Gloria L. Ge

Market orientation, competitive strategy and firm performance: An empirical study of Chinese firms

Abstract In this paper, we investigate the mediating effects of a firms competitive strategy in the market orientation-performance relationship. Based on a sample of 371 manufacturing firms in China, evidence was found that the three dimensions of market orientation exert different effects on competitive strategy and performance. Among them, customer orientation has the strongest association with competitive strategy and market performance. This lends credence to a componentwise approach on the study of the relationship between market orientation and performance. The results of structural equation analyses indicate that the mediating effect of competitive strategy is mainly revealed in innovation strategy, the most vital factor in creating superior value for the company in the emerging market. Limitations of this study and implications for future studies are discussed.

Evolution of organizational governance and human resource management in China's township and village enterprises

This study reviews the evolution of organizational governance and human resource management practices in Chinas non-state sector, with a focus on Chinas township and village enterprises (TVEs). The empirical investigation on twenty TVEs located in Southern China provided the evidence that, as enterprises move towards a more formal corporate governance structure with clearer property rights relations, their human resource management practices tend to become more marketized, in order to meet the challenge of increased competition in the highly dynamic, transitional Chinese economy.

The internationalization of engineering consulting from a strategy tripod perspective

This research investigates the internationalization of engineering consulting firms. The study draws on the elements of the strategy tripod (industry factors, resources and capabilities, and institutional factors). The internationalization process is examined using a longitudinal single case study of a New Zealand-based engineering consulting firm with 40 years of international experience. The research identifies five phases through which the case firm passed during that period, and highlights the different strategies that were apparent. It is shown that individual actors lead to an adjustment of the modes of operation and overall play a significant role for the internationalization of engineering consulting firms.

Effects of inter- and intra-hierarchy wage dispersions on firm performance in Chinese enterprises

This study examined the impact of inter- and intra-hierarchy wage dispersions on company performance based on a sample of 395 Chinese enterprises. It was hypothesized that (1) inter-hierarchy wage dispersion between managers and workers is positively related to firm performance and (2) intra-hierarchy wage dispersion within manager and worker groups is negatively related to firm performance. Results based on regression analysis confirmed the first hypothesis and showed partial support for the second. Practical and policy implications are discussed in the context of Chinas transitional economy.

The Effects of the Institutional Environment on the Internationalization of Chinese Firms

In the last three decades, China has proved to be one of the largest and fastest growing transitional economies in the world. China became the world largest recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) for the first time in 2002 (OECD, 2003). A large number of studies have been conducted on inward FDI in China (e.g., Buckley, Clegg, & Wang, 2002; Chadee, Qiu, & Rose, 2003; Huang, 2003). Growing hand in hand with FDI inflow, China’s outward FDI has been steadily increasing. According to the Statistical Bulletin of China (China National Statistic Bureau, 2007), by the end of 2006, the cumulative total of China’s outward FDI reached US

Determinants of internationalisation strategies: a study of Chinese multinational enterprises

90.63 billion, which makes China the largest outward direct foreign investor among all developing countries.

Strategic HRM practices and their impact on company performance in Chinese enterprises

The surge of Chinas outward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in recent years has led to a strong research interest in the internationalisation of Chinese Multinational Enterprises (MNEs). A review of the literature reveals that the mainstream internationalisation theories need to be extended when applied to the Chinese context. This paper examines the factors that have significant impact on the choice of internationalisation strategies of Chinese MNEs. Our findings indicate that the internationalisation strategies of Chinese firms have neither followed the conventional mode nor have been determined by the psychic distance. Factors, such as the institutional environment and inward FDI, are found to be significant in understanding the internationalisation strategies of Chinese MNEs.