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1 – 10 of 65Cláudia Beatriz Batschauer da Cruz, Dinorá Eliete Floriani and Mohamed Amal
This study aims to advance a sub-national perspective within the OLI Paradigm by analyzing how and to what extent the Eclectic Paradigm can serve as a general model to capture…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to advance a sub-national perspective within the OLI Paradigm by analyzing how and to what extent the Eclectic Paradigm can serve as a general model to capture region-specific aspects of the location determinants of FDI, encompassing institutional effects that extend beyond the quality of institutions.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a systematic literature review of 41 selected papers published between 1990 and 2019. Using inductive content analysis, they investigated the theoretical choices used to support analyses of the effects of institutional factors on MNEs' location decisions at the sub-national level.
Findings
It was found that, when changing from the national to the sub-national level of analysis, there is no need to change the main assumptions used in the literature, although a different perspective must be adopted. The Eclectic Paradigm permeates most of the studies revised and can serve as a general model to capture the sub-national perspective. It offers a foundation for new perspectives on the dynamics of institutional and political factors and their effects on location strategies and determinants at the sub-national level. Adopting the OLI Paradigm with a sub-national approach could widen the IB literature's prevailing focus on traditional economic factors and institutional quality.
Research limitations/implications
The authors contribute to extant International Business literature Their paper enhances the literature on FDI location determinants by providing a more specific approach to development of a sub-national perspective within the OLI Paradigm, extending the institutional effects to capture more region-specific factors influencing the location of FDI. Study limitations are related to our analytical focus on the location dimension, excluding motives for FDI or firm-level location strategies. Rather than limiting analysis to quantitative studies, future research that includes qualitative studies and also covers the other dimensions of the OLI Paradigm could open additional new research avenues for advancing the sub-national perspective within the field of IB.
Practical implications
The authors’ main findings suggest that MNEs' location strategies should include a sub-national perspective, which means that firms need to assess different levels of the location and understand their interaction with nationwide constraints and limitations, as it may affect firms' ability to effectively conduct their value-adding activities. They also contribute elements that can support sub-national governments' actions and policies aiming to enhance locational advantages to attract and retain FDI.
Originality/value
This review specifically analyzes the location determinants of FDI at the sub-national level, in studies published in a broad set of journals, from a variety of fields, prioritizing articles that investigate sub-national institutional determinants. The authors derive implications for the International Business literature and propose that the sub-national dimension should be incorporated into the Eclectic paradigm in order to better understand the influence of institutional sub-national determinants.
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Jurema Tomelin, Mohamed Amal, Nelson Hein and Andreia Carpes Dani
This study aims to identify to what extent the economic factor effect is more salient in shaping inward foreign direct investment (IFDI) than are institutional factors in G-20…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify to what extent the economic factor effect is more salient in shaping inward foreign direct investment (IFDI) than are institutional factors in G-20 inflow patterns.
Design/methodology/approach
Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method was applied using the World Bank Governance and Development Indicators, followed by a panel data technique over the period 2005-2015 to estimate the connections between the different dimensions of economics, institutions and IFDI in the G-20.
Findings
Results showed that countries with better economic performance contrasting with the governance indicators are more effective at attracting IFDI. However, the correlation between FDI intensity and governance indicators has been found relatively weak, which may suggest a more controversial role of institutions as determinants of IFDI.
Research limitations/implications
This quantitative approach uses a country-level set of variables; therefore, the authors suggest the development of more firm-level analysis of the impact of institutions. Also, the limitation of the TOPSIS method itself is based on heuristic assumptions.
Practical implications
The main findings point to a relatively low impact of institutions on IFDI. The authors suggest that the global financial crisis has changed the rationale of decision-making by multinational companies.
Originality/value
The originality of the present study was to apply a multi criteria decision-making technique on FDI’s analysis combined with institutional data.
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Mohamed Amal, Dinora Eliete Floriani and Juan Carlos Sosa Varela
Gabriel Baffour Awuah and Mohamed Amal
The purpose of this study is to contribute to the debate on the impact of globalization on the competitiveness of firms in least developed countries (LDCs). Two main research…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to contribute to the debate on the impact of globalization on the competitiveness of firms in least developed countries (LDCs). Two main research questions will be addressed. How does globalization affect the competitiveness of small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in LDCs? How can SMEs handle opportunities and challenges emerging from globalization?
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology for this study is a conceptual attempt to review the existing literature and make some propositions about how SMEs can handle the opportunities and challenges emerging from globalization.
Findings
Building on a developed operational framework affecting the competitiveness of firms, some of the expected results are that firms' capabilities with regards to innovation, learning, and internationalization, which increase their competitiveness, are enhanced by institutional setups. Second, establishing relationships with governmental and non‐governmental institutions is crucial in terms of accessing resources, innovating, and entering into foreign markets.
Originality/value
The paper represents a contribution to the debate on the impact of globalization on the competitiveness of firms, particularly SMEs, in LDCs. Although globalization has brought considerable benefits to many actors worldwide, its impact on competitiveness of (SMEs) are controversial. We suggest that globalization's effects depend on the capability of firms to learning, to innovate, and also on the institutional setup in LDCs.
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Mohamed Amal and Alexandre Rocha Freitag Filho
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the determinants of the internationalization of small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). More specifically, it is to test the effects of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the determinants of the internationalization of small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). More specifically, it is to test the effects of entrepreneurship and networking relationship on the internationalization pattern of SMEs from an emerging economy, Brazil.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was designed to be qualitative, using a sample of three companies from the manufacturing industries, with significant involvement in foreign markets.
