Four tigers and the dragon: values differences,similarities, and consensus

This study examines the influence of economic and political factors that contribute to the convergence and/or divergence in value priorities of five East Asian societies—China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. We find that political and social-economic factors influence the values orientations of managers within this region. However, economic development level is an insufficient explanation for values convergence without consideration of the societal context and cultural traditions in which that development occurred.

The influence of firm,industry and network on the corporate social performance of Japanese firms

We develop and test the thesis that corporate social performance (CSP) constitutes a socially constructed and shared strategic asset, which is not only influenced by factors specific to a firm, but also by the social performance of firms in its industry and inter-corporate network. Using variance decomposition, we analyze data from 130 large Japanese firms and find that both firm-specific and industry-level factors account for significant variance in CSP, but network-level factors do not.

The adolescence of Asia management research: <Emphasis Type="Italic">APJM</Emphasis>, 1997–2006

In this article we reflect on the adolescent years of Asia management research published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Management (APJM) by reviewing work published in the past 10 years (1997–2006). We report that during the last decade, APJM has published 223 research articles, written by 373 different authors, who are affiliated with 203 different institutions. Our discussion of the future of Asia management research is guided by Kuhn’s (Kuhn, T. S. The structure of scientific revolutions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1962) perspective on the nonlinear progression of science. We argue that as a growing community, Asia management research is finding its “identity” and establishing its presence in the larger worldwide management research community. Following our analysis, we conclude that the growth of Asia management research—as captured by APJM publications—throughout its “adolescent” years has set forth a challenging and exciting path for the future. All authors contributed equally. We thank Mike Peng (Editor-in-Chief) for his encouragement and advice. This work was completed when Yu-Shan Su was a Fulbright visiting scholar at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD). She thanks the Fulbright Association and the Taiwanese Ministry of Education for partially funding this work.

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Does knowledge management matter for information technology applications in China?

This study explores the role of knowledge management (KM) in mediating and moderating the relationship between information technology (IT) and firm performance based upon the data collected from 236 firms in China. Through a structural equation model and hierarchical regression analysis, we found that KM capability partially mediated the performance impact of IT resources. Furthermore, KM capability affected the strength of the IT-performance relationship. The theoretical contributions and managerial implications are discussed and limitations of the study are highlighted accordingly.

How does strategic orientation matter in Chinese firms?

As China continues to transition toward a market economy, how strategic orientation affects firm performance has received significant attention. This article reviews the extant literature with a framework that depicts contemporary work on strategic orientation, the drivers of strategic orientation, and its boundary conditions. We identify important research gaps and propose to integrate institutional theory, dynamic capability perspective, and the knowledge-based view within the strategic orientation research stream for future investigations.

Program equity issues in schooling: The testimony of technology teachers

Assimilation into society via academic achievement is a premise and practice that is universal in schools and school systems. Drawing on the testimonies of technological education teachers and the sociology of knowledge literature, this narrative inquiry research sets the stage for a critical analysis of our reliance on knowledge versus experience in western education policy and planning. A crisp and constructive analysis of the premises school systems take for granted becomes possible, a case for transcending limited ways of thinking about knowledge and experience is made.

The formation and evolution of non-equity strategic alliances in China

Contractual joint ventures (CJVs) are a major form of non-equity strategic alliance in China, employed mainly by Hong Kong firms in the south China province of Guangdong. Due to their ambiguous legal status and the lack of conceptualisation and of their contractual nature, there has been little empirical research on CJVs. By theorising CJVs as a relational subcontracting arrangement and drawing on data from structured interviews with managers from both sides, this paper reveals the managerial decisions pertaining to the formation and evolution of the CJV non-equity alliances in Guangdong.

Venture capital in China: A view from Europe

This article provides commentary on the analysis of venture capital in China by Ahlstrom, Bruton, and Yeh (Venture capital in China: Past, present, and future. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 2007). The article considers issues relating to the scope of venture capital and private equity, the nature of venture capital and private equity organizations, the life-cycle process of VC investing, internationalization, and foreign venture capital firms. The paper identifies areas for future research and compares the Chinese VC context with those in Western Europe and Central and Eastern Europe.

Business groups and their types

We clarify what business groups are and analyze their various types. We first distinguish business groups from other types of firm networks based on the strategic relationships among companies; business groups are defined as those networks that exhibit unrelated diversification under common ownership. We then separate business groups into three types based on their ownership: family-owned, widely-held, and state-owned. We argue that each type has different agency costs and diversification logics. As a result of these differences, their performance varies, with family-owned business groups outperforming widely-held ones, and these in turn outperforming state-owned business groups.

Employee stock ownership and corporate R&D expenditures: evidence from Taiwan's information-technology industry

This study investigates how employee stock ownership affects corporate R&D expenditures for information-technology firms listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange during 1996–2001. The empirical results indicate a positive association between implementing employee stock ownership and R&D expenditures. The evidence thus supports the argument that employee stock ownership could help alleviate agency conflicts between employees and shareholders, and reduce agency costs, in turn enabling firms to make sizable R&D expenditures.

