study identifies a systemic multinational enterprise (MNE) response aimed at mitigating the repercussions of the most recent jolt of significant worldwide proportions and suggests developing regional value chains through PPPs. In doing so, the authors recognize an incipient MNE trend toward nearshoring and backshoring to achieve this end. This phenomenon is relatively underdeveloped in Europe, where fewer than 4% of firms have engaged in backshoring activities, even in the three-millennia-old Basque region. In contrast, last year’s backshoring of global value chains (GVCs) in Mexico and Central America was noticeable.

This study is among the first, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, to explore the nearshoring phenomenon as a response mechanism, and it opens avenues for finding better ways to mitigate worldwide uncertainties and exposure to extreme events.

This model would benefit MNEs and governments by keeping their operations running as close to capacity as possible, even when external jolts cause a partial or total system shutdown of MNEs’ GVCs. The proposed solution, namely, PPPs, can achieve these objectives through real options.

A social benefit of the regionalization of MNEs’ GVCs would be helping to resolve societal grand challenges, including lowering their global carbon footprint and reducing poverty. This is because having a regional supply facility close to their home market would not only lead to cost reductions for MNEs but also allow them to conduct more on-site quality control checks.

The regional real options concept offers an excellent opportunity for practitioners and governments to improve MNEs’ success via the mitigation of uncertainties and, concomitantly, the lives of billions of people.

El presente estudio ofrece un enfoque de cadena de valor (opciones reales) para reducir la exposición a la incertidumbre de perseguir casi exclusivamente un ethos comercial global sin fricciones. Los eventos externos de proporciones significativas, como la reciente pandemia de COVID-19 y los correspondientes fenómenos de relocalización observados en México y América Central, aumentan la relevancia del tema.

Este estudio conceptual 1) arroja luz sobre la mayor incertidumbre sistémica debido a eventos extremos, 2) propone un protocolo de mitigación basado en opciones reales, y 3) prescribe incentivar las cadenas de valor regionales a través de asociaciones público-privadas.

Este estudio identifica una respuesta sistémica de las EMN destinada a mitigar las repercusiones de la sacudida más reciente de proporciones significativas en todo el mundo y sugiere desarrollar cadenas de valor regionales a través de asociaciones público-privadas. Al hacerlo, reconocemos una incipiente tendencia de las EMN hacia la nearshoring y la backshoring para lograr este fin. Este fenómeno está relativamente poco desarrollado en Europa, donde menos del 4% de las empresas se han dedicado a actividades de deslocalización, incluso en la región vasca de tres milenios de antigüedad. En contraste, el retroceso del año pasado de las cadenas globales de valor en México y América Central fue notable.

Nuestro estudio es uno de los primeros en explorar el fenómeno de la nearshoring como mecanismo de respuesta, y abre vías para encontrar mejores formas de mitigar las incertidumbres mundiales y la exposición a eventos extremos.

El concepto de opciones reales regionales ofrece una excelente oportunidad para que los profesionales y los gobiernos mejoren el éxito de las empresas multinacionales mediante la mitigación de las incertidumbres y, al mismo tiempo, la vida de miles de millones de personas.

O presente estudo oferece uma abordagem de cadeia de valor (opções reais) para reduzir a exposição à incerteza de buscar quase exclusivamente um ethos de negócios global sem atrito. Eventos externos de proporções significativas, como a recente pandemia de COVID-19 e os correspondentes fenômenos de realocação observados no México e na América Central, aumentam a relevância do tema.

Este estudo conceitual 1) lança luz sobre o aumento da incerteza sistêmica devido a eventos extremos, 2) propõe um protocolo de mitigação baseado em opções reais e 3) prescreve o incentivo às cadeias de valor regionais por meio de parcerias público-privadas.

Este estudo identifica uma resposta sistémica das empresas multinacionais com o objetivo de mitigar os impactos do choque mais recente de proporções significativas a nível mundial e sugere o desenvolvimento de cadeias de valor regionais através de parcerias público-privadas. Ao fazer isso, reconhecemos uma tendência emergente de multinacionais em direção ao nearshoring e backshoring para atingir esse fim. Este fenómeno está relativamente subdesenvolvido na Europa, onde menos de 4% das empresas se dedicaram a actividades de offshoring, mesmo na região basca de três milénios. Em contraste, a retração das cadeias globais de valor no México e na América Central no ano passado foi notável.

