Expanding to outward foreign direct investment or not? A multi-dimensional analysis of entry mode transformation of Chinese private exporting firms

This research examines the factors determining whether or not exporting firms expand to outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) as part of their internationalisation strategy, using a recent survey of Chinese private-owned enterprises. We carry out a multi-dimensional analysis to investigate the impact of firm productivity, internal resources and the external environment on OFDI decisions, including both the decision to undertake OFDI and the volume of OFDI flows. It is found that productivity, technology-based capability, export experience, industry entry barriers, subnational institutions and intermediary institutional support affect firms’ OFDI decisions. The findings have important policy and managerial implications

Determinants and Policies to Foster the Competitiveness of SME Clusters: Evidence from Latin America

This paper attempts to identify key determinants of competitiveness in SME clusters, with especial reference to Latin America. It takes the debate forward as its extended framework adds country- and firm-level determinants to the existing cluster-level factors of the 'collective efficiency' approach. Based on an enlarged analytical framework, policies recommendations to foster clusters' competitiveness are provided at different levels. Empirical evidence strongly suggests that joint action may not be enough for clusters to face new competitive pressures. This confirms the narrow scope of the 'collective efficiency' approach, and suggests that policy intervention in Latin America should go beyond the mere promotion of inter-firm linkages to foster the competitiveness of SME clusters.

International and Intra-national Technology Spillovers and Technology Development Paths in Developing Countries: The Case of China

This paper analyses the paths of technology development among regions with heterogeneous economic and technological characteristics, focusing on the case of China. It finds that intra-national technology transfer, that is, the technology transfer from technologically advanced provinces to less advanced ones, is more important than that taking place through FDI in the backward regions. In technologically advanced areas, learning by doing, indigenous R&D and technology transfer from FDI all play a significant role in technical progress. The relationship between the strength of interprovincial technology transfer and technological distance is U-shaped, with the technology threshold falling outside the upper bound of technology distance. This suggests that technology transfer takes place more effectively when technological distance is small. The paper finds that learning by doing and R&D are important internal routes to technical progress. R&D plays a key role in the assimilation of foreign technologies, whereas learning by doing is relevant for the absorption of interprovincial technology transfers.FDI, technology spillovers, technology threshold

Redesigning work organizations and technologies: experiences from European projects

Currently distributed business process (re) design (resulting in components of business networks) basically relies on technical criteria. And that are the main purposes of most research projects supported by EC. Through the process of building a European Research Area, this means a strong influence in the national research programmes. However it is generally accepted that it should also take into account social criteria and aspects such as the quality of working life, or participation in decision processes. Those were some of the objectives of projects in de 80s decade, and framed some of the main concepts and scientific approaches to work organisation. The democratic participation of network and organisations members in the design process is a critical success factor. This is not accepted by everyone, but is based in sufficient case studies. Nevertheless, in order to achieve an optimization that can satisfying the requirements of agility of a network of enterprises, more complex design methods must be developed. Thus, the support to the collaborative design of distributed work in a network of enterprises, through a concurrent approaching business processes, work organisation and task content is a key factor to achieve such purposes. Increasing needs in terms of amounts of information, agility, and support for collaboration without time and space constrains, imposes the use of a computer-based model.business process; networks; decision processes; collaborative design;

Determinants of innovativeness in SMEs. disentangling core innovation and technology adoption capabilities

This paper studies innovativeness in SMEs from a set of innovation indicators at the firm level, capturing various types of innovation (product, process, organisational, and marketing innovations) and the level of innovativeness in these firm’s developments. The article identifies two separate dimensions in the innovativeness of Spanish SMEs, using factor analysis techniques. One dimension is associated with the capabilities for core/internal innovation and the other with the capabilities for the adoption of technology. The paper shows that significant differences exist in the personal and organisational factors that favour these two dimensions. The entrepreneur’s motivation, business planning, and cooperation in R&D activities constitute significant factors when considering the core dimension of a firm’s innovativeness, but have no effect on the firm’s capabilities for technology adoption. However, the use of external consultancy services seems to have no significant effect on the core dimension of the innovativeness of anSME, whereas it is a relevant factor for its technology adoption. Furthermore, it is shown that the entrepreneur’s education plays a more significant role in the core dimension of a firm’s innovativeness than in its capabilities for technology adoption. Depending on the policy objectives, these differences should lead to the application of specific policy approaches when an attempt to stimulate innovation in SMEs is made

Technology Support for Small Industries in Developing Countries: A Review of Concepts and Project Practices

technology support, small-scale industry, technological capability, learning, competitiveness, assistance projects, industrialisation

Government Policy, Corporate Social Responsibility and Human Resource Functions - Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sector: Evidence from China

The aim of this paper is to investigate how employee related CSR guidelines and government policies influence HR functions in terms of diversity and equal opportunity, training and education, remuneration, labour relations and occupational health. The analysis is based on case study of firms operating in Primary Industry (Oil & Gas), the Secondary Industry (Automobiles) and in the Tertiary Industry (Telecommunications). CSR emerged far earlier in firms based and originating from developed economies, but this has just happened in China and there’s limited research on how CSR contribute to the sustainability of the workers and the development of human capital. This paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the evolution of CSR, its implementation and its effectiveness on HR functions and how these vary between China’s different Industries. The results of this paper indicate that there is considerable overlap between China’s Labour Law and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) disclosure guidelines. The CASS CSR disclosure requirements were found to be more comprehensive than the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) CSR disclosure requirements in the context of the selected five Human Resource (HR) functions. While no discernible pattern was found, either inter or intra industry, in the level of disclosure according to either CASS or GRI CSR guidelines or between them there were some notable results. With regards to Occupational Health and Safety firms in Primary Industry provided more information corresponding to both GRI and CASS CSR guidelines than did firms in either the Secondary or the Tertiary Industry. While all firms complied with CASS CSR disclosure requirements associated with Training and Education except one form in Tertiary Industry, firms in Primary Industry disclosed more Training and Education information in the context of GRI CSR disclosure requirements. Interestingly, while firms in all industries complied with the GRI CSR disclosure requirements relating to Diversity and Equal Opportunity, mostly firms in Tertiary Industry complied with the CASS CSR disclosure requirement relating to the disabled employment rate. Key Words: CASS, China’s Labour Law, CSR, GRI, Human Resource Function