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Asserts that foreign multinational corporations (MNCs) investing in or expanding business operations in China, South and Southeast Asia often find themselves sparring with local business groups. Draws on research and experiences with firms in the region in order to enhance understandings of competitive dealings with two business networks that dominate the Southeast Asian economies ‐ the Overseas Chinese and the Overseas Indians, collectively referred to as “the Networks”. Measures the sparring rings in Asia through the historical conditions that contributed to the Networks’ fighting stances and to Asian business environments. Proceeds to place the two Asian competitors under the spotlight by highlighting cultural differences between the Networks. Predicts the Networks’ movements by elaborating on their unique management and strategic decision‐making styles and discusses, finally, the implications of the Networks’ business practices for MNCs’ strategies and organizational restructuring in the Asian arena.

This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies.

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

If you think of business in India merely as back‐office services or software development, think again. It is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with as an innovator – and as for exporting know‐how, just count the Indian‐born and Indian‐educated R&D chiefs in Silicon Valley.

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.

Emphasizes that tourism forms the largest industry in the world and the Vietnamese Government has targeted it for strategic foreign direct investment (FDI). Notes although researchers and policy makers comprehend particular aspects of tourism, they often misperceive how the variables interact within economic and political systems. Elaborates on experiences in similar and related Asian markets that indicate policies necessary to develop a sustainable, socially and ecologically‐desirable tourism industry through appropriate balancing of key stakeholders’ goals. First defines sustainable development in the context of tourism and indicates its relevance for Vietnam. Next, analyses some economic and social costs and benefits associated with tourism; also interprets recent governmental policies’ influences. Finally, provides policy recommendations for the future of sustainable and economically‐viable national tourism development in Vietnam.

Researchers and managers have assumed that the overseas Chinese business networks do not conduct strategic planning. Summarizes, in general, the literature on the overseas Chinese networks’ decision‐making style and compares it with perspectives from established schools of strategic planning. Specifically enhances understanding of the overseas Chinese networks’ business style, generates awareness of the style’s strengths and weaknesses, and explores strategic implications for foreign multinational corporations that enter into alliances with, or compete against the overseas Chinese networks.

Despite close to two decades of foreign direct investment (FDI) in China, and the country's enormous market potential, most US and European multinational corporations (multinationals) have never made a profit in that country. The distribution of profits among multinationals also seems highly skewed. The latest survey on profitability showed that five US companies accounted for one‐third of equity profits among US‐based multinationals in China. This research presented in two parts proposes explanations for why multinationals fail in China and strategic solutions for profitable operations.

Through in‐depth interviews with 29 CEOs and directors of major, profitable US and European multinationals, Overseas Chinese companies and PRC Chinese companies, this paper proposes a model of strategic convergence for successful operations in China. The first part discusses cultural and cognitive differences between Westerners and Chinese that affect the strategies they choose. The second part proposes a strategic model of convergence, fusing the best of both Western and Chinese business practices, for strategic success in China.

The research found that profitable foreign multinationals in China appeared to modify their management practices on eight dimensions, often adopting traditional Chinese methods of strategic planning and evaluations of effectiveness, as well as relations with key stakeholders, especially the government. Yet, these multinationals continued to retain their Western norms and values in business dealings. Conversely, profitable Chinese companies that competed with these multinationals also modified their management practices in line with Western norms

The study has implications for the management of foreign subsidiaries in China as well as the successful management of Chinese FDI in the USA and Europe.

Strategic management in Asia is different. Decision‐making differs from that taught in Western, and even Asian, schools of business. In the last decade, the influence of Japanese management systems on Western management practice has become evident. Though the Japanese economy is the world’s second largest, and Japan’s population substantial, neither compares with the combined economies and combined populations of non‐Japanese Asia. The influence of the most aggressive elements of the non‐Japanese Asian business communities, the Overseas Chinese and Overseas Indian Networks cannot help to be felt on Western management practice. Explains why this difference in decision‐making styles exists, analyzes the implications of the Asian decision‐making style for managing in Asia, and discusses its implications for the future of strategic marketing management practice.

To develop a strategic model for effective management that incorporates aspects of strategic decision‐making from both industrialized and emerging markets.

To interview senior managers (many at CEO level) of successful companies operating in emerging markets. We assume the senior managers best understand strategy formulation and implementation.

A strategic model for both information rich and information void business environments.

We did not use a random sample, but rather a convenience sample of CEOs and senior managers of companies operating in emerging markets. This sample limits the study’s generalizability.

Successful managers argued that best practices developed for information‐rich Western markets were not effective in information‐void emerging markets.

The paper has value for managers moving from industrialized economies to emerging economies and vice‐versa, and to academics researching strategic decision‐making in emerging markets.

Few developments in recent years have had as great an impact on the practice of physical distribution and materials management as the introduction of computers. Many physical distribution activities (e.g., order‐processing, storage and retrieval systems and so forth) have undergone profound changes because of automation. But a distribution system which focuses on only one particular logistical activity is too restrictive to be very useful. Developing a computer‐based model requires a co‐ordinated team effort which calls upon personnel in accounting, data processing, marketing, operations research, production, traffic and other functional specialities. Hence, we will examine the role of computer‐based logistics models in marketing strategies and present some directions for future logistics modelling efforts.

Despite close to two decades of foreign direct investment in China, and the country's enormous market potential, most US and European multinational corporations have never made a profit in that country. The distribution of profits among multinationals also seems highly skewed. The latest survey on profitability showed that five US companies accounted for one‐third of equity profits among US‐based multinationals in China. This research proposes explanations for why multinationals fail in China and strategic solutions for profitable operations.

Through in‐depth interviews with 29 CEOs and directors of major, profitable US and European multinationals, overseas Chinese companies and People's Republic of China companies, this paper proposes a model of strategic convergence for successful operations in China. The first part discusses cultural and cognitive differences between Westerners and Chinese that affect the strategies they choose. The second part proposes a strategic model of convergence, fusing the best of both Western and Chinese business practices, for strategic success in China.

Profitable foreign multinationals in China appeared to modify their management practices on eight dimensions, often adopting traditional Chinese methods of strategic planning and evaluations of effectiveness, as well as relations with key stakeholders, especially the government. Yet, these multinationals continued to retain their Western norms and values in business dealings. Conversely, profitable Chinese companies that competed with these multinationals also modified their management practices in line with Western norms

The study has implications for the management of foreign subsidiaries in China as well as the successful management of Chinese foreign direct investment in the US and Europe.

With the continued progression towards a more globalized economy, multinational businesses are having increased difficulty in protecting their intellectual properties from theft or infringement. This is most especially true when they have employed their intellectual property in foreign direct investments (FDI) in emerging markets. This paper details many important considerations regarding the security of intellectual properties that have been largely ignored by management in its environmental scanning and decision‐making prior to undertaking FDI. The author proposes an auditing procedure, the cross‐environmental technology audit (CETA), to ensure that all decisions specifically consider intellectual property issues prior to unnecessarily risking it in a foreign venture.