Multinational Corporations and the Transforming Operational Environment in China

China and the multinational corporations (MNCs) have had a long period of close relationship. In locating operations in China, MNCs beneficially followed the principle of least‐cost location. However, China's economic and business environment has been undergoing a striking transformation. The Chinese economy is losing some of its beneficial emerging‐market traits. Many foreign business enterprises and MNCs have experienced deep erosion of profits. This article first focuses on the growing importance of China and the Chinese markets for foreign business firms and MNCs. The sheer size of the market naturally draws them in. Next, it dwells on the challenges that have evolved over the years and the budding new business environment, often referred to as “the new normal.” Many MNCs realize the need to adapt to the new operating environment in China. This article proposes a list of adaptive and coping measures for the foreign enterprises and MNCs. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The globalization of business in Latin America

New trade and exchange strategies, economic integration, political reforms, and privatization are driving Latin American firms to expand operations both within and outside the area. Additionally, multinational firms have stepped up operations, entered sectors previously dominated by state-owned enterprises, and restructured their management. Vast projects are upgrading transport, seaports, and airports. Communications and emerging patterns in consumer life styles are redefining markets. Sweeping change, plus the challenge of becoming internationally competitive, has burgeoned management training needs for both the business and public sectors. Yet in some countries the prospects for continued reform could be reversed by hardening social tensions and voter skepticism that free market policies will effectively reduce poverty and persistent unemployment.     

Corporate Social Responsibility in Transnational Spaces: Exploring Influences of Varieties of Capitalism on Expressions of Corporate Codes of Conduct in Nigeria

Drawing from the varieties of capitalism theoretical framework, the study explores the home country influences of multinational corporations (MNCs) on their corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices when they operate outside their national/regional institutional contexts. The study focusses on a particular CSR practice (i.e. corporate expressions of code of conducts) of seven MNCs from three varieties of capitalism – coordinated (2), mixed (2) and liberal (3) market economies – operating in the oil and gas sector of the Nigerian economy. The study concludes that the corporate codes of conduct of these MNCs operating in Nigeria, to a large extent, reflect the characteristics of their home countries’ model of capitalism, respectively, albeit with certain degree of modifications. The home countries’ model of capitalism is also found to have implications for the degree of adaptability of these MNCs’ CSR practices to the Nigerian institutional context – with the mixed market economy model of capitalism adapting more flexibly than the liberal and coordinated market economies, respectively. The findings of this study will contribute to the emerging literature on the institutional embeddedness of CSR practices in transnational social spaces, understanding of varieties of capitalism, and CSR in developing economies.     

Neither developed nor emerging: Dual paths for outward FDI and home country innovation in emerged market MNCs

Emerged market multinational corporations (EDMNCs) ? those based in emerged markets that have transitioned out of emerging economic status ? have received little research interest from the international business scholarship, despite their growing presence in the global market. EDMNCs face significant competitive pressure to leverage cross-border knowledge to innovate and leapfrog their middle-zone status between emerging and developed market multinational corporations. Analyzing 174 publicly listed South Korean MNCs and their outward foreign direct investment (OFDI), we find that an EDMNC’s OFDI into developed and emerging markets contributes unequally to its home-country innovation. We also elaborate on the moderating effect of industry peers’ OFDI into developed countries through crowding out and spillover effects. These findings have implications for the OFDI and innovation literature in general, and particularly for international business scholarship focusing on an under-investigated category of MNCs that are increasingly becoming successful in international competition.     

Corporate name change: Investigating South African multinational corporations' postacquisition performance

It has long been argued a multinational corporation (MNC) needs to be able to leverage the firm‐specific advantages to overcome the liability of foreignness in the host markets so the MNC can enjoy the benefit of internationalization while competing with the indigenous firms in the host market. However, emerging‐market MNCs, which have the nontraditional ownership advantages, such as flexibility and cost‐advantage, may require different international strategies to realize the anticipated profit in their cross‐border acquisitions. This article takes an organizational identity approach to study how the foreign identity of South African MNCs constitutes the source of liability and negatively impacts their postacquisition performance. We find South African MNCs that adopted a corporate name change for their acquired subsidiaries experienced worse postacquisition return on asset than the South African MNCs who did not do so. On the other hand, facing a large economic distance, South African MNCs that facilitate the acquired subsidiary corporate name change enjoy better postacquisition performance.     

Internationalization and HRM strategies across subsidiaries in multinational corporations from emerging economies—A conceptual framework

The rapid rise of multinational Corporations (MNCs) from emerging economies has led to greater interest and urgency in developing a better understanding of the deployment and diffusion of managerial strategies from their perspective and without assuming the prevailing Western ethnocentric orthodoxy. This paper develops a conceptual framework of global HR strategies and practices in MNCs from emerging economies across their subsidiaries in both developed and developing markets. Using data from a pilot study of an Indian MNC, it provides insights and guidance into the motives, strategic opportunities and constraints in cross-national transfer of HR policies and practices in a multi-polar world.     

