First mover advantages in international business and firm‐specific political resources

While the currently prevailing conceptual framework of first mover advantages (FMAs) specifies various market mechanisms through which first movers can gain pioneering benefits, it is incomplete by failing to consider the role of political resources in creating FMAs. In this context, this article aims to add the political mechanism to the current classification of FMA mechanisms. The article further serves as a window to an understanding of the long‐term process of acquiring, sustaining, and exploiting firm‐specific political resources in international business, which has been neglected in prior studies on business–government relations. Detailed analysis of three case studies suggests that the causal relationship between political resources and FMAs is a complex one; while non‐market strategies can be used successfully by first movers, they can also be used by late movers to neutralize FMAs. The article proposes a model for understanding the link between FMAs and political resources. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The political economy of satellite business

Satellite communications systems are the outcome of the fusion of big governments, high technology and big business, whose needs they meet. As a major growth sector they are becoming extremely important in economic terms. But satellite communications raise wider issues of the relationships between rich and poor countries and within rich countries. They will crucially influence the location of economic activity and the future prospects for countries in terms of access to information, decision making and income. The article discusses these questions and suggests how Europe might improve its position. It also argues that participation in public policy on satellite communications should be opened to a wider range of parties.     

India-focused publications in leading international business journals

Despite an increase in the number of India-focused articles appearing in leading international business journals, there has not been any attempt to conduct systematic reviews that can inform academicians and practitioners about research that has accumulated over the years and identify areas that may be worthwhile to pursue in the future. This article attempts to fill this gap by providing an overview of all publications focusing on the Indian context that appeared in seven leading international business journals between 1991 and 2008. Findings suggest that 74 publications involving 180 authors affiliated to 112 academic and six non-academic institutions from nine international locations contributed to the research by examining a wide variety of international business topics. Findings also reveal that authors affiliated to US-based institutions published more than others and the majority of top-cited publications appeared after 1995. Contributions of various authors and institutions are ranked and summaries of publication types, research methodologies, examined topics, and citations received by different articles are provided. This article concludes by suggesting avenues of future research.     

Management of business information

The increased costs of market penetration dictate the need for better, early warning information about government- produced or demographically induced changes in the marketplace. More and better information is becoming available in increasingly sophisticated forms, but the corporate structure has yet to provide a central point in the organization for its administration and use.     

Prolific authors and institutions in leading international business journals

The science and practice of international business is advanced through scholarly contribution to the leading international business journals. Increased competition among academic institutions has led to increased emphasis on publication in the leading international business journals. Yet, little is known as to the answers to questions such as: (1) Who are the most prolific authors in the leading international business journals? and (2) Which educational institutions appear poised to lead international business scholarship? To examine these questions, the study examines scholarly work in international business over the past eleven years in six leading international business journals (i.e., Journal of International Business Studies, Management International Review, Journal of World Business, International Marketing Review, Journal of International Marketing, and International Business Review). Addressing these two research questions provides us with a more complete understanding of the authors and institutions most likely to influence the field of international business.     

国际石油公司商业模式的衰落与转变

自上世纪90年代以来,国际石油公司逐步形成以股东价值最大化、可采储量最大化和降低作业成本为基础的商业模式,该模式曾在与国家石油公司、独立石油公司、技术服务公司等的市场竞合中发挥了重要作用.然而,近15年来,国际石油公司有限的新增储量、较差的盈利能力以及糟糕的股市表现都预示着其传统商业模式已不再适用,原因可归结于商业模式本身存在固有缺陷、经营业务领域阻力重重以及金融市场陷入困境等.国际石油公司未来的发展还面临着碳排放限制以及低油价两方面的重要挑战.未来国际石油公司可能采取的对策包括削减成本、开展资产兼并购、抄底页岩油气、促进能源多样化以及投资核心技术研发等.在新的形势下,这些措施无法完全解决传统商业模式所面临的问题,最现实可行的方案是通过资产重组和缩小业务经营范围来换取投资回报率的提升.这需要公司高级管理人员有足够的魄力,在运营管理思路上做出重大转变.     

The power roots and drivers of infidelity in international business relationships

We propose a conceptual model of the power roots and drivers of infidelity in exporter-importer (E-I) working relationships. Based on data collected from 262 Greek export manufacturers, we confirm that the exercise of coercive power in the E-I working relationship by the exporter has positive effects on distance, opportunism, and uncertainty, as opposed to the exercise of non-coercive power that exhibit negative effects. In turn, distance, opportunism, and uncertainty each contribute toward driving infidelity in the relationship by the importer. The relationship length and relationship status were also found to have a control effect on infidelity.     

