Critical Perspectives on International Business最新文献

{"title":"International relationships and resilience of New Zealand SME exporters during COVID-19","authors":"Benjamin Fath, Antje Fiedler, Noemi Sinkovics, Rudolf R. Sinkovics, Bridgette Sullivan-Taylor","doi":"10.1108/cpoib-05-2020-0061","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/cpoib-05-2020-0061","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Purpose</h3>\u0000<p>This paper aims to empirically investigate how small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have engaged with international network partners during COVID-19 and how the crisis has changed network relationships and resilience depending on pre-COVID relationship strength and, secondarily, on opportunity outlook in a market.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3>\u0000<p>This paper draws on 14 qualitative interviews with managers of New Zealand SMEs from diverse industries and four with industry experts. Rather than generalization, the aim of this exploratory paper is to identify contingency factors, which, under duress, strengthen or break business relationships.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Findings</h3>\u0000<p>Four main patterns emerge from the data, with respect to how SMEs engaged with network partners depending on the nature of their prepandemic relationships and the extent to which their markets had been affected by the pandemic. During crisis, weak ties either break or remain weak, forcing firms to create new, potentially opportunistic, relationships. Strong ties increase resilience, even under a negative outlook, as network partners support each other, including through the development of new ties. Strong ties can also accelerate business model transformation.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Research limitations/implications</h3>\u0000<p>Future large-scale research is needed to test the generalizability of the authors’ findings.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Practical implications</h3>\u0000<p>The findings of this paper indicate lessons for business continuation management and future preparedness for major disruptions. Specific insights may help stimulate managerial action to accelerate contingency planning and policy to support SMEs.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Originality/value</h3>\u0000<p>This paper is an early study on how weak and strong ties influence SME resilience during crisis.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->","PeriodicalId":46124,"journal":{"name":"Critical Perspectives on International Business","volume":"48 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2021-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138505772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Towards crisis protection(ism)? COVID-19 and selective de-globalization","authors":"L. Branicki, Bridgette Sullivan-Taylor, Stephen Brammer","doi":"10.1108/CPOIB-05-2020-0046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/CPOIB-05-2020-0046","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: Drawing on Wendt’s (1995, 1999) thin constructivist approach to international relations this paper aims to critically examine how the measures taken by the Australian Government to protect the country from coronavirus (COVID-19) have prompted politicians and opinion-makers to mobilize globalizing and de-globalizing discourses towards divergent conceptualizations of national resilience Design/methodology/approach: The paper examines 172 Australian political and media articles, which focus on both COVID-19 and globalization/de-globalization published between February and June 2020 The data were imported to NVivo to enable in-depth thematic analysis Findings: The paper develops the concept of crisis protectionism to explain how COVID-19 has been mobilized in discourses aimed at accelerating selective de-globalization in Australia Selective de-globalization is inductively theorized as involving material structures (i e border closures), ideational structures (i e national identity) and intersubjectivities (i e pre-existing inter-country antagonisms) Research limitations/implications: The paper relies upon publicly available data about Australian discourses that relate to a unique globally disrupting extreme event Practical implications: Crisis protectionism and selective de-globalization are important to multinational enterprises (MNE) that operate in essential industry sectors (e g medical supply firms), rely upon open borders (e g the university sector) and for MNEs entering/operating in a host country experiencing antagonistic relationships with their home country Originality/value: The paper extends Witt’s (2019) political theorization of de-globalization towards a socialized theory of de-globalization By rejecting liberal and realist explanations of the relationship between COVID-19 and de-globalization, this study highlights the importance and endogeneity of non-market risks and non-economic logic to international business and MNE strategy © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited","PeriodicalId":46124,"journal":{"name":"Critical Perspectives on International Business","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2021-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42694751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Covid-19 pandemic: towards a societally engaged IB perspective","authors":"C. Dörrenbächer, R. Sinkovics, Florian A. A. Becker-Ritterspach, Mehdi Boussebaa, Louise Curran, A. Jonge, Zaheer Khan","doi":"10.1108/CPOIB-02-2021-0021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/CPOIB-02-2021-0021","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose This viewpoint takes up the Covid-19 pandemic as a trigger for a research agenda around societally engaged international business (IB) research Design/methodology/approach The paper is organized as a viewpoint First, it provides an overview of