Emerging Asian MNCs

Developed countries traditionally account for the lion's share of outward foreign direct investment (FDI) and multinational corporations (MNCs). More recently, however, developing countries are emerging as a significant source of outward FDI and globally influential MNCs. The central objective here is to analyze and compare the main issues facing emerging Asian MNCs today with the main issues which faced developed-country MNCs 30 years ago. Our basic hypothesis is that the two groups of MNCs significantly differ due to both exogenous and endogenous factors. Particularly important are differences in motivation and behaviour, ownership patterns, ownership-specific advantages and the institutional infrastructures of their home countries.     

The impact of internationalization degree on cash levels: Evidence from Latin America

Although cash management has been extensively studied, the cash policies of multinational corporations (MNCs) outside of the U.S. market have been underexplored. We fill this gap in the literature by comparing the cash policies of MNCs to those of non-MNCs in a Latin American setting (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru). Using different proxies for multinationality, we find evidence that the cash holdings of multilatinas are significantly higher than those of their domestic counterparts. Overall, given that foreign markets may offer the best investment opportunities for many MNCs, our results are consistent with the argument that multilatinas maintain higher cash levels to take advantage of the greater growth opportunities abroad. We contribute to the literature on cash management and international business by expanding knowledge regarding the efforts of MNCs in emerging markets. Our results hold following a series of robustness checks and endogeneity concerns.     

The Effect of Cross‐Border Mergers and Acquisitions on Earnings Quality: Evidence from China

Despite the fruitful research on the motives and outcomes of cross‐border mergers and acquisitions (M&As) of Chinese multinational corporations (MNCs), there has been scant research on the impact of cross‐border M&As on corporate governance. In this article, we fill the research gap by exploring whether cross‐border M&As may lead to an improvement in corporate governance of Chinese acquirers. In particular, we examine the impact of cross‐border M&As on earnings quality of Chinese MNCs. We find that the acquisition of a target firm from a developed country leads to a significant improvement on the acquirer's earnings quality. In comparison, the acquisition of a target from an emerging market does not have such an impact. Our results are robust to various corporate governance measures, alternative econometric methods, and controls of relevant firm characteristics and macroeconomic variables. Finally, we show that the effect of cross‐border M&As on earnings quality is more pronounced in non‐state‐owned enterprises (non‐SOEs) that have conducted large M&A deals. Our article offers new insight to the international business literature on latecomer perspective and liability of foreignness. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The impact of the global factory on economic development

The global factory is a structure through which multinational enterprises integrate their global strategies through a combination of innovation, distribution and production of both goods and services. The global factory is analysed within a Coasean framework with particular attention to ownership and location policies using methods that illustrate its power in the global system. Developing countries are constrained by the existence and power of global factories. Firms in developing countries are frequently constrained to be suppliers of labour intensive manufacturing or services into the global factory system. Breaking into this system is difficult for emerging countries. It requires either a strategy of upgrading or the establishment of new global factories under the control of focal firms from emerging countries. The implementation of these strategies is formidably difficult.     

How emerging market governments promote outward FDI: Experience from China

Large scale outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) by emerging market enterprises has become common in today's business world. Nested within the political economy perspective, this article elucidates why and how emerging market governments enthusiastically stimulate OFDI. Drawing upon our detailed analysis of the Chinese context, we developed the logic that OFDI promotion policies set by emerging market governments are economically imperative and institutionally complementary to offsetting competitive disadvantages of emerging market enterprises in global competition. This study presents the governmental institutions that impact Chinese OFDI, discusses evolutionary changes of OFDI policies, and describes current policies and measures that stimulate Chinese companies to expand into the global market. This article concludes with theoretical and managerial discussions wherein we call for convergence between two seemingly paradoxical views – institutional escapism and governmental promotion – presently used as an institutional logic explicating international expansion of emerging market enterprises.     

Privatization in Saudi Arabia: Is slow beautiful?

The aim of this article is to abridge the dearth of academic research on Saudi Arabia's privatization strategy, which is touted by government as key to empowering the business community in the largest economy in the Middle East and North Africa region. Whereas some contend privatization has moved at a slow pace and that the business model employed for privatizing public enterprises lacks commercial business efficiency standards, government retorts that, guided by an organized and sequential process, privatization has been successful. This article maintains that if privatization is to confer the benefits claimed for it and sway international investors equipped with modern managerial skills and technical know‐how, authorities need to accelerate privatization and subject enterprises to steadfast market competitive forces. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Policy transfer and policy inertia: privatization in Taiwan

In recent years, privatization seems to have been more talked about than carried out in a number of countries. This study looks at the progress of privatization in Taiwan in the light of the literature on policy transfer. Although the government of Taiwan announced a privatization programme in the late 1980s, by the end of 1998 sales of state-owned enterprises had occurred much more slowly than planned. The first part of the article reviews the literature on policy transfer. Policy transfer has been described as the process by which policies transfer from one country to another due to mimetic, normative or coercive effects. Taiwan's privatization programme is then reviewed and the main barriers to change are identified. The study concludes by considering the implications of Taiwan's record on privatization for our understanding of policy transfer in an international context.     

