<p><strong>ABSTRACT</strong></p><p>Title:</p><p>The Effect of Social Relationships on Company Internationalization</p><p>Course:</p><p>Master’s level Thesis (EFO705) in International Business and Entrepreneurship 10 Swedish credit points  (15 ECTS)</p><p>Authors:</p><p>Hanney Al-Qaisi & Bhupesh Reddy Kurre</p><p>Tutor:</p><p>Leif Linnskog</p><p>Problem:</p><p>How did social relationships affect the internationalization of a German IVF centre to the UAE? Using this case example, the thesis will be focused on studying the different social factors that could have affected the internationalization process.</p><p>Purpose:</p><p>The aim of this thesis was to describe the way that a local company in Germany went through internationalization to become a successfulmultinational company. We wanted to find out if there were any social factors that influenced the company. In particular, we wanted to investigate whether there were any entrepreneurial activities or barriers that influenced the company’s internationalisation and why it chose to open its subsidiary in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is far from Germany.</p><p>Methods:</p><p>This thesis is based on a qualitative methodology for gathering and analysis of the data around the internationalization of the German company.Qualitative methods are the best techniques for looking into social relationships and whether they have an effect on the internationalization process.</p><p>Theories:</p><p>Uppsala-Model; Network Theory; Social, Business & Professional Relationships and International Entrepreneurship</p><p>Target Group:</p><p>This research provides knowledge and information to entrepreneurs businessowners, managers, general readers, and academics who would like to understand the influence of social relationships on internationalization. </p><p><p>Conclusion:</p><p>Having searched through the published literature for relevant articles on the internationalization process, social relationships and entrepreneurial activities, we were able to inform our thesis with a theoretical framework for analyzing social relationships and internationalization. Social relationships do indeed have an influence on the internationalization process, and using our case example, it was possible to outline the patterns and nature of the influence. The theories (and patterns) are interlinked, and could be related in practical terms to the establishment of a satellite fertility centre in the UAE by a German head company.</p></p>

ABSTRACT Title: The Effect of Social Relationships on Company Internationalization Course: Master’s level Thesis (EFO705) in International Business and Entrepreneurship 10 Swedish credit points  (15 ECTS) Authors: Hanney Al-Qaisi &amp; Bhupesh Reddy Kurre Tutor: Leif Linnskog Problem: How did social relationships affect the internationalization of a German IVF centre to the UAE? Using this case example, the thesis will be focused on studying the different social factors that could have affected the internationalization process. Purpose: The aim of this thesis was to describe the way that a local company in Germany went through internationalization to become a successfulmultinational company. We wanted to find out if there were any social factors that influenced the company. In particular, we wanted to investigate whether there were any entrepreneurial activities or barriers that influenced the company’s internationalisation and why it chose to open its subsidiary in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is far from Germany. Methods: This thesis is based on a qualitative methodology for gathering and analysis of the data around the internationalization of the German company.Qualitative methods are the best techniques for looking into social relationships and whether they have an effect on the internationalization process. Theories: Uppsala-Model; Network Theory; Social, Business &amp; Professional Relationships and International Entrepreneurship Target Group: This research provides knowledge and information to entrepreneurs businessowners, managers, general readers, and academics who would like to understand the influence of social relationships on internationalization.  Conclusion: Having searched through the published literature for relevant articles on the internationalization process, social relationships and entrepreneurial activities, we were able to inform our thesis with a theoretical framework for analyzing social relationships and internationalization. Social relationships do indeed have an influence on the internationalization process, and using our case example, it was possible to outline the patterns and nature of the influence. The theories (and patterns) are interlinked, and could be related in practical terms to the establishment of a satellite fertility centre in the UAE by a German head company.

