...UNIT 2 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS THEORIES International Business (Trade) Theories Objectives After reading this unit, you should be able to : • understand the analytical foundations of international business • be familiar with the international trade theories • explain the FDI approaches to international business. Structure 2.1 Foundations of International Business 2.2 International Trade Theories Theory of Mercantilism Theory of Absolute Cost Advantage Theory of Comparative Cost Advantage Heckscher-Ohlin Model Leonief Paradox 2.3 FDI Theories Market Imperfections Approach Product Life Cycle Approach Transaction Cost Approach The Eclectic Paradigm 2.4 Summary 2.5 Key Words 2.6 Self-assessment Questions 2.7 Further Readings 2.1 FOUNDATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS The analytical framework of international business is build around-the activities of MNEs enunciated by the process of internationalisation. The FDI on the part of an MNE attempts to overcome the obstructions to trade in foreign countries. The strategies relating to the functional areas, such as production, marketing, finance and price policies, are adopted by the MNEs in such a manner that an amicable relationship between home and host nations is created. Foreign direct investment can be distinguished from the other forms of international business, such as exporting, licencing, joint ventures and management contracts. Basically...
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...THEORIES OF THE LOCATION OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT 1. INTRODUCTION The movement of capital as foreign direct investment (FDI) that has been seen in the world, and their concentrations at international and regional level has led, for decades now, to the emergence of various theories that intend to explain and justify why that motivate and manage to be determining what factors to establish the place in which it was made. The main ideas of these approaches are discussed briefly herein in order to elaborate on this phenomenon, although there is no agreed explanation regarding the causes of the location of this type of investment and of the features that must meet the destination to attract this level of investment. FDI globally decreased 18% in 20121, reaching USD 1.35 billion. The fragile state of the global economy and the uncertain situation in politics were the main causes. Considering the estimates of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), by the end of the year 2013 FDI will have reached a level close to the 2012 level. With the gradual improvement in macroeconomic conditions globally will increase investor confidence in the medium term, "transnational corporations (TNCs) could convert their record levels of cash holdings in new investments. FDI flows could then reach the level of 1.6 billion dollars in 2014 and 1.8 billion in 2015 "(see Figure 1), although the agency warns that there is a risk that a decline in FDI share...
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...Globalization and Economic Interdependence: 1. What does globalization mean? Globalization is the acceleration and extension of the interdependence of economic and business activities across national boundaries, in other words a development on one side of the globe will have consequences on another. As a consumer, it means more choices, generally lower prices, and increasingly blurred national identity for products and services. How do the statistics of world trade and direct investment show the trend of globalization? Globalization allows for countries to expand outside of their own country for resources. With this being done, more and more countries are able to interact in world trade and direct investment, which correlate to the trend of globalization increasing. 2. What are the main drivers of globalization? Accelerated technological change, liberation of trade and investment and investment in many countries, and entrepreneurship and competition among firms (location economies, economies of scale, and economies of scope). How do location economies, economies of scale and economies of scope motivate firms to expand their operations overseas? Location economies refer to the cost efficiencies that a firm can achieve by locating some of its activities overseas. Such cost efficiencies can result from lower labor or raw material costs, superior labor skills, or elimination of transport or tariff costs. Economies of scale refer to the reduction of average production costs due...
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...be able to turn the existing trade deficit in its favour. Through improvement in communications, Pakistan can thus effectively integrate its domestic market as well as explore landlocked neighbouring markets through exports. Completion of CPEC is likely to improve Pakistan’s economic, commercial, and geostrategic environment. As the proposed Chinese investment more than doubles all foreign direct investment in Pakistan since 2008, it will attract international investors in Pakistan. This will help to improve the perceived external image of the country, an image that is not always in line with current situations and tends to be more negative than merited by actual conditions and one that causes a psychological obstacle to the flows of foreign...
