International joint ventures (IJV) are frequently stated to be increasingly popular but with significant managerial dissatisfactions in their operations. Severe failure rates of IJVs is distinguished in previous literature, between 30-70 percent eventually end up in failure. Prior research suggests that the management aspect of inter-partner relationships is limited. There is also limits in research regarding the factors impacting how to manage inter-partner relationship and how it relates to IJV performance. The theory used for this study is an integrated framework of social exchange theory (SET) and transaction cost economics (TCE). These theories acquire two sets of mechanisms on how to manage inter-partner relationship and its impact on IJV performance: (1) social mechanisms of trust, communication, and cultural adaptation, and (2) structural mechanisms of ownership control, contract, balanced asset specificity and resource complementarity. The framework is tested empirically using interviews as data collection from five Swedish companies involved in an IJV with partners headquartered in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The outcome of this study suggests that a majority of the mechanisms impact on how to manage an inter-partner relationship and also provide to enhance IJV performance. The most influencing factors on inter-partner management and IJV performance are trust, communication, contract and resource complementarity. We also identified interesting results regarding the interaction between the social and structural mechanisms in relation to management and IJV performance.

International joint ventures (IJVs) are important modes for entering foreign markets. Yet, research shows that IJVs are volatile, difficult to manage, and often fail, especially when the joint venture is located in a developing country. Many studies look at a range of different factors behind IJV success or failure, and a few longitudinal studies have shed light on some of the complex management processes within IJVs. Many researchers have concluded that the high rate of IJV failure is due to internal tensions that are inherent to IJVs, but viable solutions for practitioners are rare. In the absence of a model that adequately explains the longitudinal aspects and determinants of IJV performance, we see firms electing to stay in underperforming IJVs, even though more profitable modes of entry into foreign markets exist. In this thesis I analyze market entry and expansion through IJVs using a multi-causal analysis of IJV performance. I begin with a critical evaluation of the IJV literature. I then develop a process-oriented model that may explain why firms persist with failing IJVs. Finally, I draw several important conclusions that have valuable implications for practitioners and for future research.

觀察國內連鎖服務業近二十年來的發展，由於台灣生活水準的提高，服務業也更為精緻化、多元化，除了本土的連鎖服務業種類與品牌日亦增加，也有愈來愈多的跨國連鎖服務業透過合資、授權或在台設立分公司的方式進入台灣市場。以目前國內連鎖餐飲業的發展情況來看，已有不少跨國企業成功將餐飲文化與標準化餐飲管理技術帶入台灣，包括麥當勞與肯德基、T.G.I. Friday’s、摩斯漢堡、Afternoon Tea、Cold Stone，Burger King等，這些國外品牌成功的融合台灣在地文化在台灣市場穩定發展，並促使台灣餐飲業更注重消費者的感受與服務品質。 然而，國外企業要進入台灣市場必定會面臨一些環境差異的挑戰，因此許多國際品牌選擇以合資的方式和本地企業合作以順利擴張其品牌營運範圍。國內亦有不少企業集團以合資方式和名國際品牌合作發展新事業，一方面能學習到國外品牌企業之經營知識技術，並獲得品牌知名度的優勢；另一方面則可善用集團內部的資源。相較於自行發展品牌進入不熟悉的領域，此種做法能減少風險並增加效率。然而，由於合資的原故，新事業的發展必然也會受到國外企業的牽制與規範，從初期技術轉移、經營模式到未來的策略選擇方面，可能都會面臨一些困難與挑戰。 　　本研究以本地企業和國際品牌企業合資引進國外品牌，並建立新事業之過程做為主軸，以組織學習的觀點探究其新事業營運模式之建立過程。本研究主要獲得以下結論： 1. 台灣企業以國際合資方式引進國外品牌建之新事業，初期團隊的經營幹部大部分由台灣母公司指派，且組織扁平化。 2. 以合資方式引進國外品牌的新事業享有當地與海外母公司的雙重資源，在品牌理念方面深受外資企業的影響，但在經營管理方面則會融合兩方的特色。 3. 國際合資新事業的初期籌備著重於向品牌方學習相關的知識技術，是以模仿學習為主，之後則會從經驗中學習，配合環境做出調整。 4. 在新事業建立初期，若國外品牌方能夠提供教育訓練或提供人力於營運當地協助，將有助於合資新事業快速學習知識並建立營運模式。而長期經營則有賴良好的溝通機制使得雙方的知識交流能持續不斷。 5. 國際合資新事業由於引進品牌在當地經營，在不違背國外品牌企業的限制下，會做適度的在地化，也因產生創新。以相關多角化發展合資新事業的企業，由於集團內部的互補資源較多，將有助於合資新事業創新的產生。 / With the improving standard of living in Taiwan, the chain-store industry has become more delicate and more diverse. The number of local chain-store brands has increased, and more and more multinational chain services companies have entered Taiwan market with the forms of joint ventures, licensing or setting up branches. Many multinational companies have successfully brought the food cultures and the food management technology into Taiwan, such as McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, TGI Friday's, Mos Burger, Afternoon Tea, Cold Stone, Burger King, etc. These foreign brands have successful adapted the Taiwanese culture and have been developing stably in Taiwan. They also have inspired Taiwan's restaurants to pay more attention to the feelings of consumers and the service quality. However, due to the differences of market natures, foreign enterprises face some challenges as they enter the Taiwan market. For the reason, many international brands set up joint ventures with local enterprises to expand their business territory. Some domestic enterprises also develop their new businesses through international joint ventures. In this way, they not only can learn knowledge and skills from the foreign brands, but also can utilize their intra-group resources. By establishing international joint ventures reduce risk and increase efficiency, the domestic enterprises want to enter an unfamiliar area. New business development, however, will necessarily be restricted by the foreign enterprises, from the initial transfer of technology, operational strategy, and the future choice, and this development may face some difficulties and challenges. The study focuses on the process of the domestic enterprises when they build new business with international joint ventures. The main literature in this study includes international new business venture, organizational learning, and creative value. There are several conclusions from the study: 1. The organization of the initial team of the Taiwanese enterprises which builds the brand new business through international joint venture is flat. Most of the management cadres of the initial team come from the Taiwan’s parent company.   2. The new business which introduces foreign brand with international joint ventures enjoys the dual resources, the brand concept will influence deeply by foreign company, but the management will be integrated in the operating characteristics of the two sides. 3. International new business venture learn knowledge from the brand company at early stage, focusing on learning from imitation, but later would learn from experience, and adapt to the environment. 4. If the foreign brands are able to provide education, training or providing manpower to assistant in Taiwan, the new business venture will learn quickly and easy to establish the business model. The long-term business relies on good communication mechanism to allow the exchange of knowledge of both sides continuously. 5. International joint venture will localize, but not violate the constraints of foreign brands, so it produces innovation. The companies which develop joint new business ventures with related diversification are easy to produce innovation because there are more complementary resources in the companies.