Scholarly interest in the informal economy has burgeoned in recent years, in anticipation of expanding our knowledge beyond the easily observable organizational life that takes place within the formal economic system. In line with this research endeavour, the present work represents a focused study of what I have labelled 'disguised relationships'. These ties result in repeated transactions between informal economy enterprises, which fail to comply with certain elements of the laws and regulations applying to their operations, and formal firms, which operate within the state-sanctioned formal economy. Drawing on an abductive reasoning process and grounded theory approach, I conduct a case study that captures the interactions between two leading cosmetics firms (i.e. formal firms) and ten daigou enterprises (i.e. informal enterprises) between 2013 and 2017. The examination of multiple data sources (i.e. interviews, news articles and social media observations) suggests that the organizational landscape under study differs considerably from the one in which formal firms are portrayed as rational choosers of best-performing partners or exploiters of subordinate actors within the informal economy. Rather, disguised relationships emerge in a unilateral and disguised fashion following the lead of informal enterprises, and formal firms unintentionally engage in the unexpected ties. Furthermore, disguised relationships create the image of dynamism replete with, metaphorically speaking, give-take, push-pull and chase-evade. More specifically, the emergent model illustrates the interactive practices through four mechanisms: (a) informal enterprises gaining social acceptability from certain society groups and acquiring the necessary resources from the members of identity-based groups; (b) drawing on this momentum, informal enterprises forming unilateral ties with formal firms in a disguised manner; (c) formal firms counteracting the unexpected ties, with temporary compromising on the counteracting efforts; and (d) informal enterprises avoiding the combatting efforts of formal firms through socially learnt tactics and leveraging network brokers (i.e. actors sharing the same ethnic/cultural backgrounds with informal enterprises while at the same time working for formal firms). This thesis makes contributions to the literature on both interorganizational relationships and the informal economy by overcoming the perennial problem of 'dualism' that is prevalent in the extant work. First, while the subject-object dualism bestows upon formal firms a heroic status such that they are conceptualized as rational actors forming interorganizational relationships, always on the basis of plans and goals, the current work argues that formal firms may participate in unexpected, yet lasting, ties, which requires ongoing situational responsiveness. Second, the structure-agency dualism projects the static image in which formal firms deliberately establish exploitative ties with structurally isolated informal enterprises, whereas the present study suggests that informal enterprises may exercise agency to proactively establish or dissolve connections with formal firms and to strengthen or weaken the relationships at their discretion. As such, dynamism figures prominently in the interorganizational relationships between formal firms and informal enterprises.

Although the United States has hired private contractors to execute government-funded work since its inception, these contractors have become increasingly more common since the 1980s. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been no exception; the number of for- and non-profit contractors designing and implementing international foreign aid projects has proliferated. The complicated relationships among USAID, nonprofit, and for-profit contractors raise important questions about the factors that influence 1) which types of organizations receive contracts, and 2) which characteristics increase the likelihood that contractors will form inter-organizational partnerships via their work on USAID's contracts. This dissertation explores both by examining 232 contractors that implemented USAID's democracy-building projects abroad 1999-2004. First, logistic regressions were used to assess the influence of nonprofit organizations' political affiliations on their ability to obtain USAID's contracts. The results of these analyses suggest that that in certain years, nonprofit organizations with prominent, politically connected board members were more successful than others in obtaining USAID contracts. In other time periods, the composition of nonprofits' boards had no significant impact on organizational success in acquiring contracts.Second, this dissertation evaluates whether inter-organizational familiarity influences the likelihood of contractors partnering on USAID-funded contracts. The results of logistic regressions indicate that inter-organizational familiarity from past partnerships has increased the chance that organizations partner in certain time periods. These findings stress the role of organizational learning in their decisions to partner, as well as the impact of government programs designed to diversify the pool of available contractors. This research considers the ways that changing political environments influence the availability of resources for contracting organizations with particular characteristics. Moreover, it underscores the need to assess the contracting system in order to ensure that those chosen to implement government-funded work are as capable, innovative, and accountable for their work as possible.

