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The purpose of this research is to understand how power relations in global value chains (GVCs) shape the upgrading of offshoring service providers (OSPs). More specifically, the chapter addresses two questions: (1) How power asymmetry in GVC shapes the upgrading prospects for OSPs? and (2) How OSPs manage the power asymmetry in GVC and upgrade to a more favorable position?

The context for this study is the software value chain. Drawing upon relational economic geography and GVC literature, we build an analytical framework based on three conceptual building blocks: client power, upgrading, and upgrading practices. Based on the analytical framework and in-depth interviews, we design a case study of one OSP in the Pakistani software industry, referred to as OSP#A.

The findings reveal that GVCs exercise a high level of power on OSPs. This power is exercised through enforcing certain conditions to participate and coordinate in GVCs. However, it is found that OSP#A is not passive recipient of these demands. Instead, it actively manages the power asymmetry through building practices to adapt and collaborate in GVCs and attain relational proximity.

The chapter highlights the significance of upgrading practices and conceptualizing upgrading as a process of improving relational power in GVCs by attaining relational proximity.

We discuss food security within the context of welfare economics. We review models of commodity price stabilization brought about by government storage, and/or the private sector. We use data on the stocks of major commodities to discuss the implications of storage models on food security.

The impact of storage on food security is discussed within the context of welfare economics.

Storage is not necessarily a solution to solving long-term world food problems. Also, at times in history, countries such as the United States have accumulated large stocks of commodities such as wheat, which turned out to be a costly policy.

While food insecurity is a major issue worldwide, the solution does not entirely lie in governments being heavily involved in managing and owning food stocks. The private sector manages stocks as a part of commercial transactions. The government’s role is to provide food from stockholdings in times of emergency situations.

This paper aims at enriching the literature on international business (IB) studies to include insights from Global Value Chain (GVC) analysis to better explain how MNCs can orchestrate a global network organization. A first important contribution of the GVC literature is that it shifts the focus from single firms to their value chains, providing instruments to study how activities are split and organized among different firms at the industry level, and how MNCs can implement different governing mechanisms within a network-based setting. The GVC literature also highlights that retailers (as global buyers) often act as ‘lead firms’ in shaping the trajectories of global industries, while IB studies have so far focused predominantly on manufacturing firms. A fine-grained analysis of alternative forms of governance characterizing value chains can offer additional elements in explaining how MNCs can manage their network relationships in a global scenario. Finally, through their focus on upgrading, GVC studies suggest that knowledge flows and innovation dynamics taking place within value chains are as important as those taking place within the MNC’s organizational border. We conclude by arguing that these insights can help the IB literature to examine the challenges and opportunities MNCs face in engaging with suppliers and to explain the dynamic evolution of orchestrating global activities at the global level.

It is inherent in human nature to pursue a fulfilling life. The art-of-living approach provides strategies to help individuals attain higher well-being. Based on current research approaches on the art-of-living, we aimed to develop, implement and evaluate an online training that enhances art-of-living and well-being scores of flight attendants.

The training focused on six art-of-living components – self-knowledge, savoring, bodily care, coping with events, positive attitude toward life and serenity. In total, 94 participants were randomly assigned to 3-day (n = 34) or 9-day (n = 30) training groups or to 2 corresponding control groups (CGs) (n = 30). Art-of-living and well-being were measured using self-reported questionnaires at pre-intervention, post-intervention and two-week follow-up.

Results showed significant pre-post differences in art-of-living and well-being scores in both experimental groups, while scores for the CGs remained stable across assessments. Intervention effects were sustained over the two-week follow-up period. We found no significant differences in efficacy between the shorter and longer training, suggesting that brief training can be effective.

These results demonstrate that well-being can be enhanced through online art-of-living training, which is promising in terms of the practical implementation of such training in resource-constrained work environments.

The presented, conducted and evaluated work intervention represents the first study to apply the multi-component approach of “art-of-living” in an online setting, comparing two trainings of varying durations. This approach offers a framework perfectly suited for future implementation in flight attendants’ work settings to increase well-being and a possible subsequent implementation in other professional groups that would benefit from online training (e.g. in a hybrid work context).

This study aims to explore capability upgrading of EMNE’s subsidiaries in developed countries and how the parent-subsidiary relationship influences such upgrading.

The study adopts an interdisciplinary approach to capability upgrading of EMNEs subsidiaries in developed countries. It employs a single case study to explore this under-research area.

The analysis challenges the orthodox view and suggests broad-based capability upgrading has taken place in the EMNE-acquired subsidiaries ranging from product, process, functional to intersectoral. In addition, the capability upgrading was contingent on the degree of subsidiary autonomy and subsidiary mandates.

This study represents one of the first to examine capability upgrading and parent-subsidiary relationship in the context of EMNEs’ internationalisation activities.

Models of speed of internationalization have been built on narrowly defined resources, emphasizing the intangibles at the cost of tangibles and relying on controlled resources while overlooking nonterritorial ones. We build an integrative model for both established and unestablished firms, using three determinants of speed – global value chain experiences, resource adjusted expected return from internationalization and existence of e-commerce platforms. The first is under firms’ control while the last two are partially controlled or totally uncontrolled. Five strategies of internationalization are identified – internationalization through accelerated marketization, delayed internationalization, opportunistic (or on/off) internationalization, IB internationalization, and alliance internationalization, each associates with a different speed of internationalization.

Due to the increasing burden of stress in the workplace, it is necessary to develop interventions to prevent long-term overload. The present study is based on the concept of art-of-living, which promotes a more reflective and conscious approach to life. In study 1, an online training designed to increase well-being was administered. Study 2 investigated the impact of an art-of-living training in a workplace environment.

Study 1 employed a two-factorial design, crossing time of testing (pre-test, post-test and follow-up-test) with group (three experimental groups; one control group); 67 participants received art-of-living training on their individual weaknesses and/or strengths or alternative control training. Study 2 used repeated measures and a waiting-list control group; 20 employees of a pharmaceutical company took part in the two-day intervention with a two-week learning phase in between.

The results of Study 1 indicated that even brief online art-of-living interventions can be effective. Significant differences between pre-, post- and follow-up-tests were observed in art-of-living and well-being scores among participants who had undergone training in art-of-living components identified as representing their strengths or a combination of their strengths and their weaknesses. The results of Study 2 also indicated positive outcomes in the experimental group, with significant increases between pre- and post-test in art-of-living, flourishing, positive affect and occupational self-efficacy, and significant decreases in negative affect.

The results demonstrate that art-of-living training can be used to increase art-of-living, well-being and occupational self-efficacy. Therefore, this type of intervention should attract further attention in future studies especially in the context of the workplace.

Computer‐mediated communication (CMC) is becoming firmly embedded into library work through the use of electronic mail, and it is likely that computer‐supported collaborative working, using e‐mail and other forms of computer‐conferencing and groupware products, will have a key role to play in the development of integrated digital libraries across sectoral, national and international boundaries. This review paper draws on a literature survey which was undertaken as part of British Library funded research into the use of e‐mail in academic libraries between 1995‐1997. It aims to provide a digest of some influential perspectives from the literature which are likely to be of relevance to managers, team leaders and systems staff in information services who are interested in optimising the use of text‐based CMC across and between library organisations, and within teams.

Analyses the adoption and use of an electronic messaging system (EMS) by members of a large R&D organisation. Develops and tests hypotheses about relationships among job categories, perceived social presence of an EMS, use of the system, and outcomes – such as effectiveness, communication flow and the use of extant media. Discusses lessons learned. Offers further areas of potential research.