Masud Chand

Global competitiveness, consumer choice and ‘country of origin’ effect: an exploratory East–West study

As protectionist sentiments rise in many countries in light of the 2008–2009 financial crisis, it is more important than ever to understand the potential role of homophily on the country of origin (COO) effect in consumer purchases and how it can impact trade and investment. This study examines these attitudes using a sample of 139 university students from different ethnic backgrounds in Vancouver (Canada), one of the most culturally diverse cities in North America. The results confirm the importance of ethnicity in affecting attitudes toward different countries, including the impact of political/cultural ties and current/historical events on their formation. Variations among different ethnic groups were found, however.

Diaspora as the boundary-spanners: The role of trust in business facilitation

Abstract Diasporas play a number of important roles in facilitating trade and investments between their countries of origin (COO) and countries of residence (COR). This paper explores what makes them so effective in these roles by indicating how they can foster trust across diverse cultures. We explain how members of ethnic diasporas can leverage the trust that they have built with their COR (through education and/or work experience) and their COO (through ethnic ties) to bring about trade-related benefits to both their COO and COR. Examples from two of the largest and most prominent diasporas today, the Chinese and the Indian diasporas, are used to illustrate these issues. The paper reviewed some of the roles that modern diasporas can play and explained how trust can constitute an important aspect in each of these roles. It then explored how diasporas are uniquely positioned to generate the trust that is so essential to these roles. Next, some of the evolving modern issues that affect diasporas are identified in the context of how they could foster and utilise trust. Finally, the paper discussed the implications of trust for diasporas and trade facilitation.

Diasporas, migration, and trade: the Indian diaspora in North America

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the migration of the Indian diaspora to Canada and the USA and its role in fostering trade and investment between them using its transnational social networks.Design/methodology/approach – This study was based on interviews with 25 Indian immigrants, 13 in Canada and 12 in the USA.Findings – The social networks that immigrants had in both their country of residence (COR) and country of origin (COO) act as conduits of trade and investment between the two. The Indian diaspora further facilitates economic engagement between the COO and COR by running cross‐border businesses, introducing Indian products and brands in the COR, introducing the Indian culture and helping non‐Indians to invest in India. Within the COO, the diasporas social networks often helped Indians in India connect with markets, suppliers and potential business partners in the COR.Research limitations/implications – The sample size was 25 people and was restricted to managers, executives and en...

Leveraging the Diaspora for Africa’s Economic Development

ABSTRACT African countries need to engage their diasporas in industrialized countries to provide much needed human, social, and financial capital to help with their economic development. For Africa’s economies to successfully transition from their current state of commodity-dominated production to high value-added production, governments in the continent must design and implement strategies to harness their grossly underutilized diaspora in developed countries. For the most part, the diaspora’s contribution to development has been viewed only in terms of remittances that go primarily to support families. In this paper, we provide a broad overview of some of the diaspora friendly policies that can help engage the African diaspora in the economic development of their respective countries of origin (COOs). Governments in the COOs need to move beyond seeing the diaspora as simply a source for remittances, and engage them in a meaningful way to provide them with a sustainable competitive advantage in the global battle for talent. There needs to be a move beyond simple calls to patriotism, and into engagement that leads to a mutually beneficial relationship between the diaspora and its COO. We conclude by pointing out some of the steps that can be taken in this regard to engage with the diaspora in a mutually beneficial relationship.

Working for Chinese and Indian companies overseas: human resource challenges and the nation brand

The rapid growth of China and India as significant outward foreign direct investors has led companies from these emerging economies to look for technically skilled and culturally savvy workers for their operations overseas. This two-part empirical study surveys a sample of 120 soon to graduate students of various ethnicities at a major Canadian West Coast university and follows up with interviews of 12 students from the same group to determine their attitudes to working for Chinese and Indian companies in various countries, the reasons behind these attitudes, and the effect that ties of homophily and their cultural distance from China and India have on these attitudes. The results indicate that there are significant differences in attitudes toward working for Chinese and Indian companies across different ethnicities, and that the concepts of homophily and cultural distance can help partly explain these differences.

Health Care Entrepreneurship in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: An Exploratory Study

In this empirical study, the authors explore entrepreneurship in the health care business in the Eastern Kasai Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) using cross-cultural literature and the resource-based view to ground its analyses. The data were collected using a questionnaire targeted toward the health care entrepreneurs in Mbuji Mayi, the capital city of the Eastern Kasai Province in July 2010, which yielded 68 responses. The results indicated that the entrepreneurs were predominantly middle-aged Congolese men with backgrounds in the health services field who had raised their startup capital mostly from personal savings or friends and family. Their businesses, which were mostly in the form of sole proprietorships, were likely to be located in areas underserved by public medical facilities and usually provided both curative and preventative medical services.

Cultural influences in the decision to invest in new ventures: an exploratory study

Do cultural factors influence whether individuals invest in new ventures? If so, do cultural factors influence in whose new ventures they invest? When making economic decisions, individuals are embedded in their societys cultural norms. Because countries differ on cultural dimensions, we hypothesize that an individuals culture influences whether he or she invests in new ventures. Additionally, for those who do invest, we hypothesize that their culture influences whether they invest in a family member or nonfamily members venture. The results generally support our hypotheses and show that different cultural dimensions influence whether an individual invests in a new venture, and whether s/he invests in a family or nonfamily members new venture. Because family members are one of the greatest sources of capital for entrepreneurs when starting a business, these results may explain the differences in new venture funding rates and new business startup rates between nations.

Brain Drain, Brain Circulation, and the African Diaspora in the United States

ABSTRACT African immigrants are among the most educated immigrants in the United States. Their rising numbers and their highly educated background point to the importance of studying this growing phenomenon. The reasons for moving to the U.S. include pull factors such as better salaries, living conditions, and career opportunities, as well push factors, such as poor-quality institutions, lack of infrastructure, corruption, and nepotism in their countries of origin. African immigrants, because of their skills, resources, and networks, can help provide much needed human, social, and financial capital to their countries of origin. This paper investigates the immigration of people born in Africa to the U.S. It analyzes their backgrounds, the reasons for their move, and their activities in engaging with their countries of origin. It uses the theoretical lens of brain drain and brain circulation to analyze how these take place in the context of recent African immigration to the U.S. It proposes some ways in which African countries can best engage with their diasporas in the U.S. in a manner that is beneficial to all the three parties involved – the country of origin, the U.S., and the diaspora itself.

Motherland or home state? Allegiance of the Indian diaspora and its effect on reverse FDI

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential regional preferences of the diaspora and explain how such preferences affect their decision when engaging in reverse Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Since diasporas often act as conduits for trade and investment, the author is interested in whether these regional preferences affect their choice of destination for FDI. Design/methodology/approach – The author developed and pre-tested a questionnaire that was administered in pen and paper as well as online. Totally, 158 professional, managers and entrepreneurs with Indian diasporic background in the USA and Canada participated in the study. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 25 participants. Findings – Participants indicated that they did not favor their region of origin over the entire country. However, most of the participants only invested in their region of origin. Research limitations/implications – Interviews were based on the original survey questionnaire and did not further probe...