Cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have become a prominent internationalization and growth strategy of today’s global business landscape. However, the practice faces significant failure in terms of value creation. To this end, the post-merger integration of information systems (IS) is critical for the failure rate of M&As due to the complexity and ambiguity of how and what systems should be consolidated. Research has been carried out to provide frameworks illustrating IS integration methods and the relationship between business strategies and IS integration strategies but omits potential factors that influence the level of IS integration. Hence, the aim of this study is to examine what factors influence how information systems are integrated in cross-border M&As. This was carried out through a qualitative multiple-case study of 9 Swedish multinational corporations with recent M&A activity. The study finds that there are five IS integration methods, one of which was added by this study in order to cover all levels of how IS are integrated. Additionally, a mixture of factors was found to influence specific IS integration methods where the M&A context, design of the IS integration, and organizational characteristics were on a general level found to be most influential. This suggests previous findings focused on alignment of business strategies and IS integration strategies need a nuanced view to further explain the failure rates of M&As.

The aim of this study is to examine if there are any factors that influence young Swedish consumers' willingness to participate in the cross-border e-commerce market. Another aim is to examine the perceived risks associated with e-commerce in Sweden and overseas. The authors generated ten hypotheses to test this. The authors employed a quantitative approach and sent a survey to 162 people, with questions based on applicable theories, to investigate if there are factors that affect young Swedish consumers when they transact on the cross-border e-commerce market. The questions were sent through the authors’ social media. The findings suggest that seven factors influence young Swedish consumers’ decision-making when conducting cross-border e-commerce. Furthermore, the findings show that these factors have an impact on young Swedish customers, such as opinions from friends and family, perceived risk, loyalty to their own country, all of which affect when young Swedish consumers opt to use the cross-border e-commerce market.

