Frames and facilitators by China in promoting the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)

Much larger than the U.S. Marshall Plan, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with over $5 trillion global infrastructure projects, is a major undertaking by the international communities, proposed by the Chinese government. Adopting a multimethod approach of employing textual analysis, participant observation, and framing analysis, this article uncovers that Chinese government and state‐run media promote BRI with proper rhetorical frames and institutional facilitators. The six frames are “Development,” “Mutual respect and mutual trust,” “Ancient Silk Road Story,” “Action Speaks Louder than Words,” “China is a Partner, not a Colonialist,” and “Win‐Win.” Since 1949 and especially in the past two decades, China has cultivated a global ecosystem with at least nine facilitators that support BRI. These facilitators are Chinese Soft Power, South–South Cooperation, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, China & ASEAN FTA, RCEP, 16+1, AIIB, Silk Road Fund, and The New Development Bank. With BRI, China leads a new wave of globalization: Globalization 5.0. This article proposes a three‐step strategy for Western companies to benefit from the China‐led Belt and Road Initiative: from rising above pre‐existing frames in your mind (stereotypes), to be open minded for new frames (new thinking), to participate in BRI for win–win outcomes (opportunities).     

The belt and road initiative,cultural friction and ethnicity: Their effects on the export performance of SMEs in China

China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has provided Chinese firms with significant incentives to speed up the pace of internationalization. Yet very little international business (IB) research has been found to empirically examine such policy effects. This study explores this important issue using Chinese firms of different ethnicities in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China. We propose that the BRI has a positive formal institutional effect on the export performance of XUAR firms that target the “Belt” countries. Both cultural friction and ethnicity serve as the unique cultural contingencies that moderate the relationship between the BRI and export performance. More specifically, the cultural friction that results from the process of internationalization will negatively affect the export performance prompted by the BRI. The Uygur-owned firms will benefit more from the BRI due to their cultural similarity. Overall, the study takes the lead in investigating both internal conditions and external environments that promote and inhibit the internationalization process of small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) in the XUAR that are geographically close to the “Belt” countries. The findings help enrich the understanding of the dual “push” and “drag” effects on the outcomes of SMEs’ international activities due to the government-led initiatives and the understanding of micro-foundation toward internationalization from an ethnicity perspective.     

Analysis of the Service Dominant Logic network,authors, and articles

The present study analyses research conducted in Service Dominant Logic (S-D logic), providing an overview of its intellectual structure. For that purpose, a structured approach was adopted through the implementation of bibliometric methods, using co-citation analysis combined with performance analysis and an integrative science mapping approach, which considered a timeline, a graph, and a distance-based perspective. This allowed the identification of the leading authors and of six clusters of articles based on bibliographic coupling, along with the most prominent research themes clustered in five subdomains of research based on co-occurrence of terms. The networks extracted show the associations between the main articles and concepts treated by the S-D logic community, unveiling the salient challenges and prospective expansion facing its future theoretical and practical context.     

Financial literacy: A systematic review and bibliometric analysis

Given the paucity of comprehensive summaries in the extant literature, this systematic review, coupled with bibliometric analysis, endeavours to take a meticulous approach intended at presenting quantitative and qualitative knowledge on the ever‐emerging subject of financial literacy. The study comprises a review of 502 articles ‐ published in peer‐reviewed journals from 2000 to 2019. Citation network, page‐rank analysis, co‐citation analysis, content analysis and publication trends have been employed to identify influential work, delineate the intellectual structure of the field and identify gaps. The most prominent journals, authors, countries, articles and themes have been identified using bibliometric analysis, followed by a comprehensive analysis of the content of 107 papers in the identified clusters. The three major themes enumerated are—levels of financial literacy amongst distinct cohorts, the influence that financial literacy exerts on financial planning and behaviour, and the impact of financial education. Additionally, content analysis of 175 papers has been conducted for the last four years’ articles that were not covered in the co‐citation analysis. Emerging themes identified include financial capability, financial inclusion, gender gap, tax & insurance literacy, and digital financial education. A conceptual framework has been modelled portraying the complete picture, following which potential areas of research have been suggested. This study will help policy‐makers, regulators and academic researchers know the nuts and bolts of financial literacy, and identify the relevant areas that need investigation.     

