International Business Executives Research Articles

THE ROLE OF ETHICAL ORGANISATIONAL CLIMATE IN ENHANCING INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVES’ INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM CREATIVITY

This research aims to investigate how creativity at individual and team levels relates to ethical organisational climate (EOC). A mediated and moderated model is proposed to explain the role of EOC in enhancing individual and team creativity of international business executives. Applying moderating-mediating model design, based on feedback from 302 employees, our research reveals and confirms that creativity and ethics can co-exist. A positive relationship is found between EOC and individual creativity, while EOC is linked to team creativity through individual creativity. Further, we found that business size moderates the relationship between EOC and creativity at individual and team levels. This study contributes to the literature by offering empirical evidence on how EOC can be a catalyst to creativity. Managerial and theoretical implications of our findings are also discussed.

Perceptions on the impact of anti-bribery measures, strategies and programs on the persistence of bribery practices in Nigeria

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the perceptions of the grassroots on the impact of combative policy measures, strategies and programs introduced by the government and the civil society to reduce persistent occurrences of bribery practices in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachMulti-stage or cluster sampling was used to acquire the data for this paper via survey questionnaire administered to the grassroots in Abuja, Nigeria. The data set is used to assess the impact of the various policy measures, strategies and programs on the persistence of bribery practices in Nigeria. The multiple linear regression method was used to estimate the data generated from 836 responses in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.FindingsThe result of the estimations indicates that the respondents perceived that some of the policy measures, strategies and programs introduced have reduced persistence of bribery practices in Nigeria, whereas others have remained ineffective in reducing the persistence of bribery practices in Nigeria.Originality/valuePrevious studies on the impact of anti-bribery policy measures, strategies and programs were largely based on the perceptions of international institutions and business executives; this study appears to be the pioneer to focus on the perceptions of the grassroots in Abuja, Nigeria.

Observations of deglobalization against globalization and impacts on global business

PurposeThis study aims to investigate current deglobalization against globalization and to hypothesize reasons and drivers of deglobalization. In addition, the study suggests an empirical model to test whether deglobalization exists in the world economy. The consequences of deglobalization are discussed.Design/methodology/approachVarious measures for deglobalization are introduced for monitoring the deglobalization of a country, and statistical measures are reported. The research framework for deglobalization and empirical models are suggested. The relationship between deglobalization and globalization is being modeled using three KOF globalization indexes: economic, political and societal. This study used panel data from 1970 to 2017 for developed and developing countries to determine the degree of deglobalization.FindingsDeglobalization has been found empirically since the global financial crisis. Deglobalization is estimated by the decreasing trend of import share in a country's gross domestic product and is influenced by manufacturing imports, country's income divide and political globalization. Both economic and societal globalizations have negative influence on deglobalization. Deglobalization is more apparent in developed countries than in developing countries, and the deglobalization trend will continue in diverse formats.Research limitations/implicationsThis study limits the use of few variables to test the antecedents of deglobalization. Another study can be done to extend preceding variables and estimate the consequences of deglobalization, which may segregate the globalization effect. The international business executive should understand the complexity of deglobalization and consider business benefits and risks to be encountered.Originality/valueThis study used panel data from 1970 to 2017 for developed and developing countries to determine the degree of deglobalization.

Trends and changes in Thunderbird International Business Review journal: A bibliometric review

AbstractThunderbird International Business Review is amongst the most influential journals in the field of international business studies. It started in 1959 as a result of a collaboration with the Thunderbird School of Global Business Management in the United States. The key objective of the journal is to combine academic and practical issues thereby appealing to international business academics and executives. This approach has led it to be amongst the most well‐read and cited journals due to its ability to incorporate articles on current international business topics. The aim of this article is to analyze how the journal has grown and changed. A bibliometric analysis of the journal is conducted with a specific focus on the last 15‐year time period in order to understand the trends and predict future projections. The most cited articles, authors, and countries are stated. In addition, the topics covered are discussed, which shows the journal shifting from a broad reliance on international business topics such as foreign direct investment, export performance, and multinationals to diversifying into more inter‐disciplinary topic areas such as entrepreneurship and innovation. The role of the journal impacting the topics covered in other journals is also discussed. Future research trends are provided that discuss potential new growth areas that need to be covered in terms of further progressing the field of international business studies.