Local integration and co‐evolution of internationalizing Chinese firms

This study investigates the integration of internationalizing Chinese firms into local host markets. We explore the market‐driven investment of a new wave of Chinese private and local state‐owned firms in Australia since 2012, which has replaced the initial large‐scale investment in resources by central state‐owned enterprises. Using an in‐depth analysis of nine Chinese firms operating in various sectors of the Australian market, we argue that market integration, adaptation, and bilateral institution‐building through co‐evolution and empowerment of local subsidiaries of Chinese multinational enterprises results in entrepreneurial autonomy and characterizes a new generation of Chinese investors. We propose that Chinese multinational subsidiaries have transferred domestic practices to the Australian market and have reconfigured domestic and host market resources to gain a competitive advantage in their original investment industry and new industries. Our study advances middle‐range theory building and provides a practical understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of Chinese investors, their potential to disrupt local markets, and their responsiveness to market‐oriented institutional guidance. The results of this study suggest that the bilateral institution‐building and resource reconfiguration capabilities of Chinese enterprises can be transferred to other developed and developing markets, including Belt and Road Initiative countries.     

The privatization experience in Malaysia: Integrating build-operate-own and build-operate-transfer techniques within the national privatization strategy

The Malaysian privatization program is perhaps the most ambitious program found amongst developing or emerging market economies. While the program did not immediately flourish, it is characterized by its development of a well structured institutional framework and creative use of a series of highly innovative restructuring and privatization techniques, the most exciting being the Build-Own-Operate and Build-Operate-Transfer methods.     

Technology transfer and institutional development in Central and Eastern Europe

The transfer of technology from developed countries to emerging markets has been of central interest to MNCs. This paper examines the problems associated with technology transfer in the context of Central and Eastern European countries. Contrary to a common perception of the region, we argue that different country institutional characteristics are determinants of technology transfer. By outlining the recent socioeconomic changes in the region, we consider the adoption of essential market institutions and the specific norms of regional integration with the European Union as these most important determinants. The paper concludes with the overview of potentially successful technology transfer strategies for MNCs interested in investing in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.     

Business innovations from emerging market countries into developed countries: Implications for multinationals from developed countries

This article addresses innovation and emerging‐market countries. Both are important topics in the business world today. The focus of this article is on the importance of innovation and market development in emerging‐market countries by Western multinational companies typically based in North America and Western Europe. The authors of this article argue that as Western multinationals innovate and develop emerging markets, this will give multinationals the opportunity not only to compete effectively in emerging markets but also to protect their home markets in developed countries. Implications for Western multinationals are discussed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

来源国效应研究述评

来源国效应相关理论在国际市场营销和国际化战略领域占据重要地位,国外相关研究由来已久,研究内容也已形成理论族群,但该领域的研究仍然存在相关概念的模糊和理论框架的缺失;针对来源国效应的检验由于样本差异、控制变量差异等因素的存在,相关结论尚无法形成体系化理论支撑。尤其是针对发展中国家逆向拓展发达国家市场时的来源国效应研究相对匮乏,一些调节变量的影响机理仍有待揭示。国内学者最近几年才开始关注来源国效应,主要聚焦于不同属性产品的来源国效应检验。文章回顾了来源国效应的相关概念演变,梳理了来源国效应的三种理论基础,总结了发展中国家企业进入发达国家的品牌战略,整合了研究内容的理论框架,概括了该领域常用的研究方法,并在此基础上指明了未来研究方向。文章作为一篇理论综述,希望通过文献梳理和分析,厘清研究主干和研究分支,为后续研究提供基础和参考,克服“只见树木、不见森林”的弊端。     

Fair Trade in Italy: Too Much ‘Movement’ in the Shop?

With the advent of globalization, the track record of multinational corporations (MNCs) has been mixed at best in relation to their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) involvement in developing countries. This article attempts to cross-fertilize insights from the business-society and international business political behavior literature streams to identify relevant dimensions and contingencies that can be used to analyze the CSR of MNCs in developing countries and the extent of standardization or localization of their strategies. The article makes use of the new theoretical framework in the context of an interpretive research methodology to examine the CSR orientations of a sample of MNC subsidiaries in Lebanon. The findings reveal patterns of global CSR being diffused to developing countries, but also being diluted along the way in view of specific subsidiary endowments and host market characteristics.