Belt and road initiative and Chinese firms' outward foreign direct investment

This paper studies the impact of China's “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) on Chinese firms' outward foreign direct investment (OFDI). Overall, the BRI positively impacts on Chinese OFDI activities. However, both the direction and the magnitude of this impact depend on the host countries' willingness to participate in the BRI. The BRI promotes more OFDI to developing countries that welcome China's economic engagement and alters the effect of Chinese domestic push factors on its OFDI patterns. In addition, Chinese firms in construction and infrastructure, manufacturing, and trade-related sectors are more responsive to the BRI than firms in other sectors.     

The Status of Contemporary Business Ethics Research: Present and Future

This study provides a general overview of contemporary business ethics research of the last 10 years (1997–2006) and discusses potential future research directions in business ethics based on the overview. Using citation and co-citation analysis, this study examined the citation data of journal articles, books, and other publications collected in the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), wherein key research themes in business ethics studies in 1997–2006 and correlations between these themes were explored. The results show that major research themes in business ethics have shifted in the last decade from research on ethical decision making and on the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate performance to research on stakeholder theory in business ethics and on the relationship between consumer behavior and corporate social responsibility. The results of this study help map the invisible network of knowledge production in business ethics research and provide important insights on future business ethics research.     

The Evolution of Scholarly Research on Sponsorship: Expectations About the Future of This Research Domain

This study examines how scholarly research on sponsorship has evolved from 2001–2011 and envisages the shape of this domain from 2012–2014. From the 6,240 words counted in 573 articles, we identified prominent themes around “sponsorship,” “sponsor,” “sport,” “brand,” and “marketing” from 19 key concepts. We assessed sets of concepts that best reflect the sponsorship theme by conducting a series of multiple linear regression analyses. Trend analyses from 2012–2014 indicated prospects for a dramatic increase in research activity around six topics. We anticipate the rate of sponsorship research will continue briskly in line with the continued escalation of global sponsorship expenditure.     

Social and Political Risks: Factors Affecting FDI in China's Mining Sector

Political risk can be defined as the potential for uncertainty and harm to business/economic operations that arise from political (governmental and other) behavior and events. These risks typically stem from factors such as economic structures, government institutions, policies, and societal characteristics, and are becoming more of a concern to prospective investors in a changing global political economy. This article seeks to expand upon the framework of political risk analysis by looking at “softer,” nonquantifiable risk factors. Through the analysis of foreign business experiences in China, we aim to demonstrate, via a qualitative case study of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Chinese mining sector, that in addition to typical financial, operational, and geological factors, firms should be better aware of the particular sociopolitical and cultural risks that can harm their investments in a given industry. This study draws on primary fieldwork, focuses on micropolitical risks to the industry, and stresses that multinational corporations (MNCs) could be more cognizant of the many societal factors that can influence an investment success. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A Two-Headed Dragon for Monetary Policy

The current financial crisis has been the key global economic event since it unfolded in earnest in early August 2007. The Federal Reserve has taken aggressive actions—both conventional and unconventional—to counteract the economic and financial fallout. Among these actions have been a number of new special lending programs created under section 13(3) of the Federal Reserve Act, which had not been employed since the 1930s. Academics, policymakers, and the general public have shown great interest in the Federal Reserve's new programs. In this paper, I emphasize two medium-term risks that the Federal Reserve now faces as it continues to confront financial market turmoil and recession. The two medium-term risks are opposites of each other, a “two-headed dragon.” One is a Japanese-style deflation trap, and the other is a breakout of inflation like that seen during the 1970s. An explicit inflation target would help mitigate these very real risks.     

