《欧盟--哥伦比亚、秘鲁自由贸易协定》透视 及其对中国的启示

《欧洲联盟及其成员国与哥伦比亚、秘鲁自由贸易协定》内容丰富,在货物与服务贸易、知识产权等方面设置高标准规定的同时,对可持续发展、技术援助及合作等国际新兴议题也有细致条款。该协定还首次开放地方当局采购,设立民间团体对话监督机制。这些举措有助于加快欧盟进军拉美市场的步伐,进一步促进欧盟与安第斯共同体两大区域组织间的经济融合。借鉴和参考其中的特色条文,势必有利于中国自贸协定文本的健全与完善,并为中国的拉美合作战略提供理论基础。     

Financial Decisions and Financial Capabilities in the Andean Region

This paper analyzes the importance of numerical abilities, conscientiousness, and financial literacy for individuals' financial decision making and participation in formal financial markets. Our analysis is based on the Financial Capabilities Survey, which was applied in four countries of the Andean Region: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The empirical analysis underlines the centrality of numerical abilities, different subfacets of conscientiousness (propensity to plan, perseverance, and scrupulosity), and financial literacy in developing a propensity to save and borrow, and in participating in the formal financial sector.     

Trading with Neighbors: Regional Stock Exchange Integration—The Mercado Integrado Latinoamericano

ABSTRACT

Who gains from the regional integration of stock exchanges? Exploring this question can identify motivators driving stock exchange integration between countries, and contribute to the wider debate whether such perceived gains are likely. This article examines the Latin American Integrated Market (MILA), currently comprised of Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. The plan, process, and difficulties facing MILA are examined. We conclude that investors from the region appear poised to reap the greatest rewards in the long-term, while regional brokers and investors, especially those based in Peru, have benefited most from the operation of MILA since 2011.     

The decay of the Andean Group

The creation of the Andean Group in 1969 and its ambitious program had been accompanied by optimistic expectations of its members who now have become disappointed. Regarding the conflicts within this Group the withdrawal of Chile plays a prominent part — a withdrawal which will probably have negative effects on this country, but also for the rest of the Group it represents a painful shrinkage.     

European integration and international co-operation in exchange rate policy

The debate about monetary integration within Europe often distracts attention from the Community's external relations.¹ In the field of monetary and exchange rate policy, however, thought is being given to ways in which countries could co-operate more efficiently at the world level.² How should these ideas be assessed, and what are their chances of success?     

Does Latin America Comprise Transnational ‘Subregions’?

We live in a world of nations, but also one of multi‐nation systems. These systems, or transnational regions, affect global economics, politics and diplomacy. Latin America is a widely recognised and documented transnational region. It contains subregional nation systems that might have all of the characteristics and significance of regions and might also affect the broader integration of Latin America. The author defines regionality on the basis of economic integration and measures it with two methods for Latin America, North America, three Latin American subregional systems and one arbitrarily defined nation system within Latin America. He finds a high degree of integration in Latin America, the Andean nations and the Southern Cone of South America. He finds only a modest degree of integration in North America and not significantly greater integration in South America than in Latin America. The division of Latin America into subregions is consistent with the incidence of sub‐regional trade initiatives in the past two decades and might be at least partly responsible for the limited progress to date towards Latin America‐wide integration. Latin American subregions might now be providing a foundation on which to build regionalism in the future.     

Foreign enterprises in Colombia

In its October-issue INTERECONOMICS published an article on Foreign Enterprises in Mexico. The present article deals with the role of multinationals in Colombia, their merits and the complaints about them. Colombia is of particular interest as a member of the Andes Pact.     

The micro-foundations of strategic ambidexterity: Chinese cross-border M&As,Mid-View thinking and integration management

Chinese cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As) display several unique properties in relation to the ways in which their international business operations are organised and managed. Their seemingly puzzling ‘light-touch’ integration approach can be significantly understood from a strategic ambidexterity perspective: on the one hand, the ‘light-touch’ enables the exploitation of the targets’ existing knowledge bases; on the other hand, elements of the ‘light-touch’ facilitate the exploration of the new knowledge arising from the collaboration between targets and acquirers. However, an important theoretical gap remains: why do Chinese companies deploy such a strategic ambidexterity approach in their post-acquisition integrations? This paper aims to fill this gap by proposing Mid-View thinking as a micro-foundation of strategic ambidexterity in integration management from a cultural and philosophical perspective. To illuminate our conceptualization and argument, we conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with CEOs/high-level managers of acquired German companies. Communication approach and organizational control—as two critical aspects in integration management—reveal how Mid-View thinking can serve as a micro-foundation of strategic ambidexterity. We conclude this paper by presenting its theoretical contributions, managerial implications, and future research directions.     