Au Canada, les universités connaissent une intensification de leurs activités d'internationalisation sans précédent. À ce sujet, une enquête menée par l'AUCC (2014) met en évidence que le recrutement d'étudiants internationaux constitue la première des cinq priorités des établissements d'enseignement supérieur canadiens. En parallèle, plusieurs écrits témoignent de l’intérêt croissant que portent les chercheurs en sciences humaines et sociales pour l'internationalisation des universités. Ils mettent en évidence que, d’une province à l’autre, le processus d'internationalisation est relativement variable (Buckner et al., 2020; Taskoh, 2020). Au Québec, celui-ci varie également d'une institution à l'autre en fonction de plusieurs facteurs, tels que la langue d'enseignement et de communication (français ou anglais), la localisation géographique et les domaines d’études, ce qui crée des contrastes à l'intérieur même du système d'enseignement supérieur. Selon Jane Knight, le processus d'internationalisation se définit comme le « processus d'intégration d'une dimension internationale et interculturelle dans les missions et les fonctions de l'enseignement postsecondaire » (Knight, 2004, p. 2). Cependant, les caractéristiques de ce processus (justifications, bénéfices, résultats, activités et acteurs) divergent d'une institution à l'autre (Knight, 2004). Cette étude se focalise sur le développement des partenariats internationaux, qui sont l'une des composantes du processus d'internationalisation de l'enseignement supérieur, ainsi que sur les stratégies inhérentes à la construction et à la gestion de ceux-ci. Malgré la forte tendance à l'internationalisation qui caractérise les universités, développer des relations durables et stables dans un partenariat n'est pas une mince affaire. Il convient ainsi de consacrer davantage d'attention à l'analyse de la façon dont elles gèrent leur développement international et des bonnes pratiques qu'elles mettent en œuvre. En interrogeant des administrateurs d'universités québécoises sur les conditions de leur implication dans des partenariats, cette étude vise à examiner dans quelle mesure ils respectent le principe de réciprocité et quelles stratégies sont mobilisées dans sa mise en application. Le cadre conceptuel et d’analyse repose sur un assemblage de trois concepts: les « justifications » et les « stratégies d'internationalisation », tels que définis par Knight (2004) et la réciprocité. Des chercheurs se sont inspirés du concept de réciprocité (Galtung, 1980) pour examiner les conditions de développement et de gestion de partenariats internationaux (Leng, 2015, 2016; Mwangi, 2017; Wei et Liu, 2015). Le principe de réciprocité comprend quatre objectifs (équité, autonomie, participation et solidarité) par l'atteinte desquels une organisation sera à même de réduire les différences de pouvoir dans ses relations de coopération (Mwangi, 2017). Les données utilisées proviennent de neuf entretiens semi-dirigés menés auprès d’administrateurs et de coordonnateurs de projets de quatre universités différentes. Le processus d'analyse est marqué par une alternance entre analyse déductive et inductive. Les résultats montrent qu'au-delà de la rhétorique économique (présente notamment en matière de recrutement international), des justifications plus symboliques constituent l'un des moteurs de l'internationalisation. L'analyse souligne également la présence de différences dans les perceptions des participants selon qu'ils soient affiliés à des universités francophones ou anglophones. En outre, nous mettons en évidence plusieurs stratégies susceptibles d’instaurer des relations plus pérennes. Dans une certaine mesure, les administrateurs manifestent effectivement des stratégies associées au principe de réciprocité et les traduisent en actions concrètes. Bien que les résultats obtenus ne puissent être généralisés, ils donnent un aperçu des stratégies pouvant faciliter l'opérationnalisation des objectifs d'équité, de solidarité, de participation et d'autonomie. / In Canada, universities are facing an unprecedented increase in internationalization activities. In fact, a survey conducted by AUCC (2014) showed that Canadian institutions' most common top 5 priorities is international undergraduate student recruitment. Concurrently, in the Canadian literature, there is a growing interest regarding the study of the internationalization of Canadian universities. However, provincial variations regarding the internationalization process exist (Buckner et al., 2020; Taskoh, 2020). In Quebec, the internationalization of universities varies from institutions depending on several factors, such as the language of instruction (French-language universities or English-language universities), geographic location and the academic field. Therefore, it creates contrasting challenges inside the higher education system. According to Jane Knight, the internationalization process is defined as "the process of integrating an international, intercultural or global dimension into the purpose, functions or delivery of post-secondary education" (Knight, 2004, p. 2). As mentioned by Knight (2004), the features of this process (rationales, benefits, outcomes, activities and stakeholders) fluctuate across institutions. In this study, we focus on the case of cross-border partnerships, which are one of the components of the internationalization process of higher education, as well as on the strategies inherent in the management of those partnerships. Despite the high demand from universities to engage in collaborations, developing successful and sustainable relationships is not an easy task. Nonetheless, more attention needs to be dedicated to investigating how universities cope with their international development and best practices for success. In this light, our study aims to explore strategies in cross-border partnerships. By interrogating Quebec's administrators, it examines how far those partnerships are characterized by mutuality. Despite the extension of commercial approach and market-based values, we state that strategies and practices emerging from this study show great examples of how universities deal with their international development in a more collaborative way. The conceptual framework relies on a combination of three concepts: "rationales" and " strategies of internationalization" as defined by Knight (2004) and "mutuality". A number of researchers have drawn upon Galtung (1980) concept of mutuality to deeper understand cross-border partnerships development and management (Leng, 2015; Mwangi, 2017; Wei and Liu, 2015). The concept of mutuality comprises four goals (equity, autonomy, solidarity and participation) an organization can reach so as to reduce power differences in collaborations. This study follows a qualitative research design and uses a hybrid process of deductive and inductive analysis. Our data comes from nine semi-structured interviews conducted with administrators. The findings show that despite an economic-related logic (especially when it tales to recruit international students), it is clear that symbolic rationales drive internationalization. Additionally, we find the existence of substantial differences between participants' perceptions from French-language and English-language universities. Importantly, we also highlight several strategies that can lead to more sustainable institutional relationships. To some degree, administrators manifest some aspects of mutuality and turn them into concrete actions. Even if the results cannot be generalized, the findings have important implications for the development of further international collaborations between universities. In fact, it provides insight into the strategies that can be linked to the goals of equity, solidarity, participation and autonomy.

Диссертация посвящена исследованию способов и стратегий успешной интеграции трансграничных мигрантов в культурную среду города на примере Екатеринбурга. Автор анализирует основные проблемы интеграции мигрантов в общество; дает характеристики основным стратегиям поведения мигрантов в процессе аккультурации; исследует основные причины проблемности интеграции мигрантов в культурную среду города, а также анализирует возможности интеграции трансграничных мигрантов в культурную среду города на примере Екатеринбурга. В работе представлен разработанный авторский образовательный проект курсов для мигрантов по проведению медиаторских экскурсий на выставках современного искусства «Место встречи», который может способствовать решению проблемы интеграции мигрантов в культурную среду города. / The dissertation is devoted to the study of methods and strategies for the successful integration of cross-border migrants into the cultural environment of the city on the example of Yekaterinburg. The author analyzes the main problems of integration of migrants into society; gives characteristics of the main strategies of behavior of migrants in the process of acculturation; explores the main reasons for the problematic integration of migrants into the cultural environment of the city, and also analyzes the possibilities of integration of cross-border migrants into the cultural environment of the city on the example of Yekaterinburg. The paper presents the author's developed educational project of courses for migrants on conducting mediation excursions at exhibitions of contemporary art "Meeting Place", which can contribute to solving the problem of integration of migrants into the cultural environment of the city.

