From a supply chain perspective, often big differences exist between global raw material suppliers’ approaches to supply their respective local markets. The progressing complexity of large centrally managed global supply networks and their often-unknown upstream ramifications increase the likelihood of undetected bottlenecks and inefficiencies. It is therefore necessary, to develop an approach to strategically master the upstream complexity of such networks from a holistic perspective, in order to align regional competitive priorities and supply chain structures. The research is set in the context of polyamide engineering thermoplastics in the automotive industry. Based on an initial industry analysis and a literature review, a conceptual framework is developed. The framework is matched with existing empirical and theoretical literature, as well as multiple case study analyses in the relevant supply market and a centrally managed global supply network. As a result, strategic group theory is transferred into the supply network management context, to allow for the consideration of upstream supply chain structures in the category strategy development process. The proposed approach introduces strategic groups of supply chains as a segmentation criterion for complex global supply networks, which enables the network-wide alignment of competitive priorities, flexibility requirements, and partnerships with suppliers. Supply chain-based category strategies can effectively reduce the complexity firms are facing in this context. The results of this research are applicable for certain types of global supply networks, and can be used for network alignment and strategy development. The approach can furthermore generate valuable insights useable for negotiation support with suppliers.

In seiner konzeptionellen und praktischen Ausrichtung leistet das Buch eine Verbindung zwischen Ansätzen der Wirtschaftsdemokratie, Wirtschaftsethik, Corporate Citizenship und Humanisierung des Arbeitslebens. Die Wirtschaftsprozesse befinden sich in einem Stadium atemberaubenden Wandels. Unter den Bedingungen verschärfter internationaler Konkurrenz erlangt die Dynamik der Wirtschaftsentwicklung auf globalen Märkten eine neue Gestalt. Renommierte Expertinnen und Experten legen aus unterschiedlichen Blickwinkeln dar, welche Folgen diese Entwicklung für die berufliche Situation, das soziale Zusammenleben, die gesellschaftliche Integration sowie öffentliche und private Institutionen zeitigt. Im Zentrum stehen dabei Konzepte und Praxisfelder demokratischer Gestaltung, des Gemeinwesens und humaner Arbeitsbedingungen.

Topics covered include: business angels, Chinese clan entrepreneurship, criminal entrepreneurship, defining the entrepreneur, education, employee start-ups, entrepreneurship policy, ethics, ethnic minority entrepreneurship, family business, global entrepreneurship and trans-nationalism, indigenous entrepreneurship, international entrepreneurship, internationalisation, involuntary entrepreneurship, Islam and entrepreneurship, island entrepreneurship, mature-age entrepreneurs, pastoralism, religion as an explanatory variable for entrepreneurship, rural entrepreneurship, selfefficacy, social entrepreneurship and venture capital. There are also entries on individuals including Conrad Hilton, Howard Hughes and Joseph Schumpeter.

Katharina Kretschmer contributes to the role typology research stream in international business. The book is highly relevant for management practice. Deep insights into the implications of subsidiary roles are displayed, and it is shown that role-specific subsidiary management is possible if not necessary. In the future, MNC managers could benefit even more when, instead of treating all their subsidiaries alike, approaching them differently – especially when evaluating their performance.

Critical Management Studies (CMS) is often dated from the publication of an edited volume bearing that name (Alvesson and Willmott, 1992). In the two decades that have followed, CMS has been remarkably successful in establishing itself not just as a ‘term’ but as a recognizable tradition or approach. The emerging status of CMS as an overall approach has been both encouraged and marked by a growing range of handbooks, readers and textbooks. Yet the literature is dominated by writings from the UK and Scandinavia in particular, and the tendency is to treat this literature as constituting CMS. However, the meaning, practice, constraints and context of CMS vary considerably between different countries, cultures and language communities. This volume surveys fourteen various countries and regions where CMS has acquired some following and seeks to explore the different ways in which CMS is understood and the different contexts within which it operates, as well as its possible future development.