Agency costs and the structure and performance of international joint ventures

This article develops a principal-agent contractual model for the issue of the structure and performance of international joint ventures. From this model, hypotheses are generated relating the number of partners in a joint venture and the cross-cultural divergence of the partners with joint venture performance. These hypotheses are empirically assessed using a population of over 3,500 developed-country joint ventures.     

An Investigation of Control and Performance in U.S.-Chinese Joint Ventures

ABSTRACT

This study took an integrated approach to managerial control in international joint ventures (IJVs). The various control mechanisms used in U.S.-Chinese joint ventures were examined. The linkage between control and performance was empirically tested using a sample of U.S.-Chinese joint ventures established in China during the period of 1979–1989. The findings support the hypothesis that effective managerial control exercised by the U.S. partner over the joint venture operation is positively related to its performance. U.S.-dominant joint ventures significantly outperformed Chinese-dominant joint ventures, but no significant performance differences were found between U.S.-dominant joint ventures and shared management joint ventures.     

Horizontal Strategic Alliances and Company Behavior

Abstract

Despite the growing interest over the last ten years in strategic alliances as a source of competitive advantage, such initiatives have often been affected by different sorts of problems during implementation. This paper examines the categories into which such problems can be classified-environmental problems, structural problems, and problems with management attitudes and expectations-and discusses their effect on two cases of horizontal strategic alliances in Brazil.

A pesar del creciente intérs en los últimos diez años con respecto a la utilización de alianzas estratégicas como una fuente para generar ventajas competitivas, estas iniciativas han sido frecuentemente afectadas ppor diferentes tipos de problemas en su fase de implementación. Este artículo examina las categorías en que estos problemas pueden ser clasificados-problemas ambientales, problemas estructurales y problemas inherentes a las actitudes y expectativas de la administración-y discute sus efectos en dos casos de alianzas horizontales en Brasil.

Apesar do crescente interesse a respeito de alianças estratégicas como uma fonte de vantagem competitiva durante os últimos dez anos, essas iniciativas tem sido freqüentemente afetadas por toda a sorte de problemas durante a implementação. Esse trabalho examina as categoriasnas quais esses problemas podem ser classificados-problemas ambientais, problemas estruturais e problemas com as atitudes e as expectativas dos gestores-e discute os seus efeitos sobre dois casos de aliança estratégica horizontal no Brasil.     

供应链战略联盟问题研究

文章首先介绍了供应链战略联盟的内涵和特点,然后介绍了供应链战略联盟存在的问题,最后提出了构筑供应链战略联盟的一些有效措施。     

基于供应链战略联盟的竞争优势研究

在阐述供应链与供应链战略联盟内涵的基础上,以SWOT战略理论为分析框架来研究供应链战略联盟形成的原因,并从低成本竞争优势与差异化竞争优势两方面对供应链战略联盟所创造的竞争优势进行深入研究。     

旅游联盟成功运作关键影响因素研究

近年来,在国际工商企业、旅游企业战略联盟浪潮的影响下,我国旅游企业也纷纷组建战略联盟,并取得了一定的经济效益。通过对旅游企业战略联盟(以下简称旅游联盟)的相关文献和实践进行全面梳理与分析,对影响我国旅游联盟成功运作的关键因素及其重要程度进行实证研究,使之明确了旅游联盟成功运作的关键因素。     

Effects of the Value Chain in International Joint Ventures

Summary

This paper examines differences in the resource profile and experience of Sino-foreign joint ventures located in the two sectors: non-consumer electronics and fast moving consumer goods [FMCG]. It identifies key dimensions along which the two sectors differ and considers the implications for joint ventures. The impact of sectoral differences suggests that the industrial sector of China into which a foreign company invests is of consequence, especially for the business priorities of Chinese partners and for the ease with which a joint venture can be managed through the foreign partner's corporate network. Foreign partners are likely to find more flexibility, and a greater opportunity to influence joint venture management in the FMCG sector compared with non-consumer electronic sector. The physical and infrastructural features of the sectors appear to be particularly consequential for managing an investment in China, and they may be more significant than institutional factors.     

Internationalizing Colleges of Business:

To successfully internationalize business curricula, colleges of business must apply strategic planning to internationalization efforts. After documenting the urgency for business schools to internationalize, a strategic planning model is applied in a stepby- step fashion to internationalization. We use our university's experience and efforts to focus on Japan to illustrate the model. The paper concludes with several recommendations, many of which have little direct costs for business schools.     

Toward an Understanding of Strategic Inter-Organizational Relationships in Franchise Channels

Abstract

Information technology, globalization and the emergence of boundary-less communication networks are creating strategic networks of inter-organizational relationships. As inter-organizational relationships continue to evolve, there is a growing mandate for high levels of interdependency. Franchises are contractual vertical marketing systems and, by definition, represent highly interdependent linkages between franchisors, third-party providers, franchisees and customers. Organizational learning is posited as a strategic linkage in franchise systems.     