Before 1950, the Chinese automobile industry did not exist, let alone manufacturing passenger cars. Currently, the Chinese automobile market has become the largest market in the world. Chinese companies have launched their own brand of passenger cars to compete with other international companies in the world only in 30 years. In our research, we analysed the development of the Chinese automobile industry from the perspective of knowledge transfer. This study employed qualitative method to conduct the research and a Chinese automobile company was taken as an example. To analyse the process of knowledge transfer, we created an analytical model which is based on previous research. The primary data to test the model comes from three interviews, which were conducted with employees working as manager and engineer in the Chinese automobile industry. The secondary data was collected to complement the primary data. All data were used to present a holistic view of the process researched. Our results show that the rapid growth began with the attention of the Chinese government who set the Chinese automobile industry as the "pillar industry" of the Chinese economy. Then, the rapid development of the Chinese automobile industry greatly depends on the process of cross-border knowledge transfer, which is significantly influenced by the Chinese government. Our main contribution is that the process of knowledge transfer can work well within an environment controlled by the government, in spite of lacking the enablers examined in previous studies (e.g. trust). Another contribution is the analytical model we created to analyse the whole process of knowledge transfer.

International Joint Ventures are important for international Business. In recent years, firms started to convert their International Joint Ventures into Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprises. However, there is only a limited understanding for the conversion of International Joint Ventures into Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprises. The purpose of this study is to offer reasoning for this phenomenon. The theoretical framework that was developed for this thesis is based on the FDI Motive theory and the OLI framework. From a methodological perspective, a deductive approach is followed. The qualitative research was using a multiple case study design to collect primary data to answer the research questions. The results of this study suggest, that two aspects of the FDI Motive theory have an effect on the International Joint Venture conversion into a Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise. For the market seeking motive, firms believe to be able to better maximize their market share by taking full control over the subsidiary. Also, the resource seeking motive is in this thesis identified as an important reason for the conversions, as companies see especially advantages in taking full control over labour in those markets. However, the Strategic Asset Seeking and Efficiency Seeking motives are not included in the study. Also, several changes of OLI factors were identified as impactful for the conversion. The decrease of cultural difference between home and foreign market, the increase of perception of market size, gaining of international experience as well as the decrease of risk in the foreign market are all factors which are important for the reasoning of converting an International Joint Venture into a Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise. In addition, no correlation between the conversion and the enforcing of contracts or the size of the company were observed in this study. Furthermore, this thesis suggests that there are also other factors that were not identified by the theoretical frameworks. Lack of trust in the partner, liberalisation of governmental regulations, bad financial performances of the International Joint Ventures and economic crises are aspects that have an influence on conversions as well. The findings of this thesis will help Swedish based firms to understand the phenomenon of firms converting their International Joint Ventures into Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprises in India and the People’s Republic of China.