Identifying College Students Likely to Participate in a Travel Abroad Volunteer Project

Foreign travel provides excellent opportunities for college students to broaden their global mindset. While empirical research focusing on variables that influence student participation in study abroad programs are available, there is a paucity of research that focuses on travel abroad programs relating to participating in volunteer projects. Using a sample of 193 undergraduate business students, this study attempts to develop profiles of students that are “not likely,” “maybe,” and “most likely” to participate in a travel abroad volunteer project. Those who were “mostly likely” to participate had traveled abroad before, demonstrated high levels of self-congruity and diversity seeking, and stated financial costs to be less of a constraint in participating in such a project. Discussion of findings and direction for future research is also provided.     

New perspectives on not-for-profit financial institutions: Organisational form,performance and governance

This introductory essay discusses the context for the special issue, introduces the contributions, considers a number of key themes which link the articles and suggests areas for future research; in particular it makes a case for the link of organisational diversity and the stability of the financial system.     

塞尔维亚商业环境调查分析及投资政策建议

中国秉承共商共建共享原则与“一带一路”沿线国家开展多种形式的合作。塞尔维亚地理位置重要,经济处于扩张周期,是“一带一路”在中东欧推进的重要国家。近年来中塞两国政治、经济、文化关系全面升温。本文通过问卷和实地走访两种方式,调查中资企业在塞尔维亚的商业环境,包括投资软环境、投资硬环境、商业景气度和“一带一路”推进情况,分析在塞尔维亚投资的优势和风险,并在此基础上提出政策建议,为中国企业“走出去”提供参考。     

Three Decades of Research in Health and Food Marketing: A Systematic Review

With multiple approaches, methodologies and theoretical traditions involved, the body of marketing research focused on health and food has grown particularly extensive, fragmented, and difficult to navigate. Driven by the goal of synthesizing three decades of research and reflecting on its development over time, this study provides a broad bibliographic, theoretical, methodological, and thematic assessment of a selection of 190 articles published between 1988 and 2015, using systematic review and content analysis methods. The results reveal that knowledge in the field is predominantly driven by US-authored, experiment-based studies with statistical scope that often fail to articulate a discernible theoretical anchor. Despite a plethora of themes, the concept of health is primarily operationalized in the context of isolated, often dichotomous, product evaluations rather than in the context of everyday consumption experiences. By looking into “what,” “where,” and “how” of food and health-related research, this study contributes to the debate about the current state and the future of this research domain.     

The opportunity to improve psychological competences of project managers in international businesses

Many projects are currently conducted in international businesses in which cultural issues play an important role. In‐depth analysis of the risks associated with the unknown of this type of issues offers companies a better understanding of how to focus their marketing tools to be more effective, and provides project managers with strategies to improve customer relationships. Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions and Meyer's Culture Map have demonstrated that every society possesses distinguishing features. These cultural theories serve as foundation for including the category of culture in a proposed Cultural Risk Breakdown Structure. Through a literature review, risks associated with cultural differences are identified in projects executed in Africa, China, and the Middle East. By linking these risks to cultural dimensions, it is possible to identify the psychological competences framework in international businesses. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to create not only a comprehensive record of these risks but also a list of the new skills and competences that project managers must possess to improve client satisfaction and make decisions in a cross‐cultural environment. By considering the association between psychological aspects and cultural issues, this analysis will be of considerable benefit for improving relationships in international contexts.     

Business Ethics Research with an Accounting Focus: A Bibliometric Analysis from 1988 to 2007

This article uses bibliometric analysis to empirically examine research on business ethics published in a broad set of journals, focused over the period 1988–2007. We consider those journals with an emphasis on accounting. First, we determine the citation frequencies of documents to identify the core articles in accounting research with an ethics focus as well as the contributions of influential fields included in the research sphere of these journals. We also employ document co-citation analysis to analyze the scholarly communication patterns that exist within the realm of the specified articles. Second, we utilize social network analysis tools to profile the centrality features of the co-citation network of these documents.     

