The new circumstances imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic create considerable uncertainty about the ... more The new circumstances imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic create considerable uncertainty about the future nature of International Business (IB). This presents IB scholars with a ‘grand challenge’ of conducting research to inform theorizing about the new situation. Such research needs to be exploratory and highly sensitive to the nuances of new and evolving situations; in other words, qualitative and phenomenon-driven. We discuss the methodological implications of conducting qualitative research under the restrictions imposed by the pandemic and its aftermath. We argue that the IB discipline can use this disruption to remould traditional methodological practices and encourage technologically innovative methods.
The emerging digital transformation in the twenty‐first century is rapidly and significantly chan... more The emerging digital transformation in the twenty‐first century is rapidly and significantly changing the business landscape. The fast‐changing activities, expectations and new modes of collaboration suggest it is time to review the current theoretical insights from strategic alliance (SA) research, which are based on assumptions from a different era. We therefore aim to stimulate multidisciplinary debate and theoretical reflections to better understand emerging paradoxes and challenges that contemporary firms face in the formation, evolution and dissolution of strategic alliances. Specifically, we offer alternative visions of SA research and suggest fresh applications or supplements of existing theoretical perspectives and research methods that can better address the research questions emerging from an era of digital transformation.
This paper introduces a special issue of the British Journal of Management on social and politica... more This paper introduces a special issue of the British Journal of Management on social and political strategies in the non‐market environment. On the one hand, it reviews the extant research on the possible forms of interaction between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategies and Corporate Political Activity (CPA): CSR‐CPA complementarity, CSR‐CPA substitution and mutual exclusion between CPA and CSR. On the other hand, the paper provides an overview of the recent contributions of non‐business disciplines – psychology, sociology, economics, politics and history – to nonmarket scholarship and, above all, the potential future scholarly contributions of these disciplines.
SummaryA number of studies have analysed how multinational enterprises (MNEs) develop appropriate... more SummaryA number of studies have analysed how multinational enterprises (MNEs) develop appropriate strategies for managing the institutionally different contexts of various markets. However, we still know rather little about how MNEs manage different institutional pressures when they operate in emerging markets. These markets have a higher level of uncertainty as their values and structures undergo change. This paper investigates the microfoundations and routines that can be part of developing a firm's capability to achieve a legitimate and environmentally sustainable position in emerging markets. We focus upon the microfoundations and routines for managing regulative, normative, and cultural–cognitive pressures. The paper utilizes an extensive qualitative case study approach. It reports a study at corporate and subsidiary levels of 3 Swedish MNEs in the in 4 markets: Brazil, Russia, India and China. The study identifies a set of routines for managing each of the 3 institutional ...
Chapter 22 notes the growing attraction of emerging economies as host locations for foreign direc... more Chapter 22 notes the growing attraction of emerging economies as host locations for foreign direct investment (FDI). While acquisitions are generally the favored mode of FDI into developed-economy markets, cooperative forms allowing for local participation, such as joint ventures, have been more prevalent in emerging economies, often due to the mandatory requirements of host governments. Emerging economies are distinctive environments for MNEs partnering with local firms, and this can give rise to certain challenges. One is a conflict of objectives held by MNEs and their emerging economy alliance partner(s), with the latter prioritizing defensive and developmental needs. Additionally, the number of multinationals from emerging economy firms (EMNEs) has grown substantially, often internationalizing through alliances with developed economy MNEs as well as with firms in other emerging economies.
This paper advances research on SME internationalization decision‐making through considering the ... more This paper advances research on SME internationalization decision‐making through considering the relevance of its context. It systematically reviews empirical studies, together with conceptual papers and other reviews in related disciplines, in order to identify gaps in the literature. This provides the basis for an analytical framework that incorporates four aspects of context (decision, decision‐makers, firm and environment), two stages of the decision process (decision‐making and implementation), and two sets of outcomes (decision and organizational outcomes). The paper argues that greater theoretical integration is possible through examining the links between these factors in the light of insights from several perspectives. It also offers a number of specific contributions within its overall objective of advancing future research on decision‐making of internationalizing SMEs through its contextualization.
... This study was initially an extension of the doctoral research she had undertaken under David... more ... This study was initially an extension of the doctoral research she had undertaken under David Hickson at the ... Suzana's awareness of the role of institutions in promoting organizational change and also how organizational leaders can in turn influence institutional policies. ...
ABSTRACT This paper offers a new insight into how organizations engage with external complexity. ... more ABSTRACT This paper offers a new insight into how organizations engage with external complexity. It applies a political action perspective that draws attention to the hitherto neglected question of how the relative power organizational leaders enjoy within their environments is significant for the actions they can take on behalf of their organizations when faced with external complexity. It identifies cognitive and relational complexity as two dimensions of the environment with which organizations have to engage. It proposes three modes whereby organizations may engage with environmental complexity that are conditioned by an organization's power within its environment. It also considers the intention associated with each mode, as well as the implications of these modes of engagement for how an organization can learn about its environment and for the use of rationality and intuition in its strategic decision-making. The closing discussion considers how this analysis integrates complexity and political action perspectives in a way that contributes to theoretical development and provides the basis for a dynamic political co-evolutionary approach.