农业发展银行推行ISO9000国际质量标准势在必行

本文对推行国际质量标准的必要性进行阐述,并对其可行性、问题、解决的方法进行了深层次的说明.     

Mixed effects of business and political ties in planning flexibility: Insights from Turkey

Despite increasing attention to the role of business and political ties in emerging economies, few studies have explicitly investigated their relations to dynamic capabilities outside of the East-Asian context. Following the relevant literature that proposes that both business and political ties are related to firm performance, this study refines the explanatory role of planning flexibility in how business and political ties relate to both financial and non-financial firm performance. Drawing from dynamic capabilities view and applying partial least squares structural equation modeling to data from 302 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Turkey, we find that, while business ties are positively related to planning flexibility, political ties have a negative association with planning flexibility. Moreover, we provide empirical evidence that planning flexibility positively mediates the relationship between business ties and financial and non-financial performance. Conversely, there exists a negative indirect relationship between political ties and financial and non-financial performance. Our findings have significant implications for firms and managers, who should assess the benefits and costs embedded within business and political ties to improve firm performance.     

2007年国际大石油公司经营状况及发展动向

2007年,埃克森美孚、BP、壳牌、雪佛龙和道达尔五大石油公司的净利润为1295亿美元,同比增长9%,明显低于过去五年年均30%的增幅;公司平均资本回报率也比上年有所下降。2007年五大公司的油气日产总量为1605万桶油当量,同比下降1.6%,处于五年来的最低水平,造成各公司实现产量增长目标的难度加大。2007年五大公司的油气储量为714亿桶油当量,同比下降3.7%,资源接替成为各石油公司迫切需要解决的问题。与此同时,五大公司上游单位生产成本增幅为23%,高于过去五年15%的平均增幅,达到近年来的最高水平;原油加工量和油品销量分别为1572.3万桶/日和2669.5万桶/日,降幅分别为2%和1%。未来五大公司将不断增加中长期战略性投资,继续保持较高的投资增长水平;不断加大对非常规油气资源的投资力度;下游投资逐步向炼油业倾斜,逐步降低对销售业务的投资比例;逐步加大在替代能源和可再生能源领域的投资。     

Investigating the implications of business and culture on the behaviour of customers of international firms

For many years international firms have been leveraging from the consistent growth rate of the Indian economy and, considering forecasts, will continue to do so in the future. This study identifies factors that influence the behaviour of business customers of international firms in emerging markets such as India. Based on the extant literature and in-depth personal interviews with practitioners, combined with a field survey, the authors have tried to understand the impact these factors have on the behaviour of business customers of international firms. The data were useful for testing the model developed using regression analysis and were found to be significant. The model demonstrates that the behaviour of local firms as customers of international firms in emerging markets is governed by factors such as business risk and a propensity to business sustainability. The model will be useful for international firms who wish to operate in emerging markets through local business firms that seek to associate with international firms.     

CHINAPLAS 2011国际橡塑展携手橡胶企业共创商机

"CHINAPLAS 2011国际橡塑展"(第二十五届中国国际塑料橡胶工业展览会)将于2011年5月17日至20日在亚洲最大的展览馆——广州中国进出口商品交易会琶洲展馆隆重举行。作为亚洲第一及全球最有影响力的展会之一,"CHINAPLAS国际橡塑展"看准橡胶制品行业的向上发展,特设‘橡胶机械及设备专区’,吸引着来自全球各地的橡胶机械商、橡胶制品生产商及其他相关配套设备供应商参展,为应用行业的买家提供更多参观、采购、交流的机会,促进行业发展。"CHINAPLAS 2011国际橡塑展"展会规模将继续     

中亚地区十大国际石油公司油气上游业务排名分析

埃克森美孚公司在储量最为可观的哈萨克斯坦卡沙甘和田吉兹油田中分别拥有18．52％和25％的份额,因而在国际石油公司中亚地区权益油气储量排名上位居第一。未来五年,雪佛龙、BP、埃克森美孚、埃尼和日本INPEX等国际石油公司在中亚地区的权益油气产量将稳步上升,其中雪佛龙公司因在五大油气田开发项目的三个中拥有10％～50％不等的份额,其权益产量和油气资产商业价值两项指标位居该地区国际石油公司第一。若马来西亚国家石油公司能按计划开发和投产其在土库曼斯坦获得的巨大的天然气发现,该公司的油气权益产量排名将从2006年的第22位上升到2011年的第六位。中国石油天然气集团公司在2006年中亚地区油气权益产量排名中位列第二,但由于目前从事的主要是老油田开发项目,产量呈递减趋势。     

The buying network in international project business: A comparative case study of development projects

While previous research has found project buying to be distinct from other buying situations, in that it typically involves a multi-organizational network, to date there has been very little empirical research on this phenomenon. Our aim in this paper is therefore to investigate the structure and decision-making processes of the project buying network during the project cycle and its interactions with project sellers. We first develop a preliminary conceptual framework for analyzing the project buying network, which is then applied to a comparative case study of three development projects. The findings from the case study allow us to propose a revised conceptual framework for analyzing the dynamics of the project buying network during the project cycle, as well as interaction with sellers. Our findings also contribute an understanding of development projects, in particular the role of financiers.     