Future research on human resource management systems in Asia

Re-emphasizing the need to examine human resource management (HRM) in context, this article builds around four themes. First, it analyses the main issues discussed in the existing literature regarding HRM in the Asian context. Second, it highlights the critical challenges facing HRM function in the region. Third, along with the analysis, it presents an agenda for future research. Fourth, it presents a framework useful for highlighting the context specific nature of Asian HRM functions and the main determinants of HRM policies and practices from a cross-national comparative perspective.

Parent country nationals or local nationals for executive positions in foreign affiliates: An empirical study of Japanese affiliates in Korea

This study examines how the host country experience of Japanese multinational corporations (MNCs) affects their staffing policies for executive manager positions at foreign affiliates. Hypotheses on executive staffing policies for foreign affiliates are tested using survey data collected from 103 Japanese affiliates in Korea. Findings show that the level of global integration and the degree of centralization of decision-making positively affect an assignment of parent country nationals as executive managers of foreign affiliates. We further find that foreign affiliates’ experience in a host country moderates the effects of both global integration and centralization on staffing decisions for the affiliates.

Business and government interdependence in China: Cooperative goals to develop industries and the marketplace

Although government withdrawal from business has traditionally been considered a key reform in developing a market economy, the Chinese government remains active. This study uses the social psychological theory of cooperation and competition to analyze the interdependence between government and business. Structural equation results of interviews of specific incidents collected from 105 government officials and business people in Shanghai, China, support the model that cooperative, but not competitive or independent, goals induce open-minded discussions that in turn strengthen their relationships, accomplish tasks, foster confidence they will work productively in the future, and develop their industry and the marketplace.

Constructing design and technology an early years perspective

This paper argues that a pedagogic model grounded in both constructivist and Vygotskyian theory can be consistently applied throughout Design and Technology education. The constructivist model outlined, is borrowed from the work of Rosalind Driver in Science education and applies a perspective grounded in Piaget and moderated by Ausubel. This perspective involves a clear recognition that: The most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. This argument is extended further to cover the acquisition of scientific, design and technological capabilities. The paper focuses on how effective learning is achieved when new understandings are related to appropriate existing concepts and cognitive structures. Vygotsky's conception of the zone of proximal development is utilised to show how cognitive functions that have not yet matured and which the child is unable to apply independently, can be productively applied, with the assistance of an educator. Child development is, from this perspective, dependent upon existing competencies, knowledge and understandings being challenged and extended with support, it is argued however, that it is essential that the challenges are not so great or irrelevant that the child experiences failure. The consequences of allowing individuals to experience educational failure are widely apparent in the context of science and technology throughout our society. The role of play in the early years is seen as particularly valuable in this context. From this perspective the essential task for the teacher must be to clearly identify the limits of proximal development and to restrict as far as possible their teaching to this zone. The identification of such limits demands an appreciation of progression within the learning context. The paper argues that the structure of the attainment targets within the UK Design and Technology National Curriculum provides teachers with a framework of constructive scaffolding within which children may be given the maximum freedom and autonomy while developing their practical capability in designing and making. This heuristic framework may be lost in the application of the new proposals for Design and Technology.     

Negative externalities of close guanxi within organizations

In this conceptual article we present a critical analysis of close guanxi, i.e., close personal connections, in terms of their negative externalities on organizations. We adopt a social dilemma perspective and examine how close guanxi parties, while cooperative toward each other, may nevertheless defect against the organization, causing negative externalities. We contend that relationalism exacerbates such negative effects of close guanxi and propose various institutional mechanisms and individual variables that can reduce them. Finally, we discuss research and practical implications of solving social dilemmas of close guanxi in Chinese organizations and strong ties in Western organizations.

Japanese <Emphasis Type="Italic">keiretsu</Emphasis>: Past,present, future

This article reviews major theoretical and empirical work on vertical and horizontal Japanese keiretsu. We first outline the history, characteristics, and strategic and performance implications of each type of business group. We then discuss changes in the Japanese economy during the post-1992 Japanese economic decline and their implications for the persistence and continued benefits of each form of inter-corporate grouping followed by a discussion of empirical findings regarding the continued role of keiretsu in the Japanese economy. The review concludes by exploring areas of future research into the evolution of keiretsu ties and their implications.

A strategic analysis of surging Chinese manufacturers: The case of Galanz

Recent years have witnessed the surging of Chinese manufacturers, as China has become the world’s factory floor. This paper presents a case study of one of the most successful manufacturers in China, the Galanz Group, now the world’s largest microwave manufacturer. Based on theories of multinational corporations from emerging economies, the paper examines the process of Galanz’s integration into the global market. The company has developed unique competitive strategies that have made it a great success within China and in overseas markets. The Galanz model suggests strong strategic implications for both Chinese firms and incumbent multinational corporations.