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In this chapter we chart the evolution of the theory of the multinational enterprise (MNE) from Buckley and Casson’s original depiction to Buckley’s conceptualization of the global factory. Within that context we consider the issues of risk and uncertainty which continue to challenge firms in the international context. Indeed, despite the explosion in access to greater wealth of digital sources of information and knowledge, risk, uncertainty, volatility, complexity, and ambiguity remain constraints on the ability of firms to function effectively in the international arena. Theoretical development around the nature of the MNE must deal with such enormities, but also other demands in the global context. The evolution of the global factory has been recognized as the disintegration of the MNE through the externalization of many of its previously core activities, including parts of production and marketing, but this form of the MNE will not be the end-game. Ultimately, it may be questioned whether the MNE is becoming, or has become, just a global super-manager of value activities orchestrating the internationalization of production.

While conjecture surrounds attitudes toward countertrade, there are few studies reporting on empirical inquiries. Attitudes to and perceptions of various dimensions of countertrade are reported for Australian firms and some comparisons are drawn from similar studies conducted in the UK and Canada. Generally, attitudes toward countertrade of those Australian managers who were surveyed, which include both countertraders and non‐countertraders, are positive. This is the first empirical study of international countertrade of its type conducted in Australia. It follows in the tradition of studies conducted in the UK and Canada and it broadens international understanding of this form of exchange, which has long been practised in Europe, but not in Australia.

Formalized business-to-business (corporate) barter is relatively new to the Australian business marketing and purchasing landscape. This is the first empirical study reported on business-to-business barter in Australia. Business-to-business barter operates through trade exchanges which centralize barter transactions in a highly organized and transparent manner. Computer technologies have facilitated the growth and sophistication of this exchange system. It appears to becoming institutionalized in Australia within and alongside the orthodox prices-mediated market regime. Business-to-business barter might be seen as an innovation on a very old fundamental in exchange that has re-emerged in response to deficiencies in the orthodox system.This chapter reports research on the largest of Australia's barter trade exchanges, Bartercard. Bartercard is not only a national exchange within Australia as it also has begun to internationalize its operations. A national mail survey of Bartercard members was conducted to understand more of this form of business-to-business enterprise. Issues investigated include: benefits of membership, limitations of the system, “pricing” within the system, the transaction coordination mechanism, factors leading to success of the system and its likelihood of longevity. Demographics of surveyed firms are reported. The results indicate that there are significant benefits for members but that trading in the system has limitations which necessitate a reliance on the orthodox prices-mediated system for the larger part of the firm's business activity. It does appear that a membership consociation exists within the system which facilitates the transaction mediation. The organizational nature of the trade exchange investigated, and its management, will ensure continuation of its members' business barter trade regardless of variations in the macroeconomics of Australia's economy. Avenues for enterprising research are uncovered.

This paper offers a conceptualization of the internationalization decision confronted by a firm in an environment of terrorism‐induced risk.

The approach taken is a conceptualization of the internationalization decision framed from theoretical reasoning and informed by the literature.

The model presents the internationalization decision, a product/market/mode (PMM) combination, in the case of a terrorism‐free context and in a with‐terrorism context. Using indifference curve mapping of risk/return tradeoffs, an opportunities set of possible PMM combinations and the notion of efficiency, it traces the most attractive opportunities set to show that within this set, the frontier of attractive opportunities is constrained in the with‐terrorism case. Propositions are framed to guide future research. While conditions of risk can be calculated, it is concluded that remaining uncalculable is the true uncertainty incited by the systemic effects of international terrorism that call for managerial judgment.

The literature in this field reports little on the effects of international terrorism on the firm. With heightened awareness of international terrorism, and the changed environment for the firm operating internationally, it is timely that the effects of terrorism on decision‐making in firms be investigated. Advancing beyond description to substantive conceptualization of this decision is an essential step for better understanding of this now pervasive phenomenon.

