Abel Adekola

Global business management : a cross-cultural perspective

Contents: Foreword Preface Introduction International management and cross-cultural perspectives Changes and growth in the international marketplace An introduction to multinational enterprises The impact of economics and the international monetary framework on international management The impact of domestic politics on international business Information technology and its impact on international management International service management Culture defined The impact of culture on international management Cross-cultural training and expatriate assignments Appendix Bibliography Index.

The significance and paradox of globalisation in the 21st century: the role of three major global institutions in selected areas

This paper examines globalisation, its significance, paradox and the cultural approaches used to understand this phenomenon. We look at how globalisation evolved, suggesting that a trend towards global interplay is not the outcome of modern times. We observe the role and process of financial institutions in three major global institutions in selected areas, and consider globalisations effects in regional contexts and the impact on the worlds economic system. The paper explores the role of politics as it affects globalisation in its allocation of goods and services. It concludes with the significance of culture as the central driving force perpetuating its paradox.

Internationalisation of the campus and curriculum: evidence from the US institutions of higher learning

This study evaluates the extent to which academic institutions and their curricula are internationalised in the US. The survey instrument incorporates variables that assess the students’ globalisation skills related to international awareness, international competency and international expertise. Generally, findings suggest that a large proportion of students in the US glean their international learning experiences from course-infused content. This allows them to develop international awareness and competency skills, but fall short of the international expertise skills. Furthermore, the probability that students will be exposed to international or cross-cultural learning experiences increases as they advance in their various programmes.

Foreign aid, legal origin, economic growth and Africa’s least developed countries

The issue of foreign aid dependency in Africa remains controversial among policymakers. The Euro zone, which provides the bulk of foreign aid to developing countries, is currently implementing some austerity programmes. Consequently, this study investigates what really matters; the quantity or quality of foreign aid to support economic growth of Africa’s least developed countries. We assess these issues within a country’s legal origin framework. Our findings suggest that both quantity and quality of aid matters and that growth-enhancing effects of aid are more likely to be present in the former British colonies regardless of sample and model specification.

Particulars of US Information Technology and productivity: lessons for Europe

There is ample evidence that investment in Information Technology (IT) boosted labour markets productivity in the USA. In fact, conspicuous flows of investment in this sector enabled the US firms to record high rates of productivity growth and to boost up the countrys economic growth to very high rates. The US experience that took place during the second part of the 1990s was not echoed in Europe owing to the fact that European firms have not adopted forward-looking investment decisions on this sector. Besides divergence in investment decisions, it is possible to observe that divergence in productive growth outcomes between the US and European firms have been as a result of different managerial organisations.

Internationalising business education curriculum in a 'flat world': the scope and constraints

This study empirically analyses the scope and constraints of internationalising business education curriculum in the USA. Using primary data, we evaluate the extent to which faculty members engage in internationalisation activities, the potential job risk attached to the process and the university support. Additionally we attempt to address the following three questions: What are the current approaches to business curriculum internationalisation? What are the constraints? What other effective and cost efficient approaches can faculty members use? Results point to compelling evidence that majority of the faculty members are currently internationalisation their curriculum. However, the preferred approach is by infusing cross-cultural elements in the course content rather than involve international travel. Nonetheless, they face cost constraints and lack of proper international experiences. Furthermore job risk plays a significant role in a facultys decision to internationalise.

Can small and medium multinational enterprises offer an alternative to multinational corporations in African countries? Evidence from Nigeria

Promotion of private investment is a necessity for capital formation in African countries. Foreign private investment in particular, is considered to be a source of the scarce capital resources, valuable technological know-how and corporate norms and practices. However, given the political unpredictability, lack of sufficient infrastructures, inadequate human capital and local technological capacities in these countries, attracting foreign investors outside of the natural resources sector, especially multinational corporations, has been a troubling concern to the policy makers in the region. Using Nigeria as our case study, we attempt to answer the following two questions: Are the small and medium multinational enterprises (SMMEs) an alternative to the traditional larger multinational corporations (MNCs) that have eluded African countries? What are the motivations and investment characteristics of the SMMEs? We evaluate these issues using primary data.

Sectoral Effects on Female Absolute and Relative Employment in Selected Least Developed Countries

Abstract This study investigates the sectoral effects on female absolute and relative employment in 39 least developed countries. Random and fixed effects estimation techniques were used on a panel data for the period 1991–2010. Our results shed light on the importance of the sectoral effects on female employment. Specifically, we find that while changes in the agriculture sector output tend to significantly favor female employment in both absolute and relative terms, those in the services, manufacturing, and nonmanufacturing industry sectors tend to have negative effects when significant. Besides the sectoral effects, an increase in female access to education and industrialization, and a decrease in reproduction responsibilities play an important role in enhancing female production responsibilities. Nonetheless, the role of infrastructure development in lessening women’s unpaid care burden and consequently increasing their employment opportunities cannot be underestimated in both absolute and relative terms.

Sectoral Shifts and Women’s Employment: A Study of Thirty-Nine Least Developed Countries

Abstract We investigate the way structural change (measured in terms of the composition of production) affects the female employment to population ratios in thirty-nine least developed countries. We use random and fixed effects estimation techniques on a panel data from 1991 to 2010. Our findings highlight the importance of structural change on female access to employment. Specifically, we find that, while positive changes in the agriculture sector output tend to significantly favor female absolute and relative employment, those in the services as well as the manufacturing and non-manufacturing industry sectors tend to have negative effects where significant. In addition to sectoral effects, the increased access to education, industrialization, and the decreased reproduction responsibilities are important in enhancing female production responsibilities. Nonetheless, the role of infrastructure development in lessening the unpaid care burden of women, and consequently increasing their employment opportunities in both absolute and relative terms, cannot be underestimated.

International economic organisations and the new economic order

International economic organisations are increasingly coming under the scrutiny and criticism of the international community. They have often been accused of not being able to fulfil the promise of what they stand for and guilty of even of worlds worst outcomes. This paper challenges this viewpoint by proposing a new role for international organisations in Africa and developing countries in general. The paper suggests that a countrys structural programme and domestic economic policies should be planned in concert with domestic authorities and experts.