Publicaties
The Not So Brilliant Future of International Cartels Vrije Universiteit Brussel
An integrative approach to international inbound sources of firm-level innovation Vrije Universiteit Brussel
We analyze the impacts on host country innovation of three knowledge-containing, inbound flows: imports (including intermediate and capital goods), inward licensing and inward FDI (equity participation of foreign firms). We measure firm-level innovation as the number of new products introduced in the host market and new patents registered by the host-country firms. Our study is the first one to examine the simultaneous impacts of these three ...
A Few Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic for International Business Strategy Research Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Modern research in international business strategy (IBS) builds upon a limited number of foundational concepts. Four elements stand out as the canvas for many contemporary research studies (Verbeke, 2013). First, firm-specific advantages (FSAs) that allow compa-nies to overcome the additional costs of doing business abroad. Second, country-specific advantages (CSAs), with home-country factors operating as building blocks for devel-oping ...
CEO Transformational Leadership and Corporate Entrepreneurship in China Vrije Universiteit Brussel
A chief executive officer (CEO) acting as the firm’s transformational leader is
typically viewed as instrumental to corporate entrepreneurship in established firms, but how exactly does a higher level of corporate entrepreneurship come about, given a transformational CEO’s actions? We suggest that organizational ambidexterity can function as a core mediating mechanism between transformational CEOs and the observed level of corporate ...
typically viewed as instrumental to corporate entrepreneurship in established firms, but how exactly does a higher level of corporate entrepreneurship come about, given a transformational CEO’s actions? We suggest that organizational ambidexterity can function as a core mediating mechanism between transformational CEOs and the observed level of corporate ...
The tyranny of the head office? Revisiting corporate headquarters’ (CHQs) role in MNE subsidiary initiatives Vrije Universiteit Brussel
What roles should corporate headquarters (CHQs) of multinational enterprises (MNEs) play in foreign subsidiary initiatives? Rather than viewing the MNE’s CHQ as a single, internally homogenous unit, we call for examining the diversity of individual decision-makers who can be driven by a variety of motivations and have different abilities. Motivations and abilities together determine whether or not corporate executives will choose to intervene in ...
A values-based analysis of bifurcation bias and its impact on family firm internationalization Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Recent analysis of family firm internationalization has shown that international performance can suffer when family owners or managers engage in an unwarranted, strict separation between two ‘generic categories’ of resources in their strategic decision-making. On the one hand, there are resources perceived as ‘being part of the family in the long run’, and therefore unique and worthy of nurturing. On the other hand, there are resources ...
The bribery paradox in transition economies and the enactment of ‘new normal’ business environments Vrije Universiteit Brussel
We develop a novel, sense-making perspective on corruption in transition economies. Prior research has focused on understanding why some entrepreneurs are more likely to pay bribes than others. It typically assumes that paying bribes will lead to an intended – albeit unfair – competitive advantage. We challenge this assumption and uncover a bribery paradox: drawing upon sense-making logic, we argue that beyond gaining an immediate benefit from ...
Corporate Diplomacy and Family Firm Longevity Vrije Universiteit Brussel
We discuss family firm longevity building upon a new conceptual lens, informed by transaction cost economics (TCE), but augmented with corporate diplomacy thinking. Family firms, because of their superior foundation of bonding social capital (interpreted here as a firm-specific, transaction cost-reducing governance mechanism), have an intrinsic advantage vis-à-vis nonfamily firms with regards to utilizing network ties supportive of longevity. ...
Research Methods in International Business. Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Our specific focus in this book is best practices in international business (IB) research methods. We take stock of some key challenges faced by the field in the realm of research design and methods deployed, and we also discuss recent advances in overcoming these challenges. We view our book as a unique, up-to-date reference source on good and best practices. By identifying and assembling a set of exemplary JIBS articles together with ...