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Multinational structure has been linked to operational flexibilities that can improve corporate adaptability and a knowledge‐based view suggests that multinational resource diversity can facilitate responsive opportunities. The enhanced maneuverability from this can reduce earnings volatility and hence the corporate performance risk. But, the internationalization process may also require irreversible investments that increase corporate exposures and leave the risk implications of multinational enterprize somewhat ambiguous. Hence, the purpose of the paper is to present an empirical study of the implied relationships between the degree of multinationality and various risk measures including downside risk, upside potential, and performance risk.

The paper provides a brief literature review, develops hypotheses, and tests them in two‐stage least square regressions on archival data to control for pre‐selection biases.

The analyses indicate that multinationality is associated with lower downside risk as well as higher upside potential and leads to reduced performance risk. The study finds no trace of diminishing effects from higher degrees of multinationality.

The empirical study uses a sample of large US‐based corporations, which could affect the generalizability of results. However, this is consistent with other studies and eases comparability of findings.

The findings add to the ongoing debate about the risk effects of a multinational corporate structure and confirms that a diverse multinational presence is associated with positive risk outcomes.

The paper complements a limited number of studies with equivocal results and adopts alternative risk outcome measures. The study extends the industry scope by introducing a comprehensive sample of firms operating in different manufacturing and service businesses.

A study of the auto industry, with particular reference to America, indicates that the role of the multinational company must be viewed in the perspective of labour situations existing in most countries and at home. The diversity of multinational corporations necessitates an emphasis on co‐ordination of union policies, research and communication. The majority of bargaining in the future will be national and thus it is essential that a system of transmitting knowledge from country to country be established. Equally, such co‐ordination will be necessary if unions hope to achieve a system for more equalised bargaining in the face of existing constraints; otherwise, it is likely that the mechanisms of protective legislation, individual bargaining and multinational bargaining will fail to alter present status in negotiating with employees.

The article builds upon recent developments in feminist theories as they were adopted in organization studies to review the state of research into women in MNCs and to offer new directions for the study of MNCs as “gendering organizations,” both as they are shaped by gender relations and are active agents in constructing gender categories, division of labor, images, and inequalities. Juxtaposing insights from gender studies and International Business and Management, the article offers a new agenda for the studies of corporate internationalization and its social consequences.

This chapter presents the principal interpretations that took place in Denmark and Sweden regarding the discourse on ‘Diversity Management’. We organise our presentation around three major themes that are central to the local Scandinavian context: gender equality, migration and moral grounds. This chapter shows the important role of gender equality work practices and how these practices now tend to be progressively incorporated in a broad Diversity Management construct, possibly leading to a less radical stance. Moreover, the comparison between Denmark and Sweden reveals the political associations with Diversity Management and migration in Denmark, but not in Sweden. Our third contribution unveils the tensions between the value of equality, which remains strong in the Scandinavian welfare state model, and the actual practices of Diversity Management.

Purpose – The purpose of this contribution is to clarify some of the institutional approaches in international business research and to identify opportunities to extend research on the role of institutions in international business.

Design/methodology/approach – Building on Douglas North's (1990) analogy of institutions as the rules of the game, we illustrate some of the differences between different institutional approaches in international business (IB) through a discussion of the rules and institutions surrounding the world of association football. We then briefly revisit the recent review by Hotho and Pedersen (2012) and compare and contrast three dominant institutional approaches in international business: new institutional economics, new organizational institutionalism and comparative institutionalism.

Findings – Our discussion illustrates that different institutional approaches address and explain different facets of international firm behaviour. The ways in which institutions matter for international business are therefore greatly dependent on how institutions are conceptualized and measured.

Originality/value – We highlight two recent developments in the literature on institutions which we believe offer important implications and opportunities for international business research. The first development is a move towards less deterministic approach to institutions. The second development is the recognition of institutional plurality and complexity, in the sense that organizations are often exposed to multiple logics with potentially contradictory prescriptions. These notions, we believe, offer important opportunities to advance our understanding of the relations between institutions and multinational enterprises (MNEs).

With the historic rise in globalisation, there is more contact between countries and businesses than ever. Not only due to globalisation, technological change, and shorter product life cycles lead entrepreneurs to adopt internationalisation strategies. Internationalisation is a creative activity conducted by global entrepreneurs who seek to operate part of their businesses in international markets. Entrepreneurs, economists, policymakers, and researchers have long observed that international business success depends upon global entrepreneurial activity.