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Some administrative border areas are recently defined as cross-border areas, and have become a key phenomenon that is challenged by disparities between urban and rural areas. In this setting, the cross-sector collaboration is presented as a type of organization to respond challenges generating from these disparities. Despite its complexity, the cross-sector collaboration is becoming a significant strategy in cross-border areas to instigate sustainable development issues through bringing new dynamics into the traditional settings. From a realist perspective, the researchers in this study explore the cross-sector collaboration and approaches to organizing cross-sector collaboration in cross-border areas. Each side ofan administrative border in cross-border areas, there exists three main societal sectors - public, private and third sector having representation as collaboration stakeholders. In order to deal with sustainable development of cross-border areas through cross-sector collaboration, resource management and stakeholder management approaches are problematized as not adequate to address various dimensions of complexities regarded in cross-sector collaboration in cross-border areas. Moreover, the village of Röstånga has been studied in order to examine the practice of these approaches to cross-sector collaboration along the administrative border between Svalöv and Klippan municipalities in Skåne region.Fundamental factors in organizing cross-sector collaboration in cross-border areas have been identified throughout the case study. In order to organize cross-sector collaboration in such setting, the researchers also find out that there are 'other issues', commonly known by public and third sector as meeting points, local logic and social capital, that are not approached within neither resource management nor stakeholder management approach. These other issues need to be instantly addressed in cross-sector collaboration in cross-border rural areas in addition to the identified fundamental factors. At the end, the researchersdevelop 'Social Issue Management Approach' that integrates management-with-stakeholders approach, as having no focal organization but a common focal issue, and social issue approach as an ideal strategy suggested to organize cross-sector collaboration in cross-border areas.

Today’s urban planners and scholars emphasize the necessity of a shift towards sustainable modes of transport. Among these, bicycle highways have emerged as an innovative infrastructure solution. Characterized by their broader lanes and separation from other transport modes, they offer a safer and more efficient alternative to traditional bike lanes. However, the implementation of bicycle highways presents challenges as they cross several municipal borders and involve multiple stakeholders across various governmental levels. This thesis explores the advantages and challenges of implementing bicycle highways in Skåne. By interviewing eight officials working with bicycle highway planning at various governmental levels, the thesis aims to explore and analyze the gaps in translating frameworks, such as multi-level governance, into practice. It also investigates the differences in frameworks, values, and attitudes to explore how these variations affect the conditions and efforts for collaboration across various governmental scales. The thesis discovers multiple advantages perceived by officials within the field in terms of a higher-quality design of the bicycle infrastructure, while also discovering the challenges of implementing such infrastructure. It also recognizes that collaboration within various governmental scales is needed to develop seamless bicycle highways. Different approaches among road actors related to prioritized values, allocation of budgets, political ideals, and timeframes are identified, and could affect the effectiveness of collaboration across scales. However, attitudes continue to be a crucial factor in the success of bicycle highways between urban areas.

The PhD thesis "Current Issues in International Insolvency Law" aims to describe and draw attention to the moments that, in the opinion of its author, have had the strongest impact on international insolvency law so far. As such it is chiefly devoted to the analysis of existing regulation in the area of European insolvency law (which is principally based on Council Regulation (EC) No 1346/2000 of 29 May 2000 on insolvency proceedings - the "Old Insolvency Regulation" - and Regulation (EU) 2015/848 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2015 on insolvency proceedings - the "New Insolvency Regulation"), and also provides a selection of the relevant case law which has over time significantly changed the way in which specific issues and instruments related to this area are viewed. To do justice to the complexity of the subject matter, the thesis also discusses the determination of jurisdiction in cross-border insolvency proceedings and recognition of the effects of foreign insolvency proceedings in relations between EU and non-EU countries. The main aim of the thesis is to answer the following questions: which legal documents have had the strongest impact on the current form of international insolvency law; whether and how the interpretation of the concept of centre of a debtor's main...