This chapter proposes a preliminary evolutionary model of the internationalisation of the small firm which includes consideration of the emergence of an internationalisation culture in this firm. Dynamism in the model is represented by the simultaneity of the interaction between the firm's commitment to the market, its knowledge of the market and its involvement in the market. The overlap and intersection between these constructs reflects an evolving internationalisation culture and represents the degree of internationalisation of the firm. Preliminary case evidence from Australia, and its analysis, offers limited support for the proposed evolutionary model.

The purpose of this paper is to study compatibility variations in buyer‐seller relationships between Mainland Chinese firms and Hong Kong Chinese buyer firms that act as intermediaries to markets in the West.

Data are drawn from 19 multiple in‐depth case study interviews with Mainland and Hong Kong Chinese firms and buyer firms from the West.

Compatibility dimensions that provide further evidence of factors that underpin the nature of classical‐type exchange arrangements, vis‐à‐vis relational relationships, within Chinese buyer‐seller interactions are identified. Compatibility variations based on political and legal factors are driven by interpretation and application of Chinese state laws at the business and provincial levels rather than at the national level. Mainland Chinese tend to exhibit authoritative vis‐à‐vis Confucian‐based practices and a short‐term orientation within interactions.

There is a need to expand the psychic distance composite to elucidate compatibility variations within the distinct provincial business regions of China. Quantitative studies to test for compatibility variability in China business practices across China are needed next. A better understanding of the nature of classical inclinations used by the Chinese is crucial, as is an understanding of how firms, both domestic and foreign, are able to leverage classical and relational relationships within Mainland China.

Uncertainty associated with the entrepreneurial behaviours of Chinese businesspersons and a varying emphasis on traditional Confucian values in business result in a hybridisation of interactions across classical and relational types. Guanxi may be evolving beyond traditional social and personal trust as Mainland Chinese business relationships have advanced from the smaller scale CFB stage to the state‐owned enterprise stage, and now to the larger and increasingly important world trade stage.

The paper challenges shortcomings in research that has centred exclusively on the relational nature of Chinese business interactions, and it builds on previous research to study compatibility variations underpinning these Chinese interactions. It predicts a hybridisation of interactions amongst Chinese actors and provides a foundation for future quantitative research to study compatibility variations, and also classical‐type business practices across China. Increased international market awareness may also be leading to the inclusion of an economic trust factor, driving classical‐type Chinese buyer‐seller relationships, as is more characteristic of arrangements found in Western exchanges.

The purpose of this paper is to advance the domain of entrepreneurial marketing (EM) responding to the challenge to EM scholars to more fully develop EM as a school of marketing thought. The paper seeks to argue that the context of the born global firm is an appropriate and novel context in which to undertake this research.

The need to examine the processes of EM justifies the use of case study method. In total, nine born global firms, located in the three most populous states in Australia: Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, were selected for study. The firms were drawn from hi‐tech and low‐tech industry sectors, and included online businesses, in an attempt to capture maximum theoretical variation.

The analysis identifies the four key strategies of entrepreneurial marketing as comprising opportunity creation, customer intimacy‐based innovative products, resource enhancement and importantly, legitimacy. These core strategies of EM are identified by mapping to enhanced performance.

Some may consider the born global context a limitation. Therefore, it is suggested that further empirical research could be undertaken on other cohorts of small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), such as service SMEs, to provide increased insight into the strategies and practices in the domain of EM. Quantitative research to operationalize the EM construct and model theoretical relationships is also suggested.

This paper advances the domain of EM into a new phase by empirically identifying four core strategies of EM. It finds that EM contributes to the achievement of superior performance in small firms through purposeful strategy based an effectuation approach.

This essay addresses the topic of research lifeworlds and personal lifeworlds and what we gain and lose as researchers, and as people, from their overlaps and collisions. The essay analyses six narrative accounts of the authors lived experience of a unique collision between research and personal lifeworlds when the researcher-mother presented with her sick daughter to the hospital emergency department that served as the field site for her own research. This analysis revealed the following themes through which a researcher’s personhood animates the research process: feeling exposed but empowered; gaining conceptual clarity while opening up ethical ambiguity; and becoming liminal because of identity shifts and coping through self-reflexivity. The essay contributes to our collective understanding and shared learning of the ways a researcher’s personhood shapes, and is shaped by, the research process and (re)production of knowledge.