Understanding the strategies of late-movers in International Manufacturing

This paper analyzes the internationalization of new multinationals from emerging countries. It also focuses on Production's role in firm internationalization, a subject seldom addressed because the discipline of International Manufacturing is still embryonic, while International Business tends to overlook production. The authors integrate International Business and International Manufacturing concepts and frameworks in order to analyze new multinationals from emerging countries, using the empirical evidence of a survey plus case studies of Brazilian multinationals for understanding late-movers’ strategies and competences, with emphasis on production.     

不确定环境下企业战略变革主导逻辑新范式

企业战略变革是不确定环境下企业“做大做强”和“永续发展”的重要生存法则。而战略变革主导逻辑范式作为企业战略变革问题研究的核心与关键，在传统范式受到挑战的新形势下，呼唤新的战略变革逻辑范式。本文在对战略变革主导逻辑研究的相关概念与思维观念界定的基础上，构建了“战略变革主导逻辑范式分析框架”，并具体提出了“战略先应式”、“战略反应式”、“战略后应式”与“战略因应式”四种战略变革主导逻辑范式。     

Decoding network dynamics

Business networks are fluid, yet decoding network dynamics provides a number of methodological challenges. This research illustrates how, by using a technology-bundled business net, the temporal fluidity of the network boundary and the associated processes and events that affect this can be understood. Abductive logic is applied in combination with the concepts of network positions and roles to analyze these processes and events. Empirical observations from a case study embedded in the optical recording media industry spanning the period 2001–2008 are used to illustrate the network dynamics resulting from technological change that drive the evolution of the focal net. The case illustrates that in order to decode network dynamics, a number of aspects need to be considered: how the network boundary is delimited, process, time, events and the conceptual lenses that can provide a basis for analyzing change.     

Ending-competence in business closure

Business closure and ending-competence are highly relevant concepts in a globalizing world economy where structural change is common. However, ending-competence in business closure situations is a rarely studied phenomenon, and prior theoretical development is modest. In this paper a conceptual model of ending-competence in business closure is developed. A case study examination of a business closure, involving a car manufacturing plant owned by Mitsubishi Motors Australia Ltd., allows further development of the model. The model consists of four elements: (1) earlier experiences of ending; (2) an understanding of different types of commitment; (3) the interdependence between parties; and (4) coordinating and timing the ending. The model illustrates the different roles played by upper and operational management during a closure process. An understanding of ending-competence is important to managers of large firms and to educators of future managers.     

Networking under uncertainty: Concepts and research agenda

This paper has two aims: Firstly, to develop the interpretation of business management as a process of ‘networking’ between companies by relating networking to the concepts of managerial uncertainties and abilities. Secondly, to suggest some areas of potential research that arise from the view of management as networking under uncertainty.The paper builds on the Activities, Actors, Resources (ARA) structure (Håkansson & Snehota 1995) and the Model of Managing in Business Networks (Håkansson et al., 2009) and interprets business interaction as a problem-coping process that involves a set of choices for interacting actors within particular business relationships that are unique in time and space. The paper then relates these choices to the uncertainties and abilities of interacting counterparts.     

Book reviews

Book reviews in this article:
Tools for Change and Progress: A Socio-Technical Approach to Business Process Re-engineering Enid Mumfordm, Geert Jan Beekman
Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution Michael Hammer and James Champy
The Essence of Business Process Re-Engineering Joe Peppard, Philip Rowland
Software Assistance for Business Re-Engineering K Spurr, P Layzell, N Richards (Eds.)
Re-Engineering the Networked Enterprise Y Jayachandra with Raul Medina-More Gita J Melkote Fernando Flores
Reengineering Information Technology: Success Through Empowerment Stephen, Baxter, David Lisburn
Managers Divided: Organisation Politics and Information Technology Management David Knights, Fergus Murray
Business Process Reengineering: Breakpoint Strategies for Market Dominance Henry J. Johansson, Patrick McHugh, A. John Pendlebury & William A. Wheeler III
Beyond Business Process Reengineering: Towards the Holonic Enterprise Patrick McHugh, Giorgio Merli & William A. Wheeler III     

