Desirée Blankenburg Holm

Creating Value through Mutual Commitment to Business Network Relationships

A structural model of business relationship development in a business network context is formulated and tested on delta from the European International Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) project. The e ...

Internationalisation of Small to Medium-sized Manufacturing Firms : A Network Approach

How do firms use business networks when they internationalise? To answer this question, a longitudinal case study of four manufacturing firms in a small open economy such as New Zealand is used. This paper includes a dynamic element in the study of internationalisation by using Johanson and Mattssons (1988) model [Internationalization in industrial systems -- a network approach. In P. J. Buckley, & P. N. Ghauri, The internationalization of the firm: a reader (pp. 303-321). London: Academic Press]. This model uses social exchange theory to illustrate how firms develop network relationships organically to internationalise. In New Zealand, however, government export promotion programmes encourage formal structured networks. This paper identifies the theoretical gap in the literature, which is the focus on organically developed networks rather than formal structured ones. The studys findings illustrate the dynamics of how firms interact with their network partners to extend, penetrate and integrate their international markets. Networks can help firms expose themselves to new opportunities, obtain knowledge, learn from experiences, and benefit from the synergistic effect of pooled resources. Another contribution of this paper is that it identifies weaknesses and various other factors that influence the model, thus advancing the literature.

The character of bridgehead relationships

A suppliers development of a foreign market can be better understood when examined in the context of bridgehead business relationships between a supplier and a foreign customer. In addition to intrarelationship factors, the network of business relationships connected with a supplier and its foreign customer is also important in understanding the suppliers bridgehead relationships. The results from a LISREL analysis of 142 international business relationships show that the suppliers bridgehead relationships are conditioned by the personal relations with the foreign customer. The suppliers bridgehead relationships are also dependent on mutual commercial dependence between the supplier and the foreign customer. The results show that the supplier views the foreign customer as a conduit for foreign market development and will commit itself to the business relationship for this reason. A further finding is that the network of business relations connected with a supplier and its foreign customer constitutes an important setting for the suppliers bridgehead relationships.

Opportunities, relational embeddedness and network structure

The thesis of this chapter is that the characteristics of the business network surrounding the firm have a profound impact on how the firm finds and exploits opportunities. Characteristics of networks and relations between network actors have been increasingly researched during recent decades (see e.g. Dyer and Chu, 2000; Grabher, 1993; Granovetter, 1985, 1992; Gulati, 1998, 1999; Gulati et al., 2000; Hakansson and Snehota, 1995; Halinen and Tornroos, 1998; Kogut, 2000; McEvily and Zaheer, 1999; Rowley et al., 2000; Uzzi, 1996, 1997; Zukin and Di Maggio, 1990). In parallel, a wide and strong tradition of research has emerged on the nature of opportunity, especially among entrepreneurship researchers (see e.g. Ardichvili et al., 2003; Eckhardt and Shane, 2003; Shane, 2000). We aim to combine these two traditions and seek to develop a model for analyzing the relation between different types of opportunities and different types of relationships and networks. Entrepreneurial behavior and social networks have previously been explored (Ardichvili et al., 2003; Ellis, 2000; Jack and Anderson, 2002; Kenney and Goe, 2004; Simsek et al., 2003). These studies have observed that there seems to be a relation between finding an opportunity and the characteristics of the social network, but to our knowledge there are no studies investigating the character of relationships and network configurations and how it influences the firm’s way of finding and exploiting opportunities.

The internationalization processes of the firm: a new research agenda

This paper examines the fundamental assumptions and features of the Uppsala model of internationalization to suggest they have prevented the exploration of several conceptually relevant aspects of the internationalization of the firm. We identify three neglected issues that offer significant potential for further theoretical and empirical work, specifically the pre-history of internationalization, the internationalization of multiple products within the confines of the growing multinational corporation, and the internationalization of foreign units.

How Subsidiaries Attempt to Direct HQ Attention to New Business Opportunities

Abstract Purpose We examine how subsidiaries of multinational companies communicate with headquarters about business opportunities they perceive in their local environment. Our aim is to provide in-depth insights into how communication is used to attract the attention of headquarters. Methodology/approach We study four communication processes of opportunities recognised by subsidiary managers in four different units within the same multinational corporation. Findings We find that communication is influenced by the subsidiaries’ perception of their relationship with headquarters. Importantly, we find that subsidiaries in emerging countries show different communication patterns than those in advanced markets. Our results further point out that multinationals from advanced countries face the challenge to respond to the increased salience of opportunities from emerging economies, while at the same time still working within existing communication patterns and structures that are not adapted to this new situation. Originality/value Our study presents communication processes within multinationals beyond the frequency of communication, including a variety of aspects of communication. Doing so, we are able to point out that open communication is not achieved with all subsidiaries, and what is worse, seems most of all to be challenged for subsidiaries in emerging markets, risking promising business opportunities in these markets.

The internationalization processes of the multinational corporation – a new research agenda

This paper examines the fundamental assumptions and features of the Uppsala model of internationalization to suggest they have prevented the exploration of several conceptually relevant aspects of the internationalization of the firm. We identify three neglected issues that offer significant potential for further theoretical and empirical work, specifically the pre-history of internationalization, the internationalization of multiple products within the confines of the growing multinational corporation, and the internationalization of foreign units.

Research on Knowledge, Innovation and Internationalization

This paper examines the fundamental assumptions and features of the Uppsala model of internationalization to suggest they have prevented the exploration of several conceptually relevant aspects of the internationalization of the firm. We identify three neglected issues that offer significant potential for further theoretical and empirical work, specifically the pre-history of internationalization, the internationalization of multiple products within the confines of the growing multinational corporation, and the internationalization of foreign units.