Volume 15, Number 1, 2012

EN:

This paper investigates the aspect of market commitment by international service firms into the new host market. Australia was chosen as the host market because it is a strong service economy. This paper responds to several calls for studies focusing on service firm internationalization and the often neglected market commitment aspect. After splitting service firms into capital intensive and knowledge intensive categories, it is argued that they exhibit different patterns of initial resource commitment. Adopting a case study approach, the results indicate that capital intensive service firms enter a new host market with relatively lower resource commitment than knowledge intensive service firms and hence follow the Uppsala process model more closely.

EN:

This study focused on the importance of trust and commitment to International Joint Ventures (IJVs). According to Kogut (1988), joint ventures are formed for various reasons, one of important reasons being learning between the partners. This article proposes that trust and commitment are positively related to learning between IJV partners. An empirical analysis was conducted by surveying 1000 CEOs of IJVs in India. The study does show that there is a positive relationship between learning and trust and commitment. The study also proves that IJVs with better trust mechanisms tend to learn more from their partners.

EN:

With the globalization of businesses in recent years, managers must attract and retain the right employees. Part of the fit between a worker and employer is in the area of values. Employees bring personal values to the job and they also are asked to display the workplace values of the organization. Managers must be sure that all workers share the values of the organization. Few studies examine workplace values cross-culturally and qualitatively. Using existing theory, we find that service workers in three countries display workplace values that reflect cultural norms. Managerial implications and directions for future research are given.

EN:

This paper examines the challenges faced by Madagascar, and its apparel and textile sector in particular, in light of its recent suspension from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) eligible countries, thereby ending duty free access of its products to the US. The paper provides a thorough analysis of the historic development of Madagascar‘s apparel and textile industry in the context of its creation of special economic zones or “Zones Franches” and examines other threats to its textile sector. The paper analyzes the short- as well as long-term prospects of the Zones Franches experiment, on which much hope for the development of Madagascar had been pinned and provides managerial recommendations and directions for future research.

EN:

International business researchers have focused primarily on exploring the consumer animosity that has stemmed from the Second World War. This study empirically examines segments of consumers within the Jordanian society who harbour heightened feelings of animosity towards the U.S. and its products. Data were collected from 272 Jordanian consumers, through a structured questionnaire. The results show that older, more educated and more dogmatic Jordanian consumers hold greater anti-American feelings. The results show that the majority of Jordanian consumers are dogmatic and their feelings of animosity towards the U.S. have translated to an unwillingness to purchase U.S products.