[Abstract] Leveraging the recent research interest in emerging economies, this Perspective paper argues that an institution-based view of international business (IB) strategy has emerged. It is positioned as one leg that helps sustain the “strategy tripod ” (the other two legs consisting of the industry- and resource-based views). We then review four diverse areas of substantive research: (1) antidumping as entry barriers, (2) competing in and out of India, (3) growing the firm in China, and (4) governing the

This article identifies the emergence of the institution-based view as a third leading perspective in strategic management (the first two being the industry-based and resource-based views). We (a) review the roots of the institution-based view, (b) articulate its two core propositions, and (c) outline how this view contributes to the four fundamental questions in strategy. Overall, we suggest that the institution-based view represents the third leg of a strategy tripod, overcomes the long-standing criticisms of the industrybased and resource-based views ’ lack of attention to contexts, and contributes significant new insights as part of the broader intellectual movement centered on new institutionalism.

Based on a study of knowledge transfer within more than 15 industries, across three forms of governance, and between both domestic and international R&D partners, knowledge transfer success was found to be associated with several key variables, and to hinge upon (a) both R&D units’ understanding where the desired knowledge resides within the source, (b) the extent to which the parties share similar knowledge bases, and the extent of interactions between the source and the recipient to (c) transfer the knowledge and (d) participate in an articulation process through which the source’s knowledge is made accessible to the recipient.

www.jibs.net Since the 1990s, Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has provided unique societal quasi-experiments, which represent opportunities to test the applicability of existing theories in international business and management studies and to develop new ones. Specifically, three lines of theorising have been advanced: (1) organisational economics theories; (2) resource-based theories; and (3) institutional theories. For each of these theories, we discuss how they contribute to the understanding of key issues, such as entry strategies of foreign investors, restructuring strategies of local incumbents, and entry and growth strategies of entrepreneurs. On this basis, we assess how CEE research has influenced the overall trajectories of theory development. CEE research has in particular highlighted the importance of contextual influences such as institutions. Thus, scholars have aimed at incorporating institutions into theories (such as organisational economics theories and resource based theories) and advancing an institution-based view of business strategy as a complementary perspective. We outline how future research in CEE and other emerging economies may advance this research agenda further.

0238820). All views expressed are ours and do not necessarily represent those of the funding organizations. INTERNATIONAL JOINT VENTURES AND THE VALUE OF GROWTH OPTIONS Real options theory predicts that international joint ventures (IJVs) confer valuable growth options to firms, yet there has been no direct evidence on whether firms actually capture growth option value from such investments or under what conditions. We bridge the gap between theory and evidence by empirically testing this prediction, and we also develop the theoretical arguments that an IJV’s ownership structure, product market focus, and geographic location are important contingencies affecting the value of embedded growth options. The empirical evidence confirms that IJVs do enhance firms ’ growth option values, but only under certain circumstances. Specifically, minority IJVs and diversifying IJVs contribute to growth option value, but other types of IJVs do not. The findings also challenge recent claims on the growth option value of investments in emerging economies. Key words: International joint ventures; real options theory; growth option value; international

The capitalist and socialist societies of the 20 th century assigned firms different roles within their economic systems. Enterprises transforming from socialist to market economies thus face fundamental organizational restructuring. Many former state-owned firms in the transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe have failed at this task. These firms have pursued primarily defensive downsizing, rather than strategic restructuring, as a result of both internal and external constraints on restructuring strategies. Building on the organizational learning and resource-based theories, we analyze strategies available to management in privatized, former state-owned enterprises in transition economies to restructure their organization. Both internal forces promoting or inhibiting the restructuring process, and external constraints arising in the transition context are examined. A model and testable propositions are developed that explain post-privatization performance. Implications of our research point to the ways in which firms should manage and develop their resource base to transform to competitive enterprises.

This paper argues that complementary human resource practices play an important role in the development of a knowledge-based theory of firm differences. We find that firm types and knowledge strategies impact combinations of human resource practices employed in support of current activity systems and innovation. While recent evidence suggests that consistency among human resource practices is conducive, e.g. for productivity increases, research on complementarities among human resource management practices remains sparse, and focussed on single industries or firms. Additionally, little is known whether and how human resource practices support activity systems in different firm types and innovation. This paper addresses this gap by investigating the impact of firm type, knowledge strategies pursued, and external linkages on the application of complementarity human resource practices in a multisectoral sample of 684 manufacturing and 1,200 non-manufacturing firms. We develop hypotheses from the knowledge-based perspective, the theory of complementarity, and the strategic human resource literature. Our results support prior findings about complementarity between human resource practices, but complementarity effects differ in strength. Additionally, combinations of practices applied differ significantly with contingency factors such as knowledge strategies pursued and firm type. Thus, calling for a stronger integration between strategic management and human resource management.

abstract Acquisition of capabilities is both imperative and difficult in emerging economies. This study adopts a duel network perspective to examine how the source networks and recipient networks in which international joint venture (IJV) partners operate influence inter-organizational transfer and diffusion of capabilities. We study multiple cases in the Chinese automotive industry to investigate how various factors of MNE source networks and the local recipient networks (business groups in China or qiye jituan) affect knowledge transfer from the MNE source networks into IJVs and knowledge diffusion from IJVs to their local recipient networks. The study suggests ways that the dual networks influence both types of knowledge transfer. We found both positive and negative effects of recipient and source networks on knowledge inflow to the IJVs and knowledge outflow from IJVs. The dual networks perspective is particularly relevant for emerging economies where the asymmetry between the knowledge, power and motivations of the recipient and source networks may significantly affect the knowledge transfer outcome.

words) A relationship between board/management "involvement" and "awareness" with organizational mission and their link to "employee commitment" and "organizational performance" was modeled by drawing on previous research. The model was tested with data from 339 large Canadian and US organizations. It was determined that "mission awareness" on the part of both the board and senior management is an important consideration in the determination of employees' commitment to the mission. However, the impact of board and management involvement with the mission is not identical. The results emphasize the strong and important role that the board performs when it is actively engaged in the development of the organization's mission.

The focus of most of the current literature on inter-organizational learning has been on how a firm acquires knowledge from its alliance partners. While knowledge acquisition is an important process, a firm may not effectively learn through such process, especially when the knowledge is complex, tacit, and embedded. Further, despite the increasing importance of networks, current research on inter-organizational learning has been limited to dyadic relations. To address these issues, this paper adopts a network perspective and develops a conceptual framework by arguing that inter-organizational learning occurs through both knowledge acquisition and knowledge development processes and that different network characteristic facilitate knowledge creation through these processes. Further, it suggests that absorptive capacity moderates the relationships between the properties of the network and effectiveness of the two learning processes in creating knowledge.