Key factors in U.S. Government support of business internationalization in Finland Case: U.S. Embassy in Helsinki

This study discusses the importance of government intervention for companies and the expansion of national innovation systems. The purpose of the study is to examine the impact which the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki can have on Finnish businesses through their business support programs and events. The embassy has shifted focus in recent years with the creation of an innovation center and increased business services. The study has sub-objectives to discover the critical factors for producing impact, host and home based factor interaction, and effects produced by these initiatives. The theoretical background of the study consists of literature relating to the concepts of national innovation systems and government intervention. The empirical research conduct for this study is based on interviews with experts from the environment surrounding the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki, Finland and participation in embassy events. The data was collected between March 2014 and September 2015. Seven interviews were conducted; five with representatives of the U.S. Embassy and two with related organizations. Thematic analysis was used to categorize and interpret interview and observation data. The use of an impact radar was implemented as a basis for analysis. This study finds that the internationalization of national innovation systems provides interesting opportunities and challenges for national governments. The opportunity to provide services to foreign companies by an embassy in a stable environment opens the possibility to create positive notice and relations with the host country. The increased connections and inputs to the national innovation system of the home country have the potential to increase knowledge absorption and create positive growth. The most effective way for governments to encourage businesses is to create incentives and reduce barriers. The services are best aimed at small to medium sized companies in the early stages of development. The findings of this report suggest that the most critical factors for producing impact on companies are the ability to disseminate information effectively, the ability to create a positive image of the country, the ability to foster effective networks between the two countries, and the ability to facilitate the internationalization of companies. In the best cases, the embassy is able to create incentives to internationalize to the United States and reduce barriers which are encountered by companies. Future research is necessary to fully understand the impact of business services provided by an embassy can have on the political and economic relations of countries, and on particular industry sectors. The institutional setting provided by the embassy’s focus on business relations provides a rich environment for further study in a number of areas.

Portuguese business groups at the beginning of the 21st century: Trends, characteristics and configurations

This study considers the literature on the persistence of business groups in developed economies and analyzes the Portuguese case. The reconstruction of the largest business groups assembles information relevant to define characteristics that enable them to thrive. Increasing internationalization, more specialization in core activities and family control define these types of big businesses. New sectors also emerge as a characteristic of these business groups when compared to the ones existing 40 years ago.

Internationalization of UniPlaces to the Spanish market: Internationalization plan to Madrid, Spain

Field Lab in Entrepreneurial Innovative Ventures

Describing and explaining the foreign expansion of network managing electronic business companies (NM-EBCs)

This study deals with the internationalization behavior of a new and specific type of e-business company, namely the network managing e-business company (NM-EBC). The business model of such e-business companies is based on providing a platform and applications for users to connect and interact, on gathering and channeling the inputs provided by the users, and on organizing and managing the cross-relationships of the various participants. Examples are online communities, matching platforms, and portals. Since NM-EBCs internationalize by replicating their business model in a foreign market and by building up and managing a network of users, who provide input themselves and interact with each other, they have to convince users in foreign markets to join the network and hence to adopt their platform. We draw upon Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations Theory and Network Theory to explain the internationalization behavior of NM-EBCs. These two theories originate from neighboring disciplines and have not yet been used to explain the internationalization of firms. We combine both theories and formulate hypotheses about which strategies NM-EBCs may choose to expand abroad. To test the applicability of our theory and to gain rich data about the internationalization behavior of these firms, we carried out multiple case studies with internationally active Germany-based NM-EBCs.

Information internalisation in internationalising the firm

Internationalisation occurs when the firm expands its selling, production, or other business activities into international markets. Many enterprises, especially small- and medium-size firms (SMEs), are internationalising today at an unprecedented rate. Managers are strategically using information to achieve degrees of internationalisation previously considered the domain of large firms. We extend existing explanations of firm internationalisation by examining the nature and fundamental, antecedent role of internalising appropriate information and translating it into relevant knowledge. Based on case studies of internationalising firms, we advance a conceptualisation of information internalisation and knowledge creation within the firm as it achieves internationalisation readiness. In the process, we offer several propositions intended to guide future research. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