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Sous la pression de l'environnement, les entreprises ont été peu à peu amenées à changer leurs modes d'organisation en confiant de plus en plus d'activités à des prestataires externes. L'externalisation de la logistique est une des tendances fortes de ce mouvement. Cependant, malgré leurs bénéfices prétendus, de nombreux projets d'externalisation de la logistique ne remplissent pas leurs promesses. La cause en revient à une mauvaise anticipation des risques. Bien que la littérature soit riche en modèles théoriques et en études empiriques traitant de la décision d'externalisation, de ses déterminants, de ses facteurs de succès et d'échec, les travaux qui portent sur l'étude et l'anticipation des risques restent relativement rares. Ce travail de recherche s'intéresse au rôle que pourrait jouer la gestion des risques pour favoriser la conduite d'un processus d'externalisation de la logistique. Il repose sur une recherche-intervention mise en oeuvre chez un équipementier aéronautique. Il aboutit à la Proposition d'un processus de gestion intégrée des risques de l'externalisation. Ce modèle met en évidence la nécessité de repenser la manière d'appréhender l'externalisation de la logistique. Il propose une démarche intégratrice permettant de modéliser les différentes phases d'un processus d'externalisation de la logistique en adoptant de nouveaux modes de conception et de reconfiguration qui y intègrent la maîtrise des risques. Ce modèle offre une vision suffisamment globale aux praticiens qui doivent faire face au quotidien à des projets d'externalisation de plus en plus complexes. / Under pressure from the environment, firms were gradually brought to change their modes of organization by entrusting more and more activities to external service providers. The outsourcing of logistics is one of the strong trends of this movement. However, despite their supposed benefits, many logistics outsourcing projects fail to fulfil their promises. The cause goes back to weak risk anticipation. Although the literature is rich in theoretical models and empirical studies dealing with the decision of outsourcing, its determinants, its factors of success and failure, works which focus on the study and anticipating risks remain relatively rare. This research focuses on the potential role of risk management to support the conduct of a process of outsourcing of logistics. It is based on a research-intervention implemented in an aeronautical equipment manufacturer. It leads to the proposal of a model of integrated risk management outsourcing. This model highlights the need to rethink how to approach outsourcing logistics. It offers an inclusive approach to model the different phases of a process of logistics outsourcing by adopting new modes of design and reconfiguration which include the control of risks. This model offers a global vision to managers who face outsourcing projects becoming increasingly complex.

No / Despite the interest over recent years in the fragmentation of organizations and the development of contracting, little attention has been paid to the impact of the associated inter-organizational relationships on the internal organization of employment. Inter-organizational relations have been introduced primarily as a means of externalizing - and potentially rendering invisible - employment issues and employment relations. In a context where inter-organizational relationships appear to be growing in volume and diversity, this constitutes a significant gap in the literature that this paper in part aims to fill. The purpose of the paper is two-fold: to develop a framework for considering the internal and external organizational influences on employment and to apply this framework within a case study of a multi-client outsourcing call centre. We explore the interactions between internal objectives, client demands and the use of external contracting in relation to three dimensions of employment policy: managing the wage-effort bargain, managing flexibility and managing commitment and performance. It is the interplay between these factors in a dynamic context that provides, we suggest, the basis for a more general framework for considering human resource policy in permeable organizations.

