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A paucity of studies has used a microfoundation lens to examine servitization processes in internationalized knowledge-intensive business service (KIBS) companies. The research aims to bridge this gap by considering knowledge sharing as a form of both codified knowledge and informal feedback knowledge; it also assesses whether the adoption of knowledge transfer and translation practices in a servitization process positively moderates the effect of knowledge transformation on knowledge sharing for internationalized KIBS companies.

By adopting a microfoundation lens, the research offers an empirical analysis to identify the relations between codified and tacit knowledge in servitization processes within internationalized KIBS companies. The study is based on 326 respondents from 30 KIBS companies. A multiple regression analysis was used for hypotheses testing.

The authors found significant relations among the use of electronic documents in the servitization process (formal codified knowledge), personal advice in servitization (informal feedback knowledge) and knowledge sharing in internationalized KIBS companies. Findings also support the indirect effect assumed in the hypothesis between knowledge transformation and knowledge sharing in internationalized KIBS companies, which is positively moderated by the adoption of cross-cultural knowledge practices in the servitization process.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research provides the first conceptual model of the use of a microfoundation lens to examine knowledge sharing in internationalized KIBS companies. The micro level features individual knowledge sharing in the servitization process, while the meso level focuses on knowledge transformation in KIBS companies and the adoption of knowledge transfer and translation practices in the servitization process.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the differences in growth strategies – domestic and international – of manufacturing and service firms. Hardly any literature exists that empirically investigates the differences on account of the distinctive characteristics of goods and services, and such studies rarely draw from the operations management field.

Multiple analysis of variance is used to analyze longitudinal data from multiple secondary sources.

Mixed services, such as banks, focus more on domestic growth and less on international growth. Manufacturers, such as chemical firms, focus more on international activities as compared to domestic activities. Mixed service firms seem to prefer collaborative approaches, whereas goods producers prefer wholly owned ventures.

The data collection methodology applied in this study may be applicable to many other topics of operations management. Future researchers may examine internationalization of services from front and back office perspectives, and compare information‐processing, possession‐processing, and people‐processing services in their choices of mode of entry and resultant performance differences.

The findings are relevant for developing operations strategy, including location alternatives, for both manufacturing and service firms as different nations become a part of the global village. Appropriate modes of entry in an international arena for both service and manufacturing firms are identified.

A cross‐functional study that uses longitudinal data from secondary sources in an innovative way with significant implications for operations managers and researchers.

Identifies critical elements of the contents for design of an effective management education programme for international joint venture managers.

This paper aims to deepen the understanding of the interconnection between hybrid product–service offerings and firms' internationalization strategies, focusing on market entry, export performance and subsidiary strategy development.

The approach involves reviewing and summarizing the existing body of research in the area. This is complemented by the analysis of the 10 published papers in the current issue.

The authors proposed a value-chain synergetic approach that ensures the international competitiveness of hybrid offerings. The authors’ conceptual framework encompasses four themes: (i) internal factors encompassing capabilities and governance, (ii) supply-side factors related to ecosystem formation, (iii) demand-side factors encompassing customization and co-creation and (iv) enhancing factors such as assets digitization. The authors’ analysis demonstrates how these synergistic value chain themes interrelate to empower hybrid offerings in the export market.

While the conceptual development presented in this paper is not exhaustive, the model highlights important research avenues in the internationalization of product–service hybrid offerings that need exploration.

The proposed framework hold practical implications for firms aiming to enhance their competitiveness in the export market through the integration of hybrid product–service offerings.

The authors’ framework bridges the gap in international marketing literature by focusing on the interplay between hybrid product–service offerings and internationalization strategies, providing valuable insights into the factors driving servitization-led innovations in foreign markets.

Multinational enterprises (MNEs) strive to expand into new markets either by exploiting their resource base or by gaining access to partner companies that own the required resources. Thus, companies face the compete–cooperate–coopete decision. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of MNEs’ networks of interorganisational alliances, and their interaction with resource ownership, and market attractiveness, on the choice of international expansion modes, whether they are sole venture (competitive) or collaboration agreements (cooperative) or both (coopetitive).

A biprobit model is used to analyse more than 50,000 new international operations by 164 MNEs in a five-year window. A moderation analysis is carried out to reveal the interaction between network centrality, resource ownership and market size.

The results show the extent to which the competitive–collaborative contradictory forces attenuate each other in different market scenarios. This study’s contribution advances the resolution of the resource allocation dilemma by recognising the conditions for the selection of each expansion mode: sole venture, cooperation and coopetition.