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...FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT AND THE MULTINATIONAL CORPORATION CHAPTER 2. 2.1. INTRODUCTION International business activity is by no means a recent phenomenon. The lives of Phoenicians and Carthaginians, in the ancient world, were deeply dependent on international business. This economic activity included foreign direct investment (FDI), joint ventures and strategic alliances, among other forms of internationalisation (Moore and Lewis, 1999). Several multinational corporations (MNEs) can also be identified in Europe in the middle ages and in the beginning of the modern era (Dunning, 1993a; Jones, 1996). The origins of modern international business activity however, are associated with the industrial revolution. Modern MNEs, in particular, have their roots in the massive international movement of factors that took place in the nineteenth century (Dunning, 1993a: p.99). Resource-seeking was the most common motivation of FDI in this period, even if by 1850 many firms had already crossed the Atlantic, in both directions, in what can be defined as market-seeking investment (Dunning, 1993a: p.100; Jones, 1996: p.5). 8 Despite the presence of FDI, most foreign investment in the nineteenth century - and indeed until the late 1940s – was portfolio capital. As a result, international business activity was largely ignored in economic theory until the late 1950s. On the one hand, the phenomenon did not have a major perceived economic impact. It was widely assumed that MNEs were...
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...strategic management and international economics while contributing substantially to both. Porter's analysis ofthe impact of national environment on international competitive performance demonstrates the potential for the theory of competitive strategy to rescue international economics from its slide into refined irrelevance, while simultaneously broadening the scope ofthe theory of competitive strategy to encompass both the international dimension and the dynamic context of competition. Nevertheless, the breadth and relevance of Porter's analysis have been achieved at the expense of precision and determinancy. Concepts are often ill defined, theoretical relationships poorly specified, and empirical data chosen selectively and interpreted subjectively. The Competitive Advantage of Nations is an important book. Among Porter's books to date, it is the broadest in scope and the most ambitious in intent. The book addresses a question which lies at the heart of economic and managerial science: 'Why do some social groups, economic institutions, and nations advance and prosper?' (Porter, 1990: xi).This is no new issue: the same question stimulated Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations in 1776 and has been a central theme motivating the development of economic science since then. The purpose of this article is to assess the extent to which Porter provides a satisfactory answer to this question, and, in doing so, the contribution which the book makes to international economics and to strategic...
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...INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MIDTERM Question 1: One of the discussed themes is on the institutional environment of international business. In this context, we focused mainly on the evolution of the international monetary system and monetary institutions that facilitate international trade and investment. (1a) Marking the benchmarks along your route (i.e. Bretton Woods, Smithsonian, Jamaica, Plaza, and the Louvre Accords, etc), trace this evolution from its origins in the gold standard, through the fixed and the floating exchange rate systems to the managed float (target zone) system we are living in today. Answer: Since known history of mankind exchange of goods and services of value had been going on between individuals, groups and tribes/nations. By the passage of time it developed through barter system to gold coins etc. In modern times starting from the last century, the evolution of institutional environment of international business and monetary system as well as monitory institutions have been developed to streamline the trade and investment among the nations. Going through the various stages of evolution from the origin in the gold standard and development to present time floating exchange rate system and to explained the workings of the international monetary system and pointed out its implications for international business we make Bretton Woods followed by Jamaica, Plaza, and the Louvre Accords, etc. To further elaborate the topic it is imperative to describe each...