Bibliometric analysis of absorptive capacity

This study contributes to our understanding of absorptive capacity (AC) by reviewing AC articles systematically using two types of blibliometric co-citation analysis – bibliometric co-citation and bibliometric cartography – for the last 25 years. In total, we analyzed 336 articles (using HistCite) and 2088 articles (using VOSviewer), respectively, finding five research streams in AC: (1) intra-organizational learning; (2) inter-organizational learning; (3) knowledge transfer; (4) dynamic capability; and (5) micro-foundations. This integrative literature review of AC adds to the categorization of the literature, links the international business research to AC, and provides promising future research directions. Our study gives detailed information about the development of each research stream by measuring the number of publications in each stream over 25 years using bibliometric cartography analysis. Based on the literature, we propose 26 future research questions for these five research streams.     

Mapping the Landscape of Future Research Themes in Supply Chain Management

Supply chain researchers are confronted with a dizzying array of research questions, many of which are not mutually independent. This research was motivated by the need to map the landscape of research themes, identify potential overlapping areas and interactions, and provide guidelines on areas of focus for researchers to pursue. We conducted a three‐phase research study, beginning with an open‐ended collection of opinions on research themes collected from 102 supply chain management (SCM) researchers, followed by an evaluation of a consolidated list of themes by 141 SCM researchers. These results were then reviewed by 10 SCM scholars. Potential interactions and areas of overlap were identified, classified, and integrated into a compelling set of ideas for future research in the field of SCM. We believe these ideas provide a forward‐looking view on those themes that will become important, as well as those that researchers believe should be focused on. While areas of research deemed to become most important include big data and analytics, the most under‐researched areas include efforts that target the “people dimension” of SCM, ethical issues and internal integration. The themes are discussed in the context of current developments that the authors believe will provide a valuable foundation for future research.     

风险度量的幻觉与基于模型的银行资本监管方法

《巴塞尔协议Ⅲ》将新资本协议的缺陷,看成是可以通过提高资本充足标准来改进的缺陷,没有系统地分析现有银行监管模式中所存在的问题。文章分析了风险度量模型所存在的一些内在缺陷,并指出,巴塞尔银行监管模式的基本假设——金融风险可以通过先进模型来准确度量,其实只是一种幻觉。文章同时指出,如果模型不能准确地度量风险,在现有的基于模型的银行监管模式下,更高的资本充足要求,只会激起银行更大的监管套利动机;更为重要的是,这种银行监管模式容易引发内生性风险,从而危及整个系统的稳健性。因此,在提高核心资本标准的同时,巴塞尔委员会应考虑如何更加科学地对银行实施资本充足监管。     

关于发挥国家审计防范金融风险作用的路径研究

防范重大风险攻坚战是2019年经济工作的重要组成部分,而防范重大风险的工作重点是预防和控制金融风险,着力激发微观主体活力,创新和完善宏观调控,促进经济稳增长、防范风险,保持经济运行在合理区间,进一步实现“六个稳”。提升市场信心是赢得这场攻坚战的重要途径。本文旨在分析现阶段国内存在的主要金融风险,从金融审计角度来探索防范控制金融风险的相关路径。     

Learning and innovation of Chinese firms along the paths of “Bring In” to “Go Global”

Over the past several decades, the “Bring In” and “Go Global” policies implemented in China have encouraged an unprecedented level of investment in and out of the country, creating unique opportunities for Chinese firms to learn and innovate along the paths of inward and outward internationalization. The international business (IB) literature has yet to satisfactorily explain what has been learnt by the Chinese firms and whether and how their learning and innovation have taken place over time. This special issue examines the specific content, nature, mechanisms, processes, and internal and external conditions and contexts of learning and innovation of Chinese firms during the course of inward and outward internationalization. We provide an overview of the “Bring In” and “Go Global” policies, assess the current state of the field, and explicate how the research articles in the special issue contribute to the understanding of learning and innovation of Chinese firms along the paths of inward and outward internationalization.