Mainstream international business theory claims that firm’s own resources and transaction outcomes are generally sufficient to explain their international expansion decisions, whereas network and social capital theories focus on the role of relationships and network embeddedness. Both perspectives seem to neglect the fact that firms frequently develop both factors simultaneously. This study bridges these perspectives and reveals the interplay between resource ownership, alliance network centrality and market size for MNEs’ expansion mode choice.

This paper aims to describe in depth case studies demonstrating that many small companies that participate in collaborative relationships are not realising the knowledge and skill acquisition benefits that policy makers envision when they formulate public policy that promotes creation of collaborative business relationships.

Hamel's theory of inter‐partner learning is built upon to explain the possible reasons why firms fail to derive learning‐related benefits from participation in collaborative relationships, and the implications for public policy, for firms participating in collaborative relationships, and for future research are discussed.

Key findings reveal that small companies are not realising the intended benefits of collaboration. Many New Zealand firms that participate in alliances are not using them to develop new skills and competencies.

Learning was neither an objective nor an outcome of most of the collaborative business relationships investigated in this research. The cases studied were selected from a large database of collaborative business relationships involving New Zealand firms, so there is no reason to believe that these findings are unique to the particular relationships examined; however, it would be useful to investigate the extent to which the findings generalise to other collaborative relationships in New Zealand and in other countries.

Policy makers should carefully consider the types of collaborative relationships that they promote as not all relationships generate public benefits. Firms should consider collaborative relationships as a possible option for acquiring new skills and, if they wish to learn through participation in such a relationship, then they should make this a specific objective.

The paper shows that the adoption of a qualitative approach allows a more insightful examination of collaborative relationships and learning.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the state of French medium sized business schools in the Grandes Ecole sector of education and how networks and alliances help business schools survive in an ever-changing and global environment.

The material for empirical research for this paper was gathered by using a case study method of four small to medium sized provincial Institutions of Management Education in France.

The paper demonstrates that all of the business schools studied rely on networks and alliances to face globalisation and internationalise their strategy and seems to follow the three typologies of mergers and acquisitions set down by Napier (1989): extension mergers, collaborative mergers and redesign mergers. At present, the networks and alliances are used on a marginal or peripheral way by networking only a part of the institution at one time.

Further research at a later date needs to be carried out in order to observe if the pattern will remain or if there may be networks which will start from the core of the institution since the organisations will in the future have more of an international or global culture.

The value of this paper is to demonstrate that medium-sized business schools can compensate their limited resources and compete in the global education market. Alliances and networks appear as key ways in achieving goals of sustainability and survival.

This paper examines the impact of technological alliance announcements in a nonfavorable environment, using event study methodology that includes robust tests to allow heteroskedasticity across firms and over time. The study is based on Spanish data, and focuses on the fact that Spanish market conditions do not favor firms that are deciding whether to enter a technological alliance. The paper is extended to analyze different features of alliances. Results suggest no stock market reaction on the day of the announcement, and a negative reaction on the days that follow. Our results also show that the stock market exacts no penalty on joint venture alliances, alliances involving public entities, alliances between Spanish firms, or alliances between competitors. The common feature revealed in these subgroups is the pursuit of security, a phenomenon that is consistent with the study environment.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the inconsistent use of terminology in international collaboration, and develop a clearer typology that reflects the commercial and practical realities of modern business.

A critique of existing typologies provided the basis for the development of a more practical framework. The new typology was populated with the most prominent collaborative forms to emerge from the analysis of academic research and commercial practice.

“Structure” and “purpose” emerged as the most logical determinants in differentiating and classifying collaborative forms. Actual commercial ventures mapped on to the new typology demonstrate a good fit between these two considerations and the collaboration strategies adopted.

This work contributes much needed clarity in differentiating and classifying forms of collaboration. The key determinants of structure and purpose reflect more accurately the commercial and practical realities of modern business, and offer practitioners and researchers a logical means of mapping and analyzing collaboration strategy.

Regional economic integration has been a major area of research in the field of international economics and international trade, with little attention being paid to the impact of these economic collaborations on the organizational strategies of firms within the economically integrated regions. By building on the organization‐environment relationship paradigm, this paper aims to address the impact of environmental changes associated with economic integration, market commonality and currency commonality, on the patterns and structures of strategic alliances within members of the economic community.

Using mixed linear models, the study looks at changes associated with the integration of the European Union and their effects on international alliances within the integrated area and among the various member countries.

The findings suggest that the emergence and the adoption of economic integration policies at the country level do impact the patterns and structures of strategic alliances practiced between member countries. Specifically, the adoption of common market policies among members of an economic community has implications on the pattern and structure of strategic collaborative relationships of firms within these member countries.

While regional economic integrations have accelerated, theoretical and empirical research addressing their impact on multinational strategies has yet to catch up.