O investimento Português no Brasil e os desafios do futuro

O presente estudo tem por objectivo analisar o papel desempenhado pelo Brasil no processo de internacionalização das empresas portuguesas e, consequentemente, da economia nacional, com recurso preferencial ao Investimento Directo Estrangeiro no desenvolvimento desse processo, analisado não só na vertente económica, evidenciando a sua contribuição para a modernização e o aumento de competitividade da economia portuguesa, num mundo globalizado, mas também da sua relevância na criação de uma nova imagem dos portugueses e das empresas nacionais, no Brasil, e no aumento da importância política de Portugal na América Latina, em resultado desse continuado esforço de internacionalização. Para atingir o objectivo proposto, o Trabalho procura abordar o tema do Investimento Directo Português no Brasil (IDPB) seguindo um caminho inverso do habitualmente utilizado, ou seja, a partir dos protagonistas – os investidores – obter um conhecimento mais profundo dessa realidade e, com base nesse conhecimento, concluir para a teoria. A metodologia de trabalho adoptada consistiu na realização de um survey, que permitiu identificar 110 empresas de capitais portugueses, investidoras em 24 sectores da actividade económica brasileira, e no estudo de cinco casos paradigmáticos, seleccionados a partir dessas empresas (estudo de caso, multi-casos). Os resultados obtidos permitem concluir ser o Brasil importante para o processo de internacionalização das empresas portuguesas, particularmente desde a segunda metade dos anos 90, dado tratar-se de um mercado de elevado potencial e em crescimento e dada a existência de factores sócio-culturais de grande importância para as empresas investidoras portuguesas, e considerar a relevância assumida pelo IDPB não apenas como um fenómeno histórico, meramente conjuntural, mas sim como um fenómeno cuja importância se prolonga na actualidade, com perspectivas realistas de futuro. Uma adequada pesquisa documental, complementada pela realização de entrevistas, e a correspondente análise crítica dos resultados permitem ainda identificar quais os principais desafios que se colocam aos investidores portugueses no Brasil, para terem sucesso nos seus empreendimentos, no futuro, e concluir pela relevância do IDPB na criação de uma nova imagem dos portugueses e das empresas nacionais, no Brasil, e no aumento da importância política de Portugal na América Latina, em resultado desse continuado esforço de internacionalização.

Expatriates’ influence on knowledge sharing: an empirical study with International portuguese companies

Despite the abundant literature in knowledge management, few empirical studies have explored knowledge management in connection with international assignees. This phenomenon has a special relevance in the Portuguese context, since (a) there are no empirical studies concerning this issue that involves international Portuguese companies; (b) the national business reality is incipient as far as internationalisation is concerned, and; (c) the organisational and national culture presents characteristics that are distinctive from the most highly studied contexts (e.g., Asia, USA, Scandinavian countries, Spain, France, The Netherlands, Germany, England and Russia). We examine the role of expatriates in transfer and knowledge sharing within the Portuguese companies with operations abroad. We focus specifically on expatriates’ role on knowledge sharing connected to international Portuguese companies and our findings take into account organizational representatives’ and expatriates’ perspectives. Using a comparative case study approach, we examine how three main dimensions influence the role of expatriates in knowledge sharing among headquarters and their subsidiaries (types of international assignment, reasons for using expatriation and international assignment characteristics). Data were collected using semi‐structured interviews to 30 Portuguese repatriates and 14 organizational representatives from seven Portuguese companies. The findings suggest that the reasons that lead Portuguese companies to expatriating employees are connected to: (1) business expansion needs; (2) control of international operations and; (3) transfer and knowledge sharing. Our study also shows that Portuguese companies use international assignments in order to positively respond to the increasingly decaying domestic market in the economic areas in which they operate. Evidence also reveals that expatriation is seen as a strategy to fulfill main organizational objectives through their expatriates (e.g., business internationalization, improvement of the coordination and control level of the units/subsidiaries abroad, replication of aspects of the home base, development and incorporation of new organizational techniques and processes). We also conclude that Portuguese companies have developed an International Human Resources Management strategy, based on an ethnocentric approach, typically associated with companies in early stages of internationalization, i.e., the authority and decision making are centered in the home base. Expatriates have a central role in transmitting culture and technical knowledge from company’s headquarters to the company’s branches. Based on the findings, the article will discuss in detail the main theoretical and managerial implications. Suggestions for further research will also be presented.

Comportamento das organizações: a influência da dimensão das empresas na capacidade de internacionalização e o interesse daquelas no aumento da dimensão

Teses de Doutoramento em Ciências Empresariais.

Päijäthämäläisten yritysten tieto- ja osaamistarpeet Venäjän liiketoiminnassa

Russia is a developing and growing economy which gives great potential for Finnish companies to practice diverse business. However, the unique characteristics of Russia set some challenges for companies which have to be managed with either own know-how or by exploiting external knowledge-intensive business services. Constant developing of company’s know-how and knowledge is part of a successful internationalization and knowledge has a magnificent role in company’s internationalization process. Organizations’ needs for knowledge inputs were researched through a holistic case study where method-triangulation was used. Through a case study the demand for knowledge inputs could be examined on general level, but also, under-stood profoundly and comprehensively. The data was collected through qualitative interviews and quantitative survey. The results show that the companies consider the knowledge-intensive business services in Russian business important. However, the degree of utilization was fairly varying and firm-specific. According to the results, the strongest demand for knowledge inputs is in the field of operational knowledge. The need for external support in Russian business was remarkably lower in companies that currently do Russian business compared to the companies on planning level.

Business plan PME.Box: internationalization to Spain

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Cosmopolitan Capital and the Internationalization of the Field of Business Elites: Evidence from the Swiss Case

The aim of this contribution is to explore how the recent internationalization and the increasing importance of 'cosmopolitan capital' has impacted on the structure and character of the field of the Swiss business elite. For this purpose we will develop the notion of cosmopolitan capital and comparatively investigate the field of the Swiss business elite in 1980, 2000 and 2010 with multiple correspondence analysis. We can show that in this period international managers with transnational careers and networks not only grow in number, but come to conquer the apex of the biggest and highest capitalized Swiss firms. At the same time, national forms of capital decline in importance and Swiss managers themselves are differentiated increasingly into national and international fractions.