Dimensions of space in business network research

Interactive processes constitute a core notion in business exchange, leading to the concepts of relationships and networks. The constitution of process, comprising unfolding events, activities, and connected structures, relies on difference in space and time. While research has been devoted to time, the concept of space has thus far remained largely unexplored within business network research.This conceptual paper focuses on spatial dimensions for conducting research according to the IMP business network approach. Business actors create connected relationships and networks that exist and change as continuous emerging spatial structures and as mental maps in the managerial mindset. These relational network processes and structures are located, distributed and experienced in and across space. Drawing on economic geography and conceptual frameworks from the business network approach, we propose new dimensions and conceptualizations of space for the study of these networks. The paper delivers proposals to extend our current understanding of business networks as emerging and changing spatio-temporal entities with implications for theory development, research and practice.     

Sense-making in business markets – the interplay between cognition,action and outcomes

Business markets are characterized by interdependences between business actors. How these actors make sense of such interdependencies is a matter of both theoretical and practical importance. Research on cognitive foundations for competition in business markets, based on organization and strategic management, has evolved considerably since the 1980s. Also, researchers on business markets that are based on marketing and adopt a network perspective, have become increasingly interested in cognition and sense-making over the last two decades. The concepts network pictures and network understanding have been in focus for this research, which has resulted in a demand for improved clarity of the interplay between cognition, action and outcome, as well as for a stronger integration between parallel research developments from related disciplines and research approaches. A better understanding of how individual and collective views are developed is also required. This Special Issue, originated in the network perspective of business markets, is aimed to address these issues.     

Book Reviews

Technological Collaboration in Industry; strutegy, policy and internationalization in innovation
Corporate Venturing: Creating New Businesses within the Firm
Handbook of Innovation Management
Technology and enterprise in a historical perspective
Intellectual Property for Engineers
The Ernst & Young Business Plan Guide
crnagement as a New Technology
Mass Customization: The New Frontier in Business Competition     

业务流程再造与信息技术

概述了业务流程再造(BPR)的涵义,并指出了它与信息技术的密切关系;阐述了BPR对信息系统带来的影响和意义;详述了信息技术对流程再造的促进,以及在再造实施中信息技术所起的作用;应用1个实例阐述了信息技术对实施业务流程再造的重要意义。     

Intraregional foreign direct investment in the asian pacific region

This article attempts to identify the emerging pattern of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and/or international production in the Asian Pacific region. The internationalisation of production has accelerated in the Asian Pacific region as competitive advantage has shifted and as protectionist measures have changed traditional source patterns. The Asian Pacific region has evolved into an interactive international production system comprising three tiers of countries: Japan, the four Asian Newly Industrialized Countries (ANICs), and the four developing countries of the Asian Pacific region (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand). The fundamental economic reality which has molded this system is the dynamic complementarity in location advantages of the three tiers.The authors are in the Department of International Business at The University of Michigan. W. Chan Kim is the author of a forthcoming book on Asian Business. Vern Terpstra is a former president of the Academy of International Business and the author of books on international business.     

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.     

The relationship between the planning and technical functions: Part 1—The short to medium term

In this paper the work of the technical function, along with that of the other functions is outlined in developing the Business Unit concept, put forward in the previous paper on Planning. It mainly covers the ongoing activities of the Business Unit and the work which can be seen as a natural evolution of its present activity. What it does not cover is the identification by both the Planning and Technical Functions of the longer term developments of a company or its Business Units, and also possibly the fields for still wider diversification. These will be dealt with in Part II. In many cases, however, a surprisingly high proportion of the Technical Function budget is spent on the natural extension of the present business and a means of analysis by business unit objectives is proposed so that other functions can participate in the setting of objectives and evaluating progress. Close identification with business unit objectives will be found helpful in eliminating waste and often identifying new problems for the Technical Function to pursue.     

The impact of state shares on corporate innovation strategy and performance in China

This paper examines the impact of state shares on corporate innovation strategy and performance in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Through an investigation of 541 publicly traded companies in five high-tech industries during the period between 2000 and 2005, we find that the presence of state shares have a positive effect on the corporate choice of a process innovation strategy over a product innovation one. However, this relationship is moderated by the overall ownership concentration ratio. Moreover, our findings suggest that companies with large state shares prefer to conduct innovations independently rather than collaboratively with others, and they usually achieve better innovation performance. These findings indicate that the government play a role as both an investor and a resource allocation coordinator and therefore complicate the relationship between ownership structure and corporate innovation activities.