Covid-19 research in business and management and IB in particular Second, it introduces a societally engaged IB perspective, around poverty and human rights as well as trade Findings The paper offers an annotated introduction to the paper contributions of the special issue with three clusters, \"re-reading the crisis\", \"crisis protectionism\" and \"firm strategies during the pandemic\" Research limitations/implications The paper points to future research opportunities in terms of crisis management and societally engaged IB research Practical implications The Covid-19 crisis poses new questions for research on international business and its related disciplines In particular, the political, economic and societal disruption which the pandemic has caused highlights the importance of addressing broader societal issues such as climate change, poverty and inequality through a purposeful and forward-looking research agenda Originality/value The paper and the special issue are some of the first combined research outputs on the Covid-19 pandemic in international business","PeriodicalId":46124,"journal":{"name":"Critical Perspectives on International Business","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2021-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43036631","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Emerging social and business trends associated with the Covid-19 pandemic","authors":"Hamideh Yeganeh","doi":"10.1108/CPOIB-05-2020-0066","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/CPOIB-05-2020-0066","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: This paper aims to identify, classify and study emerging social and business trends associated with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic Design/methodology/approach: By adopting the meta-synthesis method, the study scrutinizes, synthesizes and interprets the findings from a pool of publications This approach results in identifying 53 key ideas that are classified under nine dominant trends Findings: The study identifies and examines nine major trends caused and intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic, i e the rise of authoritarianism, the new era of corporate welfare, deep imbalances in public finances, exacerbated inequalities, higher risks of poverty and famine, the dominance of giant corporations, the increasing influence of big tech, the accelerated innovation and the fluidity of work and organizations The paper suggests that these trends are the continuation of the past three decades’ transformations, are contributing to the rising concentration of power and wealth and are leading to a new type of globalization marked by high connectivity and low tangibility Originality/value: The originality of this paper resides in adopting a multidisciplinary approach to analyzing various social and business dimensions of a complex phenomenon While the study should not be viewed as a comprehensive investigation, it offers a groundwork for further research on Covid-19 © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited","PeriodicalId":46124,"journal":{"name":"Critical Perspectives on International Business","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2021-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49262009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Internalising and internationalising country specific CSR practices of a Japanese multinational company","authors":"C. Perera, C. Hewege","doi":"10.1108/CPOIB-02-2019-0013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/CPOIB-02-2019-0013","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000Applying mainstream, Western-centric corporate social responsibility (CSR) theory to make sense of CSR practices of multinational firms of non-Western origin seems to be problematic for CSR theory and practice. The purpose of this study is to critically analyse the CSR integration journey of a Japanese multinational firm with a view to understanding CSR integration in a global business context.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000This study used a qualitative research method using a single case study approach to investigate a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context. A theoretical lens of seven patterns of CSR integration interwoven with Japanese and mainstream CSR discourses is used to make sense of internalisation and internationalisation process.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Main findings are presented under four themes: product harm crisis as a call for CSR, CSR governance and bottom up initiatives, recycling oriented CSR and product designing, co-existing Japanese CSR in the global marketplace. An external misfit of a firm’s practice in the domestic market can lead to internalising country-specific CSR through CSR integration resulting in successful internationalisation of country-specific CSR practices.\u0000\u0000\u0000Research limitations/implications\u0000Country-specific CSR integration follows context-specific routines and practices; this process can be shaped and reshaped by the prevailing international CSR discourse due to internationalisation of a firm’s operation.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000Although CSR is viewed as a fundamental strategic priority driving firms to focus on shared value-creating products and services, how best a firm can integrate CSR into an existing business model is unclear. This gap is addressed in this current study.\u0000","PeriodicalId":46124,"journal":{"name":"Critical Perspectives on International Business","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2021-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42765940","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"What shapes industrial relations in foreign affiliates? Comparative case study results from Germany","authors":"C. Dörrenbächer, Heinz-Josef Tüselmann, Heinz-Rudolf Meissner, Q. Cao","doi":"10.1108/CPOIB-07-2020-0090","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/CPOIB-07-2020-0090","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000The purpose of this paper is to develop an analytical framework to categorize the quality of industrial relations in foreign affiliates. Using the case of foreign affiliates in Germany, this paper further explores what factors shape the quality of industrial relations in foreign affiliates.