Orly Yeheskel

Autonomy and effectiveness of equity international joint ventures (IJVs) in China

Using a sample of 153 equity international joint ventures (IJVs) located in China, this paper examines when autonomy is correlated with IJV effectiveness. Correlations are strongest with respect to autonomy to implement (without power to formulate) strategic business plans. The ability to both formulate and implement strategic business plans is also associated with effectiveness, especially when evaluated by the IJV chief executive officers (CEOs). The autonomy-effectiveness relationship is stronger for IJVs that are older, larger, operating in heavy industry, or have parents with more similar goals. Strong autonomy-effectiveness correlations exist whether IJV CEOs or regional headquarters personnel evaluate their IJVs, although correlations are generally higher when IJV CEOs evaluate their IJVs.

Parent company dissimilarity and equity international joint venture effectiveness

Based upon existing literature and research findings, the relationships between functional and dysfunctional parent company dissimilarity and equity international joint venture (EIJV) effectiveness are examined. Managers of potential EIJVs face a dilemma. While they want to work with partners that are similar, they need partners that are dissimilar in order to gain from collaborating. The findings of this research are important because they give managers some indications of which kinds of dissimilarities should be avoided because they are dysfunctional and which dissimilarities can be encouraged since they are functional. A cross-national study of 140 EIJVs shows that substantial differences in the primary industries of the parent companies contributed significantly to EIJV effectiveness, whereas substantial differences in the reputations of the parent companies detracted significantly from EIJV effectiveness. Also, cultural differences among the parent companies in individualism-collectivism and in uncertainty avoidance produced a positive impact on EIJV effectiveness. With respect to differences in parent company goals, this study found a consistently negative (although not statistically significant) correlation with EIJV effectiveness. Functionality and dysfunctionality of differences in equity distribution, parent company size, and ownership type were also examined with respect to five common performance measures and a general effectiveness index.

Group processes and the development of information systems: a social psychological perspective

Abstract This article discusses the influence of intra-group processes on the development of information systems. Two alternative models of the Trinity Concept were compared in terms of the influence of communication patterns and group working procedures on productivity and intra-group relations. The first model has been characterized by individual work and circular communication, and the second by collaborative group work and multi-directional communication. Predictions are been made in favour of the latter over the former.

Footloose and fancy-free: sojourning entrepreneurs in China

Purpose – At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the paper is witnessing a new phenomenon of international entrepreneurship; skilled entrepreneurs from developed countries are temporarily moving to emerging economies in order to pursue business opportunities. While anecdotal evidence exists, very little theoretical development has taken place so far to explain to this phenomenon. The paper presents two short cases based on such anecdotal evidence. These cases form the basis for the development of a conceptual framework which entails a profile of entrepreneurs who have the ability to establish and operate new business ventures in an emerging economy which is characterized by a high psychic distance. Design/methodology/approach – Using Sius work on immigrant laborers, the paper suggests that skilled, professional entrepreneurs from Israel, who seek business opportunities in China, have a profile that differs from typical immigrant entrepreneurs described in literature and is closer to the immigrant ...

Knowledge flows in international business: a JIBS citation analysis

Purpose – As an interdisciplinary, integrative field, international business exchanges knowledge with other academic areas. The inflow of theories, models, constructs and empirical findings infuses the fields theoretical and methodological base, while outflow represents impact on other academic areas. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the knowledge flows into and from international business, using journal citation counts as the primary indicator.Design/methodology/approach – Following Salancik, the paper opted to use an index of structural influence over the Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) impact factor, focusing on the sub‐area of management. It analyzed cross‐citations between the Journal of International Business Studies (JIBS) and a group of the leading management journals over a 13‐year period.Findings – Using cross citations method, JIBS was found to be a net importer, especially from strategy; however in the most recent period the journal has become a net knowledge exporter.Research...

Flexible Institutionalization: On the Role of Managerial Variables in Technology Start-ups

Despite the continuous rise in the establishment of technology-based start-ups (TSUs), the reported statistics indicate high failure rates for these ventures. This has led to a large body of research literature dealing with the identification and assessment of factors affecting TSU performance. Most studies have focused on various business variables or other business areas, including financial aspects, marketing issues, strategic planning, the technological development process, operational and quality management issues, timing of entry, lack of individual knowledge and ability during the founding process (Gartner, Starr, & Bhat, 1999), difficulties in managing the legal aspects, failure to establish and develop the relevant networks with key customers and suppliers (Roure & Maidique, 1986; Roure & Keeley, 1990; Littunen, 2000) and the failure to invest in learning (Schilling, 1998).