An increase in economic globalisation and international trade the past two decades has amounted to an increase in the number of multinational enterprises that conduct business, own assets and have debt in various jurisdictions around the world. This, coupled with the recent worldwide economic recession, has inevitably caused the increased occurrence of multinational financial default, also known as cross–border insolvency (CBI). CBI refers to the situation where insolvency proceedings are initiated in one jurisdiction with regard to a debtor’s estate and the debtor also has property, debt or both in at least one other jurisdiction. When a multinational enterprise is in financial distress, the structure of such an enterprise poses significant challenges to the question of how to address its insolvency. This is due to the fact that, although the multinational enterprise is found globally in different jurisdictions around the world, the laws addressing its liquidation are local. The possibility of restructuring the multinational enterprise or liquidating it in order the satisfy creditor claims optimally depends greatly upon the ease with which the insolvency law regimes of multiple jurisdictions can facilitate a fair and timely resolution to the financial distress of that multinational enterprise. The legal response to this problem has produced two important international instruments which were designed to address key issues associated with CBI. Firstly, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) adopted the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross–Border Insolvency in 1997, which has been adopted by nineteen countries including the United States of America (in the form of Chapter 15 of the US Bankruptcy Code) and South Africa (in the form of the Cross–Border Insolvency Act 42 of 2000). Secondly, the European Union adopted the European Council Regulation on Insolvency Proceedings (EC Regulation) in 2000. These two instruments address the management of general default by a debtor and are aimed at providing a legal framework which seeks to enhance legal certainty, cooperation, coordination and harmonization between states in CBI matters throughout the world. After discussing the viewpoints of various writers, it seems clear that “modified universalism” is the correct approach towards CBI matters globally. This is mainly due to the fact that the main international instruments currently dealing with CBI matters are all based upon “modified universalism”. By looking at various EU and US case law it is also evident that, although there is currently still no established test for the determination of the “centre of main interest” (COMI) of a debtor–company under Chapter 15, there is a difference in the approach adopted by courts in the EU and those in the US in this regard. This dissertation further discusses the requirements for a debtor–company to possess an “establishment” for the purpose of opening foreign non–main insolvency proceedings in a jurisdiction as well as the choice–of–law considerations in CBI matters. / Thesis (LL.M. (Import and Export Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

An increase in economic globalisation and international trade the past two decades has amounted to an increase in the number of multinational enterprises that conduct business, own assets and have debt in various jurisdictions around the world. This, coupled with the recent worldwide economic recession, has inevitably caused the increased occurrence of multinational financial default, also known as cross–border insolvency (CBI). CBI refers to the situation where insolvency proceedings are initiated in one jurisdiction with regard to a debtor’s estate and the debtor also has property, debt or both in at least one other jurisdiction. When a multinational enterprise is in financial distress, the structure of such an enterprise poses significant challenges to the question of how to address its insolvency. This is due to the fact that, although the multinational enterprise is found globally in different jurisdictions around the world, the laws addressing its liquidation are local. The possibility of restructuring the multinational enterprise or liquidating it in order the satisfy creditor claims optimally depends greatly upon the ease with which the insolvency law regimes of multiple jurisdictions can facilitate a fair and timely resolution to the financial distress of that multinational enterprise. The legal response to this problem has produced two important international instruments which were designed to address key issues associated with CBI. Firstly, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) adopted the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross–Border Insolvency in 1997, which has been adopted by nineteen countries including the United States of America (in the form of Chapter 15 of the US Bankruptcy Code) and South Africa (in the form of the Cross–Border Insolvency Act 42 of 2000). Secondly, the European Union adopted the European Council Regulation on Insolvency Proceedings (EC Regulation) in 2000. These two instruments address the management of general default by a debtor and are aimed at providing a legal framework which seeks to enhance legal certainty, cooperation, coordination and harmonization between states in CBI matters throughout the world. After discussing the viewpoints of various writers, it seems clear that “modified universalism” is the correct approach towards CBI matters globally. This is mainly due to the fact that the main international instruments currently dealing with CBI matters are all based upon “modified universalism”. By looking at various EU and US case law it is also evident that, although there is currently still no established test for the determination of the “centre of main interest” (COMI) of a debtor–company under Chapter 15, there is a difference in the approach adopted by courts in the EU and those in the US in this regard. This dissertation further discusses the requirements for a debtor–company to possess an “establishment” for the purpose of opening foreign non–main insolvency proceedings in a jurisdiction as well as the choice–of–law considerations in CBI matters. / Thesis (LL.M. (Import and Export Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.