International Joint Ventures are important for international Business. In recent years, firms started to convert their International Joint Ventures into Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprises. However, there is only a limited understanding for the conversion of International Joint Ventures into Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprises. The purpose of this study is to offer reasoning for this phenomenon. The theoretical framework that was developed for this thesis is based on the FDI Motive theory and the OLI framework. The results of this study suggest, that two aspects of the FDI Motive theory have an effect on the International Joint Venture conversion into a Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise. For the market seeking motive, firms believe to be able to better maximize their market share by taking full control over the subsidiary. Also, the resource seeking motive is in this thesis identified as an important reason for the conversions, as companies see especially advantages in taking full control over labour in those markets. However, the Strategic Asset Seeking and Efficiency Seeking motives are not included in the study. Also, several changes of OLI factors were identified as impactful for the conversion. The decrease of cultural difference between home and foreign market, the increase of perception of market size, gaining of international experience as well as the decrease of risk in the foreign market are all factors which are important for the reasoning of converting an International Joint Venture into a Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise. In addition, no correlation between the conversion and the enforcing of contracts or the size of the company were observed in this study. Furthermore, this thesis suggests that there are also other factors that were not identified by the theoretical framework. Lack of trust in the partner, liberalisation of governmental regulations, bad financial performances of the International Joint Ventures and economic crises are aspects that have an influence on conversions. The findings of this thesis will help Swedish based firms to understand the phenomenon of firms converting their International Joint Ventures into Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprises in India and the People’s Republic of China.

Due to the nature of globalization, new strategies have been designed to break into new markets. Joint Venture is a common strategy to enter new markets and by using a Joint Venture, companies share risks and establish new contacts with local knowledge. Brazil is a market where foreign investors gain more and more interest. Brazil's economy is growing fast and made well during the global financial crisis. The middle class in Brazil is constantly growing and for the first time, poverty is not a majority in Brazil.In an International Joint Venture (IJV), it is usually a foreign company establishing a partnership with a local company. Often, IJVs fail because companies have problems collaborating, depending on different variables. In this thesis, we chose to analyze the cultural barriers in a Brazilian-Swedish IJV on the Brazilian market. The purpose of this thesis is to gain an understanding and describe cultural barriers in an IJV partnership, and high-light those to increase the chances for successful IJVs between Brazilian and Swedish companies in the future.This thesis is qualitative, with an abductive approach, in order to gain a deeper and better understanding of experienced barriers. We have chosen to see culture from both a national and an organizational perspective as earlier research has showed that national culture affects the organizational culture within an IJV. Using Hofstede's (1991) four dimensions of national culture as a supplement to Wilson’s (2001) four factors influencing the organizational culture, we have conducted four interviews in two Swedish-Brazilian IJV companies located in São Paulo, Brazil. The companies we have chosen to interview have been small or medium-sized manufacturing. Interviews were conducted face-to-face in a comfortable environment for all respondents. In our analysis, we used matrices to make it easier to see what differences and/or similarities there are between the case-companies.Results of this study, demonstrate that the experiences from the two case-studies are well in line with each other. The organizational structure in Brazil has been perceived as more hierarchical than the Swedish vertical and more open structure. This in turn, has strengthened the differences in communication between managers and employees, which been perceived as more top-down in Brazil than in Sweden. Our conclusion is that cultural barriers have been perceived, in the perception of the leaders’ expected behavior, language barriers, differences in planning and management of uncertain situations, Brazil's more family-oriented society and close relationship between private life and work in the Brazilian market.Several of these barriers have been experienced during the early start-up of an IJV, something we believe increases the importance of being well prepared for cultural barriers that may arise. The importance of an agreement upon the structure and policies at the company at an early stage is crucial, to reduce future possible conflicts. Show mutual respect and understanding for one's partners’ culture and experienced cultural barriers, use these to avoid any negative effects, and instead create a positive impact for the IJV. / Minor Field Study