In the 21st century, even small firms can reach customers located in different, often remote, parts of the world. In fact, internationalisation has become a common phenomenon that affects the majority of companies worldwide. Recent research emphasises that there are numerous determinants of a company’s competitive advantage in the international business environment, including product quality, price, and market knowledge. Much less attention, however, has been paid to the role of business relationships. The task of determining the impact of business relationships on performance poses a considerable challenge. In the book, business relationships are operationalised by a set of characteristics and determinants which influence a company’s competitive advantage. The contributors here refer to these characteristics and determinants as components of the company’s internationalisation maturity. It is argued that a higher level of internationalisation maturity increases the firm’s performance. The book includes both conceptual discussions on the role of firms’ business relationships in the internationalisation process and results of extensive empirical studies. In order to verify the concept of a firm’s internationalisation maturity, a mixed methodology was used, combining quantitative (almost 300 companies) and qualitative (40 case studies) research. As such, the book provides useful insights for academics, students of management and international business, and business practitioners.

In the 21st century, even small firms can reach customers located in different, often remote, parts of the world. In fact, internationalisation has become a common phenomenon that affects the majority of companies worldwide. Recent research emphasises that there are numerous determinants of a companys competitive advantage in the international business environment, including product quality, price, and market knowledge. Much less attention, however, has been paid to the role of business relationships. The task of determining the impact of business relationships on performance poses a considerable challenge. In the book, business relationships are operationalised by a set of characteristics and determinants which influence a companys competitive advantage. The contributors here refer to these characteristics and determinants as components of the companys internationalisation maturity. It is argued that a higher level of internationalisation maturity increases the firms performance. The book includes both conceptual discussions on the role of firms business relationships in the internationalisation process and results of extensive empirical studies. In order to verify the concept of a firms internationalisation maturity, a mixed methodology was used, combining quantitative (almost 300 companies) and qualitative (40 case studies) research. As such, the book provides useful insights for academics, students of management and international business, and business practitioners.

Internationalisation has been a binding request for firms dealing with the challenges of the present-day realities. Extant international business publications have recently begun to point out the relationship between the notions of ‘business model’ and ‘internationalisation’, yet the filed needs considerably more attention. The core aim of this book is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the ways in which business models and internationalisation impact one another in the process of initiating and expanding international business activities. The analysis makes it feasible to detect the core issues of the interdependences between business models and internationalisation to facilitate management decision-making and implementation of pertinent firm internationalisation incorporating the application of appropriate business models. In this book, the business model is applied to explore the specifics and aspects of firm internationalisation processes. Innovating the business model is analysed as a persuasive means for augmenting the propensities of firms to internationalise. The book enriches the comprehension of the significance of business model innovation as an enabler of firm internationalisation, in view that scares in what manners business model innovation facilitate firm internationalisation. The book chapters address a broad range of issues encompassing: the general roles of business model in firm internationalisation, the relationships between digital business models and platforms on one side and firm internationalisation on another, how business models determine the internationalisation of services firms, the interplay between business models and firm internationalisation in specific contexts. It will, therefore, be of interest to researchers, academics and advanced students in the fields of international business and management.

This collective book offers a cross-country perspective on the internationalisation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Scholars from prestigious institutions in Europe, North America, Australia and China provide new insights on how SMEs develop and perform their international activities.

There is now a certain tradition of Anglo-German comparative research on new technology-based firms (NTBFs). Two of the most influential studies in this area have both been sponsored by the Anglo-German Foundation for the Study of In dustrial Society (AGF). Starting in 1977, the first AGF project on NTBFs, which was carried out by the consultancy firm Arthur D. Little, has been one ofthe most important early contributions in this field (Little 1977). This report was the first public document to use the term 'new technology-based firm' and to provide a definition, which despite its operational limitations subsequently became an es tablished term in the literature. More importantly, this study represented one ofthe first serious attempts to survey the existing stock of this type of firm. The report was critical of the contemporary situation in Europe. (This is a policy area which continues to be hotly debated, see European Commission 1995, Bank of England 1996 and HM Treasury 1998. ) It emphasised that, in comparison with the USA, Germany and the UK were each lagging behind if judged by the rate of formation of NTBFs and in their total contribution to the overall economic activity of both countries. In terms of a policy contribution, this study was instrumental in high lighting the lack ofsupport infrastructures for the genesis and growth of high-tech start-ups in two of Europe's leading economies.

The 41st Annual Conference of the Academy of International Business UK and Ireland Chapter was held at The University of York in April 2014. This book contains records of keynote speeches and special session on key topics, as well as selection of some of the best papers presented at the conference.

Inhaltsangabe:Abstract: This dissertation examines the critical importance of foreign direct investment in the growth of Ireland. It explains the reasons for Ireland s success and identifies the key steps in the history. The analysis is carried out in terms of the role of the Irish government policy in promoting foreign direct investment. Without the influence of foreign direct investment inflows, the economy would not have grown to the extent as it has. This paper will also show how important foreign direct investment is for the Irish economy in the future. The paper describes several theories about foreign direct investment. It addresses the advantages and disadvantages. More in depth this paper investigates the determinants of financial services sector investments abroad. It will also be shown how the Industrial Development Authority as an agency and the International Financial Services Centre contributed to Ireland s success. The example Hypo Real Estate Bank International illustrates how an investment in Ireland succeeded. This paper should attract readers with an interest in the Irish history and economy, in the role of foreign direct investment for a country s economy, or in financial services sector investments abroad. Introduction: O Connor and Forde (2003) refer to George Bernard Shaw, who quipped in the 1930s, that he hoped to be in Ireland on the day the world ended, because the Irish were always 50 years behind the times. Over 70 years later, the same can not be said. With an economy growing at a rate consistently above the EU average, Ireland is one of the most favoured locations for foreign direct investment in Europe by multinational corporations. Ireland has been transformed over the recent years. It has witnessed an economic miracle. There has been significant discussion in the business, academic, and popular press about the Celtic Tiger . Since 1987, there has been a sustained and well-balanced economic boom. This remarkable performance has been in complete contrast to the former development since the foundation of the state in 1922. The boom has changed the country. Ireland has become one of the leading European countries in economic development. One major reason for the success was the change in legislation and thus, a huge increase of foreign direct investment in Ireland followed by economic growth and wealth. After the introduction, chapter two starts with a description of the recent economic development in Ireland. [...]