Explaining IJV survival in a transitional economy through social exchange and knowledge‐based perspectives

In this study, we combine social exchange and knowledge‐based perspectives to develop a general path model of IJV survival. We further refine our expectations by considering the transitional economic context of our study and the somewhat unique managerial values resulting from the legacy of Marxist ideology. Results from structural equation modeling suggest that an imbalance in the management control structure between the parents leads to parental conflict and an increased likelihood of IJV failure. An imbalance in the ownership control structure, however, had no influence on conflict or survival. In general, support from the foreign parent is positively related to IJV learning and IJV survival. However, higher levels of technical support provided by the foreign parent to the IJV reduced the level of parental conflict, whereas management support had no effect on conflict. Our results suggest some dilemmas for firms pursuing IJVs in transitional economies. Although the foreign parent often contributes critical resources to the IJV, providing it with bargaining power and a high level of influence, an imbalance in management control between the partners may ultimately be detrimental to IJV survival. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Wholly-owned vs. collaborative ventures for diversifying financial services

Recent empirical work has supported the Penrose-Teece view that firms diversify to exploit fully specific assets or capabilities. Where transactions costs permit, these economies of scope may be realized via input supply contracts among producers. However, asset specificities frequently create transactions costs which discourage market contracting and leave firms with a choice between collaborative ventures and wholly-owned new entry. This research uses the natural experiment of financial services deregulation to explore the collaborative-own entry choice for 292 new entries in 13 financial product markets. The results generally support our maintained hypotheses that specificity encourages full ownership while collaboration is used to ease a resource constraint.     

从控制权到收益权:合资企业的产权变动路径

本文从跨国公司对中外合资企业控制权设计与演变的角度,对中外合资企业产权变动的路径进行了动态的分析。作者指出,合作初期,跨国公司主要通过技术控制、经理权控制、合资企业数量控制以及销售区域控制等手段,达到对合资企业进行实质性控制的目的;合作后期,则主要通过“阴谋亏损”战略,谋求控股或独资,从而全面接管控制权和收益权。作者认为：除资本产权与管理技能外,技术资源优势也是控制权的一个重要来源,并且可能架空资本产权权利;跨国公司掌管控制权的终极目的,是为了独占收益权。凡此种种决定了外商独资企业将成为我国引进FDI的主要形式。     

How do international joint ventures create shareholder value?

This study attempts to identify conditions under which announcements of international joint venture (JV) formation lead to increases in shareholder value of participating U.S. firms. It does so by combining the singular theoretical foci of previous work on the topic and specifying previously unconsidered, but conceptually important, influences on firms' expected JV performance. The study's findings indicate support for the hypothesized effect of variables in partners' task‐related, competitive, and structural context(s), but not those in these firms' partner‐related and institutional context(s). Specifically, partner–venture business relatedness, the pursuit of R&D‐oriented activity, greater equity ownership, and large firm size, all are found to have a positive impact on firms' JV‐based value creation. Although this study finds support for the performance impact of firm‐level competition, the direction of this impact is contrary to that hypothesized. No support is found for hypothesized effect of partner–partner business relatedness, previous JV experience, partners' relative firm size, (national) cultural relatedness, and JV host country political risk. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Measures of Joint Venture Performance from Multiple Perspectives: An Evaluation by Local and Foreign Managers in Vietnam

A study was undertaken to identify the most relevant performance evaluation measures for joint venture managers and to analyze differences in perception about joint venture performance between foreign and Vietnamese joint venture managers. The results revealed five factors belonging to three perspectives of particular relevance to managers: operational efficiency (economic indicator), competitiveness and external customer relations (strategic indicators) as well as equity and working relationship (behavioral indicators). This study also points out that under normal operating conditions, there are no significant differences in perception between foreign and Vietnamese joint venture managers regarding both efficiency and equity. This confirms the need for equity in a joint venture relationship in order to maintain balance between the partners and avoid dissolution.     