The Role of Multinational Enterprises in West African Regional Economic Integration

Abstract

Studies on regional economic integration in West Africa have concentrated on conventional accounts, which focused primarily on the activities of states and their agencies. The role and activities of actors who play a key function in the political economy of the integrating states and in the integration process are largely ignored or given limited attention. This paper contributes to a better understanding of the integration process in West Africa by exploring the role and the activities of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in the development and growth of the Economic Community of West African States (ECO-WAS). Further, this paper contends that MNEs are never passive in market integration. And through their membership in business associations, they participate in the creation, development and growth of the regional scheme. As the winds of economic liberalization and political reforms sweep across the West African subregion, it will become ever more crucial to forge partnerships between multinational enterprises and the host countries with the desire of fostering regional economic     

Civil disobedience and whistleblowing: A comparative appraisal of two forms of dissent

This paper compares and evaluates two forms of dissent: civil disobedience — protests by citizens against the laws or actions of their government; and whistleblowing — disclosure by employees of illegal, immoral or questionable practices by their employees. Each is identified, the conceptual issues are distinguished from strategic and normative ones and parallel moral questions posed. Should one first dissent within prescribed channels before going outside them? Should one act publicly or is withholding one's identity permissible or desirable? What is the basis and limits for one's loyalty to one's country or employer, and how can transgressing these limits be morally justified?     

Starting Small: How Icewine Diffused in the Mature Canadian Wine Field

How do small players' product innovations initially diffuse within a mature organizational field? This paper studies endogenous and exogenous factors that facilitate the spread of a product innovation—icewine—introduced by small players within the Canadian wine field. Using data from 1985 to 2000, I find support for my hypotheses that environmental jolts, theorization of small players' innovations by small players within the media, and innovation recognition by authorities in other more prestigious fields increased the extent to which icewine has been diffused within the field. Specifically, my study sheds light on how small players can initiate change within mature fields with the support of other institutional players.     

THE INTERACTION OF INTERNAL AND DOWNSTREAM INTEGRATION AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH PERFORMANCE

The authors study how internal and downstream integration and their interaction affect logistical and financial performance within the firm. The results indicate that internal and downstream integration and their interaction affect logistical performance — that is, the higher the internal integration, the stronger the relationship of downstream integration with logistical performance. The results also suggest that logistical performance directly predicts financial performance. The results suggest that superior performance derives from the firm simultaneously integrating functions, decision‐making, and processes both within the firm and across the supply chain.     

Shopping Benefits of Multichannel Assortment Integration and the Moderating Role of Retailer Type

To what extent should multichannel retailers integrate assortments across channels? Previous literature controversially discusses the question of which integration strategy is most successful but arguments are only conceptual, and no empirical assessment exists. This article presents a framework that (a) shows how customers’ perceived shopping benefits of variety, convenience, and reduced risk mediate the impact of multichannel assortment integration (full, asymmetrical, no) on patronage intentions and (b) differentiates the impact for retailer types based on substitutive, complementary, and independent assortment relations. Two large-scale experimental studies empirically investigate whether a dominant integration strategy exists in the context of full and simultaneous information (Study 1) and more uncertain and subsequent information accessibility (Study 2). We consistently find that full integration dominates no integration across assortment relations, but asymmetrical integration—the strategy that is most often realized by multichannel retailers—can have a detrimental impact for substitutive relations compared with no integration. Asymmetrical integration can be more beneficial than full integration for independent relations, while customer outcomes differ less for complementary relations. Researchers and managers can use our findings to understand how shopping benefits of variety, convenience, and reduced risk explain the different customer outcomes of multichannel assortment integration, depending on retailer type.     

GATT in a conceptual vacuum

Getting under way a seventh round of international trade negotiations within the framework of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) has been a long and arduous process.¹ The nub of the problem is the failure of political thought to keep pace with the rapid integration and growing interdependence of the world economy.     

