Abstrct. Controlis a criticalconceptfor successfulmanagement andperformanceof international joint... more Abstrct. Controlis a criticalconceptfor successfulmanagement andperformanceof international joint ventures(IJUs).Thispaper reviewsandsynthesizespriorstudiesaddressingtheconceptualization and operationalizationof controlwithin IJVs,as well as the IJV control-performancerelationship.The paperalso presentsa newconceptualizationof IJVcontrol,aswellasa conceptualframework for studyingcontrol of IJVs.
Cet article presente quelques reflexions sur de grands defis strategiques que posent la mondialis... more Cet article presente quelques reflexions sur de grands defis strategiques que posent la mondialisation et l’internationalisation des entreprises. En particulier, nous soulignons l’importance de developper les ressources et les competences necessaires pour supporter l’internationalisation de leurs activites et la complexite inherente a la proliferation des alliances strategiques dans l’environnement concurrentiel international. Nous abordons aussi les difficultes associees a la montee de pressions contradictoires de la mondialisation et de la localisation. Enfin, nous suggerons l’idee que la capacite d’une entreprise a relever ces defis et a prendre le leadership de son industrie depend essentiellement de sa capacite a se doter de ressources de leadership et a developper celles-ci.
Revue internationale P.M.E.: Économie et gestion de la petite et moyenne entreprise, 1988
Cet article traite des facteurs ou variables internes à la firme pouvant influencer la modernisat... more Cet article traite des facteurs ou variables internes à la firme pouvant influencer la modernisation du processus de production des PME, particulièrement dans trois sous-branches industrielles soit les industries des produits de plastique, des ateliers d'usinage et des scieries.Les résultats de l’analyse montrent que dans le cas des firmes recourant aux technologies à contrôle numérique, il s'agit, en général, d’entreprises un peu plus grandes que la moyenne avec, à leur tête, un propriétaire-dirigeant plus scolarisé et même diplômé universitaire et de formation technique. Ces entreprises possèdent une gestion relativement «complexe», dont les sources d’approvisionnement sont géographiquement plus diversifiées et dont les exportations sont relativement importantes. Mais surtout, ces entreprises recourent à des sources d’informations technologiques très spécialisées telles que fournisseurs, foires industrielles, littérature technique spécialisée et centres de recherche privés...
ABSTRACT Few studies have explored how multinational firms (MNCs) use their experience when expan... more ABSTRACT Few studies have explored how multinational firms (MNCs) use their experience when expanding abroad. According to the “knowledge projection” model of the MNC, appropriately disseminating industry experience, country experience and mode experience can a priori increase the chances of success of new subsidiaries. However, with inconsistent findings, prior research is of limited assistance in understanding this relationship. We argue that this situation can be explained by a focus on firm’s potential for experience accumulation, rather than on the actual transfer of experience. Deploying expatriate managers enable MNCs to apply organizational experience in foreign markets. It should also have an impact on foreign subsidiary’s chances of success and survival. Therefore, this paper examines how the use of expatriates to transfer experience can affect subsidiary survival.
L’action s’avere importante face a l’incertitude. Ce qui distingue plusieurs entreprises performa... more L’action s’avere importante face a l’incertitude. Ce qui distingue plusieurs entreprises performantes dans la situation actuelle, c’est leur ferme volonte d’eviter de faire du surplace. Pour elles, rester immobiles alors que leur marche se transforme ne constitue pas une option. Les strategies et les tactiques mises en œuvre sont multiples. Il peut s’agir de rationaliser leurs operations pour reduire leurs couts ou d’offrir des produits plus bas de gamme pour repondre aux changements de la demande. Au-dela de ces tactiques, toutefois, il faut s’attarder a ce qui permet a ces entreprises de mieux agir et reagir que les autres. Il semble que ces entreprises se demarquent de trois facons. D’abord, elles redoublent de vigilance par rapport a leur environnement d’affaires. Ensuite, elles misent sur leur resilience. Enfin, elles font preuve d’agilite.