企业战略联盟与中国产业组织优化

企业战略联盟作为一种新型企业组织形式 ,能够促进我国企业的专业化分工与协作 ,抑制市场过度竞争 ,弥补企业兼并缺陷等。现阶段 ,应通过企业制度改革、企业组织结构调整和完善企业联盟内部运作机制等 ,促进我国企业战略联盟的发展。     

Strategic Implications of Alliances and Networks of Horizontal Portals in Brazil

ABSTRACT

This paper contributes to recent research on strategic networks by making evident the relevance of identifying network implications for the conduct and performance of firms that are embedded in alliance networks and other strategic relationships in a typical industry of the new economy. Through a study of horizontal portals in Brazil from 2000 to 2002, it shows that an assessment of the implications for these firms' networks can provide relational insights for corporate decision-making that could not be found through traditional strategic analyses, such as those of the positioning school or the Resource-Based View.

RESUMEN. Este estudio ofrece una contribución para un análisis realizado recientemente sobre las redes estratégicas, haciendo hincapié en la importancia que se debe dar a la identificación de las implicancias inherentes a estas redes, cuanto al comportamiento y desempeño de las empresas arraigadas en la alianza de redes y otras relaciones estratégicas, en una industria típica de la nueva economía. A través del estudio de los portales horizontales en el Brasil entre los años 2000 y 2002, se demuestra que una evaluación de las implicancias para las redes de dichas empresas puede suministrar una visión relacional para la toma de decisiones corporativas, inexistentes en los análisis estratégicos tradiciones, tales como los elaborados por las escuelas de posicionamiento o bajo la perspectiva denominada Resource-Based View.

RESUMO. O presente estudo contribui para pesquisas recentes sobre redes estratégicas, evidenciando a relevância da identificação das implicaç[otilde]es da rede para a conduta e desempenho das empresas envolvidas de redes e outros relacionamentos estratégicos em um setor típico da nova economia. Por meio da análise dos portais horizontais no Brasil de 2000 a 2002, o estudo mostra que uma avaliação das implicaç[otilde]es para essas redes de empresas pode gerar insights para processos decisórios corporativos que não são encontrados por meio de análises estratégicas tradicionais, como as da escola de posicionamento ou a visão baseada em recursos.     

摩托车企业组建战略联盟的经济学思考

改革开放以来,摩托车作为我国汽车工业中的一支生力军得到了迅猛发展。但2001年摩托车产业利润全线滑坡的事实迫使我们反思:摩托车产业路在何方?从成本效益角度来看,组建摩托车企业战略联盟是当前摩托车产业摆脱危机的明智选择。     

The strategic stages of China–UK educational alliances: an empirical study

Driven by globalization, strategic alliances have emerged in a wide range of industries; higher education is not excluded, although we still lack sufficient understanding of this emerging field. By empirically investigating 10 China–UK educational alliances, this paper reveals the specific characteristics and different conditions that prevail in strategies in educational alliances. In particular it identifies the choice of forms of educational alliances in the formation stage, localization of the alliances in the operation stage, and the direction of development in the evolution stage. Hence, it hopes to enrich existing theories and provide some clear insights of the attitudes and actions that need to be taken by practitioners for them to succeed.     

产业技术标准形成的路径依赖特征分析

产业技术标准的形成是技术路径和市场路径共同作用的结果,技术路径体现为技术先进性及其与现有主流技术的兼容性,市场路径则包含技术的使用厂商扩散以及技术的消费者扩散两个方面。在经济全球化的今天,背离现有的技术标准而独辟蹊径,其经济成本相当巨大。对中国企业而言,更现实的选择是向现有技术标准靠拢,通过战略联盟选择突破技术标准竞争壁垒,增加技术标准制订中的话语权。同时,利用我国强大的市场资源优势,加快推动产业技术标准市场选择路径的形成。     

Stakeholder Learning Dialogues: How to Preserve Ethical Responsibility in Networks

The shift in corporate strategy, from vertical integration to strategic alliances, has developed hand in hand with the evolution of organizational structure, from the vertically integrated firm to the network organization. The result has been the elimination of boundaries, more flexible organizations, and a greater interaction among individuals and organizations. On the negative side, the specialization of firms on single areas of competence has resulted in the disaggregation of the value chain and in the disaggregation of ethical and legal responsibility. To illustrate this point, the paper considers some cases, such as the case of the "beer girls" of Southeast Asia, who are used unethically by distributors to sell beer and liquor. To deal with the problem of the disaggregation of ethical responsibility, managers can use organizational culture and ethical values to control the performance of employees and of other organizations. Contemporary developments in business ethics also offer tools for dealing with the problem. For example, "global corporate citizenship," integrated social contracting theory, and stakeholder learning dialogues provide ways of integrating the interests of all stakeholders. The task is now to use these new approaches to create a governance process that incorporates the voices of all stakeholders, especially the voices of those stakeholders that have legitimate and urgent moral claims, but lack the power to establish those claims.