Jorma Larimo

This definitive Research Handbook explores the restructuring strategies of globalised firms, bringing together a wide range of topics from export exit, subsidiary divestment and market re-entry to relocation, offshoring and backshoring.

This volume of Progress in International Business Research comprises of a selection of competitive papers from the 34th European International Business Academy Annual Conference, held in Tallinn, Estonia in December 2008, with the theme International Business and the Catching-up Economies: Challenges and Opportunities. It addresses two main issues - the internationalization process, and the role of knowledge and innovation for internationalization - both of which are important in the current economic slowdown- for catching-up and for other economies, scholars and practitioners. Divided into four parts, contributions in the first part concern the internationalization processes of multinational and international new ventures and the changes of different factors during these processes. In the second part, attention is paid to foreign operation methods such as online internationalization, the methods used in initial internationalization activities and the comparison between internationalizing with goods and services. The third part focuses on the importance of knowledge for internationalization, how it is acquired from subsidiaries or headquarters and how the state can assist. The final part of the volume discusses the role of innovation and knowledge creation in the international expansion and performance of enterprises from Central, Eastern and Southern European transition economies, but also for those entering these countries. The volume provides new theoretical, managerial and policy insights in the field of International Business research and should interest scholars, managers and policy-makers alike.

Understand the dynamics of East-West relationships in business to make better decisionsThe Eastern expansion of the European Union has increased interest in this geographic region. Market Entry and Operational Decision Making in East-West Business Relationships presents 10 case studies that focus on firms in Central and Eastern Europe and the strategies used for success. Academics, researchers, and practitioners examine a variety of topics, including entry and marketing strategies of Western multinational companies, choices of locations for foreign direct investments, first mover advantages, entry behavior of retailing companies, dynamics in subsidiary operations, industry clusters, decision-making autonomy, and internationalization.Market Entry and Operational Decision Making in East-West Business Relationships provides information that is uniquely timely and practical to those in business in this region. The chapters bring the academic and the practical perspectives together by analyzing various research studies from different companies in several Central and Eastern European countries. This resource discusses companies and the decisions about where they begin and maintain operations, and why these strategies were chosen. The book provides a clear spotlight on the business decisions currently taking place in the East-West interaction.Topics in Market Entry and Operational Decision Making in East-West Business Relationships include: studies of four Estonian companies on their emergence and success factors a comparative study of performance measures of companies in Central and Eastern Europe a detailed look at the strategies of Finnish and Swedish companies in the Baltic states and Russia the location decisions of Italian firms a comparative study of in-store shopping behavior in Italy, France, and Poland the regionalization of multinational company strategies studies of Estonian companies, including the wood and forest industries and more Market Entry and Operational Decision Making in East-West Business Relationships is an essential resource that examines issues of critical importance to business researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.

Understand the dynamics of East-West relationships in business to make better decisionsThe Eastern expansion of the European Union has increased interest in this geographic region. Market Entry and Operational Decision Making in East-West Business Relationships presents 10 case studies that focus on firms in Central and Eastern Europe and the strategies used for success. Academics, researchers, and practitioners examine a variety of topics, including entry and marketing strategies of Western multinational companies, choices of locations for foreign direct investments, first mover advantages, entry behavior of retailing companies, dynamics in subsidiary operations, industry clusters, decision-making autonomy, and internationalization.Market Entry and Operational Decision Making in East-West Business Relationships provides information that is uniquely timely and practical to those in business in this region. The chapters bring the academic and the practical perspectives together by analyzing various research studies from different companies in several Central and Eastern European countries. This resource discusses companies and the decisions about where they begin and maintain operations, and why these strategies were chosen. The book provides a clear spotlight on the business decisions currently taking place in the East-West interaction.Topics in Market Entry and Operational Decision Making in East-West Business Relationships include: studies of four Estonian companies on their emergence and success factors a comparative study of performance measures of companies in Central and Eastern Europe a detailed look at the strategies of Finnish and Swedish companies in the Baltic states and Russia the location decisions of Italian firms a comparative study of in-store shopping behavior in Italy, France, and Poland the regionalization of multinational company strategies studies of Estonian companies, including the wood and forest industries and more Market Entry and Operational Decision Making in East-West Business Relationships is an essential resource that examines issues of critical importance to business researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.