Management myopia: A by-product of the business contract system in China?

This paper examines the role various environmental factors play in shaping short-term management behaviour in the context of the business contract system in China. Seven government officials and ten senior firm managers were interviewed in the city of Chongqing. It was found that dysfunctional behaviour displays itself mainly in the form of inappropriate performance measures and widespread manipulation of data. The study also demonstrates that most management problems originated from the environment over which the firm had little control rather than derived from the internal organisation of the firm. Environmental factors like uncertainties, inflation, government systems and capability of government officials were regarded as major determinants of the short-term behaviour.     

The technological imperative and the quality of employment

This article challenges the widespread concept of a 'technological imperative'which is alleged to lead to greater economic efficiency. The socio-technical model, supported by evidence from past research and recent cases, undermines the validity of the 'imperative'and presents an alternative based on choices.     

The effects of managerial ownership on international and business diversification: Balancing incentives and risks

Research has examined the effects of managerial share ownership on business diversification, typically from the incentive alignment perspective. Yet, share ownership also shifts risk to managers (the efficient managerial contracting perspective). Furthermore, the effects of managerial ownership on international diversification are unexplored. We examine how managerial ownership influences both international and business diversification in light of the trade‐off between incentive alignment and risk bearing. Based on the differing risk profiles of the two types of diversification, we argue that incentive contracts with higher levels of managerial ownership will be inefficient, i.e., counter to shareholder interests—reducing international diversification and increasing business diversification. Our findings support our arguments for international diversification. We find no significant effect for business diversification after accounting for endogeneity and serial correlation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

国际石油地球物理公司多样化业务模式研究及其启示

20世8970年代以前,为世界石油工业服务的都是传统的地球物理公司,70年代开始出现多用户业务,90年代逐渐形成了一体化服务模式,进入21世纪,提供综合服务的新型地球物理公司与石油公司结成了合作联盟。全球不同的地球物理公司有着多样化的业务模式,包括资料处理或解释技术服务的小型公司业务模式、传统地球物理公司业务模式、多用户单一业务地球物理公司业务模式和新型地球物理公司业务模式。新型地球物理公司注重一体化业务的协调发展,为石油公司提供油气田全生命周期服务,实现“双赢”。我国物探企业都属于三大国有石油公司,业务模式目前均处于传统地球物理公司的发展阶段。为了更好地满足母公司全球化油气开发对新技术的需要,提高市场竞争能力,我国的地球物理公司需要根据市场变化趋势进行重组,培育国际化新型地球物理公司,利用资本运作手段转变地球物理公司的经营模式,实现我国地球物理行业的公司制度升级。     

国际知名化工公司的技术创新管理

由于国际油价高企等原因,跨国化工巨头们正在向高附加值产品与系统解决方案供应商转型.一方面,传统石化行业的竞争焦点正在进一步向价值链终端延伸,技术创新更强调市场导向和贴近客户需求；另一方面,花费巨资进行研发以获取知识产权,构筑技术壁垒依然是这些公司竞争制胜的法宝.文章介绍了巴斯夫、陶氏和杜邦公司三大化工公司各自的技术创新特点.这些公司在持续大量地向研发投入资金的同时,非常重视对其研发和创新成果的评价,形成了明确的技术创新评价机制.     

Building B2B relationships via initiation contributors: Three cases from the Norwegian-South Korean international project business

Initiation is still an unclear phase of B2B relationship development. Here, we build on existing theoretical knowledge derived from relationship development, project marketing and international business literature. We use this to analyze three cases of business relationship initiations between Norwegian and South Korean actors in the shipping industry. By piecing together theoretical and empirical insights, we develop a dynamic model of the relationship initiation process that highlights the role of initiation contributors in international project business. The developed model reveals that multiple entities— such as contacts, rituals and standards—serve as initiation contributors. These trigger or facilitate the focal dyadic relationship initiation, while also preparing future initiations in the focal context. Thus, our key contribution is to bring processual and contextual dimensions to business relationship initiation. Our research also suggests practical insights as to which actors and entities suppliers need to mobilize, in order to initiate new business relationships in international project business contexts.