Le 6 octobre 2003, Alimentation Couche-Tard annonce un accord avec ConocoPhillips en vue de faire... more Le 6 octobre 2003, Alimentation Couche-Tard annonce un accord avec ConocoPhillips en vue de faire l’acquisition de Circle K, une transaction d’une valeur de 830 millions $ US. Cette transaction, acclamee par les marches, propulse la compagnie quebecoise au 4e rang nord-americain des chaines du secteur de l’accommodation. Du jour au lendemain, Couche-Tard passe du statut de joueur national a celui de joueur continental en doublant sa taille. Du meme coup, Couche-Tard realise la portion la plus importante de son chiffre d’affaires aux Etats-unis. Comment une entreprise qui a debute ses operations avec un depanneur en 1980 a reussi ce tour de force? Comment reussir l’acquisition d’une entreprise americaine d’une telle envergure? Comment integrer a la fois deux modeles d’affaires differents et deux cultures distinctes? Enfin comment gerer, avec une equipe de direction de quatre personnes, une entreprise de pres de 5 000 magasins avec un tel succes. Le cas Couche-Tard raconte cette aventure....
International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 2008
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to organize the theoretical landscape surrounding explanation... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to organize the theoretical landscape surrounding explanations of the impact asymmetry and heterogeneity on inter‐firm relationships, especially alliances.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual framework integrating the resource‐based view, transaction cost economics and industrial organization is put forth to better understand asymmetry and heterogeneity in alliances.FindingsIt is argued that low asymmetry and low heterogeneity are best addressed from an industrial organization perspective. Transaction cost economics best explains alliances in high asymmetry and low heterogeneity situations while the resource‐based view is most appropriate for high heterogeneity and low asymmetry alliances. In the case of high asymmetry and high heterogeneity, the tension between the resource‐based view and transaction costs economics is reconciled.Research limitations/implicationsResearchers gain an original re‐framing of the theoretical landscape that will ass...
Do expatriate managers fulfil the role of ‘value-seeking connectors’ in cross-border acquisitions... more Do expatriate managers fulfil the role of ‘value-seeking connectors’ in cross-border acquisitions? Building from the organizational knowledge and the MNC literature, this paper focuses on the use of expatriate managers for transferring experience-based knowledge within the MNC and its impact on the survival of acquired subsidiaries. Using a sample of cross-border acquisitions by Japanese MNCs, we analysed the impact of expatriate managers on the relationship between the acquirer’s industry, host country and acquisition experience and the survival of the acquired subsidiary. Results show that the contribution of expatriation to the acquired firm’s survival varies considerably depending on the type of experience considered. In fact, connectivity through expatriation is costly and only when appropriately sent abroad do expatriate managers build an effective bridge over the troubled water that characterizes the challenging post-acquisition integration.
... For example, a firm's dominant logic has a significant effect: the higher their ... more ... For example, a firm's dominant logic has a significant effect: the higher their percentage of WOS for past FDIs, the higher the probability of WOS in future FDIs whatever the characteristics of otherlevel-1 and Jean-Luc Arregle/Louis Hébert/Paul W. Beamish 608 vol. 46, 2006/5 ...
This work investigates how a firm's international strategy affects choice of entry mode in th... more This work investigates how a firm's international strategy affects choice of entry mode in the service sector. The inherent complexity associated with studying a heterogeneous sector such as services requires researchers to investigate variables that go beyond those drawn from traditional empirical work on the manufacturing sector. The adoption of a broader theoretical perspective and the introduction of these new variables may well provide further evidence of the determinants of service firms’ entry mode choices. On the basis of 174 entry decisions of service firms, this study's results support the necessity of including additional strategic variables that specifically address this complex phenomenon, a decision that is not always associated just with efficiency and value-based considerations but with strategic issues as well. In addition, some variables that are routinely used in studies of the manufacturing sector were not significant or exhibited different results in dif...
... argues for a perspective balancing the effects of the external and internal institutional env... more ... argues for a perspective balancing the effects of the external and internal institutional environment of the ... Our results have four crucial implications for future IB research. First, researchers analyzing MNEs' foreign subsidiary activity should add a regional level in their models and ...
Abstrct. Controlis a criticalconceptfor successfulmanagement andperformanceof international joint... more Abstrct. Controlis a criticalconceptfor successfulmanagement andperformanceof international joint ventures(IJUs).Thispaper reviewsandsynthesizespriorstudiesaddressingtheconceptualization and operationalizationof controlwithin IJVs,as well as the IJV control-performancerelationship.The paperalso presentsa newconceptualizationof IJVcontrol,aswellasa conceptualframework for studyingcontrol of IJVs.
