Qualified immigrants' success: exploring the motivation to migrate and to integrate

High-quality employees with international experience bring valuable advantages to internationally operating organizations. The growing number and importance of immigrants, and particularly qualified, university-educated immigrants, deserves more attention from international business practitioners and scholars. The market for highly qualified people within MNCs is increasingly becoming international, and ever more of them have migrated to a new country to advance their career. Such employees can be a source of competitive advantage for international firms. We use qualitative research with qualified immigrants (QIs) in France to argue that the success of QIs depends in large part on their motivation to integrate into their host country, which is largely explained by their motivation to migrate. From the qualitative data we derive four different types of qualified migrant, and suggest that the type will determine the success of the immigrant within, and outside, the organization. The relationship between the motivation to migrate and the motivation to integrate is moderated by “met expectations” and “organizational integration policies”, such that the effects of these, in turn, vary with type. Recognition of the types of QI and the moderating factors will be valuable for practitioners, as well as opening up research avenues for scholars.

Multinational subsidiary sales and performance in South East Asia

We extend the theory of the multinational enterprise (MNE) by exploring the concept of subsidiary-specific advantages (SSAs) as a driver for subsidiary performance. We investigate the relationship of host country-specific advantages (host CSAs) in the form of market attractiveness, SSAs and subsidiary sales as they affect subsidiary performance. From an original primary dataset of 101 British multinational (MNE) subsidiaries in six South East Asian countries, our analysis reveals three significant findings. First, host market attractiveness has a statistically positive impact on the performance of subsidiaries. Second, the three traditional SSAs of general management, marketing capabilities and invested capital enhance subsidiary performance. Third, we examine geographic direction and types of customers for subsidiary sales by following international accounting standards. We find that these subsidiaries generate on average 95 percent of total sales from the Asia Pacific region and 91 percent of total sales from external customers. Our findings have important research and managerial implications.

Foreign direct investment through acquisitions and implications for technological upgrading: case evidence from Tanzania

Using a case study approach, this paper examines the role of privatisation on the industrial landscape of Tanzania. We examine the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) through acquisitions on technology transfer within the acquired firm as well as the development of linkages to other firms based in the host country. Our results suggest that technological upgrading has occurred following FDI, the intensity of which reflects the type of firm-specific assets of the parent multinational enterprise (MNE), as well as the pre-acquisition state of these industrial activities. Improved backward linkages are also evident with local economic agents, but their type and extent – reflecting Tanzania's comparative advantage in the primary sector – confirm that capabilities both within the acquired firms and also in the industrial base of the host country greatly influence the magnitude and intensity of technological upgrading. 'Narrower' technology gaps between the MNE affiliate and the domestic sector are more likely to result in backward linkages and determine the type of technological content of inputs sourced locally rather than within the MNE.

The bi-cultural option for international human resource management: the Japanese/Brazilian Nikkeijin example

This paper reports on an important subgroup of international boundary-spanners – immigrants and second or third generation migrants from the MNC's home country living in the subsidiary host country. We take as our example the Nikkeijin (Japanese immigrants and their descendants) in Brazil. Such bi-cultural people are a largely unexplored source of boundary-spanning internationally competent talent for multinational enterprises. Using two different surveys, we find that this group is recognized as a source of talent by Japanese MNCs, but that their HRM practices are not appropriate to attract and use them in their global talent management programmes.

Internationalization motives: sell more, buy better, upgrade and escape

Purpose – The purpose of this the paper is to review the motives for internationalization to clarify previous arguments and provide a theory-driven classification. Design/methodology/approach – The authors build on behavioral economics and propose a classification of internationalization motives as the result of the interaction among two dimensions, an economics-driven exploitation of existing resources or exploration of new resources, and a psychology-driven search for better host country conditions or avoidance of poor home country conditions. Findings – These two dimensions result in four internationalization motives: sell more, in which the company exploits existing resources at home and obtains better host country conditions; buy better, in which the company exploits existing resources abroad and avoids poor home country conditions; upgrade, in which the company explores for new resources, and it obtains better host country conditions; and escape, in which the company explores for new resources and avoids poor home country conditions. Originality/value – This theory-driven classification provides predictive power for future analyses of internationalization motives.

