Thomas W. Sharkey

Competitive environmental scanning and export involvement: an initial inquiry

Presents an initial inquiry into the role of competitive environmental scanning in the internationalization process. Explores specifically the relationship between dimensions of competitive environmental scanning and measures of export market involvement and success. Finds that the results provide strong support for the contention that scanning capabilities must be developed for firms to pursue strategies that will result in a higher degree of export involvement and export success.

Strategic impact of new product development on export involvement

Purpose – This study seeks to evaluate the importance of new product development cycle time for firms that have a strategy of pursuing exporting as a means of achieving and sustaining competitive advantage.Design/methodology/approach – A mail survey utilizing the key informant approach for selecting senior executives of US manufacturing firms was chosen because of the importance of executive involvement in international marketing strategy decisions.Findings – This study supports the argument that faster new product development capability must be augmented for firms striving for a higher degree of export involvement. Additionally, the importance of integrating the marketing, R&D, and engineering functions to develop competitive advantage is highlighted.Research limitations/implications – Results must be interpreted as explorative since the sample was based on US manufacturing firms. Additional research is needed to test differential effects of innovative product and modification/extension cycle time on exp...

The use and abuse of corporate politics

Abstract Any manager—but particularly a new manager—needs to understand how corporate politics work.

On the edge of hypercompetition in higher education: the case of the MBA

Purpose – Hypercompetition has long been recognized as a significant problem in almost all manufacturing industries. Service industries are also experiencing the problems of hypercompetition. Now, it seems to be spreading to higher education with significant consequences. This paper aims to describe the movement toward hypercompetition and the implications specifically for the MBA program.Design/methodology/approach – This paper directly compares the experiences of industrial hypercompetition with what is developing within universities. Since businesses are typically farther along in the process of responding to hypercompetitive markets, they provide insight into what educational institutions might expect to occur and how they could respond to this threat despite the differences between these two types of organizations.Findings – The paper finds that technological change, globalization, and increased competition are the most important environmental challenges facing MBA programs today. Technology, in part...

NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES AND EXPORT INVOLVEMENT: AN INITIAL INQUIRY

This study is an exploratory investigation into the role of new product development practices in the internationalisation process. Specifically, the relationship among five identified new product development practices and three export involvement stages is explored. The analysis of survey data obtained from a national sample of U.S. manufacturing firms provide support for the contention that certain new product development capabilities must exist at all stages of the internationalisation process. The results further support the argument that a subset of new product development capabilities must exist for the firm to pursue strategies that will result in a higher degree of export involvement.

Trust‐driven Joint Operational Activities to Achieve Mass Customization: A Culture Perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify relationships among buyer‐supplier trust, joint operational activities, and the degree of mass customization as well as the interactions between cultural factors (i.e. long‐term strategic alignment and autonomy) and trust in the context of supply chain management.Design/methodology/approach – The model of trust is based on joint operational activities and mass customization using theories of social capital and the resource‐based view of the firm. Also, culture‐related antecedents of trust are identified. Based on 208 responses from suppliers in the USA and China, this study uses structural equation modeling to test the hypotheses.Findings – This study empirically supports the notion that trust positively drives manufacturer‐supplier activities in operations. It also supports the claim that joint operational activities contribute to mass customization capabilities in a significant way. Moreover, two culture‐related antecedents are found to be significantly...

Reengineering the MBA for Small and Mid‐Size Firms: A Business‐Driven Approach

Most universities have MBA programs designed to train functionally specialized managers for large Fortune 1000 type firms. The graduate management education needs of small and mid-size firms have been largely ignored. Many innovative MBA programs have themes that emphasize entrepreneurship, management of technology, or international business, but none have integrated all three themes in a redesigned MBA program that meets the needs of small and mid-size firms. This paper describes a successful business-driven approach to reengineering the form and content of an MBA program to create a higher value-added program for smaller and rapidly growing enterprises. This curriculum development process was funded by a grant from the Cleveland FoundationOs Statewide Program for Business and Management Education. Guided by a businessdriven process, The University of Toledo successfully initiated a new Executive MBA for Small and Mid-size firms in the fall of 1995.

Will you return from your next business trip

Abstract You will avoid the trauma of terrorism and return from your next overseas business trip if you follow the commonsense guidelines in this article.

China‐U.S. Trade Negotiations

This study analyzes Chinese‐American negotiations by examining the predispositions of negotiations from both countries. Specifically, a mail questionnaire was sent to experienced American and Chinese negotiators to assess how successful their negotiations had been and to determine what the major obstacles were to successful negotiations. Both Chinese and Americans felt that they had been reasonably successful in getting the terms of agreement they desired. Both sides also agreed that there were obstacles. Interestingly, these obstacles seemed to be rooted in differences in economic systems and negotiating assumptions rather than being based on language and cultural differences.