\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000Given the scarcity of research on industrial relations in foreign affiliates, this paper is based on conceptual work as well as on a comparative case investigation of 21 foreign affiliates in Germany, involving informants from both labor and management.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000Industrial relations in foreign affiliates in Germany can take four different qualities, based on the following: social partnership; conflict partnership; latently adversarial; and adversarial relations. While previous literature focused on country-of-origin effects, the authors’ case-based investigation further revealed that both affiliate effects and multinational corporation (MNC) effects have a strong impact on the quality of industrial relations in foreign affiliates in Germany.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000This paper provides systematic evidence on the presumption that micro-organizational and MNC-specific factors are necessary to gain a deeper understanding of industrial relations in MNCs. Moreover, this paper contributes to the discussion on the quality of industrial relations in foreign affiliates in Germany, by placing results from both single-case studies and management surveys into perspective.\u0000","PeriodicalId":46124,"journal":{"name":"Critical Perspectives on International Business","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2021-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47272436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Resilient or not: boundary-spanning in innovation focused MNEs during global crises","authors":"Andreas P. J. Schotter","doi":"10.1108/CPOIB-05-2020-0037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/CPOIB-05-2020-0037","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical perspective on whether the boundary-spanner model and consequently complex disaggregated intra-MNE value chain activities are crisis resilient Design/methodology/approach: The paper is a conceptual theory development based on literature integration and phenomenological juxtaposing Findings: The need for boundary-spanning in assisting dispersed new and complex knowledge creation activities – which can hardly be replicated in virtual collaboration spaces alone – will endure if not even grow This requires deeper understanding of boundary spanning in the context of the globally dispersed MNE Increased location diversification engendered by COVID-19 implies a greater need for the boundary spanning function, not less Research limitations/implications: Regarding future research, the crisis provides a unique opportunity for taking a closer look at the formation, nurturing and resilience of interdependence, particularly behavioural interdependence and the actions and characteristics of individuals associated with [boundary spanning] actions Specific research questions should focus on the boundary-spanning model in the virtual space;the characteristics and effects of temporality and the boundary-spanning model, the specific actions of boundary spanners during unforeseen events and the empirical testing of the relationships developed in Table 1 Practical implications: For practitioners, I suggest avoiding compromising structural interdependence with defaulting on top-down hierarchical approaches during crises;and while doing so, not paying attention to the effects of such actions on behavioural interdependence and its champions (i e global boundary spanners) Such interference likely results in sub-optimal global collaboration outcomes and innovation, characterized by fundamentally recursive processes involving creativity, failure, reconfiguring, sensemaking and improvisation Social implications: TBC Originality/value: The author develops a critical perspective to assess the crisis-resilience of the boundary-spanning model In so doing, I juxtapose two contemporary views on the persistence or fading of the global MNE model, and hence, the future need for a socio-behavioural managerial function – like boundary-spanning – connecting dispersed MNE activities The authors provide numerous avenues for advancing extant research on boundary-spanning in MNEs © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited","PeriodicalId":46124,"journal":{"name":"Critical Perspectives on International Business","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2021-02-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42669809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The trade policy response to COVID-19 and its implications for international business","authors":"Louise Curran, J. Eckhardt, Jaemin Lee","doi":"10.1108/CPOIB-05-2020-0041","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/CPOIB-05-2020-0041","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Purpose\u0000This paper aims to explore trade policy measures taken in response to COVID-19 and analyses in detail their extent and nature. It assesses their compatibility with World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreements: specifically, whether they were necessary and justifiable efforts to protect the security and health of populations and asks how this widespread recourse to trade barriers may impact on international business?\u0000\u0000\u0000Design/methodology/approach\u0000This paper analyses an extensive database from the International Trade Centre of trade measures taken in response to COVID-19. It differentiates by type of country, nature and coverage of measures (imports or exports, type of product…). On the basis of existing jurisprudence, this paper analyses whether restrictive measures were likely to be judged legal under WTO rules.