The determinants of internationalstudent mobility : An empirical study on U.S. Data

The increase in foreign students in countries such as the US, the UK and Francesuggests that the international ‘education industry’ is growing in importance. Thepurpose of this paper is to investigate the empirical determinants of internationalstudent mobility. A secondary purpose is to give tentative policy suggestions to hostcountry, source country and also to provide some recommendations to students whowant to study abroad. Using pooled cross-sectional time series data for the US overthe time period 1993-2006, we estimate an econometric model of enrolment rates offoreign students in the US. Our results suggest that tuition fees, US federal support ofeducation, and the size of the ‘young’ generation of source countries have asignificant influence on international student mobility. We also consider other factorsthat may be relevant in this context.

Obstacles and Opportunities Foreign Graduates Meet In Dalarna Labour Market, Sweden

Foreign graduates have been part of the success stories of many developed countries. This is as a result of their immeasurable deposit of ideas, knowledge, and innovation in the host country. Though the process of these foreign graduates penetrating and integrating into the labour market of the host country could be slow and rough as they encounter some obstacles on the way; they still strive to break through and be part of the country’s workforce because they foresee some opportunities therein. This research study is about the obstacles and opportunities foreign graduates meet in Dalarna labour market. The study investigated and identified the obstacles and opportunities foreign graduates meet in Dalarna labour market. For a thorough execution of this research, we collected primary data by handing questionnaires to 65 foreign graduates searching for jobs in Dalarna region and interviewed eight people, among which seven were foreign graduates and one of them was a staff at Arbestförmedlingen (Employment Agency) to give us a general view of the Dalarna labour market. We read previous research works and related articles to understand the topic in order to get an overview of the terminologies and concept to apply. This study concluded that language is a major obstacle foreign graduates meet in the Dalarna labour market. Other possible obstacles include culture, poor integration policies, lack of a placement bureau, lack of trust, limited opportunities, favoritism, lack of jobs, lack of references and experience. On the other hand factors like job availability, outgoing labour force and unskilled labour are possible opportunities foreign graduates meet in the Dalarna labour market. Furthermore flexible work time, good working atmosphere, experience, social security/welfare, good standard of living, family friendly region, higher wages, job security and cheap cost of living are also possible benefits that foreign graduates get in Dalarna.

Dialectics of Diaspora Space: a Study of Contemporary, Diasporic, South Asian Fiction

In light of these continuing debates concerning immigration, national identity and belonging, re-examinations of immigrant and ethnic communities, often referred to as ‘diaspora,’ have become increasingly popular and prudent. Khachig Tololian, editor of Diaspora magazine, calls diaspora “exemplary communities of the transnational moment.”5 In an increasingly globalized world, where labor, capital, and resources are passed fluidly from continent to continent, diaspora are created by relocation or displacement of immigrant workers and their descendents.6 For these unskilled, immigrant laborers, middle class immigrants, and the children of both groups, adaptation to the culture, society, and life in a new ‘host’ country can be difficult, to say the least. So, in response to a new cultural landscape and a tenuous sense belonging, as well as to maintain a connection with a shared past, citizens of the world’s numerous diaspora replicate linguistic, cultural, and social norms, creating their own “cultural space[s]” that mirror and often replace a past relationship to their land of origin, or ‘home’.

The opportunity of an internationalization process to Brazil: the case of Etai, a french SME

Este trabalho teve como objetivo principal fornecer subsídios para uma pequena empresa francesa analisar a viabilidade do seu processo de internacionalização no Brasil, um caminho difícil e cheio de obstáculos. De fato, muitas empresas francesas estão tentando entrar no mercado brasileiro, visto como um país que oferece várias oportunidades para o crescimento e rentabilidade destas empresas. No entanto, por causa da falta de recursos e das dificuldades a serem enfrentadas durante o processo de internacionalização, pequenas empresas devem analisar cuidadosamente a viabilidade de um projeto internacional, antes de entrar no mercado estrangeiro. Assim, trabalhos acadêmicos foram usados como referência para identificar e apresentar os aspectos administrativos, econômicos e culturais que poderiam facilitar ou dificultar o processo de internacionalização. Os principais aspectos administrativos apresentados foram a seleção do mercado internacional, o modo de internacionalização e os desafios do processo de internacionalização. Para os aspectos econômicos, apresentamos as principais tecnologias usadas para financiar pequenas e médias empresas, e o impacto das infra-estruturas nessas tecnologias. Também, para que uma PME possa entender o processo de financiamento, apresentamos o ponto de vista dos Bancos. Aspectos culturais que poderiam facilitar ou dificultar o processo de internacionalização são apontados através de conceitos acadêmicos como "distância cultural" ou "distância psíquica". Este trabalho discute também como as diferenças entre as culturas são susceptíveis em gerar dificuldades ou vantagens, e que a distância cultural também pode ter um impacto no modo de entrada escolhido pela empresa no país de acolhimento.