Findings
The study has shown that the importance of entrepreneurs and network relationship are important factors for the understanding of the internationalization's pattern of SMEs. Furthermore, the performance of internationalization depends largely on the ability of companies to relate innovative and proactive international behavior to learning's process through the maintenance of national and international networking.
Originality/value
Most empirical studies have been concentrated to evaluate and address this phenomenon of SMEs internationalization based on the experiences of developed countries. Although there is a growing interest on the internationalization of SMEs in less developed countries, they are still very limited empirical studies in this field. This research intends to fill this gap in two manners. First, in terms of focusing more specifically on the internationalization of the case of companies from a developing country, using a qualitative multi case analysis. Second, using a framework, which relates entrepreneurship and networking and how they affect the internationalization's strategy of SMEs.
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Rosalia Aldraci Barbosa Lavarda, María Teresa Canet Giner and Fernando Juan Peris Bonet
The purpose of this paper is to analyse how the strategy formation process takes place studying the relevance of the integrative perspective and the use of the variables…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse how the strategy formation process takes place studying the relevance of the integrative perspective and the use of the variables rationality, implication and vision, and verifying the relationship between an integrative strategy formation process and the management of work and the consequences of this relationship in terms of performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper adopted a qualitative methodology, specifically a simple case analysis, following a six‐stage process: establishing the research objectives, the theoretical research framework, unit and the level of analysis, selecting the study cases and a pilot case, and ellaborating the protocol for the case study analysis.
Findings
An integrative strategy formation process that combines with certain equilibrium rationality and emergence facilitates a more effective management of work, specifically of complex work. When the organisation permits a greater degree of participation, it is facilitating an improvement in organisational results (particularly with respect to professional works – administrative or engineering that add more complexity).
Originality/value
The paper highlights the importance of the fit between an integrative strategy formation process and the management of different types of work, considering that a better fit drives to better results.
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Mohamed Amal, Gabriel Baffour Awuah, Henrique Raboch and Svante Andersson
This paper aims, by a direct comparison, to address the differences and similarities of the internationalization processes of multinational companies both from developed and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims, by a direct comparison, to address the differences and similarities of the internationalization processes of multinational companies both from developed and emerging countries.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employed qualitative approach, using an integrated model of internationalization process. Multiple case studies, with two companies with significant involvement in foreign markets and originating in countries with different levels of development, were carried out.
Findings
The results reveal that the case companies show some differences with regards to their use of ownership advantages to facilitate their internationalization. On the other hand, learning and experience of internationalization, coupled with the use of networks, have been factors that have influenced the pace and the pattern of the case companies' internationalization. An integrated model, which includes variables related to networks and learning/experience, may contribute to the understanding of the case of multinational companies from emerging economies.
Originality/value
Although the research field of emerging multinationals has been growing lately, very few attempts have been made in the sense of directly comparing the internationalization process of firms from both developed and emerging countries. The authors proposed an integrated analytical model that draws on insights from the eclectic paradigm and the Uppsala internationalization model.
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Guillermo Cardoza and Gastón Fornés
The purpose of this article is to analyse patterns of international co‐operation in economics and management research between Ibero‐American countries and between these countries…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to analyse patterns of international co‐operation in economics and management research between Ibero‐American countries and between these countries and the USA and Europe.
Design/methodology/approach
Taking co‐publications as an indicator, the analysis concentrates on articles published in the list of high‐impact and high‐profile journals used by The Financial Times to draw up its rankings of business schools.
Findings
The results obtained show that: the number of articles published by Ibero‐American countries in high‐impact journals is still proportionally small but that an upward trend seems to have been developing in recent years; participation in international co‐operation networks allows researchers from Ibero‐American countries, particularly those countries with less scientific development, to carry out research into relevant topics and to attain the degree of excellence required to publish in the most internationally prestigious journals; and contrary to the findings of other work, geographical proximity, shared history, and common language do not seem to have a significant impact on the flow of academic co‐operation in the field of business administration and economics amongst Ibero‐American countries.
Originality/value
The findings of this paper intend to offer relevant information for research institutions and policy makers to analyse, assess, and improve the research schemes in place.
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Felipe Mendes Borini and Maria Tereza Leme Fleury
The purpose of this paper is to discover whether factors responsible for the existence of non‐local competences in emerging multinationals are different from those of traditional…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discover whether factors responsible for the existence of non‐local competences in emerging multinationals are different from those of traditional multinationals.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey of 66 subsidiaries of Brazilian multinationals (BrMNes). This represents 70 percent of the 93 subsidiaries originally sampled.
Findings
The factors responsible for the development of non‐local competences in BrMNes are: the relationship between subsidiaries and business networks, the initiatives of subsidiaries and the support of the entrepreneurial orientation of subsidiaries by the headquarters.
Research limitations/implications
Even though emerging multinationals require more resources developed abroad and although some studies revealed that different management models had been adopted during the internationalization process, the factors required to develop non‐local competences in BrMNes are very similar to those required by traditional multinationals.
Practical implications
Subsidiary innovation in partnership with the business network in the foreign country is essential to develop non‐local competences.
Originality/value
The paper supports the results of studies of traditional multinationals and demonstrates that despite the differences of Brazilian multinationals the factors required to develop non‐local competences are very similar. This is an interesting result to consolidate knowledge about global competitive advantages in multinationals: the management model to develop non‐local competences seems to be the same, in order of importance, regardless of multinational origin.
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