Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Influence Of Societal Nationalist Sentiment On Trade Flows, Douglas Dow, Ilya Cuypers

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In recent years, the world has witnessed a backlash against globalization and a rise in populist and nationalist movements around the world. However, there appears to be little empirical research concerning how these movements, and especially nationalist sentiment, actually influence trade. Therefore, we explore how and when nationalist sentiment within a country influences trade. Our results indicate that the effect of nationalist sentiment on imports is mediated by lower participation in free trade agreements (FTAs) but not via tariffs. Furthermore, we are unable to confirm support for a direct effect of nationalist sentiment on imports, as predicted by the consumer …

The Global Chinese Consumer, Rane Xue, Xiaolei Gu

Asian Management Insights

At the forefront of growth in the luxury goods market.

The Strategic Approach To Internationalisation, Gordon Perchthold

Asian Management Insights

Asia is the global sweet spot for multinationals (MNCs) looking to generate revenue and, over the mid-term, sustained profits.

Who Are The Most Inclined To Learn? Evidence From Chinese Multinationals' Internationalization In The European Union, Liang Chen, Yi Li, Di Fan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

While it is widely recognised that an asset-augmenting rather than asset-exploiting strategy drives emerging multinationals' (EMNEs) internationalization, current research focuses on the motivations behind knowledge seeking FDI. What remains less clear is why latecomer firms can engage in learning in advanced countries. Conjoining the "Linkage-Leverage-Learning (LLL)" framework and knowledge seeking literature, this study shows how Chinese investment in the European Union reveals the preconditions for foreign knowledge sourcing. We follow a set-theoretic approach, utilizing fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), to identify equifinal configurations of linkage and leverage conditions leading to high learning propensity of EMNEs. Our analysis extends the LLL …

Enhancing Students’ Global Competence Through International Business Study Missions, Mark Chong, Benjamin Gan, Thomas Menkhoff

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This article shares how an Asian University enhanced students’ global competence through international business study missions (BSMs). More specifically, it focuses on (i) how the design of these BSMs enabled “deep” learning beyond industry tourism and (ii) how 21st century competencies such as ‘global competence’ can be acquired through participation in short-term, faculty-led study missions.Using the case study approach, it critically analyses the learning goals and objectives, design decisions, implementation details and learning outcomes underlying three business study missions led by three instructors from the same university to the USA (New York), Germany (Berlin and Stuttgart), and South Korea (Seoul).The …

Covid-19 Impact On The Global Economy Beyond The Near Term, Madhur Jha, Chidu Narayanan

Asian Management Insights

The pandemic is likely to make long term changes to deglobalisation and medium-term inflation.

When Do Host Country Nationals Help Expatriates? The Roles Of Identification With The Multinational Enterprise And Career Development Support By The Subsidiary, Sachiko Yamao, Toru Yoshikawa, Soo Min Toh, Daijeong Choi

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

One of the concerns of host country nationals (HCNs) who work alongside expatriates in subsidiaries of multinational enterprises (MNEs) is their career prospects in the organization. This study advances the literature of expatriate management in MNEs by spotlighting the roles of the HCNs’ identification with the MNE and career development support received by the HCNs as key factors affecting the HCNs’ decisions to provide help to expatriates. According to the data collected in four countries (Australia, China, India, and Singapore), the HCNs’ identification with the MNE and their perceived subsidiary support for career development are positively related to their extra-role …

Global Fields, Institutional Emergence, And The Regulation Of Transnational Corporations, Alwyn Lim

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

World society theory has developed to become a major sociological perspective on globalization, focusing on the diffusion of global institutions and increasingly on the domestic impact of those institutions. Nevertheless, the emergence of global institutions has received less attention, raising questions about whether core elements of world society—institutional structures, actorhood, legitimacy—are sufficient to also explain how global institutions arise. This article proposes a “global fields” approach in which institutional emergence is conditional on the interaction between state and non-state actors around the exercise of international authority. Using archival United Nations (UN) data, I demonstrate this field approach through an historical …

