A Conceptual Model of the Internationalization of Services Firms

Abstract

In the 1990s, the global marketplace is characterized by the speed and ease with which services cross over national boundaries. As a result, service industries in many countries around the world have become extremely important in the development and socioeconomic well-being of these countries. The purpose of this paper is to understand the internationalization process of services firms. It is concluded that international operations of services firms are driven by a similar set of variables used by manufacturing firms, but the intensity and direction of some key relationships require modification and adaptation.     

The GATS and liberalization in a natural-resource rich country

Abstract

We highlight the role of natural resources in countries that use resource revenues to subsidize employment in state-owned services sectors by developing a model of service provision where domestic incumbents and a foreign entrant compete. We find that when natural resource prices have a higher likelihood of increasing, domestic firms control most of the market share but that industry output drops. However, the output of the services industry rises with domestic firms losing market share when natural resource prices are likely to go down. This suggests that a government focused narrowly only on the growth and development of its economy would prefer services liberalization when natural resource prices are likely to be higher.     

Understanding Trade Balances and Reciprocity in Global Telecom Between Asia and the United States (1984–2000)

ABSTRACT

From 1982 to 1997, the balance of trade deficit for U.S. telecommunications services increased tenfold. In the years since that time, the increase became less dramatic and eventually began to decline due to global deregulation and privatization efforts, as well as to multilateral agreements forged by most major countries. The countries of Asia contributed greatly to this increase and have also been examples of the reversal of the balance of trade deficit in recent years. Our analysis identifies partner reciprocity as a core issue of the international long-distance industry. We integrate various literature streams to better understand the issue of international reciprocity in service industries. Furthermore, we identify the trends in global telecom that explain the historical imbalanced reciprocity period between 1984 and 1997 and the more recent period where a more balanced reciprocity has existed between the United States and the Asian region.     

数字服务贸易国际竞争力比较及对我国启示

数字服务贸易是指通过网络跨境传输交付的产品和服务贸易,是数字贸易的重要组成部分。数字服务贸易深刻影响国际贸易分工、分配关系,引发国际社会广泛关注,各国围绕跨境数据流动、数据存储规则、知识产权保护、数字服务监管等的博弈日益激烈。基于联合国贸发会议统计框架和相关数据对全球数字服务贸易发展态势进行分析,并通过国际市场占有率、贸易竞争力指数、显性比较优势指数对主要经济体数字服务贸易国际竞争力进行比较后发现,全球数字服务贸易增长迅猛,正成为服务贸易增长关键动力,推动全球贸易向服务化方向发展;从细分子类看,与信息通信技术(ICT)高度相关的计算机和信息服务贸易增长最快,金融、保险、工程研发等传统服务贸易增长较慢;从主要经济体看,发展中国家与发达国家数字服务贸易在规模、占比和竞争力水平上均存在较大差距,并呈现出一定扩大趋势。我国应把握数字服务贸易发展机遇,推动数字服务产业创新发展,鼓励和支持企业参与全球数字服务分工,完善数字服务治理体系,与相似发展水平的国家一同推动包容性数字贸易规则体系的建设。     

International Market Segmentation and Cross-Export Strategies Development Case Study: Iranian Furniture Industry

ABSTRACT

By developing an international market and significant differences between countries in this regard, segmentation becomes an increasingly important concept in marketing. In this article, the international market of Iranian furniture industry is segmented and cross-exporting strategies are developed to increase the market share of Iranian furniture in each segment. To achieve this, two distance functions are introduced based on correlation between export groups to cluster countries with k-means algorithm. After market segmentation for increasing sales in each segment, cross-exporting strategies are predicted by extracting association rules in each segment based on Apriori algorithm to set export baskets.     

信息技术国际服务外包东道国选择影响因素实证研究

服务外包是国际分工深入发展的产物,它不仅为发达国家提供了配置全球资源的渠道,也使发展中国家进一步融入全球生产和服务体系。本文选取41个东道国的数据对影响信息技术国际服务外包东道国选择的因素进行了实证分析。研究显示:劳动力成本、劳动力素质、信息技术基础设施状况以及东道国的经济发展水平对信息技术国际服务外包东道国选择决策具有显著影响,文化差异程度无显著影响。最后在此基础上结合中国的现实情况提出增强我国成为服务外包东道国吸引力的措施。     

International strategies of service MNCs in the Asia-Pacific region

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in services has been growing rapidly in the developing countries of the Asia-Pacific region. In this study we explore the level and distribution of service FDI in the Asia-Pacific region by examining both country-level aggregate data and firm-level data. Using data in 180 large multinational corporations in 10 service industries over the 1980–1986 period, we construct a logistic regression model to examine the effects of client-following strategy, cultural difference, oligopolistic reaction, firm size, and international experience on the international expansion strategies of service MNCs in the region. Differences in the international strategies are analyzed and policy implications are discussed. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Multilevel trust in international marketing of healthcare services: A five-country comparative study

PurposeThis research aims to increase understanding on how multilevel trust is developed as well as how trust levels are interconnected and influence international marketing strategy for healthcare services.Design/Methodology/ApproachA comparative case study approach was applied with Elekta, a Swedish firm, operating in Brazil, the Philippines, China, Russia, and Hong Kong.FindingsThe research culminated in a multilevel trust (MLT) model comprised of three levels relating to individuals, company performance, and context.Research implications/limitationsThis study offers a context-based multilevel trust model from a process perspective focusing on healthcare. This model can be tested in other service sectors.Practical implicationsManagers should consider multilevel trust to boost relationships and achieve local acceptance.Originality/ValueThis research contributes to trust theory by constructing a context-based multilevel trust model for international healthcare marketing.     

