The Restaurant Revolution-Growth,Change and Strategy in the International Foodservice Industry

Summary

This paper reports the results of a two-year investigation into the forces driving change in the global foodservice industry and the identification and analysis of competitive methods used by multinationals to respond to these forces. The five forces identified are: (1) globalization and economic change, (2) a knowledge based environment, (3) the future labor force and its entrants, (4) concern for well being, and (5) threatened natural resources. The competitive methods as identified by analyzing multinational foodservice firms are: (1) strategic expansion into the international marketplace, (2) investment in technological development, (3) internal competency development, (4) effective communication to target markets, and (5) competitive pricing strategies. Using the co-alignment model of strategy as the underpinning of the analysis it was determined that multinational firms have responded well to the forces of globalization and economic change, and the knowledge based environment. However, it appears that little competitive methods have been developed to address the forces such as labor force, well being and threatened natural resources. The implication here is that firms that are not in alignment with environmental forces will have to address this concern if they expect to continue to add value for all industry stakeholders.     

A longitudinal micro-foundational investigation into ambidextrous practices in an international alliance context–A case of a biopharma EMNE

This paper explores the development of an ambidextrous context in a rapidly growing emerging market multinational (EMNE), thus unbundling cultural and structural complexities. We use the micro-foundational lens of ambidexterity to explore and identify different processes, structures and mechanisms that underpin the development of ambidextrous practices in the EMNE. We adopt a longitudinal case study design to trace the evolution of the EMNE, which during the initial phases of its existence focused on supplying industrial enzymes and refined its technical base. In subsequent years, it exploited its technical base to emerge as a full-fledged biopharmaceutical EMNE and adopted strategic partnerships with international companies to explore new knowledge. Our novel and rich research context also provides us with insights on how this EMNE exploited its technological knowledge, whilst utilizing strategic alliances to simultaneously engage in exploratory activities. Through the micro-foundational lens of ambidexterity, we uncover the critical role played by its leadership in addressing paradoxical tensions for simultaneously managing exploitation and exploration in an international strategic alliance context.     

Public Affairs Management Activities of German Multinational Corporations in India

In this paper the importance of public affairs management in multinational corporations in India will be examined. After briefly discussing the state of the art in international business and society literature, a conceptual framework for public affairs management in multinational corporations will be developed. This framework serves as the theoretical basis for an empirical study among German multinational corporations in India. In the main part of this paper the results of this study will be presented and discussed. The paper ends with a critical assessment and some major implications for future studies.     

在华跨国企业社会责任变动趋势及影响因素研究

通过对在我国内地经营的大型跨国企业进行问卷调查,获取跨国企业在我国的社会责任数据,从而对在华大型跨国企业社会责任的变动趋势进行分析,结果显示跨国企业在我国的社会责任履行情况基本呈现出向好的趋势,但跨国企业的社会责任履行情况受经济波动和企业经营业绩的影响明显,而企业的规模、国别和行业因素均对跨国企业的不同维度的社会责任履行情况产生一定的影响。     

跨国公司的中韩广告效果比较研究

跨国公司的广告根据不同国家的情况进行本土化战略。本研究将比较跨国公司在不同国家广告效果的差异,深入分析影响广告效果的因素,为跨国公司制定广告战略提供一定的参考价值。本文运用实验研究的方法,从观众对跨国公司在不同国家广告及品牌的态度、购买意图等角度比较分析跨国公司在不同国家广告效果的差异。研究发现：跨国公司通过本土化的战略并没有显著地提高广告效果,真正影响广告效果的因素是广告表现、创意及代言人等因素。因此,跨国公司在本土化的同时,如何发掘可以引起消费者心理共鸣的广告创意是影响广告效果的最核心因素。     

中小企业国际营销困境解析——基于第五届中小企业国际博览会的问卷调查

本文采用实证研究的方法,通过对中小企业的问卷调查,对我国中小出口企业的国际营销行为进行了分析,并从地区、行业、性质等方面对影响企业出口营销的各种因素、企业国际营销能力、企业绩效等进行了分类比较,提出了提升中小企业经理素质、优化产品结构、实施出口市场多元化、合作研发、政府支持等建议。     

Contraction under minimum wages? Operational and financial advantages of multinational subsidiaries in China

The advantages of multinational enterprises (MNEs) over domestic firms have been widely acknowledged in several streams of literature. However, a more refined analysis on the sources of their advantages is lacking. Exploiting minimum wage hikes in China as an exogenous shock, we theorize that, due to multinational advantages, the employment of multinational subsidiaries may be less affected by minimum wages than that of domestic firms, and that their multinational advantages arise from both operational and financial advantages. Using nation-wide longitudinal firm data from 1998 to 2007 and border discontinuity design (BDD) to estimate the causal effects, we find supportive evidence for our hypotheses. We contribute to the literature on multinational advantages and minimum wages.     

Mandate dynamics and the importance of mandate loss for subsidiary evolution

This paper provides insights into the dynamics of mandate loss and subsidiary charter development through exploring two research questions on what the characteristics of subsidiary mandate loss are and what roles do intra-MNE actors have in subsidiary mandate loss? The paper is based on a qualitative study of 17 cases of subsidiary mandate losses. The data revealed four distinct patterns of mandate loss depending upon what phase of mandate development the subsidiary found itself: (1) mandate loss due to a combination of failure in the new mandate or a change in the external environment. (2) mandate loss due to competition with sister subsidiaries (3) Subsidiaries shed peripheral mandates to create space and focus on the core activities (4) mature mandate loss due to misfit between subsidiary skills and that of competition in the local market. This paper contributes to the subsidiary evolution literature by elucidating the multiplicity of subsidiary mandate loss and the “prime mover” involvement in mandate loss.     

High-compliance work systems: Innovative solutions for firm success and control of foreign corruption

Enforcement of laws that prevent corrupt international business dealings has recently intensified. Firms have paid record-setting fines of hundreds of millions of dollars, and individuals have been tried and convicted. This escalating situation demands effective action from business leaders. Compliance has become increasingly complicated as more countries have enacted antibribery laws. To address this situation, I identify four root causes of corruption and present innovative real-world examples of solutions. Combinations of these solutions can be crafted to create high-compliance work systems (HCWSs) to avoid corruption. Firms can formulate their own unique, innovative, and dynamic models to achieve high levels of firm success while also avoiding corruption. These models go beyond trade-off thinking, which suggests that compliance must be exchanged for performance. Pivoting away from such trade-off thinking enables innovative solutions to manage corruption risks and offers firms a sustained competitive advantage over their peers.     

基于资源观的跨国公司子公司特定优势的形成和发展研究

近年来,在跨国公司折衷理论“三优势范式”的基础上,又出现了一种新的优势——子公司特定优势。本文对子公司特定优势进行了分析和阐述,回顾了资源理论及其与竞争优势的关系,介绍了子公司特定优势的由来和概念,又以资源理论为基础,分析了子公司特定优势的形成和发展过程。