Strategic Intent Of Obor: Enhancing Energy Supply Resilience, Loon Ching Tang, Joyce M. W. Low

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Since the launch of the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative in 2015, China has announced its intention to invest in major infrastructure projects to promote trade and co-operation with its trading partners along OBOR. This paper examines the current level of trading and key projects underway along OBOR so as to provide insights to understand its strategic intent. In particular, a network model is constructed to analyze the impact to China current and future demand for energy under various conditions especially during prolonged periods of supply uncertainties. Since these key projects are closely connected to the current and proven …

Predictors Of Returning Filipino Expatriates' Job Success, Ramon Borrero Segismundo

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation research investigated the potential predictors of returning Filipino expatriates’ and their sustainable job success. This research investigates the extent of firm level differences such as a companies’ global engagement, repatriate support programs and individual differences such as the repatriates’ compensation, alignment of their personal goals with organizational values, and the level of patriotism to predict their job success upon return to the Philippines. The research employed a grounded theory approach to develop the hypotheses and was executed using a survey methodology. The results were analyzed using a variety of quantitative and statistical techniques. A total of 141 respondents …

Introduction: Understanding The Transformational Power Of China's Belt And Road Initiative, Yue Wah Chay, Thomas Menkhoff

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This book features several introductory readings about the “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI), a strategic development initiative launched by the Chinese Government under the leadership of President Xi Jinping in 2013 to jointly build an economic belt along the Silk Road. Some of the key objectives of BRI, previously known as One Belt, One Road (OBOR) or Silk Road Economic Belt, include promoting infrastructure development, trade and investments in Asia, Europe and Africa. BRI is a gigantic development initiative whose key components include the creation of several interconnected economic land corridors (=belts): China–Mongolia–Russia; China–Central Asia– West Asia, China–Pakistan, the China–Indochina …

China’S Belt And Road Initiative And Asean’S Maritime Cluster, Hans-Dieter Evers, Thomas Menkhoff

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This paper centres around China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and makes a case for further examining the possible effects of the complementary ‘Maritime Silk Road’ on Southeast Asia’s maritime clusters with reference to Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Port development with “Chinese engagement” from Port Klang in Malaysia to Sri Lanka to Gwadar in Pakistan to some Gulf state ports to Piraeus in Greece provides a string of valuable pearls in the form of harbours from which adjoining areas can be serviced through feeder vessels or railway lines by Chinese government-linked companies. Whether China’s heavy investments in land and maritime …

Doing Business In Myanmar: Dressing Up The Bride, Ma Cherry Trivedi

Asian Management Insights

Dressing up the bride.

As one of the untapped frontiers of newly emerging markets, Myanmar is rich in natural resources, underpopulated but with growing purchasing power, and an easy place to do business. From the outside, the country is very inviting, and there is considerable interest in doing business in Myanmar today. But internally, we have several pockets of obstacles.

How Do Emerging Multinationals Configure Political Connections Across Institutional Contexts?, Liang Chen, Yi Li, Di Fan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Research Summary: Forming informal ties with political agents is viewed as a viable strategy for multinational enterprises seeking to enter emerging countries. Less is known about the conditions under which political connection is most helpful for firms dealing with cross-border institutional distance. We discuss the distinctive mechanisms through which emerging multinationals may benefit from both home and host political connections. Based on the strategy tripod perspective, we postulate that the importance of different types of connections depends on the overall configurations of a firm's resources and industry characteristics, and these may change with institutional distance. Our analysis of a sample …

Foreign Direct Investment, A Movement Toward Investors' Centricity, A Behavioral Perspective, Jimmy Wee Teck Tan

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation proposal studies the determinants of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in a frontier economy from the behavioral perspective of a manager. There are many determinants used in determining a Foreign Direct Investment. These determinants range from economic, social, institutional, technology, organization, and commercial down to cultural distance. The objective of this research is not to duplicate the methodologies of many quantitative research studies that have been conducted, in which many economists use quantitative analysis of several years of data to determine the many factors that correlate with levels of FDI. The behavioral aspect of a manager’s decision is noticeably …

Japan: How Abenomics Is Impacting Business, Odd Per Brekk

Asian Management Insights

How Abenomics is impacting business.