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are being seen by governments, increasingly, as important engines of economic growth. They are viewed as sources of innovation and employment creation. Technology innovative SME’s commercialization strategy often includes forming a partnership with a large company (LCO). This is because what the SME lacks in terms of market links, marketing and distribution channels, the LCO can often provide. LCOs, on the other hand, need to be innovative in order to survive in a dynamic and ever changing business environment. LCOs are therefore open to new ideas, being in the form of knowledge and capabilities. The reality is, however, that many partnerships fail. For an SME whose growth is dependant on a partnership with an LCO, understanding how it can influence the partnership such that it will result in success is critically important. This research sets out to gain a better understanding of this topic. Research Problem Technology innovative businesses operate in the knowledge economy where the one sure source of competitive advantage is knowledge (Takeuchi and Nonaka, 2004). However, knowledge is a high risk commodity and can be easily appropriated by an opportunistic company. A major risk in collaboration is that the partners can gain access to the knowledge and skills of the company (Littler et al, 1995) – this is termed knowledge spillover. Where this is unintentional, it can result in the company exposing its knowledge and skills being made very vulnerable. Furthermore, the high rate of partnership failure is attributed to a lack of cooperation and the opportunistic behaviour of partners (Das et al, 1998). It is important, therefore, for SMEs wishing to partner with an LCO, to understand both what attracts the LCO to partner with them in the first instance, as well as what safeguards need to be in place to protect themselves against possible opportunistic behaviour by the LCO. Methodology A sample of 43 technology innovative SMEs was interviewed by means of a structured questionnaire. The frequencies of the variables were analysed and compared with findings in the literature. In order to improve the variation of the dichotomous responses, the independent variables were compounded into the following variables: competencies, ability capabilities, awareness capabilities, formal safeguards and informal safeguards. The relationship between the number/level of competencies and capabilities and partnership success was determined, as well as the influence of formal and/or informal safeguards on this relationship. Backward conditional logistic regression was performed on the compounded variables in order to determine which model best fitted the data, in other words which predictors most affected partnership success. To better understand the negative relationship between ability capabilities and perceived partnership success, as well as the positive relationship between awareness capabilities and perceived partnership success, cross tabulations were performed on all the individual items to determine the Phi Square. An explanation was provided for those items that proved to be statistically significant. Because of the small sample used for this quantitative study and in order to verify the major findings, four case studies were conducted on SMEs that had participated in the original survey. The findings of the survey were then compared with the findings of the case studies. Main findings The main findings from the survey were the following: 1. SMEs’ abilities rather than their competencies, appeared to influence the success of the partnership 2. the more ability capabilities an SME had, the lower the perceived success of the partnership. This was influenced by where the SME had developed its own IP; and where the SME had segmented is potential market in accordance with Moore’s (1999) market segmentation strategy for hi-tech products 3. a positive relationship between awareness capability and partnership success was influenced by the SME having an understanding of the LCO’s SWOT, but this same relationship was negatively affected by the LCO preferring to enter into a JV with another LCO when sourcing technology 4. the relationships listed in items 2 and 3 above were influenced by safeguards, namely: 4.1 the greater the number of safeguards (formal and informal) that were put in place, the more positive will be the relationship between increasing numbers of awareness capabilities and the perceived success of the partnership 4.2 the greater the number of safeguards (formal and informal) that were put in place, the less negative will be the relationship between increasing numbers of ability capabilities, and the perceived success of the partnership 4.3 formal safeguards were more effective at moderating the relationship between capabilities and partnership success than informal safeguards The main findings from the case studies were as follows: 1. having ability capabilities, awareness capabilities and competencies was associated with high levels of partnership success (not in support of the survey findings) 2. above average levels of capabilities/competencies were associated with low levels of partnership success (in support of the survey findings) 3. there is a positive relationship between the level of safeguards and the association between capabilities/competencies and partnership success (in support of survey findings) 4. both formal and informal safeguards are important in ensuring a positive association between capabilities/competencies and partnership success (not in support of survey findings). In conclusion, the findings from the case studies did indeed validate some of the findings of the survey, namely, in the absence of safeguards, above average levels of capabilities/competencies are associated with low levels of partnership success; and there is a positive relationship between the level of safeguards and the association between capabilities/competencies and partnership success. / Thesis (PhD (Technology Management))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM) / PhD / unrestricted