Cet article presente quelques reflexions sur de grands defis strategiques que posent la mondialis... more Cet article presente quelques reflexions sur de grands defis strategiques que posent la mondialisation et l’internationalisation des entreprises. En particulier, nous soulignons l’importance de developper les ressources et les competences necessaires pour supporter l’internationalisation de leurs activites et la complexite inherente a la proliferation des alliances strategiques dans l’environnement concurrentiel international. Nous abordons aussi les difficultes associees a la montee de pressions contradictoires de la mondialisation et de la localisation. Enfin, nous suggerons l’idee que la capacite d’une entreprise a relever ces defis et a prendre le leadership de son industrie depend essentiellement de sa capacite a se doter de ressources de leadership et a developper celles-ci.
Revue internationale P.M.E.: Économie et gestion de la petite et moyenne entreprise, 1988
Cet article traite des facteurs ou variables internes à la firme pouvant influencer la modernisat... more Cet article traite des facteurs ou variables internes à la firme pouvant influencer la modernisation du processus de production des PME, particulièrement dans trois sous-branches industrielles soit les industries des produits de plastique, des ateliers d'usinage et des scieries.Les résultats de l’analyse montrent que dans le cas des firmes recourant aux technologies à contrôle numérique, il s'agit, en général, d’entreprises un peu plus grandes que la moyenne avec, à leur tête, un propriétaire-dirigeant plus scolarisé et même diplômé universitaire et de formation technique. Ces entreprises possèdent une gestion relativement «complexe», dont les sources d’approvisionnement sont géographiquement plus diversifiées et dont les exportations sont relativement importantes. Mais surtout, ces entreprises recourent à des sources d’informations technologiques très spécialisées telles que fournisseurs, foires industrielles, littérature technique spécialisée et centres de recherche privés...
ABSTRACT Few studies have explored how multinational firms (MNCs) use their experience when expan... more ABSTRACT Few studies have explored how multinational firms (MNCs) use their experience when expanding abroad. According to the “knowledge projection” model of the MNC, appropriately disseminating industry experience, country experience and mode experience can a priori increase the chances of success of new subsidiaries. However, with inconsistent findings, prior research is of limited assistance in understanding this relationship. We argue that this situation can be explained by a focus on firm’s potential for experience accumulation, rather than on the actual transfer of experience. Deploying expatriate managers enable MNCs to apply organizational experience in foreign markets. It should also have an impact on foreign subsidiary’s chances of success and survival. Therefore, this paper examines how the use of expatriates to transfer experience can affect subsidiary survival.
L’action s’avere importante face a l’incertitude. Ce qui distingue plusieurs entreprises performa... more L’action s’avere importante face a l’incertitude. Ce qui distingue plusieurs entreprises performantes dans la situation actuelle, c’est leur ferme volonte d’eviter de faire du surplace. Pour elles, rester immobiles alors que leur marche se transforme ne constitue pas une option. Les strategies et les tactiques mises en œuvre sont multiples. Il peut s’agir de rationaliser leurs operations pour reduire leurs couts ou d’offrir des produits plus bas de gamme pour repondre aux changements de la demande. Au-dela de ces tactiques, toutefois, il faut s’attarder a ce qui permet a ces entreprises de mieux agir et reagir que les autres. Il semble que ces entreprises se demarquent de trois facons. D’abord, elles redoublent de vigilance par rapport a leur environnement d’affaires. Ensuite, elles misent sur leur resilience. Enfin, elles font preuve d’agilite.
Le 6 octobre 2003, Alimentation Couche-Tard annonce un accord avec ConocoPhillips en vue de faire... more Le 6 octobre 2003, Alimentation Couche-Tard annonce un accord avec ConocoPhillips en vue de faire l’acquisition de Circle K, une transaction d’une valeur de 830 millions $ US. Cette transaction, acclamee par les marches, propulse la compagnie quebecoise au 4e rang nord-americain des chaines du secteur de l’accommodation. Du jour au lendemain, Couche-Tard passe du statut de joueur national a celui de joueur continental en doublant sa taille. Du meme coup, Couche-Tard realise la portion la plus importante de son chiffre d’affaires aux Etats-unis. Comment une entreprise qui a debute ses operations avec un depanneur en 1980 a reussi ce tour de force? Comment reussir l’acquisition d’une entreprise americaine d’une telle envergure? Comment integrer a la fois deux modeles d’affaires differents et deux cultures distinctes? Enfin comment gerer, avec une equipe de direction de quatre personnes, une entreprise de pres de 5 000 magasins avec un tel succes. Le cas Couche-Tard raconte cette aventure....