Nosso estudo é um dos primeiros a explorar o fenômeno do nearshoring como um mecanismo de resposta e abre caminhos para encontrar melhores maneiras de mitigar as incertezas globais e a exposição a eventos extremos.

O conceito de opções reais regionais oferece uma excelente oportunidade para profissionais e governos melhorarem o sucesso de empresas multinacionais, mitigando incertezas e, ao mesmo tempo, a vida de bilhões de pessoas.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a requirement for energy enterprises as different stakeholders deem environmental and social responsibility the duty. This study aims to explore the determinants that affect CSR disclosure in energy enterprises of developing nations.

Panel data of energy companies is used that are listed on Pakistan Stock Exchange. A comprehensive CSR disclosure index is developed using seven themes, i.e. environment, employees, energy, emissions, product, community development and other CSR-related activities. A random effect model of regression is used on the sample of data.

The finding of the study reveals that profitability, financial leverage, board size and being a multinational subsidiary has a significant relationship with CSR disclosure level.

The sample is confined to a certain number of years and publicly traded energy companies. Further studies can explore the relationship of CSR among different groups of firms, such as SMEs, non-listed companies and state-run enterprises to document whether the findings are significant or not. The opinions and ideas of external stakeholders could also be explored using various qualitative methods such as interviews.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first study of its kind whose only focus is energy sector enterprises. A comprehensive scale is used to measure CSR practices. It is helpful for upcoming studies to examine the various aspects of CSR research and figure sound outcome.

The aim of the paper is to identify the determinants of the marketing and managerial knowledge transfer from a foreign subsidiary located in a post-transition country to its headquarters established in a developed country.

The authors combined the critical literature studies and empirical research, where the method of Computer-assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) was applied. The empirical data was gathered from 231 manufacturing foreign subsidiaries established in Poland (as one of the post-transition economy). To test the hypotheses logistic regression was applied.

The knowledge accumulated in the foreign subsidiary, the amount and level of novelty of innovation in the foreign subsidiary and its strategic autonomy is crucial for the occurrence of the reverse knowledge transfer. However, the more powerful the foreign subsidiary is, the less eager it is to transfer marketing and managerial knowledge to the headquarters.

The study is concentrated just on the manufacturing sector in the Polish economy. The results are based on the opinions and perception of managers, but they represent the corporate perspective (not their individual ones).

The study provokes asking the question about the proper level of strategic autonomy of a foreign subsidiary. The implication related to the autonomy is much about the proper strategy for human resources management. The obtained results indicate that the intensity of innovation in a foreign subsidiary “translates” to the outflow of knowledge from a foreign subsidiary to its headquarters. Thus, encourages headquarters to let their subsidiaries innovate still monitoring their power.

FSs are entities more or less embedded in the host markets, thus their strength and sustainable existence is important for their stakeholders, in particular – internal entities such as employees and external entities such as suppliers, and other cooperating organisations and institutions in the host market. The contribution of FSs to the innovation performance and knowledge pool of external partners is determined much by their absorptive capacity. Thus, the results obtained indirectly point to the importance of external agents ability to absorb and exploit the knowledge.

The originality of the paper concerns three issues. Firstly, the previous studies are mainly focused on either developed or emerging markets and as a result, the peculiarity of post-transition economies, like Poland has been neglected. Secondly, the determinants of reverse knowledge transfer are presented from the corporate perspective. Thirdly, authors focus on marketing and management knowledge distributed from a foreign subsidiary to its headquarter.

This paper aims to build upon climato-economic theory to investigate the issue of climate’s effect on foreign expansion and location choice.

This empirical paper looks at foreign subsidiary location through the lens of the climato-economic theory. To do this, the study uses a balanced data set, looking at foreign expansion before, during and after the global financial crisis of US multinational firms. A multilevel step-wise regression is used to look at climate, culture and economic effects on foreign location choice.

The findings suggest that US multinational enterprises tend to have fewer foreign subsidiaries in countries with extreme climates, and they prefer locations with warmer climates, avoiding locations with colder climates, although they gravitate toward locations with less sunshine. Climate emerges as an important factor in location choice, with greater weighting than other factors, including economic and cultural factors in times of economic calm, but the weightings of the factors change during times of economic crisis.

This paper contributes to the global business literature by extending the climate-economic theory to macro levels affecting the firm. The paper is the first to look specifically at how climate affects foreign subsidiary location.