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This paper examines the behaviour of Japanese pharmaceutical corporations in the light of recent merger activity, questioning strategic momentum theory given the particularly significant influence of culture on the decision‐making process in this market. The international performance of Japan’s pharmaceutical industry has been poor; therefore, we examine the regional orientation of the top global pharmaceutical TNCs, inquiring as to why there has not been greater convergence among Triad countries. Irrespective of cultural differences, this industry has been slow to respond to international macro change, but mergers, acquisitions, and other convergence strategies are now being observed.

The purpose of this paper is to revisit the winning cycle's model proposed by Abegglen and Stalk to investigate the competitive strategies being deployed by Japanese firms.

This paper discusses the literature on the international strategies of Japanese corporations and explains why simplification of work; elimination of waste; discipline; and continuous improvement and radical innovation strategies are presently contributing to a re‐enactment of the “winner's competitive cycle”.

As international competition intensifies, the winner's competitive cycle has been re‐engineered as Japanese corporations change course in search of alternative routes for sustaining and maintaining a source of competitive advantage.

This paper explains why increased competition and global success has required Japanese firms to reposition their competitive strategy.

Shareholders in a company which is about to be taken over should be wary of an ‘all‐paper’ bid, where there is no cash alternative. For there is evidence to suggest that the practice of ‘ramping’—where the bidder gets acquaintances to buy heavily in his own company's shares to artificially boost the offer value—is on the increase.

I was editor of the City Press weekly newspaper from 1966 to 1975. From 1970 I also produced for BBC sound radio a daily report on the city. For 5 years I did daily pieces for BBC Radio London; and for two years in addition I did a spot on the Stock Exchange and the financial news of the day for the ‘P.M.’ programme at 5.50. On top of this, at City Press we briefed both BBC Radio London and ‘The World at One’ on any exciting City events which took place in the morning, and often broadcast about them.

This paper seeks to review the internationalisation strategies of Japanese and Singaporean firms within the context of Dunning, Hymer and Rugman.

The literature pertaining to culture, environment and Asian management is reviewed and the question is posed whether the management style is changing in response to global market convergence. The study used a mail questionnaire to explore the FDI factors deemed motivational for Japanese and Singapore managers.

The paper finds that managers need to consider the impact that environment and culture exerts on the decision‐making process as corporations expand their international reach.

One approach to explaining the theory as to why firms expand and perform at different speeds could be to suggest that the cognitive rationale that drives management thinking is environmentally dependent. This would appear plausible given that when the way in which managers make decisions across countries of the same region are compared, differences in thinking do occur. This then exerts an effect on the internationalisation paths pursued by firms.

This research questions the suitability of a “one size fits all” approach to internationalisation given the cultural variables that exist between markets. This builds on the literature that examines the suitability of market convergence but at the same time enables the evaluation of the extent to which Asian managers are driven by market capitalism theory at the organisational level.

With planning consent for the redevelopment of its Southwark dock site virtually assured, Hay's Wharf has a property potential that is awesome even by today's standards.

The phenomenon of conversion is usually associated with religion. This paper points out that it has close parallels in romantic love and in political and academic life. It goes on to maintain that the salesman too is an evangelist and that the conversion of the customer or prospect is vital not only to much legitimate selling but to many successful frauds. It concludes by arguing that the conversion of prospects can have protective effects for the fraudster even when his enterprise later fails, since the truly converted are reluctant to believe that he could be a cheat Since many substantial frauds also involve elements of legitimate business activity, this increases the fraudster's chances of succeeding in the struggle for his good name in the politics of morality.

The purpose of this paper is to offer an introduction and background as well as a narrative to the development of an economic, social, technological and cultural phenomenon that has been sweeping across national frontiers since first being identified by Theodore Levitt in 1983.

The approach is to trace theoretical development but there is lack of a consensus on this subject and so the perspectives of key authors in this area are reviewed alongside each other to test for signs of possible convergence.

Globalisation is a set of processes rather than just one. The practice is different from what the authors may have expected in that sales of the leading multinationals are not global but regional. Organisational forms reflect differences in strategic thinking with less uniformity being necessary or imposed. Individuals today recount their daily tasks in terms of using the names of global brands or products as nouns and verbs in everyday language. Attitudes towards globalisation are constantly changing. Equally, globalisation continues to evolve.

What is presented here is an overview of the literature as it applies to international trade where globalisation was earlier hoped to bring an economic rescue to billions of people and liberate them from poverty. Marketing, organisational behaviour, risk assessment and strategic decision making all have important roles to play here and so further research is required to monitor a new global trading situation.

It is hoped to contribute to further thought, discussion and conceptualisation of research in this area. The idea of globalisation and regionalisation is not new but the prevalence of this phenomenon in our daily lives is striking.

As the concept has advanced and developed, more studies have been made of this phenomenon and from different perspectives. Here, it is hope to recount those different perspectives as well as reach certain conclusions as to where it has reached and how far it may be expected to reach.

Company Law Reform The Government's long awaited White Paper on Company Law Reform has taken 'disclosure' as its principal theme and many of the areas of current practice which have become the focus of recent criticisms will eventually be covered by new legislation designed to make companies and individuals play a more open hand. Obviously such matters as the Lonhro affair have left their mark on official thinking but attention has also been directed at those areas where pressure for reform has not received the same degree of publicity in the popular press.