International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 2008
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to organize the theoretical landscape surrounding explanation... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to organize the theoretical landscape surrounding explanations of the impact asymmetry and heterogeneity on inter‐firm relationships, especially alliances.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual framework integrating the resource‐based view, transaction cost economics and industrial organization is put forth to better understand asymmetry and heterogeneity in alliances.FindingsIt is argued that low asymmetry and low heterogeneity are best addressed from an industrial organization perspective. Transaction cost economics best explains alliances in high asymmetry and low heterogeneity situations while the resource‐based view is most appropriate for high heterogeneity and low asymmetry alliances. In the case of high asymmetry and high heterogeneity, the tension between the resource‐based view and transaction costs economics is reconciled.Research limitations/implicationsResearchers gain an original re‐framing of the theoretical landscape that will ass...
Do expatriate managers fulfil the role of ‘value-seeking connectors’ in cross-border acquisitions... more Do expatriate managers fulfil the role of ‘value-seeking connectors’ in cross-border acquisitions? Building from the organizational knowledge and the MNC literature, this paper focuses on the use of expatriate managers for transferring experience-based knowledge within the MNC and its impact on the survival of acquired subsidiaries. Using a sample of cross-border acquisitions by Japanese MNCs, we analysed the impact of expatriate managers on the relationship between the acquirer’s industry, host country and acquisition experience and the survival of the acquired subsidiary. Results show that the contribution of expatriation to the acquired firm’s survival varies considerably depending on the type of experience considered. In fact, connectivity through expatriation is costly and only when appropriately sent abroad do expatriate managers build an effective bridge over the troubled water that characterizes the challenging post-acquisition integration.
... For example, a firm's dominant logic has a significant effect: the higher their ... more ... For example, a firm's dominant logic has a significant effect: the higher their percentage of WOS for past FDIs, the higher the probability of WOS in future FDIs whatever the characteristics of otherlevel-1 and Jean-Luc Arregle/Louis Hébert/Paul W. Beamish 608 vol. 46, 2006/5 ...
This work investigates how a firm's international strategy affects choice of entry mode in th... more This work investigates how a firm's international strategy affects choice of entry mode in the service sector. The inherent complexity associated with studying a heterogeneous sector such as services requires researchers to investigate variables that go beyond those drawn from traditional empirical work on the manufacturing sector. The adoption of a broader theoretical perspective and the introduction of these new variables may well provide further evidence of the determinants of service firms’ entry mode choices. On the basis of 174 entry decisions of service firms, this study's results support the necessity of including additional strategic variables that specifically address this complex phenomenon, a decision that is not always associated just with efficiency and value-based considerations but with strategic issues as well. In addition, some variables that are routinely used in studies of the manufacturing sector were not significant or exhibited different results in dif...
... argues for a perspective balancing the effects of the external and internal institutional env... more ... argues for a perspective balancing the effects of the external and internal institutional environment of the ... Our results have four crucial implications for future IB research. First, researchers analyzing MNEs' foreign subsidiary activity should add a regional level in their models and ...
Journal of High Technology Management Research, 2009
This paper explores five competing theories for technological knowledge sharing within the global... more This paper explores five competing theories for technological knowledge sharing within the globally dispersed R&D function of the multidivisional, multinational firm. These five broad explanations for why a knowledge transaction occurs are: (1) economic, (2) technological, (3) organizational, (4) geographic, and (5) sociological. In addition to occurrence, likelihood of knowledge exchange success prompted by various explanations is considered. Ultimately the determination of which argument—or combination of arguments—offers the greatest explanatory power for the sharing of intermediate technological knowledge may be answered empirically.
With regard to knowledge, the issue of transferability is important, not only between firms, but even more critically, within the firm. (Grant, 1996: 111)
Bringing different perspectives to bear on a single, overriding issue is one way to try to improve our understanding of observed phenomenon, however complex they may be. (Hagstrom & Chandler, 1999: 12)
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Papers by Louis Hebert
With regard to knowledge, the issue of transferability is important, not only between firms, but even more critically, within the firm. (Grant, 1996: 111)
Bringing different perspectives to bear on a single, overriding issue is one way to try to improve our understanding of observed phenomenon, however complex they may be. (Hagstrom & Chandler, 1999: 12)