Megaeventos esportivos: impactos no turismo das cidades sedes.

O presente trabalho visa ilustrar a importância de se analisar os impactos de um megaevento esportivo, como a Copa do Mundo, no turismo do destino sede. A escolha do tema se dá pelo fato de iniciativas como essas terem se tornadas estratégicas nos últimos anos e muito disputadas por governos em todo o mundo. O motivo da escolha do tema se dá especialmente pelo fato do Brasil sediar, em curto espaço de tempo, dois dos principais megaeventos esportivos internacionais: a Copa do Mundo, em 2014, e os Jogos Olímpicos, em 2016. O trabalho, composto por 8 capítulos procura, com base no referencial teórico, identificar os principais impactos dos megaeventos no segmento de turismo do destino sede. Para se atingir este objetivo, utilizou-se o modelo de avaliação proposto por Allen et al (2003), cientista internacional referencia nessa área de estudo. Dentre os possíveis impactos positivos engloba-se a promoção do destino e incremento do turismo, o aumento do tempo de permanência do turista, a lucratividade para o setor, o aumento da renda de impostos, a oportunidade de negócios, investimento em infra-estrutura no destino, a atividade comercial e a geração de empregos pela realização do evento. Por outro lado, dentre os impactos negativos, destacam-se a resistência da comunidade ao turismo, a perda de autenticidade e danos à reputação do destino, exploração, preços inflacionados, custos de oportunidade, má gestão financeira, perda financeira, dentre outros. O método de pesquisa, baseado em Yin (2005), foi o estudo de caso baseado nos dois eventos mais recentes de Copa do Mundo: Alemanha (2006) e África do Sul (2010). O estudo teve um viés qualitativo e os instrumentos de coleta de dados foram diferenciados em cada uma das etapas da pesquisa, englobando pesquisa a dados primários e secundários, consulta à relatórios oficiais e principalmente a consulta a artigos acadêmicos de renomados autores internacionais especialistas em eventos. Foram também consultadas pesquisas de renomadas instituições, tais como Organização Mundial do Turismo OMT (2006), Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV, 2009), FIPE (2005), EMBRATUR e Ministério do Turismo (MTUR), entre outras. Os resultados demonstram que os megaeventos geram oportunidades para o destino sede - de curto, médio e longo prazo - para os diferentes segmentos, em especial para o turismo de eventos e esportivo, seja no âmbito nacional ou internacional. Também observa-se a importância das ações de melhoria não serem pontuais, para que justifiquem o próprio legado do evento em pauta. Por outro lado, verifica-se a importância de se realizar ações que visem mitigar os impactos negativos inerentes a megaeventos, a fim de não se comprometer o turismo do destino ou pais sede, sua reputação, seus cofres públicos e sua comunidade.

Growing research where economies grow: essays on strategy and international expansion of companies from emerging countries

In recent years, emerging countries have assumed an increasingly prominent position in the world economy, as growth has picked up in these countries and slowed in developed economies. Two related phenomena, among others, can be associated with this growth: emerging countries were less affected by the 2008-2009 global economic recession; and they increased their participation in foreign direct investment, both inflows and outflows. This doctoral dissertation contributes to research on firms from emerging countries through four independent papers. The first group of two papers examines firm strategy in recessionary moments and uses Brazil, one of the largest emerging countries, as setting for the investigation. Data were collected through a survey on Brazilian firms referring to the 2008-2009 global recession, and 17 hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling based on partial least squares. Paper 1 offered an integrative model linking RBV to literatures on entrepreneurship, improvisation, and flexibility to indicate the characteristics and capabilities that allow a firm to have superior performance in recessions. We found that firms that pre-recession have a propensity to recognize opportunities and improvisation capabilities for fast and creative actions have superior performance in recessions. We also found that entrepreneurial orientation and flexibility have indirect effects. Paper 2 built on business cycle literature to study which strategies - pro-cyclical or counter-cyclical – enable superior performance in recessions. We found that while most firms pro-cyclically reduce costs and investments during recessions, a counter-cyclical strategy of investing in opportunities created by changes in the environment enables superior performance. Most successful are firms with a propensity to recognize opportunities, entrepreneurial orientation to invest, and flexibility to efficiently implement these investments. The second group of two papers investigated international expansion of multinational enterprises, particularly the use of distance for their location decisions. Paper 3 proposed a conceptual framework to examine circumstances under which distance is less important for international location decisions, taking the new perspective of economic institutional distance as theoretical foundation. The framework indicated that the general preference for low-distance countries is lower: (1) when the company is state owned, rather than private owned; (2) when its internationalization motives are asset, resource, or efficiency seeking, as opposed to market seeking; and (3) when internationalization occurred after globalization and the advent of new technologies. Paper 4 compared five concurrent perspectives of distance and indicated their suitability to the study of various issues based on industry, ownership, and type, motive, and timing of internationalization. The paper also proposed that distance represents the disadvantages of host countries for international location decisions; as such, it should be used in conjunction with factors that represent host country attractiveness, or advantages as international locations. In conjunction, papers 3 and 4 provided additional, alternative explanations for the mixed empirical results of current research on distance. Moreover, the studies shed light into the discussion of differences between multinational enterprises from emerging countries versus those from advanced countries.