Standardization and Localization of Human Resource Management in Sino-Foreign Joint Ventures

The international human resource management models developed in the last decade pursue a contextual analysis of the standardization (global integration) of multinational parent companies' human resource management policies and practices and localization (local differentiation) of host countries' practices. This paper extends existing international human resource management models by exploring the characteristics of IJV partners, and their ability to influence whether the IJV adopts standardised or localised HR practices. The hypothesized strategic drivers for the formation of HR policies and practices in IJVs are HR expertise, HR consistency, resource power, and internationalisation experience.     

Strategic Response to a Volatile Environment: The Case of Cross-Cultural Cooperative Ventures

Unlike free-standing companies, joint ventures involve more complex governance structures and organizational systems. Because of interpartner dependence in the managerial process, it is more difficult for joint ventures to configure their strategies with environmental dynamics. Without such configuration, however, joint ventures will suffer from operational instability and resource misallocation. This study assesses the strategic response of joint ventures to a dynamic environment. Based on a survey of top managers in international joint ventures (IJVs) in China, it is found that managerial perceptions of increased environmental complexity and hostility are positively related to an Analyzer strategy. Proactive and Defensive strategies are either negatively or non-significantly linked with perceived environmental dynamics. Further, the Analyzer strategy is associated with superior performance for IJVs in the context of an emerging economy.     

‘Trojan horse’ or ‘Workhorse’? the evolution of U.S.–Japanese joint ventures in the United States

Foreign investors and their domestic joint venture partners must find ways to share the benefits of the venture if both sides are to be satisfied. Some work in the literature on joint ventures has asserted that there is a danger in all joint ventures, and especially joint ventures with Japanese, that one side will exploit the venture for its own gain, using it as a Trojan Horse. To test this assertion, we build a full data set of Japanese firms with joint ventures in the United States and track the ventures over time. Our data show that the Japanese partners do not take actions consistent with the Trojan Horse hypothesis. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

中外合资企业资产评估增值处理方法分析

在研究国家相关税收法律、法规和政策的基础上,结合中外合资项目的税务实践,对中外合资企业资产评估增值处理方法进行了分析,指出采用不同评估方法对企业的经济利益会产生不同的影响,事前的税务筹划和税务安排,能够使企业获取最合理的税务成本,控制税务风险。     

Antecedents and performance consequences of learning success in international joint ventures

This study examined a sample of organizations involved in international joint ventures, (IJVs) in Malaysia. Drawing upon the resource based view of the firm this paper investigates the antecedents and performance consequences of learning success of foreign partners in IJVs. Data was analysed using two-stage least squares regression (2SLS). Results suggest that a learning orientation, IJV partner mutual dependency and management control, have a positive effect upon the learning success. Results also suggest that organizations with higher levels of learning orientation and learning success have higher levels of business performance. The findings imply that foreign partners in IJVs that are successful in achieving their learning goals, and improving their knowledge, will be winners in terms of improving their business performance.     

以现有所有者权益入股合资的经济评价问题探讨

探讨了“中文以现有所有者权益入股,外方按相应股比投入资金和技术,合资双方以现有生产装置为基础建立合资企业”的技术经济评价方法及其评价中的具体问题,为此类合资项目的技术经济评提供依据,使该类合资项目的技术经济评价方法,指标和结论更具真实性,科学性,客观性,可靠性。     

Structural homophily or social asymmetry? The formation of alliances by poorly embedded firms

Recent research shows that preexisting network structure constrains the formation of new interorganizational alliances. Firms that are poorly embedded in a network structure are less likely than richly embedded firms to form alliances, because they lack informational and reputational benefits. This study examines the types of ties that poorly embedded firms can form to overcome the constraints that their structural positions impose, in turn helping to explain how firms' actions can transform existing network structures. We argue that poorly embedded firms are more likely to participate in ties characterized by social asymmetry than in ties characterized by structural homophily. We analyze the terms of trade that socially asymmetric partners negotiate for alliance governance and discuss how such alliances influence network dynamics. To test our arguments, we use longitudinal data on the alliance activities of 97 global chemical firms from 1979 to 1991. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.