This paper examines the R&D and strategies of the world’s largest firms in the pharmaceuticals sector and finds a high degree of intra-regional sales. R&D and sales are more concentrated within North America and Europe than in Asia. In addition, the relative size of the U.S. market, compared...

In this paper we deconstruct the popular book by Thomas Friedman which argues that the world is integrated through the advent of a new form of globalization based on the Internet. We use the logic of international business strategy to demonstrate that Friedman's examples of worldwide integration...

Anti-dumping (AD) laws in the EC are intended to establish 'fairness' between trading partners. But there are negative effects, in particular, firms with weak firm specific advantages can shelter behind AD laws; they can even follow shelter-based strategies and lobby for protection. Alan Rugman...

Liberalization of the EC banking industry presents both EC and non-EC banks with strategic predicaments. EC banks will face fewer shelter-based entry barriers, and will have to rely on competitive advantages to erect natural entry barriers. In contrast, non-EC banks will be forced to rethink...

This paper reports an empirical study of the world's 49 largest retail multinational enterprises (MNEs). Of these only one MNE is found to be a 'global' MNE, while five are 'bi-regional', i.e. with at least 20 per cent of sales in two parts of the 'triad' of the European Union, North America...

Recent research suggests that globalization is a myth. Far from taking place in a single global market, most business activity by large firms takes place in regional blocks. There is no uniform spread of American market capitalism nor are global markets becoming homogenized. Government...

A flagship firm is defined as a multinational enterprise which has taken on the strategic leadership of a business network consisting of four other partners: key suppliers, key customers, selected competitors and the non-business infrastructure. Successful flagship firms need to foster trust and...