Foreign Direct Investment and Regional Export Performance in China

This paper investigates the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the export performance of China at the provincial level. First, it presents a theoretical discussion of the impact of FDI on foreign trade, and then an empirical study of the impact of FDI on the export performance of regions in Chin. It has been found that the impact of FDI on exports differs across three macro-regions in China. The effect is stronger in the coastal region than in the inland regions. Although FDI shows a positive and significant impact on exports from the central region, its impact on the western region is found to be insignificant.

Globalisation and manufacturing strategy in the TCF industry

Purpose – The textiles, clothing, and footwear (TCF) industry has struggled in Australia since the government commenced dismantling tariffs. By sourcing from Asia, middlemen undercut established suppliers, and retail chains set benchmark low prices with their imported “house” labels. The policy-makers predicted that local producers would become more efficient, and export to make up for lost sales, but the media paints a picture of rising imports, retrenchments, and factory closures. The research objective was to discover what strategies the survivors (actually) employ in adapting to the pressures of globalisation.

Design/methodology/approach – More than 30 companies were involved in the study, ranging from small family businesses to subsidiaries of big multinationals. Each case study was based on an interview with a senior executive, normally followed by a plant tour. This methodology suits a fresh topic, as it avoids preconceptions and imposes no bounds.

Findings – Results show that the policy change was based on “pie in the sky” forecasts. Increasingly, TCF production is transferred to cheap offshore locations, generally via subcontracting plus the “badging” of foreign designs. To survive, local factories should focus on quality and customer service, preferably in niche markets (like uniforms), or for specific customer groups, and develop technologically advanced products. A move down the supply chain into retailing can also assist. Large multinational corporations that engage in foreign direct investment dominate the management literature.

Originality/value – This paper presents a different perspective, neglected in international operations management, whereby domestically oriented businesses attempt to defend themselves against the adverse consequences of globalisation.

Voices of experience : developing export capability through eCommerce in Australian SMEs

This paper reports an exploratory study of 19 Australian SMEs which had successfully used eCommerce develop to or enhance their export capability. The purpose of the study was to identify both successful adoption processes and impediments to using eCommerce for export. Few companies had  adopted a strategic and planned approach to managing this adoption. The lack of easily accessed and trustworthy information and advice was partly responsible. The study identified a number of other obstacles to  eCommerce export development, including infrastructure and technical deficiencies, lack of awareness and expertise, problems with banking and finance and problems with physical links into export destinations. The developments that would most enable Australian companies to use eCommerce for export are identified as: improvements in the infrastructure on which eCommerce depends; the provision of consolidated, impartial information and advice about the use of eCommerce for export; and training and skills development to facilitate the implementation of eCommerce for export.

AQIS, EXDOC and the 'meaties' : an interpretivist case study of an Australian export documentation system implementation

EXDOC is an on-line export documentation system implemented by the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service [AQIS] and used currently by 90% of meat exporters. At a time when governments world-wide are increasingly committed to introducing electronic service delivery [ESD], this is a timely exemplar of innovative practice. In this paper, we consider the initial implementation of EXDOC in the meat export sector in order to identify the factors that led to the successful adoption of this system.

We consider these factors in the context of diffusion of innovation literature supplemented with Bijker’s social constructivist framework. The theoretical flexibility provided by this combination of approaches enabled us to draw out a number of implications from the data that bear on strategy formulation.

Factors found to have significant bearing on the early adoption of EXDOC included: (1) idiosyncratic factors precipitating the initial implementation (2) the constraints based on accommodating user capabilities (3) the organisational role taken by AQIS (4) diffusion as a self-reinforcing and value-adding effect.

A standard represents both a problem as a requirement of such a system and a problem solving strategy eliciting compliance to the system requirements. Over the period of shaping and stabilizing of the industry standard, AQIS was required to act as facilitator in the coordination of the actors.

The implementation of systems like EXDOC enables users to identify what they want from a system, specifying their preferences and tradeoffs. Such implementations offer opportunities for systems redesign within export business sectors with major strategic implications for the industry.