Over the past 30 years, diversity in the global market has been among the most researched topics in international business literature. However, since the entrepreneurship system consists of interwoven elements, such as an entrepreneur, management system, culture, market, region, customers and workers, diversification in one piece directly or indirectly affects the other components within the system. Therefore, diversity in global entrepreneurship should be examined by considering the dynamics of every element within the system.

In this chapter, the author reviewed and commented upon the development of the literature on diversity, global entrepreneurship, internationalisation, and multinational organisations. In an overview of previous studies, this study aims to analyse the nexus between diversity and global entrepreneurship, the importance of this connection in the international business domain and how this connection can evolve in the future.

The relationship between diversification and organizational performance has been the subject of numerous studies over the years (Palepu, 1985; Rumelt, 1974). However, strategy scholars have universally defined diversification using a narrow definition, namely that corporate diversification is a function or reflection of the number of products/businesses in a firm's portfolio. The present study argues that such a definition has become outdated given the impact of international market diversification (Kim, Hwang, & Burgers, 1989; Rugman, 1979). Integrating these two views of corporate diversification, we investigate diversification‐performance differences using market‐ and product‐based measures of diversification and an international sample. Results suggest that the traditional model of diversification may not be applicable to all countries and that international differences exist.

We examine gender diversity in Spanish multinational companies to test whether their policies in the different countries (i.e. institutional contexts) in which they operate (mainly Latin American countries) are consistent with institutional norms.

After reviewing the relevant literature, we compare longitudinal gender employment data for some of the largest Spanish multinationals. We then extend the analysis to different organizational levels as well as cross-sectionally, to their Latin American subsidiaries.

While not universal, the largest Spanish multinationals show progress in their compliance of gender recommendations within their national borders, in spite of the voluntary character of the relevant legislation. In addition, their subsidiaries sometimes exhibit better gender proportions than the national averages in Latin American countries.

The study’s emphasis on some of the largest Spanish multinational corporations cannot be considered representative of all Spanish companies or of subsidiaries in those host countries.

This study may be of use for politicians, boards of directors, and other decision makers that need to be factually aware of the way these firms manage workplace diversity.

This study shows that some of the largest Spanish firms are slowly exhibiting responsible behavior with respect to female employment, both longitudinally and in their subsidiaries. The fact that this is not a consistent tendency lends support to the argument that existing legislation should have stronger normative pressures, such as fines and penalties for noncompliance.

This paper aims to investigate diversity management (DM) practices in China and India by analyzing formal DM policy (if one exists) adopted by the company and informal DM practices adopted by managers. It also aims to discuss the appropriateness of the US‐originated notion of, and approach to, managing diversity in the Indian and Chinese contexts by exploring how local managers make sense of diversity and manage it in a pragmatic way.

The authors adopted a qualitative approach. In particular, through a semi‐structured interview design, qualitative data were collected from 16 Chinese and Indian middle and senior managers and four human resources (HR) director of regional headquarters of foreign multinational firms. The data were supplemented by secondary data from a wide range of sources, including government reports and media coverage to extend contextual understanding.

The paper reveals that most Chinese organizations do not see DM as an issue. Where exists, its focus is on conflict avoidance rather than value‐addition to the business. In contrast, managing diversity in India is of greater significance for firms, both legally and financially. Compared with their Chinese counterparts, the Indian managers are much more familiar with the notion of diversity. They are more informed and articulate about diversity issues in their country and organization. DM as a softer approach to human resource management (HRM) has yet to feature as an espoused HR strategy in Chinese and Indian firms.

The paper shows that the starting point and the process of DM in the Chinese and Indian contexts are different from that in the Western contexts. Institutional contexts and cultural traditions are essential to understanding DM issues and likely solutions. Small sample size in the study may limit the generalization of the findings.

The paper has a number of implications for Western multinational corporations that have operations in China and India and intend to adopt a global HR strategy and roll out their DM initiatives to subsidiaries in different parts of the world. It also has implications for Chinese and Indian owned multinational companies operating in the western contexts.

Sources of discrimination and inequality at both macro and micro levels were identified in China and India. The paper also highlights areas for DM to improve leadership skills and organizational performance. The findings may inform policy making and the formulation of organizational strategy, contributing to the elimination of inequality and enhancing employee commitment and productivity.

The paper fills a gap in the DM literature on China and India through a comparative lens. It highlights the contextual differences in political, economic, cultural and social aspects between China and India and between these two and the Western contexts, including the USA and the UK, where the concept of DM as part of the strategic HRM was originated and popularized.