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...Chapter 2: International Trade Policy and Trade Institutions 1 Global Marketing: Foreign Entry, Market Development & Strategy Implementation First Canadian Edition (Czinkota/Ronkainen/Farrell/McTavish) Copyright © 2009 by Nelson Education Limited Evolution of International Trade 2 Mercantilism (1500 – 1750) Import raw materials from ‘colonies’ at low cost Positive balance of trade Exports subsidized Imports taxed Create positive balance of trade Copyright © 2009 by Nelson Education Limited Evolution of International Trade 3 Theory of Absolute Advantage Country specializes only in products they can produce efficiently Natural resources Fewest units of labour to produce Import all other products Encourages trading between countries Theory of Comparative Advantage Does not require Absolute Advantage to trade Trade to maximize labour effectiveness for the country Copyright © 2009 by Nelson Education Limited Evolution of International Trade 4 Heckscher-Ohlin Model Extends comparative advantage Factors that vary by country Labour Capital Trading based on price differences between countries Product Cycle Theory Stage 1 – innovative product, home country develops and sells domestically Stage 2 – begin export to other similar countries Stage 3 – manufacture in developing countries, sell everywhere Copyright © 2009 by Nelson Education Limited Evolution of International Trade ...
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...|MKT-403 |Title |International Business | |Credit Hours |3 |Semester |Spring 2014 | |Course |This course is an interdisciplinary and systematic introduction to international business with an emphasis on the:| |Objective |drivers, patterns and trends of globalization | | |national differences in political economy | | |international trade theories and patterns of international trade | | |political economy of international trade and investment | | |implications of regional economic integration | | |global monetary system | | |strategies and structures of international business | | |foreign market entry strategies and international strategic alliances ...
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...Paul XXXXXX XXXXXXXXX University International Financial Markets: Foreign Direct Investment FIN630 – Global Financial Management March 17, 2011 Foreign Direct Investment: Vernon’s product life-cycle theory Raymond Vernon’s theory was different than the modern day theories of the 1960’s. Before Vernon, economists thought the reason a country traded with another was because of some advantage it had over the other for producing a product. The advantage was thought to be mostly related to cost; a country could produce it cheaper. Vernon did not agree with this way of thinking. Raymond Vernon believed that products have a life cycle. His theory put emphasis on invention and new products. He believed that most trade came from manufactured products especially products saved consumers time and effort from work. Vernon believed that more advanced or stronger economic countries would focus on developing new products and inventions because those economies would have the economic structure to support research and development (Katsioloudes & Hadjidakis, 2007). Vernon believed that countries varied in economic development and they traded with each other not because they were superior but because it was a good opportunity for both. For example, during the 1950’s and 60’s the United States was a much more developed economic leader than Japan; however, trade between the two countries would not come from the U.S. having an advantage over Japan. It came about because it...
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...Trimester International Economics and Business (Course code: 308) Instructor: Dr. Mahima Sharma (A+B+D), Mr. Mohd. Irfan (C+E) Course Credit: 3 Number of Sessions: 24 Office Ext: 236, 269 Course Overview/objective: There are new realities that are critical for today’s students to embrace with the remarkable changes that are taking place in the cross border flow of products, services, capital, technology and people. Today both the volume of international trade and the level of firms’ internationalization are increasing at a fast pace creating newer opportunities and challenges for business. With this fact in mind, this course has been designed to prepare the future managers to grasp and comprehend the economic forces behind international business operations (as for instance -why does international trade take place? or why do firms invest overseas?) and the economic consequences of such operations( as for instance effect of international trade on production and consumption or effect of international trade on exchange rates. The contents of the course will familiarize the students with various fundamentals of international economics theory and also understand the linkages between these economic concepts and their implications for business. (As for instance the creation of a regional trade block and its implications for various sectors of business...