Multinationals In Emerging Markets: A Test Case Of The Banking Industry In India, Havovi Joshi

Dissertations and Theses Collection

Multinational firms play a significant role in the world economy, accounting for over 30% of the world stock market value. In the past decade or two, these firms have demonstrated a renewed wave of interest in the Emerging Asian markets. This is not surprising, given the attractive demographics, growing middle class and leapfrogging technology of these markets. But the optimism of these western firms heading eastward often gets quickly subdued by the realisation that these emerging Asian markets are far more complex—or at the very least, different—than western ones. They are more volatile, there is frequently a lack of institutional …

Cultural Preferences In International Trade: Evidence From The Globalization Of Korean Pop Culture, Pao-Li Chang, Iona Hyojung Lee

Research Collection School Of Economics

The Korean pop culture (TVdramas and K-pop music) has grown immensely popular across the globe over thepast two decades. This paper analyzes its impacts on international trade. We compilea cross-country panel dataset of South Korea's TV show exports to over 150countries for the period of 1998{2014. These variations in exposure to Koreanpop cultures are used to identify changes in consumer preferences for Koreanmerchandise across time, countries, and products (at the HS 4-digit level).First, we find that more Korean TV show exports significantly increase Koreanexports of goods for women, while the effects are much smaller on men'smerchandise. This strongly supports the …

Why Expanding Hong Kong Disneyland Is Important, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

The expansion plan of Hong Kong Disneyland has been a highly controversial topic in Hong Kong. Local lawmakers have criticised the government of taking a weak stance in the “unequal deal” with the US firm.

Board Independence As A Panacea To Tunneling? An Empirical Study Of Related Party Transactions In Hong Kong And Singapore, Christopher C. H. Chen, Wai Yee Wan, Wei Zhang

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This article examines the effect of imposing higher board independence requirements on private benefit extraction by corporate management or controlling shareholders in Hong Kong and Singapore. This article shows that higher board independence negatively correlates with fewer related-party transactions (RPT), though in a nonlinear relationship with the marginal effect of higher board independence diminished. However, we find no clear causal effect of Hong Kong's imposition of a minimum board independence threshold in 2012 on reducing tunneling. Our data also show that higher concentration of ownership might not be associated with more tunneling by RPTs. Overall, this research lends support to …

Board Independence As A Panacea To Tunneling? An Empirical Study Of Related Party Transactions In Hong Kong And Singapore, Christopher C. H. Chen, Wai Yee Wan, Wei Zhang

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This article examines the effect of imposing higher board independence requirements on private benefit extraction by corporate management or controlling shareholders in Hong Kong and Singapore. This article shows that higher board independence negatively correlates with fewer related-party transactions (RPT), though in a nonlinear relationship with the marginal effect of higher board independence diminished. However, we find no clear causal effect of Hong Kong's imposition of a minimum board independence threshold in 2012 on reducing tunneling. Our data also show that higher concentration of ownership might not be associated with more tunneling by RPTs. Overall, this research lends support to …

Chinese Company Shareholders Revolt Against Communist Control, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

Shareholders of low-profile Chinese property developer Tianjin Realty Development recently made news by voting to keep party politics out of the Shanghai-listed company's organisational structure. Such action has never been heard of before at any State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) in the history of China's economic modernisation.