The new circumstances imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic create considerable uncertainty about the ... more The new circumstances imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic create considerable uncertainty about the future nature of International Business (IB). This presents IB scholars with a ‘grand challenge’ of conducting research to inform theorizing about the new situation. Such research needs to be exploratory and highly sensitive to the nuances of new and evolving situations; in other words, qualitative and phenomenon-driven. We discuss the methodological implications of conducting qualitative research under the restrictions imposed by the pandemic and its aftermath. We argue that the IB discipline can use this disruption to remould traditional methodological practices and encourage technologically innovative methods.
The emerging digital transformation in the twenty‐first century is rapidly and significantly chan... more The emerging digital transformation in the twenty‐first century is rapidly and significantly changing the business landscape. The fast‐changing activities, expectations and new modes of collaboration suggest it is time to review the current theoretical insights from strategic alliance (SA) research, which are based on assumptions from a different era. We therefore aim to stimulate multidisciplinary debate and theoretical reflections to better understand emerging paradoxes and challenges that contemporary firms face in the formation, evolution and dissolution of strategic alliances. Specifically, we offer alternative visions of SA research and suggest fresh applications or supplements of existing theoretical perspectives and research methods that can better address the research questions emerging from an era of digital transformation.
This paper introduces a special issue of the British Journal of Management on social and politica... more This paper introduces a special issue of the British Journal of Management on social and political strategies in the non‐market environment. On the one hand, it reviews the extant research on the possible forms of interaction between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategies and Corporate Political Activity (CPA): CSR‐CPA complementarity, CSR‐CPA substitution and mutual exclusion between CPA and CSR. On the other hand, the paper provides an overview of the recent contributions of non‐business disciplines – psychology, sociology, economics, politics and history – to nonmarket scholarship and, above all, the potential future scholarly contributions of these disciplines.
SummaryA number of studies have analysed how multinational enterprises (MNEs) develop appropriate... more SummaryA number of studies have analysed how multinational enterprises (MNEs) develop appropriate strategies for managing the institutionally different contexts of various markets. However, we still know rather little about how MNEs manage different institutional pressures when they operate in emerging markets. These markets have a higher level of uncertainty as their values and structures undergo change. This paper investigates the microfoundations and routines that can be part of developing a firm's capability to achieve a legitimate and environmentally sustainable position in emerging markets. We focus upon the microfoundations and routines for managing regulative, normative, and cultural–cognitive pressures. The paper utilizes an extensive qualitative case study approach. It reports a study at corporate and subsidiary levels of 3 Swedish MNEs in the in 4 markets: Brazil, Russia, India and China. The study identifies a set of routines for managing each of the 3 institutional ...
Chapter 22 notes the growing attraction of emerging economies as host locations for foreign direc... more Chapter 22 notes the growing attraction of emerging economies as host locations for foreign direct investment (FDI). While acquisitions are generally the favored mode of FDI into developed-economy markets, cooperative forms allowing for local participation, such as joint ventures, have been more prevalent in emerging economies, often due to the mandatory requirements of host governments. Emerging economies are distinctive environments for MNEs partnering with local firms, and this can give rise to certain challenges. One is a conflict of objectives held by MNEs and their emerging economy alliance partner(s), with the latter prioritizing defensive and developmental needs. Additionally, the number of multinationals from emerging economy firms (EMNEs) has grown substantially, often internationalizing through alliances with developed economy MNEs as well as with firms in other emerging economies.
This paper advances research on SME internationalization decision‐making through considering the ... more This paper advances research on SME internationalization decision‐making through considering the relevance of its context. It systematically reviews empirical studies, together with conceptual papers and other reviews in related disciplines, in order to identify gaps in the literature. This provides the basis for an analytical framework that incorporates four aspects of context (decision, decision‐makers, firm and environment), two stages of the decision process (decision‐making and implementation), and two sets of outcomes (decision and organizational outcomes). The paper argues that greater theoretical integration is possible through examining the links between these factors in the light of insights from several perspectives. It also offers a number of specific contributions within its overall objective of advancing future research on decision‐making of internationalizing SMEs through its contextualization.
... This study was initially an extension of the doctoral research she had undertaken under David... more ... This study was initially an extension of the doctoral research she had undertaken under David Hickson at the ... Suzana's awareness of the role of institutions in promoting organizational change and also how organizational leaders can in turn influence institutional policies. ...
ABSTRACT This paper offers a new insight into how organizations engage with external complexity. ... more ABSTRACT This paper offers a new insight into how organizations engage with external complexity. It applies a political action perspective that draws attention to the hitherto neglected question of how the relative power organizational leaders enjoy within their environments is significant for the actions they can take on behalf of their organizations when faced with external complexity. It identifies cognitive and relational complexity as two dimensions of the environment with which organizations have to engage. It proposes three modes whereby organizations may engage with environmental complexity that are conditioned by an organization's power within its environment. It also considers the intention associated with each mode, as well as the implications of these modes of engagement for how an organization can learn about its environment and for the use of rationality and intuition in its strategic decision-making. The closing discussion considers how this analysis integrates complexity and political action perspectives in a way that contributes to theoretical development and provides the basis for a dynamic political co-evolutionary approach.
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Papers by John Child