Information systems development contracts : An exploratory study of Australian legal pratitioners' and information systems professionals' perceptions

IS professionals are primarily concerned with the development of a project to meet the goals of a client. Unfortunately, IS professional do not always pay close attention to the contract or to its management and are often unaware of the legal implications of the contracts to which they are assenting. Legal advice can be sought during pre-contractual processes to help ensure that the contract meets the expectations of all the parties. If the project does not meet stakeholder’s expectations, thus causing a contract to come into dispute, lawyers may be called in to review the contract and to seek a settlement. This paper reports an exploratory study of the differences in perceptions of IS development contracts that exist between IS professionals and legal practitioners.

An integrated information strategy for ecommerce for export : enhancing networking in an international business context

Companies using electronic commerce to facilitate their export activities (EC4X) need information and support at all stages of their export development and eCommerce adoption. This need is especially pressing for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This paper reports the findings of a study of EC4X information and support needs among a sample of Australian companies. Evidence from SMEs, business associations and the Victorian state government suggests that governments need to develop a strategy for cost-effective on-line EC4X material that incorporates both generic and specific information. On-line provision of information is an effective way to meet the needs of SMEs and is increasingly the preferred channel for government bodies seeking to promote EC4X capability. However, personal contacts and networks are still an essential part of international business. Thus, an effective government strategy will support the business networking and personal contacts so important to help SMEs develop both eCommerce and export activities.

Research methods in sales ethics: a review of the empirical literature

From a review of the empirical sales ethics literature, this paper reports findings about some of the research methods used to investigate the decision-making of sales practitioners under ethical conditions. The review identifies that several of the methodological deficiencies raised by previous reviewers of the literature have not been adequately addressed by subsequent researchers. The paper primarily reviews quantitative research studies because of their prevalence in the empirical sales ethics literature, and because studies similar to these have contributed much to marketing ethics theory. This discussion also focuses on sampling and data collection methods, the treatment of respondent and non-response bias, the use of instruments and scales, and the application of the scenario technique. Some suggestions are made that would improve the research methods in each of these areas.

Global social justice at the WTO? The role of NGOs in constructing global social contracts

Over the past decade, international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been contesting the neo-liberal economic order in international politics by campaigning for normative conditions to bring about what Richard Falk calls 'humane governance'. However, the degree to which NGOs have contributed to the formation of global social contracts remains controversial. While NGO activists and various scholars advocate the establishment of such contracts, empirical testing of this normative argument is underdeveloped. Drawing upon this lack of empirical support, critics dismiss the global social contract concept and question the roles played by NGOs in international politics. This article addresses the controversy through a review, refinement and application of global social contract theory and an empirical study of two prominent international NGO campaigns directed at the World Trade Organization (WTO), an institution that represents a 'hard test case'. It explores the ways in which NGOs and their networks are challenging the neo-liberal basis of WTO agreements and contributing to the emergence of global social contracts. The article concludes that in some circumstances, NGOs have the capacity to inject social justice into international economic contracts and there is some basis for optimism regarding the formation of global social contracts involving NGOs, nation-states and international organizations.

Export-led growth hypothesis: evidence from Papua New Guinea and Fiji

Purpose - This paper aims to examine the export-led growth hypothesis for Fiji and Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Design/methodology/approach – The paper investigates the export-led growth hypothesis for Fiji and PNG who have been facing dismal economic growth performances over the last couple of decades.

Findings – Findings of the study suggest that for Fiji there is evidence of export-led growth in the long-run, while for PNG there is evidence of export-led growth in the short-run.

Originality/value – The findings of this paper have important messages for policy makers given that export sectors in both countries investigated are underdeveloped due mainly to a sustained period of political instability.

Knowledge creation in export trading

In this research, we investigate how knowledge in the export trading industry is created. Prior research focuses on general businesses in local market environment. This research specifically focuses on export trading with overseas market needs. These needs require attention to different types of control and requirements beyond that of a local market. In this paper, Nonaka et al.'s theory of organizational knowledge creation is explored. We specifically examine the processes of knowledge creation through four modes of knowledge conversion. Empirical investigations in export trading organizations are conducted. We examine how export firms obtain new knowledge for innovations based on collective knowledge being used in export trading. The findings indicate that the knowledge management processes in export firms allow for the creation of new knowledge. The collective knowledge (from groups and individuals) forms a basis for innovations and competitive intelligence. This collective knowledge also creates foresight, insight and hindsight in the export trading context.