Indicator systems for the assessment of the external debt situation of developing countries

The foreign indebtedness of the Third World has been increasing rapidly over the past ten years. The volume of private and public borrowings expanded between the end of 1970 and the end of 1979 from $ 64 bn to $ 376 bn¹. This development has quickened the interest in methods for an assessment of the external debt situation of developing countries. Interested parties—commercial banks, international organizations, etc., and the borrowers themselves—are looking for criteria by reference to which they can monitor foreign indebtedness and ascertain in good time whether and when the foreign debt of a country is in danger of reaching “critical” dimensions. What view should be taken of the various criteria?     

国外供应链整合的研究述评与展望

文章在回顾供应链整合相关研究文献的基础上,首先对供应链整合的概念演变进行梳理,然后将供应链整合对企业绩效的影响以及供应链整合的前因研究成果整合为一个包容性更强的“供应链整合的前因——供应链整合——供应链整合的结果”组织间供应链整合概念模型,最后对未来的相关研究进行了展望。     

Motives for purchase decision-making: combining attribution and functional approaches

The motivations which lead to consumer decisions have been given relatively little research attention, since motivations are difficult to quantify. The four part typology developed by Katz,¹ when combined with self-perceived attributions, provides a useful method of examining the motivational underpinnings of consumer-purchase decisions. This study involved an experimental design to evaluate self perceptions of the four functional motives—ego defensive, value expressive, knowledge and utilitarian. A sample of 105 undergraduate students attributed their use or purchase for each of 52 items to one of the four functional motives. Using these responses as self-perception attributions, two research questions were examined: (i) would the four part typology be useful in explaining self-perceptions of past behaviour? and (ii) would one function of the typology dominate these reports for each item? An across-subject analysis suggested the four part typology could be meaningfully employed within a self-perception context. However, one functional motive dominated attributions for only six of 52 items. Since motivations and consumer behaviour are clearly linked, this research offers a method of providing additional insight into that linkage. The paper concludes with further research possibilities that integrate the functional motive approach and self-perception attributions.     

Organizational design: A contingency approach: A model for organic management design

For those firms that operate in a stable environment—an unchanging technology and a certain market—a mechanistic management system is efficient. A great many corporations, however, must have a flexible organizational structure, which can adapt to constant changes in technology and fluctuations in the market. These firms are often characterized by their organic approach to management design. In this article, the authors develop a model for organizational design based on the variables of internal needs and external conditions and illustrate their model with nationally known firms as examples. The model's quadrants are: high uncertainty/low integration; high uncertainty/high integration; high certainty/low integration; and high certainty/high integration.     

Mapping market mobility: Psychographic profiles and media exposure

Are there households in trading areas that have unique mobility predispositions? Can mobility types be monitored? And does mobility type relate to the life style and consumption patterns of households? This study examines the mobility and life style characteristics of suburbanites in a medium-sized city in an effort to discover the answers to these and other questions.In particular, the article suggests that mobility relates to life style and media usage, which in turn largely determines the quality of consumer demand and the most efficient media to reach such a market. If the composition of mobility types within a shopping area is changing, retailers should monitor these changes so that they can better predict retail demand—both quality and quantity.A self-administered questionnaire was designed to measure (1) the mobility characteristics of consumers—including their local moves, long-distance moves, and their predisposition to move; (2) the life styles and socioeconomic characteristics of consumers; and (3) the median exposures of households. The instrument was administered by personal interviews with 322 suburban housewives within a medium-sized trading area. The usage sample included 304 cases.The data support the hypotheses of the study; mobility types emerged from the analysis and these had distinctive life styles and media habits. Periodic sampling of households is suggested as an approach to monitoring mobility composition within the trading area.     

The Marisol case: Challenges of international growth for a successful Brazilian designer apparel firm

Marisol has forged a successful legacy in Brazil in the market for clothes with a sophisticated, stylish look. Success in Brazil enabled the firm to garner overseas customers. The establishment of subsidiaries in Argentina, Italy and Mexico, as well as sales operations in several countries – including Chile, Colombia, Spain, and the USA, among others – represented important steps in Marisol's internationalization. Marisol's executives have to decide on several issues: how to consolidate their position in the USA market and in other countries? What modes of operation – own stores, franchisees, multi-brand stores, private label supply – to use in which countries? Which brands to launch abroad and whether to adapt them to local tastes, while exploiting the image of Brazilianness?