Nigerian Banks-Quality of Services

Abstract

The qualitative characteristics of the service are becoming increasingly important. Quality improvements can lead to increased revenues and decreased costs as a result of increased customer loyalty and the cross-selling of bank products, as loyal customers spend more with chosen banks, attract lower administration costs and are more profitable. The objective of this research is to identify customers' expectations and perceptions of bank service quality to determine the service quality level. It also aims to determine key factors in selecting a particular bank. The findings of the research suggest that the key factors in selecting a particular bank are credibility, location and range of services. The majority of respondents are dissatisfied with the quality of services provided by banks in Nigeria. The research has indicated that complicated procedures and forms, queuing time, lack of individual approach and absence of new technology are some of the factors which create dissatisfaction and lack of co-operation between firms and banks. Interestingly these results are similar to customers in developed countries as indicated by similar studies in developed countries.     

GATS与国际健康服务贸易综述

国际健康服务贸易的兴起给发展中国家带来了贸易获利的机会,但也会对其国民健康体系造成冲击并加剧本已存在的健康服务不平等问题。按照GATS对国际服务贸易的定义,国际健康服务贸易相应也有四种模式,不同的模式发生的动因有所不同,其对发展中国家带来的经济影响也有差异。发展中国家如何促进其健康服务贸易发展并缓解健康服务不平等问题,要考虑健康服务贸易的政策壁垒,从公共政策和贸易政策方面进行调整。     

服务业跨国投资决定因素与我国投资环境分析

我国服务领域吸引外资的水平远远低于制造业,也低于世界平均水平、发达国家与发展中国家的平均水平。本文从分析服务业跨国投资的动因和跨国投资选址决定因素出发,对我国当前服务业投资环境进行了分析,试图解释我国吸引服务业跨国投资相对较少的原因,并提出了改善服务业引资环境的建议。     

Important Dimensions in Ocean Freight Services

Abstract

This paper examines the criteria used by organizational buyers in their choice of suppliers of shipping services for ocean freight transport so widely used in international trade. The study was conducted in Singapore which is known for its heavy reliance on international trade as well as for its high ranking container port facilities. Based on a survey of shipping managers in a cross section of business organizations in Singapore, the study identifies important factors in the choice of a shipping line selected on their heaviest used export route for their outgoing goods. It also provides buyers' evaluation of the preferred carrier on the same attributes to examine the performance gaps in the services offered by the line. The findings thus provide a bench mark for the shipping industry and points toward areas of emphasis in the service strategies of the shipping lines.     

Consumers’ Behavioral Intentions Toward Self-Service Technology in the Emerging Markets

ABSTRACT

Self-service technologies (SSTs) allow customers to offer their own service encounters via the interaction of electronic service interfaces or machines rather than by interacting with a firm's service personnel. This lack of personal interaction generates doubts and queries in the minds of the people, especially those unaware or less aware of these technology-based services. Such a situation is quite prevalent in the developing nations (like India), where still a large number of people are apprehensive about using the latest technologies. In this regard, the present study aims to develop an integrated model designed to predict and explain the various factors that influence customers’ behavioral intentions to use or not to use one particular SST (i.e., ATM services). The study finds that bank customers are less innovative and less optimistic to try out new technologies. Usefulness of the technology helps in developing positive attitude toward the technology, which in turn affects customers' intentions to use that technology.     

Investment Flows,Economic Growth,and Corruption in African Countries: An Analysis

ABSTRACT

The analysis of corruption in international business is a relatively new phenomenon, and for the past two decades, many studies have attempted to capture the economic impact of the corruption in a country. However, most of these studies have concentrated their analysis to the experiences of the developed countries. None or very few of the current works have addressed the corruption issue in the context of foreign direct investment and economic growth in the developing countries. This work examines theoretically, as well as empirically, the incidence of corruption in the context of foreign direct investment in the developing countries, especially several African countries that signed a treaty to reduce the incidence of corruption in their respective countries.     

A Cross Cultural Analysis of the Geographical Knowledge of U.S., Irish,Israeli, Mexican,and South Korean Business School Students

ABSTRACT

Geographical knowledge about foreign countries is considered to be a significant factor related to the successful marketing of goods and services in international markets-a not insignificant conclusion by experts given the sizable trade deficits run up by the United States in 2000 ($365 billion), 2001 ($346 billion), and 2002 ($435 billion).