The concepts of power in international business negotiations: An empirical investigation

ABSTRACTThis article examines the bases of social power, namely individual information power, expert power, legitimate power, and referent power on successful international business negotiations (IBNs). The author conducted an online survey among international business executives working in the UK for multinational corporation subsidiaries who were asked to report on the success of their most recent negotiating experience in terms of cooperative (integrative) and competitive (distributive) outcomes. Information power, expert power, and referent power were supported by these results in terms of significance. Unexpectedly, however, information power was positively correlated with integrative or cooperative outcomes and processes. The correlation related to legitimate power was negative but not statistically significant so this hypothesis was not supported. Our results not only contribute to international negotiation theory, but also can assist in the selection and training of practitioners. The academic contribution of this study also relates to model exploration. It brings causal statistical objectivity to qualitatively developed concepts as an essential step in development of knowledge. These theoretical and managerial implications of the study are examined. Furthermore, directions for future research that build on the findings of the study are indicated.

Organizational Rhetoric, Materiality, and the Shape of Organizational Democracy

The concept of organizational democracy continues to interest U.S. and international government officials, business executives, commentators, and scholars. This essay analyzes the rhetoric of the WorldBlu consultancy's international campaign for “freedom at work” in the interest of advancing scholarship related to both organizational democracy and the materiality of organizational communication. Specifically, using the case of WorldBlu, the analysis pinpoints how capitalism's “real abstractions” shape conceptualizations of organizational democracy that underwrite pseudo-democratic forms of workplace organization.

Commercial diplomacy in practice: experiences of international business executives and representatives in Malaysia

Commercial diplomacy aims at creating and expanding business opportunities abroad. Empirical research on commercial diplomacy from a business perspective is scarce. This paper presents the results of a study on the experiences of an embassy’s commercial diplomacy activities in Malaysia by home country business executives and representatives abroad. The findings show that companies familiar with the Malaysian business environment apply less for diplomatic business support, but that support towards newcomers is assessed as valuable. Businesses experience the commercial diplomatic services as reactive, though willing to help. Matchmaking facilities are valued, especially by companies that are not familiar with the Malaysian business environment.

Taxation In Germany And Romania

Taxation is a symbol of national sovereignty and a central part of a countrys overall economic policy, helping finance public spending and redistribute wealth. Furthermore, for international business executives, taxation is an important consideration in investment decisions. This paper discusses the taxation in two European Union (EU) member countries, Germany and Romania. These two countries are selected because of their different stages of economic development and their unique characteristics in taxation.

Localized advantage in a global economy: The case of Bangalore

AbstractThis article examines how and why firms in Bangalore, a city in southern India, have achieved success in the global software industry. We use Porter's “diamond framework” to analyze information obtained from secondary sources and interviews with engineers, managers, and top executives from software firms and officials involved in Bangalore's development. While we found some aspects of the case conform to Porter's framework, many other elements tend to diverge from the model. Thus, the article contributes to the Porter's diamond model literature by extending its application to assessing the development of successful regions in knowledge‐based industries in developing economies. The discussion in the article would be of value to officials interested in creating such successful regions, as well as international business executives interested in the opportunities afforded by locating in these regions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Comparative Study of the Economic Reforms in China and India: What Can We Learn?

The last quarter of the twentieth century was characterized by economic reforms in many formerly state-dominated economies. Among them, the reform attempts by China and India have attracted increasing attention in the popular media and academic research. This paper contribute to this research by using institutional theory to analyse the reforms in China and India and develop a framework to explain how reforms evolve. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of the dynamics of reform, helps policy-makers to formulate reform strategy, and international business executives to project the developmental trends in two of the world's largest emerging markets.

Corporate social responsibility in host countries: a perspective from American managers

AbstractThis paper examines the beliefs of 56 US‐based senior international business executives regarding the importance of multinational corporations' involvement in the improvement of host countries' human rights, poverty, education, health care and environment. The results of this pilot study suggest that all five areas are considered important, with the environmental responsibilities of MNCs being perceived as the most important of these five areas. Little significant difference was found with regards to the executives' views of importance based on either their having lived overseas or based on the international component of their current job activity, with one exception: those executives with more than 50% of their job involving international activities believed that MNCs had a significantly greater environmental responsibility in host countries than did those with less job‐related international activity. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Homogenization and Cultural Differentiation of Customer Expectations in Global Segments: The Case of Business Executives

Global segments (e.g., business executives, MTV-nurtured teenagers) evolve from worldwide-shared activities that over time shape customer expectations. We argue that homogenization of expectations in global segments is not perfect. We identify forces that drive customer expectations towards homogeneity and others that hold them culturally bound. Expectations that are likely to become homogeneous are those that are instrumental to the worldwide activity that serves as a basis for formation of the global segment. Expectations that remain culturally bound and call for local adaptation relates to (1) cross-cultural variations in the centrality of the segmentation basis to one's general philosophy in life, and (2) product-related effect of the national culture from which the segment member is drawn. Hypotheses are tested by means-end analysis of expectations of international business executives from North America, East Asia, and South-Asia. Results, broadly consistent with predictions, are discussed in terms of the local-versus-global balance.