\u0000\u0000\u0000Findings\u0000This paper finds that, although the majority of trade measures are probably justifiable, there were nevertheless many measures whose coverage and/or nature was such that a justification under existing WTO exceptions is, at the very least, arguable. Such widespread and intense instigation of potentially WTO incompatible measures in such a short period of time undoubtedly undermines the global trade rules on which international business has relied for decades.\u0000\u0000\u0000Originality/value\u0000There is little existing analysis of the legality of measures taken under the security exceptions and no substantial analyses of the measures taken in response to COVID-19. Furthermore, little scholarly attention has been paid to the impacts on international business of the increasing use of WTO “exceptions” to justify trade measures to protect national industries and populations.\u0000","PeriodicalId":46124,"journal":{"name":"Critical Perspectives on International Business","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46622881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predatory FDI during economic crises: insights from outbound FDI from China and host country responses","authors":"Arindam Das","doi":"10.1108/CPOIB-05-2020-0050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/CPOIB-05-2020-0050","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: This paper aims to analyze outbound investments from China at the time of economic crisis caused due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and how target valuation and the host country’s inbound investment policies influence the acquisition intents As firms witness low valuations during an economic downturn, they become attractive targets for opportunistic buyers, who may be driven by motives beyond business and influenced by the home country’s political agenda Such attempts are countered with the adoption of restrictive investment policies in host countries Design/methodology/approach: The study uses secondary data on cross-border acquisitions from China over the past year and compares the characteristics of these acquisitions with cross-border acquisitions of acquirers from other large developed and developing economies Findings: Statistical analyzes show that there are significant differences in the way acquirers from China pursue strategic asset seeking, creeping and control seeking acquisitions during the pandemic and the pre-pandemic period This paper also observes that reduced valuation of the target, due to economic downturn or otherwise, result in greater propensity in strategic asset seeking acquisitions by Chinese acquirers At the same time, adverse policies at host nations negatively influence the strategic asset seeking propensity of these acquirers In addition, the premium in the valuation of target assets during the pandemic does not drop significantly when compared with that of the pre-pandemic period Originality/value: With the outbreak of COVID-19 and its concomitant economic impact across the globe, the study brings forwards insights on predatory foreign direct investment (FDI) and explores how policy responses in host countries can be comprehensive rather than disembedded and unilateral © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited","PeriodicalId":46124,"journal":{"name":"Critical Perspectives on International Business","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45942637","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Elite maintenance work across the Covid-19 crisis: a critical view on power and language","authors":"S. Riaz, Sean Buchanan","doi":"10.1108/CPOIB-05-2020-0053","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/CPOIB-05-2020-0053","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose - This paper aims to present a critical interpretation of unfolding events related to corporate and policymaking elites during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic crisis to serve as a point of contrast to mainstream views Design/methodology/approach - Drawing upon literature on elite maintenance and power, learning from recent previous crises and emerging evidence during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, this study develops arguments to question and problematize the exercise of power by elites toward maintenance of existing systems across the pandemic Findings - Critical examination points attention to three related but analytically distinct strategies in the exercise of elite power: reinforcing myths, redirecting blame and reclaiming positions, all directed to maintain the system and preserve power The potential effects of this ongoing elite maintenance are highlighted, revealing the old and new forms of power likely to emerge at the corporate, national and global levels across the pandemic crisis and endure beyond it Social implications - It is hoped that the critical examination here may build more awareness about the deep and complex nature of elite power and systems across the globe that preclude meaningful system change to address societal challenges It may thereby provide more informed engagement toward system change Originality/value - The main originality of the paper lies in its attempt to tie together the various types of elite maintenance works and their potential effects into an overarching narrative Making these connections and interpreting them from a critical perspective provides a rare large-canvas picture of elite power and system maintenance, particularly across a global crisis","PeriodicalId":46124,"journal":{"name":"Critical Perspectives on International Business","volume":"1 1","pages":"20"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2021-01-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45447064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}