Japanese horizontal keiretsu and the performance implications of membership

Our study investigates the effect of Japanese horizontal keiretsu group membership on firm risk and return. Like prior studies, our results show that horizontal keiretsu membership has a negative effect on firm profitability. However, we find that horizontal keiretsu networks are likely to increase the gap between targeted and realized returns, which we call the outcome–aspiration gap. Moreover, in contrast to prior studies, our results indicate that keiretsu membership does not enable member firms to reduce risks by smoothing profitability. Instead, our findings provide evidence that is counter to the conventional notion that Japanese horizontal keiretsu allows their member firms to trade off profits for reduced risk.

The cognitive,psychological and social contexts of Japanese management

After reviewing the literature on Japanese management theory, Keys & Miller (1984), called for a deeper understanding of the environmental contexts of Japanese management and the development of more integrated, internally consistent models. The literature review presented here discusses the dimensions of the cognitive, psychological and social contexts of Japanese management, and concludes with a causal integration between the contexts that underly Japanese management and specific Japanese management practices.Portions of this paper were presented by the first author at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, San Diego, 1985. The authors thank Richard N. Farmer, Richard Peterson, Franklin R. Root, and the reviewers for their helpful comments. Requests for reprints should be sent to Mark E. Mendenhall, Department of Management, College of Business Administration, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA 90045.Mark E. Mendenhall is with the College of Business Administration, Loyola Marymount University. Gary Oddou is with the School of Business, San Jose State University.     

Pricing strategies of transnational corporations

This paper uses data collected from 111 transnational corporations which operated 153 subsidiaries in the ASEAN region (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines) to analyze their pricing practices in the host country markets in relationship to the corporations home country and to the structural characteristics of the host country market. The data collected in this study is thus used to analyze the determinants of predatory pricing, intercountry price discrimination, and price leadership.The author is with the Centre for International Business Studies, School of Business Administration, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.     

Book Reviews

Huw Benyon, Farewell to the Factory: Auto Workers in the Late Twentieth Century
Sue Fernie, Working in the Service Society
Regina Lee Blaszczyk, Shopfloor Matters: Labour–Management Relations in Twentieth-Century American Manufacturing
Keith Whitfield, Teams, Markets and Systems: Business Innovation and Information Technology
Frans N. Stokman, Networks in Action: Communication, Economics and Human Knowledge
Kate Purcell, Employers' Use of Flexible Labour
Szabolcs Keme´ny, Party-States and their Legacies in Post-Communist Transformation
Jean Woodall, Management Ethics: Integrity at Work
Colin Mills, Corporate Business and Capitalist Classes
Dawn S. Jones, Reworking Class
Sarah Ashwin, Understanding Gender and Organization
Shirley Dex, Gender and Family Issues in the Workplace     

上海石化实施分流减员战略的实践与思考

上海石化从自身的实际情况出发,提出了“一业为主,多种经营”的发展设想,实施主辅分离,发展多种经营,通过分流来实现主业减员,通过再调整和发展,使辅业成为主业的一个新的经济增长点,从而提升上海石化的国际竞争力。     

Book reviews

Books reviewed:
Abby Day Peters, Gower, Winning Research Funding
George Tesar, Sibdas Ghosh, Steven. W. Anderson and Tom Bramorski, Strategic Technology Management – Building Bridges between the Sciences, Engineering and Business Management.
Robert D. Handscombe and Eann A. Patterson, The Entropy Vector: Connecting Science and Business.
Susan Segal-Horn, The Strategy Reader ,
Bianca Piachaud, Outsourcing R&D in the Pharmaceutical Industry: From Conceptualisation to Implementation of the Strategic Sourcing Process.
Liang Thow Yick, Organizing around Intelligence: Leading, Managing and Nurturing Intelligent Human Organizations that constantly exploit Innovation and Creativity embedded at the Edge of Chaos.