Externalities in Global Value Chains: Firm Solutions for Regulation Challenges

Research summary Negative externalities in global value chains (GVCs) create challenges for regulation. We establish conditions under which firms are more likely to adapt their GVCs to rectify negative externalities that occur at global scale. Firms in GVCs vary in relation to their active involvement in attending to negative externalities in a predictable way, according to their awareness (A) of these externalities, motivation (M) to address them, and the capability (C) to do so. Firms in GVCs can self-correct imperfections by strategy changes, or new firms can be recruited into the GVC with the awareness, motivation, and the capability to attend to negative externalities. National governments may find these externalities to be a significant policy challenge, particularly when they extend across national jurisdictions. Managerial summary Private mechanisms, through firm strategy or new entrants into an industry, can address negative externalities created in GVCs. The agency of GVC members is crucial in self-correction via awareness, driven by GVC integration; motivation to act, driven by GVC accountability; and the capability to implement the necessary changes, driven by GVC leadership. GVCs with more exchanges of knowledge and information among members will be more aware of the costs they generate on third parties. GVCs with members who are more involved with stakeholders and who prioritize CSR will have greater motivation to attend to their externalities, and larger GVCs that span national borders, dominated by a strong member, may be more capable of having greater influence on the externalities the GVC creates

Internalisation Theory and outward direct investment by emerging market multinationals

The rise of multinational enterprises from emerging countries (EMNEs) poses an important test for theories of the multinational enterprise such as internalisation theory. It has been contended that new phenomena need new theory. This paper proposes that internalisation theory is appropriate to analyse EMNEs. This paper examines four approaches to EMNEs—international investment strategies, domestic market imperfections, international corporate networks and domestic institutions—and three case studies—Chinese outward FDI, Indian foreign acquisitions and investment in tax havens—to show the enduring relevance and predictive power of internalisation theory. This analysis encompasses many other approaches as special cases of internalisation theory. The use of internalisation theory to analyse EMNEs is to be commended, not only because of its theoretical inclusivity, but also because it has the ability to connect and to explain seemingly desperate phenomena

Moneyless business exchange - Practitioners' attitudes to business-to-business barter in Australia

In recent years, domestic business-to-business barter has become institutionalized as an alternative marketing exchange system in Australia, and elsewhere. This article reports the findings of a survey of 164 members of Australia's largest trade exchange, Bartercard There are few, if any, published empirical studies on this topic. This study is exploratory. Most firms surveyed are small firms in the services sectors. Although Bartercard has an extensive membership, trading within the system is limited with most members trading less than once per week and with barter transactions contributing less than 5% of their annual gross sales. The main benefits of membership include new customers and increased sales and networking opportunities. The main limitations include the limited functionality of the trade dollar limited trading opportunities, and practical trading difficulties. In selling, there appears to be no differential between the cash and trade prices, whereas trade dollars are discounted in purchasing. Participants acknowledge that business-to-business barter will remain and grow regardless of cyclical macroeconomic changes. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc

Survey of countertrade practices in Australia

This empirical exploratory study is part of a larger comprehensive study of countertrade practices in the Asia-Pacific region. A mail survey of 600 Australian international trading firms reveals that a positive attitude toward countertrade exists among both countertraders and non-countertraders in Australia. Further the study reveals the major motivating factors, the benefits derived difficulties faced and reasons for not countertrading by Australian firms. In addition, the study identifies the forms of countertrade used, the countries sewed, and the product and service categories countertraded. The results are compared to earlier studies of UK and Canadian firms, and the implications for international marketing managers are discussed. (C) Elsevier Science Inc., 1997

An unconventional approach to intellectual property protection: The case of an Australian firm transferring shipbuilding technologies to China

Risks associated with the dissipation of intellectual property rights of foreign firms transferring technology to China have received some attention in the academic and professional, trade-based literature. An innovative Australian manufacturer and designer of large, high-speed catamaran ferries (INCAT) recently entered into a joint venture with a Hong Kong-based partner (AFAI) to manufacture ferries in China, without any formal, institutional protection of its proprietary knowledge. Key findings uncovered through an in-depth analysis of this case include the identification of novel bundles of firm-specific resources and capabilities that sustain a firm's intellectual property and, ultimately, its competitive advantage in the face of dissipation risks, and a combinative competency of the firm in creating these bundles. This study illustrates a case in which the conventional means of protecting intellectual property need not always be followed to best ensure the firm's retaining its competitive positioning in foreign markets

Formare on line degli insegnanti di lingue e italiano L2

Include, di P. E. BALBONI, “La formazione on line dei docenti di lingua seconda e straniera”, pp. XIII-XXII