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...\ eighth edition Global Business Today CharlesW. L Hill University of Washington McGraw-Hill Irwin contents PREFACE xiii PART ONE Chapter One Introduction 4 What Is Globalization? 6 The Globalization of Markets 6 The Globalization of Production 7 The Emergence of Global Institutions 9 Drivers of Globalization 11 Declining Trade and Investmen t Barriers 11 The Role of Technological Change 14 The Changing Demographics of the Global Economy 16 The Changing World Output and World Trade Picture 16 The Changing Foreign Direct Investment Picture 18 The Changing Nature of the Multinational Enterprise 19 The Changing World Order 22 The Global Economy of the Twenty-First Century 23 The Globalization Debate 24 Antiglobalization Protests 24 Globalization, Jobs, and Income 26 Globalization, Labor Policies, and the Environment 28 Globalization and,National Sovereignty 29 Globalization and the World's Poor 30 Managing in the Global Marketplace 31 Key Terms 33 Chapter Summary 33 Critical Thinking and Discussion Questions 34 Research Task 34 Closing Case: Legal Outsourcing 35 Introduction and Overview 2 Globalization 3 PART TWO Chapter Two Country Differences 36 National Differences in Political Economy 37 Opening Case: Ghana: An African Dynamo 37 Introduction 38 Political Systems 39 Collectivism and Individualism 39 Democracy and Totalitarianism 42 Economic Systems 44 Market Economy 44 Command Economy 45 Mixed Economy 45 Legal Systems 46 Different Legal Systems 46 Differences...
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...key theories that justify international business • Explain the common methods used to conduct international business Outline Goals of the MNC Maximize shareholder wealth Problems encountered in meeting goals: 1) Agency problems larger for MNCs than purely domestic firms because: a) monitoring more difficult because of geographic distance b) different cultures c) MNC size d) subsidiary managers may maximize the value of their subsidiary but not of the MNC as a whole 2) Centralized vs. decentralized management a) centralized reduces agency costs because it gives parent more control; downside is that local managers may be better informed b) decentralized management increases agency costs but may result in better decisions c) Internet may facilitate monitoring of foreign subsidiaries 3) Corporate control used to reduce agency problems a) executive compensation with stock b) threat of hostile takeover c) monitoring by large shareholders Constraints encountered in meeting goals 1) Environmental - other countries may be tougher (e.g., pollution controls) 2) Regulatory - e.g., currency convertibility, remittance of profits, etc. 3) Ethical - e.g., bribes may be more acceptable in other countries Theories of International Business Theory of Comparative...
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...MFI 442 International Finance-Individual Assignments I Name Institution MFI 442 International Finance-Individual Assignments I Most corporations expand beyond their local boundaries to become multinationals. There are myriad reasons behind this (Wells & Wint, 2000). The biggest of all these reasons is to gain access to international markets and perhaps invest in economic zones that have high investment returns as compared to home countries (Fu, 2000). The trend of globalization has made most firms become multinational corporations. The most common method for MNCs is through franchises (Jones, 2005). In line with this, economists have put up theories explaining why businesses expand beyond their national boundaries (Hicks, 2000). My primary objective in this paper, therefore, is to discuss international finance and other macroeconomics policies. To foresee this goal, I will delve into foreign exchange market and operations of multinational corporations (MNCs). Theories Explaining Why Corporations Expand to become Multinationals a). Financial economists have brought forward three key arguments that enumerate why companies expand their operations to global markets. These theories are; the imperfect markets theory, the comparative advantage theory and the product cycle theory (Levi, 2004). i).The Comparative Advantage Theory This theory is among the most important concepts in international trade. It states that economic welfare increases when countries specialize...
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...freedom's effects in host countries and FDI. The objective was investigating the influence of economic freedom in foreign direct investment. In this poster there were 6 different variables and hypothesis and they're tested with statistical analysis. After these analysis we saw that hypothesis one, which is "Trade and investment barriers will be inversely related to the inflow of FDI." was the only one that rejected while other ones were supported. With these informations the conclusion of the research was that MNE's prefer the countries that have least government intervention which is equal to political freedom. The next presentation was about growth and if it attract FDI. The main purpose of the research was to investigate if success in economic growth attract FDI. To investigate this the researchers used theories about how economic growth either attract, deterrent or is neutral towards FDI. To investigate this they used a quantitative approach that is based on 946 observations from 140 empirical studies. The results gave that that growth is a significant determinant of FDI but decides of the partial correlation is rather small. They also found that the economic growth is more important for developing countries. The conclusion gave that economic growth is an important determinant for FDI. The third presentation was about influence of international trade agreements on...
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