Exchange students in Brazil: some factors behind its choice - empirical evidences from a Brazilian school

O Brasil sempre foi um lugar conveniente para se visitar em termos de cultura, diversão e entretenimento. No entanto, este estudo visa o lado educacional do país, particularmente, os estudantes estrangeiros que escolhem o Brasil para programas de intercâmbio. Fins e razões por trás das escolhas dos estudantes foram identificados através de pesquisas quantitativas e qualitativas, juntamente com a revisão da literatura já existente. A pesquisa primária foi feita por meio de entrevistas com estudantes de intercâmbio já no Brasil. Os dados coletados foram analisados e são apresentados de forma estatística, juntamente com a representação gráfica. O seguinte estudo apontou que os denominados “turistas” e, assim chamados, “money seekers”, serem os principais fatores por trás da escolha de estudantes. A pesquisa também mostra que os alunos mais satisfeitos foram os que escolheram o Brasil por causa da qualidade da universidade sede, assim como para explorar as perspectivas de emprego, juntamente com iniciar uma carreira no Brasil.

Adaptação sociocultural de gestores espanhóis expatriados no Brasil

This study aims at understanding how sociocultural adjustment occurs in the case of managers, and their spouses, expatriated to Brazil by private and public Spanish organizations. To do so, it adopts as main theoretical frame the expatriate adaptation model proponed by Parker & McEvoy (1993), based on Black, Mendenhall & Oddou s model (1991), which establishes three dimensions of adaptation: adjustment to work; adjustment to general environment and adjustment to interaction with host country nationals. This work, of exploratory and descriptive nature, used field research to gather primary data subsequently analyzed with a qualitative approach. Data collection came from individual in-depth interviews with three Spanish managers expatriated in Brazil and two of their spouses. Resulting data were analyzed through one of content analysis procedures, thematic analysis. This research shows that adjustment is obstructed by cultural distance or cultural novelty rather than by work role characteristics, being more successful in expatriates that carry previous solid sociocultural knowledge about host country. It also verifies that the degree of expatriate adjustment is enhanced by the comprehension of cultural differences that originate values and behaviors different from those of the expatriate. It points out that individual factors such as perception and relation skills, flexibility, empathy and self-efficacy are positively linked to the three dimensions of adjustment: work, general adjustment and interaction adjustment. It finds expatriate adjustment to be lowered by spouse unsuccessful adjustment and shows that location in an environment perceived as short in key infrastructures is negatively linked to adjustment in expatriates coming from strongly urban environments. It concludes that expatriate adjustment occurs through progressive understanding of host country environment and through comprehension of the sociocultural context that explains differences between host country behaviors and values and those from the country of origin, a process which is favored by expatriate individual characteristics not directly linked to his/her technical qualification, such as perception and relation skills, flexibility and empathy, together with solid sociocultural knowledge about the host country. This research propones, therefore, that organizations involved in expatriation processes should include in their selection criteria the degree to which candidates possess personal characteristics and sociocultural knowledge that may facilitate adaptation

Threshold effects in the relationship between inward foreign direct investment and import productivity growth in Latin America and the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

As relações Brasil–Estados Unidos no governo Clinton: a intersecção entre o debate teórico e a análise de política externa nas relações internacionais

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)