Dimensions of Knowledge: Comparing Asian and Western MNEs in China

This study compares knowledge and its performance effects between Asian and Western MNEs in the People's Republic of China. It examines knowledge differences along four dimensions including technological skills, organizational capabilities, marketing knowledge, and environment familiarity between two groups. The discriminant analysis of the survey data containing 178 MNE sub-units in China suggests that Asian MNEs are inferior in technological and organizational competencies but superior in host country-specific knowledge such as marketing tactics and environmental familiarity, compared to Western counterparts. Despite such differences, knowledge in all four dimensions is found to enhance financial returns and overall performance for sample firms no matter where they come from. The logic underlying the dominance of Asian MNEs in China's FDI, from economic, cultural, and institutional perspectives, is also highlighted.     

中外贸易摩擦

中国加入WTO后,中外贸易摩擦不断增多,面对这一现象要不仅分析其深层原因,更要理性看待,而且还要尽可能削弱贸易摩擦对我国经济的不良影响。     

Comparing Youth and Adult Desire for Unionization in Canada

Survey data for Canada indicates that youths have a stronger preference than adults for unionization. We show that most of that difference reflects the stronger desire of youths to have unions deal with workplace issues rather than a greater exposure of youths to these issues. In particular, youth preferences for unionization are influenced to a greater degree than for adults by social capital (e.g, familial union status and peer–group attitudes). The possible role of progressive HRM practices and legislative protection in substituting for unionization is also highlighted. Finally, implications of the findings for the future of unionization and organizing youth are discussed.     

Global alliance networks: A comparison of biotech SMEs in Sweden and Australia

The role of networks in business operations is widely recognized. We discuss social network theory, identify its main constituents, and outline a methodology and procedure that enable the identification and valuation of informal networks in an international business-to-business environment. Research is carried on informal Internet networks among firms in the biotechnology industry from Sweden and Australia. We use the methodology to recognize salient nodes, determine prominence and identify structural holes that allow the unveiling of brokerage opportunities that lie latent in networks. Global firms and suppliers of industrial products that are or can position themselves effectively in a social network are in a position to leverage considerable value.     

沙特阿拉伯的石油工业及其对外经贸合作

文章介绍了沙特阿拉伯的石油资源的分布、开发及近年的储量和产量情况，并分析了沙特的石油加工能力和石化工业的现状。在此基础上介绍了其石油政策特别是对外开放政策，分析了沙特石油工业的对外经贸合作历史及现状，包括和中国的经贸联系，认为中沙在石油领域有着广泛的合作前景，中国政府和企业应该抓住此次沙特重新开放石油领域的机遇，努力开拓沙特和中东石油市场，满足国内对石油的巨大需求。     

Trade Union Decline and Union Wage Effects in Australia

Union density in Australia fell precipitously in the 1990s. This study investigates how union wage effects may have changed as a result. The findings from 1993 data suggest that union/nonunion wage differentials were very small, especially among workers in high-density industries. By 2001 the overall union wage effect had increased significantly; however, the union/nonunion wage differential was no longer correlated with union density at the industry level.     

Southeast Asian capitalism: History,institutions, states,and firms

This paper examines the structures of capitalism in Southeast Asia. Following the lead of Gordon Redding and others, it argues that parallel to varieties of capitalism elsewhere, there are distinctive features to the Southeast Asian business system, but that institutions play a relatively large role compared to firm specific resources or industry structures. Historically, with the exception of Thailand all the countries in the region are former colonies. All including Thailand share a distinctive style of nationalism, and partly as a result of this, all are governed by states that claim to be strong and lay wide claims but whose capacities are low. Typical features of the region, particularly the roles of large business groups and the Chinese minority, also can be interpreted as a result of this history. One of the outcomes of the analysis is an extension of the varieties of capitalism approach along the dimensions of state capacity and state direction, and of the approach to the internationalizing firm along the dimensions of dynamic capacity and control of subsidiaries. A further outcome is a questioning of the traditional picture of indigenous Southeast Asian business people as lacking in entrepreneurial skills, or more broadly of Southeast Asian nations as lacking in entrepreneurial values. Rather, the past history of these countries has resulted in a set of structures that militate against successful entrepreneurial activity.

澳大利亚新西兰农产品环境贸易措施初探

澳大利亚、新西兰两国近年来与中国的贸易关系不断升温,本文关注的是两国在农产品贸易领域的环境措施。首先明确农产品环境贸易措施的概念,并与绿色贸易壁垒这一概念进行区别。接着从管理机构、法律法规、技术标准和进口程序方面介绍两国的环境贸易措施,最后指出中国的对策。     

中、俄、美欧与中亚国家能源合作现状及前景

中亚地区拥有丰富的能源资源,欧亚各国都加强了与该地区的能源合作.中、俄、美和欧洲国家与中亚国家开展能源合作具有各自的优势和劣势,目前在中亚地区已形成"四面竞争"的能源竞争格局.未来中、俄、美欧在中亚地区能源领域的合作与竞争将继续存在,但由于该地区不具备左右国际关系和国际格局的战略地位和能力,并不会影响大国间的友好关系.这种合作与竞争的局面也有助于中亚地区的能源开发,进而有助于中亚地区的稳定与发展.     