Face à la dispersion géographique de leurs activités, les firmes multinationales (FMN) sont amenées à gérer des relations intra- et inter-organisationnelles de plus en plus complexes. Cette recherche doctorale porte sur la coordination de ces relations dans le contexte de l’usine mondiale (global factory), qui constitue une forme particulière de l’entreprise-réseau. Elle s’appuie sur une recherche-action menée auprès de l’entreprise Renault Trucks (groupe Volvo). L’étude empirique est fondée sur 63 entretiens, des groupes de discussion interactifs et l’organisation de deux workshops, complétés par des données secondaires. Les résultats obtenus mettent en avant le rôle prépondérant de la firme-pivot dans le pilotage des relations avec les partenaires internationaux. Selon la configuration du partenaire (niveau d’autonomie opérationnelle et fréquence de la transaction), il est recommandé de choisir des mécanismes de coordination spécifiques. Un jeu de 21 propositions vise à améliorer notre compréhension de l’usine mondiale en termes d’agencement et de fonctionnement interne. Enfin, un design organisationnel de l’usine mondiale est développé. / Facing the geographic dispersion of their activities, multinational companies (MNCs) are involved in the management of increasingly complex intra- and inter-organizational relationships. This doctoral research focuses on the coordination of these relationships in the context of the global factory, which represents a particular form of the network-firm. It is based on an action research project conducted at Renault Trucks (Volvo Group). The empirical study covers 63 interviews, interactive panels and the organization of two workshops, completed by secondary data. The results highlight the important role played by the lead firm for the management of relationships with international partners. Depending on the configuration of the partner (level of operational autonomy and frequency of the transaction), it is recommended to choose specific coordination mechanisms. A set of 21 proposals intends to improve our understanding of the global factory in terms of configuration and internal operations. Finally, an organizational design of the global factory is developed.

Notre objectif est de comprendre comment les acteurs qui prennent part à la gouvernance d’une méta-organisation interviennent dans l’émergence et le maintien d’un contexte institutionnel favorable à la confiance dans les relations inter-organisationnelles (RIO). Nous réalisons deux études de cas qualitatifs de clusters des industries culturelles et créatives, en France et au Canada. Pour le cas français nous pointons les difficultés relatives à la confiance et le travail postérieur de construction de nouvelles frontières, avec une conciliation entre besoins économiques et esprit de création artistique. Pour le cas canadien : un climat initial peu propice à la confiance et un travail postérieur d’institutionnalisation de l’idée que le cluster agit dans l’intérêt de toute l’industrie. Nous proposons un cadre conceptuel pour analyser les pratiques de création et maintien d’un contexte institutionnel favorable à la confiance dans les RIO, dans une perspective structurationniste (relation récursive institutions/action). Nous distinguons des dimensions du contexte et deux types de pratiques : « d’activation » (les acteurs font intentionnellement appel à des éléments institutionnels jugés pertinents vis-à-vis de la confiance par rapport à l’interaction) ; et « de structuration », (ils structurent progressivement les bases institutionnelles de la confiance pour des interactions, actuelles et futures). Nous proposons des éléments pour une « compétence liée à la confiance », comme une capacité liée au déploiement, dans une manière perçue comme authentique, de comportements liés à la confiance et jugés appropriés vis-à-vis du rôle de l’acteur dans un contexte institutionnel donné / The aim of the research is to understand how the actors involved in the governance of a meta-organization intervene in the emergence and maintenance of an institutional context favorable to trust in inter-organizational relations (IOR). Following a qualitative approach, we carried out two embedded case studies of clusters operating within the cultural and creative industries in France and Canada. Regarding the French case, we highlighted the difficulties of trust and later work by some actors aimed at adopting new boundaries that involves new sectors, which included the search for conciliation between economic needs and the spirit of artistic creation. As for the Canadian case, we highlighted the initial climate not propitious to trust and the subsequent institutionalization work of the idea that the cluster acts in the interest of the whole industry. We propose a conceptual framework to analyze the practices of creating and maintaining an institutional environment favorable to trust in IOR, within a structurational perspective (recursive relation institutions/action). We distinguish dimensions of the context, and two types of practices: of “activation” (actors intentionally call upon institutional elements considered as relevant to trust in the current interaction); and of "structuration" (actors gradually structure the institutional bases of trust for current and future interactions). In the conclusion, we propose elements for a "trust-related competence" as a capacity related to the deployment, in in a manner perceived as authentic, of behaviors related to trust and considered as appropriate regarding the role of the actor in a given institutional context