Global vs. regional approaches to the internationalisation process of Nigerian banks: some preliminary evidences

Research investigating internationalisation process of service firms from developing countries is limited. This paper draws on extant work on internationalisation of the firm, services’ internationalisation and proposes conceptual framework that investigates the internationalisation process of three leading Nigerian banks namely; Zenith Bank Nigeria (ZBN)Plc, First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Plc and Intercontinental Bank Plc. This work attempts to evaluate the internationalisation process of these financial service firms to the UK market. It seeks to understand the driving forces behind these banks’ motives for internationalisation to UK; the various influences that might have affected their decisions, the several internationalisation routes and strategies they might have followed in doing so; and the next strategies they might adopt in furthering their internationalisation process. This work contributes to some understanding of the reasons why service firms from developing countries internationalising to advanced locations like the UK. The analyses and findings of this study offer unique insights into the internationalisation processes of the three case banks, and examines how their different pathways was determined by a balancing act of leveraging accumulated global and regional strengths to achieved sustained international growth

Models of internationalisation: The New Zealand experience

This paper examines the models of internationalisation adopted by thirty firms from New Zealand. Analysis of the international model is based on five key dimensions: firm sector and size; international market scope; market entry and servicing strategies; and speed of internationalisation. Drivers and constraints to internationalisation are also considered in the analysis. Evaluation of these dimensions over time finds evidence of both traditional ‘stages’ and emergent ‘born (again) global’ models of internationalisation, and reveals that over one third of these firms experience dramatic change to their international activities and resources initiated by divestment or change of ownership. We refer to the alternative internationalisation trajectory adopted by these firms as the ‘transformational’ model of internationalisation. The paper makes a contribution to the extant literature by providing synthesis of the New Zealand internationalisation and by building on our understanding of how patterns of internationalisation from a small open economy are changing in response to global environmental pressures

Internationalisation and modern languages in Scottish Further and Higher Education

This scoping study investigated the impact of internationalisation strategies on modern language provision in Scottish further and higher education and was commissioned by the Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies. It follows on from the report by Footitt (2005), which explored issues of internationalisation and modern languages in England. The present investigation had the following aims: to identify the main policy documents related to internationalisation strategies and modern languages in Scottish further and higher education and explore to which extent internationalisation initiatives support or encourage the development of students' language and to explore the explicit and implicit messages given by institutional websites about international student support and about modern language study; to explore the views of selected stakeholders in Scottish further and higher education with regard to internationalisation strategies and in what ways international activities at selected institutions offer opportunities for language learning

Integration of Slovenia into EU and global industrial networks: review of existing evidence

Slovenia is a small economy, which is somehow "condemned" to be open and highly internationalised. Relatively high shares of exports and imports in GDP indicate that the economy is highly dependent on foreign markets and inputs. This orientation is additionally strengthened by the final stage of the transition process and accession to the EU, both meaning definite opening of the economy and its integration into EU and global economy. Internationalisation of operations is, therefore, increasingly becoming a critical factor for creating and stimulating a competitive corporate sector in Slovenia. To strengthen the internationalisation processes, the policy of internationalisation should be based on the following: (i) lifting barriers to internationalisation; (ii) taking the actual needs of companies as a starting point; (iii) flexibility, transparency and the long-term perspective; (iv) adaptability and a re-examination of policy; and (v) a holistic concept of internationalisation. Increasingly important aspects of internationalisation are inward and outward FDI. The paper review the existing evidence on the internationalisation of Slovenian economy in all the various modes. The paper is composed of three parts. In the first part the scale and dynamics of industry integration of Slovenia into EU/global industrial networks by the way of foreign trade, outward and inward processing trade (OPT) and subcontracting and FDI is given. The second part analyses the integration of Slovenian car components industry in international industrial networks, and the third part concentrates on the motivation and strategies of foreign investors in Slovenia and Slovenian investors abroad

The role of information alignment and entrepreneurial traits on SME internationalization: a conceptual framework