Institutional Regime Shift In Intellectual Property Rights And Innovation Strategies Of Firms In China, Kenneth Guang-Lih Huang, Xuesong Geng, Heli Wang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study develops a novel conceptual framework to understand the differential impact of formal institutional regime shift in intellectual property rights on the innovation and patenting strategies of Chinese and Western firms operating in China. We argue that to the extent that Chinese firms have been deeply embedded in China’s informal institutions, they are less responsive to formal institutional changes than Western firms operating in China. Using the major China patent law reform of 2001 as an exogenous event, we find results consistent with our key arguments: With the strengthening of the previously weak (utility model) patent protection, Chinese firms …

Multinational Firms And Cash Holdings: Evidence From China, Weijun Wu, Yang Yang, Sili Zhou

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

To adapt to globalization, Chinese multinational firms have more exploitation of cash. This paper shows that Chinese multinational corporations (MNCs) do not hold significantly more cash relative to domestic firms unless these multinationals heavily relay on the foreign sales. In addition, the multinationals of non-State-Owned Enterprises (Non-SOEs) exhibit the insignificant difference in cash holdings for non-multinationals. We also find that Chinese MNCs invest more but are less profitable, especially in non-SOE subsample. Overall, we conclude that the need of cash liquidity of multinational corporations in China is different from those in U.S.

Nationalism And International Disputes In China: Implications For Transnational Corporations As Corporate Diplomats, Lisa Tam, Soojin Kim

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

For decades, the territorial dispute between China and Japan over the sovereignty of the Senkaku Islands has caused diplomatic deteriorations in Sino-Japanese relations. When there is extensive media coverage on news about the dispute, nationalist sentiments in both two countries would be triggered and could be expressed through detrimental behaviors towards transnational corporations (hereinafter TNCs). While TNCs play a significant political function as corporate diplomats for their home countries, they are subject to the risk of crises when their home countries are involved in political and economic conflicts with the foreign countries in which they have operations. Against this backdrop, …

How China's Firms Use Analysts To Communicate Externally, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

Chinese companies face a dilemma. They need to straddle two worlds - there’s the old China where business is still conducted on a “who you know” basis, and the emerging world of financial markets, regulations and transparency, says Professor T.J. Wong, Choh-Ming Li Professor of Accountancy and Director of Centre for Institutions and Governance at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School.

Tapping The Power Of Local Knowledge: A Local-Global Interactive Perspective, Shenxue Li, Mark Easterby-Smith, Majorie A. Lyles, Timothy Adrian Robert Clark

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Existing theories of international business and strategy do not fully explain how local knowledge disadvantage faced by foreign investors can be mitigated. We conducted an in-depth qualitative study into four MNCs to investigate the micro-processes of how they generated value from their dispersed sources of local knowledge in China. The results suggest an interactive model: that MNCs employed management processes encompassing three strategically interconnected efforts—global knowledge penetration, local-global knowledge blending, and local-global knowledge integration. The model highlights the interplay between global and local knowledge and challenges extant research that solely focuses on the transfer of either home-based or local knowledge.

How Do We Adopt Multiple Cultural Identities? A Multidimensional Operationalization Of The Sources Of Culture, Badri Zolfaghari, Guido Mollering, Timothy Adrian Robert Clark, Graham Dietz

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Given the shortcomings of unidimensional accounts of culture that are based on nationality, this paper builds on and steps beyond current multidimensional conceptualizations of culture in order to provide first empirical evidence for a multidimensional operationalization of culture. It shows the multiple and simultaneous sources of cultural values (i.e., Family, Nationality, Urban/Rural Background, etc.) that individuals draw from in order to behave in accordance with their social setting. This contributes to our understanding of how and when individuals adopt multiple cultural identities. As the first attempt to operationalize the 'mosaic' framework of culture proposed by Chao and Moon (2005), this …

Corporate Reorganisation Of China’S Listed Companies: Winners And Losers, Zinian Zhang

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This article is the first empirical study investigating the corporate reorganisation of Chinese domestically-listed companies. Through examining these cases, it challenges the assertion made by most of these corporate reorganisation plans and by Chinese state-run media reports that creditors and general public shareholders were the major beneficiaries. Through an analysis of the data generated from all forth-three such cases, this articles reveals that: First, unsecured creditors could have, on average, received 61.37% more of their claims if the fundamental value distribution principle, the absolute priority norm, could have been complied with in these reorganisations; Second, if the general-public-shareholder-protection scheme issued …

The Next Wave Of Globalisation, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

As consumption patterns shift away from OECD countries to the developing world, businesses need to leverage on technology to overcome last-mile delivery obstacles