Deliberation Councils, Government-Business-Citizen Partnerships, and Public Policy-Making: Cases from Singapore, Malaysia, and Canada

The authors assert that one of the least appreciated but important institutional factors underlying the remarkable growth in the East Asian miracle economies is the deliberation council: a consultative arrangement linking government, business and civil society. They describe three such councils, two in Southeast Asia and one in North America, and reveal the critical features of effective councils which can be found regardless of the political, social and economic contexts in which they operate. Efforts to adapt and apply successful councils in other contexts should consider the following common features: focus on clear and specific mandates; staffing by credible individuals who represent a broad cross section of stakeholders; process and procedures for collaboration which are transparent, systematic, and straightforward; decision making via unanimity rule; and communication of council decisions through one voice, the chairperson. The authors contend that councils of this nature are helpful, if not critical, in stabilizing the policy environment, and promoting business development in the Asia-Pacific region especially in periods of fiscal crisis.     

Technological catch-up by east Asian firms: Trends,issues, and future research agenda

This paper reviews extant research on technological catch-up of East Asian firms, which has recently emerged as an important issue. We review 76 articles on technological catch-up in the East Asian context published in 17 journals over 23 years (1995–2017), covering the academic disciplines of strategic management, international business, entrepreneurship, technology and innovation management, and economics. Based on a systematic analysis of this literature, we develop an overarching framework to this topic. We then identify the major gaps in the literature and suggest areas for future research on technological catch-up of Asian firms.     

Global Value Chains: Inter-Industry Linkages,Trade Costs and Policies

Review of Industrial Organization -     

Asian Management Research: Frontiers and Challenges

It is an appropriate time to examine the current achievements and the potential of Asian management research in shaping the body of management knowledge. The papers in this Special Issue examine the theoretical development and conceptualization of Asian management research and identify promising areas for future research. The papers summarize key research trends in several management areas and provide a critical analysis of what has been achieved, what is lacking, and what can be done in future studies. They argue, collectively, that it is fruitful to address some Asian phenomenon and generate theory for global-relevant issues. It is also meaningful to use Asian-developed constructs to study local and global issues. However, there are urgent needs for the development and validation of new constructs, designing measures and innovative methodology for conducting empirical studies, and linking the Asian-based issues and concepts to current scholarly conversations.     

Satisfaction with mobile services in Canada: An empirical investigation

While customer satisfaction and loyalty regarding most physical goods and services have been well explored in academic literature, there exists little research on these factors with respect to mobile telecommunications services. Nevertheless, standardized satisfaction measures are suggested to be useful for various telecom-industry stakeholders. However, such a global standard measure of satisfaction with mobile services does not exist. This study taps into these voids and examines the antecedents of customer satisfaction and loyalty through an empirical investigation of 210 young adult cellular subscribers in Canada by adapting the American Customer Satisfaction Model. Based on this model, the satisfaction index of young adult Canadians was calculated. Overall, this study offers insights for service providers, policymakers and subscribers; and forms the foundation for future benchmarking of the performance of wireless network operators in terms of user satisfaction and loyalty.     

亚洲家族企业：新世纪十年的回顾

瑞信私人银行部门针对亚洲家族企业的报告显示,香港的金融中心地位,是非家族企业成为上市公司主流的主要因素;而在过去10年香港家族企业的回报率跑赢恒生指数。     

Skill, gender and technical change in a Nordic environment: typesetting in Iceland and Sweden

Drawing on empirical material from comparative research on jobbing printing in Iceland and Sweden, the author argues that the typesetting process has been subjected to deskilling, and he stresses that the development has been far more complex than often is realised. He concludes that gender, firm size, and production run and variety, must be considered in order to explain the diversity in the typesetting process.     

Demand for coffee in Sweden: The role of prices, preferences and market power

There is a widespread belief that consumer coffee prices are high relative to bean prices and that lower consumer prices would lead to substantial increases in bean exports from Third-World countries. This issue is evaluated by analysing how retail prices, preferences and market power influence coffee demand in Sweden. A demand function is estimated for the period 1968–2002 and used, together with information on import prices of coffee beans, to simulate an oligopoly model. This approach gives estimates of the maximum average degree of market power and shows how coffee demand would react to reductions in marginal cost to its minimum level. The maximum level of market power is found to be low, but it generates large spreads between consumer and bean prices because the price elasticity has low absolute values. Moreover, the impact of a price decrease would be small because long-run coffee demand is dominated by changes in the population structure in combination with different preferences across age groups. Hence, a change to perfect competition would only have a negligible effect on bean imports.