Alan M. Rugman

At the end of the twentieth century, international business functioned in an environment dominated by the triad of economic power formed by the USA, Japan and the European Community. Multinational corporate strategies had to be formulated within the context of intense global competition between these three economic blocs. This book, first published in 1990, analyses the interplay between the trade policies adopted by the major powers and the competitive strategies of international corporations. With particular reference to trade relations between Canada and the USA, the effects of Japanese multinational dominance and the implications of European economic integration, this volume throws new light on the interaction between international business and government trade policies.

At the end of the twentieth century, international business functioned in an environment dominated by the triad of economic power formed by the USA, Japan and the European Community. Multinational corporate strategies had to be formulated within the context of intense global competition between these three economic blocs. This book, first published in 1990, analyses the interplay between the trade policies adopted by the major powers and the competitive strategies of international corporations. With particular reference to trade relations between Canada and the USA, the effects of Japanese multinational dominance and the implications of European economic integration, this volume throws new light on the interaction between international business and government trade policies.

This book offers a fresh perspective on the role of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in development. Alan M. Rugman and Jonathan P. Doh challenge traditional assumptions about economic development and address the controversies that surround MNEs. For example, how do foreign multinationals affect overall economic growth in emerging economies, and how does this process lead to the subsequent rise of new emerging-economy MNEs? The authors focus on the mechanisms by which MNEs influence economic development. They evaluate the impact of MNEs on the processes and outcomes of development, as well as the influence of civil society, NGOs, and government policies on multinationals, especially in Asia. And they discuss the rise of emerging-economy MNEs from Asian economies, especially “yang” MNEs from China and Korea. Arriving at a far more nuanced understanding of MNEs today, the authors also offer observations about the role of multinationals in the future.

No other book can claim to bring so much authoritative commentary on International Business. These reviews have been hugely instrumental in the development of the field.This book is written by the leading figure in international business (he is to International Business what Kottler is to Marketing). It provides a 'potted history' of the development of IB theory. It brings together the key seminal works in IB in an accessible and easy to digest form.Alan Rugman draws together 100 reviews that chart the development of International Business theory in recent decades. This book is essential for all students with an interest in unpacking the history, scope and possibilities that are implicit in any discussion of international business.

This volume contains recent chapters dealing with empirical tests of the relationship between multinationality (M) and performance (P). This is a traditional topic in the area of international business, but recently there has been renewed interest, partly due to theoretical advances such as the regionalization thesis of Rugman and Verbeke (in contrast to the previous assumption of uniform internationalization) and partly due to better and more detailed data on the geographic dispersion of activities now available from the annual reports of large firms, most of which are multinational enterprises (MNEs). In this literature, P, as a dependent variable, is broadly determined by the degree of multinationality, M, where M is usually proxied by the ratio of foreign (F) to total (T) sales or assets, i.e. (F/T). There is either a linear, quadratic, or cubic (S curve) fit, allowing for controls such as size of the firm; industry grouping, organizational learning effect over time, etc. Recently, this M and P literature has included regional aspects of (F/T) and performance, for example performance has looked at return on foreign assets (ROFA). In short, new accounting standards affecting most of the worlds MNEs now make it possible to adopt both a new dependent variable (for performance) and a new independent variable (for multinationality). Performance can now capture the return on foreign assets (ROFA), and just the return on total assets (ROTA). Multinationality is now available on a regional basis, i.e. the ratio of regional (R) to total (T) sales R/T. This offers better information on the strategic performance of an MNE, in comparison to the traditional metric of the return of foreign - to total sales or assets F/T. This volume will publish 10 chapters at the forefront of research on this reinvigorated topic of the regional aspects of multinationality and performance. It provides research at the forefront of the regional aspects of multinationality and performance. It deals with empirical tests of the relationship between multinationality and performance. It considers the effect that new accounting standards for the worlds MNEs have on multinationality and performance. This book series is available electronically at website.

Characterized by new analytical insights and methods in the field of international business, this collection of articles by Alan Rugman and Alain Verbeke celebrates their long and productive work together on issues facing top managers of multinational enterprises. Fueled by their belief in the need for better theory in multinational strategic management, the authors have explored a number of different facets in this increasingly important realm. They have organized the work into five sections: the foundations of a new theory of multinational strategic management, a radically new examination of multinational strategic management, national competitiveness, the relatively under-researched but increasingly important issue of environmental strategies of multinational enterprises, and the interactions between multinational strategic management and public policy. This outstanding collection, inspired by the occasion of Alan Rugman's 60th birthday, will be of great interest to scholars and practitioners of international business and management, as well as to economists and lawyers.

Although many firms label themselves ‘global’, very few can back this up with truly global sales and operations. In The Regional Multinationals Alan Rugman examines first-hand data from multinationals and finds that most multinationals are strongly regional, with international operations in their home regions of North America, the US or Asia. Only a tiny proportion of the world’s top 500 companies actually sell the same product and deliver the same services around the world. Rugman exposes the facts behind the popular myths of doing business globally, explores a variety of regional models and offers an authoritative agenda for future business strategy. The Regional Multinationals is the essential resource for all academics and students in International Business, Organization and Strategic Management, as well as those with an interest in finding out how multinationals really work in practice and how future strategy must respond.

Although many firms label themselves ‘global’, very few can back this up with truly global sales and operations. In The Regional Multinationals Alan Rugman examines first-hand data from multinationals and finds that most multinationals are strongly regional, with international operations in their home regions of North America, the US or Asia. Only a tiny proportion of the world’s top 500 companies actually sell the same product and deliver the same services around the world. Rugman exposes the facts behind the popular myths of doing business globally, explores a variety of regional models and offers an authoritative agenda for future business strategy. The Regional Multinationals is the essential resource for all academics and students in International Business, Organization and Strategic Management, as well as those with an interest in finding out how multinationals really work in practice and how future strategy must respond.

Multinational Enterprises and Trade Policy comprises a selection of Alan Rugman’s most important and influential articles on the multinational enterprise and government policy.This volume focuses on trade and investment policy as well as applications of the theory of internalization to government policy. Topics covered include: strategic trade policy, the ‘double diamond’ framework, the ‘shelter’ theory, the issue of foreign control, the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement and NAFTA and recent contributions on business networks and competitiveness. Special attention is given to the role of multinational enterprises in Canada, Japan and Europe.This book will be essential reading for both academics and policymakers interested in the relationships between multinational enterprises and governments. Together with its companion volume, The Theory of Multinational Enterprises, it will improve access to the work of Alan Rugman, one of the most cited scholars working on the multinational enterprise.

Alan Rugman is recognized as one of the leading scholars in the field of international business and his ideas have been extremely influential. The Theory of Multinational Enterprises is the first of two volumes of Rugman’s key contributions to the field of international business. The articles in this volume explore aspects of multinational enterprises and apply the theory of internalization to North America, Europe and Japan. Rugman’s theoretical approach is extended further as the analysis is related to research on networks and strategic alliances. Included in this volume is a unique and compelling perspective on the development of the field of international business over the past twenty years. Rugman provides the reader with insights into both the intellectual and personal history of the papers.This book is considered vital reading for both academics and policy makers interested in the relationships between multinational enterprises and governments. Together with its companion volume, Multinational Enterprises and Trade Policy, it will improve access to the work of Alan Rugman, one of the most influential scholars working on trade policy and the multinational enterprise.