Developing and validating an international business negotiator’s profile

Reports on the development and the validation of a measurement scale of International Business Negotiators (IBNs), derived from the literature and confirmed byself‐perceptions of Chinese business negotiators. Following a qualitative approach, the authors analyzed literature based on prior works in international business negotiations, cross‐cultural management, international business executives, and Sino‐Western business negotiations, to derive themes and items for developing an IBNs measurement scale. The key‐informant method was used to survey Chinese business negotiators (N1=92, N2 =478) for operationalizing the IBNs scale. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, as well as structural equation modeling analysis, were carried out to examine and to validate factor structures, internal consistency, unidimensionality and the construct validity of the IBNs. The results justify a ten‐factor IBNs scale with significant psychometric properties.

Strategic Export Pricing: A Long and Winding Road

“Pricing is the moment of truth.” This phrase is especially valid for international pricing. As most markets reach saturation, communication technologies such as the Internet lead to more transparency, retail price maintenance disappears, and product life cycles become shorter, firms will find it increasingly difficult to establish and maintain price differences across markets. Given their power, pricing issues have attracted little research interest compared with other marketing tools. The author aims to shed more light on the process of industrial exporters’ international pricing practices. On the basis of a series of 45 qualitative interviews with seasoned international business executives from five different industries, the author describes common “best practices.” Along with insights gained from the available literature, these linkages are tied to a conceptual framework. As the information comes from experienced, internationally active firms from a European Union country, findings are indicative for other European Union countries.

Including a Foreign Language Component in Tertiary International Business Program Curricula

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the need to incorporate a foreign language component in tertiary, post high school, international business program curricula. The value of a foreign language in international business programs is analyzed from the perspectives held by international business executives, managers, and other employees; national commissions on education; and academic administrators and faculty. The authors conclude that the inclusion of a foreign language component belongs in undergraduate education and that it may best be included as a prerequisite in graduate programs.

Selecting foreign distributors: An expert systems approach

Distributor selection is one of the most important choices a manufacturer will make in exporting. Foreign distributors or agents carry on the responsibility of marketing the manufacturer's product and servicing customers in the local market. The characteristics that contribute to successful distributors are numerous, making it imperative for manufacturers to employ a systematic approach to selection. This article introduces a computer- aided decision support tool for qualifying potential distributors. The tool, developed as an expert system, provides the user with an interactive algorithm for arriving at reasonable conclusions. In-depth interviews with experienced international business executives led to the development of a comprehensive set of selection criteria. These criteria and related insights form the basis of discussion in the article.

Electronic Data Retrieval in International Business Education

Successful international business executives thrive on timely information. It is very important, therefore, that international business students be able to gather global company and market information and apply it to decision making in class assignments. Though electronic data retrieval is the most efficient and effective way to gather data on this scale, it is an underutilized microcomputer application. This study evaluates the two most important means of electronic data retrieval, CD ROM and online data retrieval. It also identifies some databases available through these means and describes how they may be used in assignments in international business classes.

The mibs Program at South Carolina: An Option for Potential International Business Executives

THE REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT'S COMMISSION Foreign Language and International Studies was published in 1979 after an extensive investigation of our nation's capabilities to communicate and to compete with other countries. 1 Along with politics, diplomacy, and national defense, international figures prominently in this report. The Commission specifically refers to the damage to America's competitive edge in international commerce (p. 12) brought about by lack of knowledge of other languages and sensitivity to other cultures and goes to point out that . . the use of English . .. cannot be safely considered a substitute for direct communications in the many areas and innumerable occasions when knowledge of English cannot be expected (p. 12). It remains to be seen if American business and labor will heed the Commission's recommendation to give priority status to foreign language and international studies training in staff recruitment; however, we have reason to be hopeful since a number of studies in recent years have shown that skill in a foreign language is considered a valuable attribute for individuals who are also competent in an area of business.2 These studies indicate clearly that managers of multinational corporations are selected on the basis of their ability to make sound business decisions, not good translations;3 the other hand, if potential international business executives can demonstrate ability not only to make sound business decisions but also to communicate in a foreign language and to function effectively in another culture, they will have significantly increased their marketability to prospective employers in the world of international commerce.

International Marketing and Public Policy: A Necessary Option in the M.B.A. Curriculum

The increasing importance of the overseas operations of U.S. firms, foreign firms operating in the U.S., the expectations of governments that their commercial enterprises conduct business within the confines of foreign policy objectives, and of businesses which demand various forms of aid to compete in international or U. S. markets, all point to a continuing and more closely defined relationship between the international business executive and the government. The purpose of the curriculum suggested in this article is to train young men and women to operate successfully in an area where close business and government cooperation will be a necessity.

The MIBS Program at South Carolina: An Option for Potential International Business Executives

The MIBS Program at South Carolina: An Option for Potential International Business Executives