Purpose – The paper aims to explore the internationalisation decision-making of small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owner/managers. Specifically, structural alignment theory (SAT) and regulatory focus theory (RFT) are utilised to examine the concept of opportunity recognition in the context of internationalisation choices. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is conceptual in nature, and an integrative cognitive model of internationalisation choice decisions is developed based on SAT and RFT, underpinned by a critical review of the international entrepreneurship (IE) literature. Findings – Scenarios are identified in which the structure of available information may affect the decision-evaluation process in terms of cognitive resource requirements. Further, the SME owner/manager’s motivational goal orientation is suggested to moderate the role of the information structure in line with IE literature. A conceptual model and propositions are presented. Research limitations/implications – The conceptual model and the propositions arising from the discussion in this paper offer new directions of research to explore SME internationalisation. Originality/value – This paper offers a cognitive perspective of SME internationalisation. This paper offers insights for policymakers, SME owner/managers, practitioners and researchers alike. For internationalisation decisions, this paper highlights the potential impact of the structure of information that is made available to SME owner/managers by industry or policy bodies; further, the moderating influence of motivational goal orientation may inform policy on how information should be presented to SME owner/managers to aid their decision-making.</p

Does internationalisation of technology determine technological diversification in large firms?

The purpose of the paper is to examine the relationship between technological diversification and internationalisation of technology for large multinational firms, operating at the world technological frontier. More precisely we address the question as to whether internationalisation determines diversification. The analysis is based on a rich database of the European patenting activity of 345 large multinational firms with the highest levels of patenting over two periods of time (1988-1990 and 1994-1996). The relationship is tested using a variety of different regression models. The results show that for the sample as a whole there is no statistically significant relationship between technological diversification and internationalisation of technology. However when the sample is disaggregated according to the predominant internationalisation strategy adopted by a firm, we find a statistically significant relationship. Our results show that in a cross-section of firms adopting a homebase- augmenting strategy, internationalisation determines the level of diversification. Thus amongst such large firms a higher level of internationalisation of technology is associated with a greater level of diversification.multinational firms, technological diversification,internationalisation of technology, patenting

Corporate Entrepreneurship for Internationalising Learning & Teaching Strategy in UK Higher Education: A Combination of Literature

The literature review combines uniquely writing from three academic domains: strategic management of HE (particularly internationalisation), entrepreneurship in HE and corporate entrepreneurship. This combination is applied to the internationalisation of UK universities to establish areas of overlap and to propose that an emergent strategic approach, resulting in an ‘umbrella strategy’ for internationalisation, is most appropriate and can be effectively executed in HE through corporate entrepreneurship. The review uses research and concepts from both private and public sectors. It recommends the adoption in HE of a broader definition of entrepreneurship and an ethical approach to internationalisation in order to appeal to the values of academics. Entrepreneurship can be conceptualised as part of university culture, and, as such, central to the execution of internationalisation

The Internationalization of Chinese Companies: Are the Traditional Resource Based Theories Valid Yet?

Over the past two decades, Chinese multinationals have made a huge amount of foreign direct investment abroad, making China the largest outward investor among top ten emerging countries. Nevertheless only in the last years some authors have begun to study this phenomenon.. According to these considerations, aim of this paper is to analyse the recent phenomenon of the internationalisation of Chinese firms in order to verify if it offers an opportunity to extend the traditional internationalisation theories based on the experience of developed countries’ firms. Combining the results obtained describing the international process of two large Chinese companies with the assumptions of the Resource based View approach and the Uppsala model, the paper shows that traditional proposed internationalisation theories cannot explain the internationalisation of Chinese firms. The international development of Chinese firms cannot be described as a gradual process direct toward near markets and aimed to exploit existing resources and to accumulate experiential knowledge. Chinese firms are forced to go abroad in order to gain the immaterial resources necessary to compete in the home and in the foreign market. The analysis of the Chinese firms’ internationalisation process seems to be an opportunity for extending the traditional internationalisation theories.internationalization; resource based view; Uppsala model; Chinese firms.

The Internationalisation (Transnationalisation) of the SME Sector as a Factor of Competitiveness

As part of a wider research program we analysed the theoretical frameworks and the developments of the process of internationalisation (transnationalisation) of small- and medium-sized enterprises in the European Union and specifically in Hungary and Spain. We tried to highlight the barriers and trends of internationalisation. We consider internationalisation of the SME sector as a crucial factor in increasing competitiveness and as an important condition for sustainable and dynamic growth and improving employment (Europe 2020). We made policy recommendation mostly for the government in terms of how to promote the process. We carried out analyses of documents and databases, interviews, and online data collection