Unfortunately, previous research has concluded that U.S. business school students-tomorrow's executives who will make decisions that will impact their firms' international operations-have inadequate levels of international geographical knowledge.

This article compares the geographical knowledge of U.S. business school students to that of business school students in four countries: Ireland, Israel, Mexico, and South Korea. The sub-par performance exhibited by the U.S. students and the impact of six independent variables on global geographical knowledge are used to develop a number of pedagogical conclusions designed to enhance the international geographical knowledge of U.S. business school students and students in foreign business schools and overcome the antipathy toward this subject matter that apparently exists within business schools and their various external constituencies.     

International Capital and the Environment in Latin America

Summary

This century's end has been witnessing an increase in environmental concern. While initially a subject of developed countries, developing countries began to realize that the trade off between developing and conserving the environment has to be equated to give present and future generations a chance of success in their development efforts. Thus far, the approach taken by both developed and developing countries towards correcting environmental problems has been primarily dominated by command and control type of regulations, whose success is clearly a function of the regulator's enforcement capacity. Yet, there are signs that this approach is changing towards a more participatory mixed environmental policy model. This change has further stimulated the growing “environmental industry,” in which international capital plays a major role. This paper discusses these recent trends in the context of the conservation of the Latin America and the Caribbean environment.     

Customer Satisfaction with Consumption Systems

ABSTRACT

Purpose: This research examines how satisfaction toward a product and its associated services offered together by a single provider jointly affects behavioral intentions toward the provider.

Design/methodology/approach: In this study, empirical tests were conducted using longitudinal data spanning 5 years from a multinational company that offers both products and associated services as part of a consumption system to their customers.

Findings: Results show a joint congruent effect of product and services satisfaction on behavioral intentions is linear and positive. It appears that offering great service cannot compensate for less-than-adequate satisfaction toward the product. The results further highlight decreasing customer sensitivity to improvements in both sources of satisfaction and imply that focusing on too high levels of one type of satisfaction for their customers can actually be counterproductive for firms.

Research Limitations: Our model was tested using the data obtained from a single firm. Future research could test this model with data from multiple firms in various different industries and establish broader generalizability to the findings.

Practical Implications: Findings provide managers with insights on how to allocate resources across product and service spaces and to manage product and services revenues over time. Results also indicate that customer behavioral intention ratings are more weighted on product quality over the service received by them. However, mere improvements in the product cannot provide the highest desired results and therefore quality improvements in the product need to be complemented by improvements in service quality.

Originality/Value: There is a rapid emergence of the phenomenon of manufacturers providing both products and services as an integrated consumption system to their customers. While the provision of both product and service subsystems by the same firm leads to certain synergies, there are obvious costs to the development of new service capabilities and coordination with existing product capabilities. Our research intends to address this issue.     

Interfacing with Amazon Web Services Using Java and .NET: A Comparative Study

ABSTRACT

Web service has been touted by many as the next big thing in IT in recent years. It is a promising technology that opens up new avenues for software developers and permits businesses to explore new markets and forge new business partnerships. Amazon.com is one such business that is using Web services to improve sales of its products. This research activity involves developing a client application that consumes the Amazon Web services. The client application has been developed using the two competing environments, .NET and Java, and the experience of this activity has been thoroughly documented. The relative strengths and weaknesses of the two architectures are compared and contrasted and recommendations are provided for beginning and experienced developers wishing to get started with Web services.     

Examination of Credence and Noncredence Service Advertisement Strategies in the United States and India

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the differences in advertising strategies of services marketers in two culturally distinct markets by classifying services on the basis of search, experience, and credence attributes. A content analysis of 221 service print ads revealed that the type of service serves an important role for using appeal and service quality cues in service ads. In the case of credence services, ads in India are more likely to contain a reliability dimension of the service quality, and ads in the United States are more likely to utilize responsiveness cues.     

Investigating Quality Perceptions of International Services by Chinese Consumers

Consumers are known to use the country of origin (COO) of a product to infer the quality of products. Products of technologically advanced countries such as the United States and Germany are known to enjoy positive country‐of‐origin effects. Conversely, products made in the developing countries typically suffer from negative COO effect. While this influence of COO is widely recognized for products, the same cannot be said about services. Only a handful of studies have empirically investigated the relationship between COO and perceived service quality. Additionally, most of these studies in this research paradigm are undertaken in developed markets; hence, their findings cannot be extrapolated to the newly industrialized countries (NICs) that offer tremendous market potential for global services. It has, therefore, become imperative for multinational companies to understand if and how consumers in the major NICs use COO and other cues to infer service quality. This insight is critical in developing effective pricing and promotion strategies for these markets. Using data collected from consumers in Beijing in the People's Republic of China, we demonstrate significant COO effect on two service categories: hotels and restaurants. We also highlight how these research findings will help managerial decisions about pricing and promotion. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.