Lourdes Casanova

Towards an internal change management perspective of CSR: evidence from project RESPONSE on the sources of cognitive alignment between managers and their stakeholders, and their implications for social performance

Purpose – This paper aims to juxtapose two separate perspectives on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in terms of their ability to explain the cognitive alignment between managers and stakeholders on what constitutes the social responsibility of the focal firm, and to explain social performance.Design/methodology/approach – The authors take two perspectives: that of stakeholder engagement, which has historically characterized the debate on CSR; and that of internal change processes required to integrate CSR in a firms operations. The authors analyze data from 427 interviews, of which 209 were with managers and 219 with stakeholders of 19 multinational firms in eight sectors, to assess the extent of cognitive alignment between managers and stakeholders on the conceptualization of CSR for the relevant firm, to determine which of the two theoretical perspectives is connected with the degree of cognitive alignment, and to determine which of the two is connected with the perception of corporate social per...

Latin America: economic and business context

This article offers a detailed view of key drivers for the wide-ranging economic reforms in the region during the 1990s, chiefly the Washington Consensus and the increased political stability. It highlights the key developments and results of the reforms in the areas of privatization (across industries), foreign investment and trade liberalization. It further provides insight into how the opening up of the regional economies resulted in multinationals penetrating and thereafter increasing their ownership of business across sectors, how, as a result, the public-sector share shrank during the period and how the local businesses adapted to this changed environment. The article also touches upon some key structural changes in the labour market as a result of the developments of the 1990s. This is followed by an exploration of the key themes and challenges facing the regional economies in the years ahead – economic, social and geo-political.

East Asian, European, and North American Multinational Firm Strategies in Latin America

Over the past decade, multinationals (MNCs) have followed three main objectives while entering Latin America: efficiency seeking, growth seeking, and resource seeking. Efficiency seeking MNCs aim to reduce costs in their global production process through access to cheaper labor, and proximity to destination markets such as the United States. Growth seeking firms enter Latin American markets to grow and/or acquire new markets. They are by nature more dependent on the macroeconomic conditions in local markets for their success. Resource seeking firms enter Latin America in the search of minerals, metals, and hydrocarbons. This paper introduces the concept of natural markets to explain the relative successes of MNCs from different regions Europe (mainly Iberian), USA, and Asia. Natural markets for a MNC are defined as those markets sharing a common history or language or having a high level of physical proximity with the country of origin of the MNC. This paper proposes that a firm focusing on natural markets has a comparative advantage, and thus increases the probability of its success. The paper also draws upon the experiences of successful MNCs in Latin America to infer some lessons for East Asian MNCs wishing to operate in the region.

The Political Economy of an Emerging Global Power

Introduction: Brazil at a CrossroadsList of Figures and Tables PART I: A CHAMPION OF SOFT POWER 1. A Friendly Giant 2. The Brasilia Consensus: Still a Valid Model? PART II: A HARD POWER NATION IN THE MAKING 3. Brazils Economic Power 4. Brazilian Companies Going Global PART III: WHAT WILL PROPEL BRAZIL FORWARD? 5. Strengthening Economic Competitiveness 6. Sustaining Social Innovation 7. In Search of a Role on the Global Stage Conclusion: How soon will Brazil lead?

Internationalization of emerging multinationals: the Latin American case

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop an analytical framework that challenges the condescending view of multinationals of emerging countries. In this paper, it is showed that emerging multinational companies (EMNCs) developed valuable resources that leveraged their internationalization strategies. Design/methodology/approach – An exploratory approach was used to investigate the internationalization strategies of EMNCs. A qualitative study was built on secondary data sources, particularly analysis of cases of the internationalization of Latin American companies. Findings – The internationalization strategies deployed by EMNCs are similar to the strategies of traditional multinationals (firms of developed countries). Similarly, EMNCs exploit, acquire or defend their resources in foreign markets. Additionally, the selection of each strategy depends on the availability, transferability and substitutability of the resources involved in the internationalization. Research limitations/implications – T...

Corporate Social Responsibility and Latin American Multinationals

This paper looks at corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices of multinationals from Latin America. In spite of the economic growth in recent years, social problems in the region persist. Poverty is endemic and Latin America is still today one of the most unequal regions in the world. Multinationals from Latin America have thrived in the last years and are embracing CSR practices. The paper asks if these CSR practices are effective or whether they should become more proactive in poverty alleviation.

Policies to Drive Innovation in India

The chapter discusses India’s innovation performance, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of its innovation system and associated government interventions. Since the late 20th century, India has developed a stable foundation for scientific, technological, and business education. The National Telecom Policy of 1994 and subsequent policy on broadband in 2004 laid the foundation for the rise of the Indian IT and telecommunications (mobile) industry. Despite many achievements thus far, in order to further encourage innovation India needs to implement substantial reforms in its innovation policy. The recently elected government has partially responded to these challenges by making innovation a national priority, establishing a Ministry for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, creating financial schemes for SMEs and incubation programs for startups, and announcing increased expenditures on infrastructure.

International Competitiveness of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Peru, a Latin-American Emerging Market

ABSTRACT Our research studies the international competitiveness of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in an emerging Latin-American country. Using a sample of 100 SMEs in Peru, we find that firms compete abroad with standardized products, which are conditioned by the host-country markets, human capital, and industry cooperation. However, the results show that the age and size of the firm are not determining factors in competing overseas. Our findings open a new agenda for policymakers when interpreting how they should promote and support Latin-American SMEs.

Global Innovation Competitiveness: How Emerging Economies Compare

The national strategic agendas of most economies address innovation and entrepreneurship, while developing countries have especially emphasized fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. Metrics that capture innovation as it actually happens in the world are scarce, however. The Global Innovation Index (GII) captures the richness of innovation in society by including the elements that enable innovation (such as human capital and the institutional environment) rather than simply tracking traditional measures of innovation, such as the number of research articles and the level of R&D expenditures. We use the GII results to understand global trends in innovation competitiveness and to evaluate how emerging markets fare. From several examples, we note that persistent, well- coordinated national innovation policy plans with clear targets and a matching institutional set-up are a key ingredient for success in developing countries. A thorough review of existing innovation systems and their strengths and weaknesses may support effective innovation policy design in emerging markets in the future.The national strategic agendas of most economies address innovation and entrepreneurship, while developing countries have especially emphasized fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. Metrics that capture innovation as it actually happens in the world are scarce, however. The Global Innovation Index (GII) captures the richness of innovation in society by including the elements that enable innovation (such as human capital and the institutional environment) rather than simply tracking traditional measures of innovation, such as the number of research articles and the level of R&D expenditures. We use the GII results to understand global trends in innovation competitiveness and to evaluate how emerging markets fare. From several examples, we note that persistent, well- coordinated national innovation policy plans with clear targets and a matching institutional set-up are a key ingredient for success in developing countries. A thorough review of existing innovation systems and their strengths and weaknesses may support effective innovation policy design in emerging markets in the future.

Latin American multinationals facing the ‘new reality’

The 1990s were marked by the transformation of Latin American economies through market liberalization, privatization of the public sector and tax reforms. Foreign direct investment grew from US