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The existing literature on corporate technology strategy has been mostly concerned with firms in the industrialised countries that are operating close to the international technological frontier and focusing on R&D-intensive innovation, i. e. 'technological leaders' following 'offensive' strategies. Very little is known about the strategies of firms relying heavily on adopting existing technology. Almost all firms in developing countries follow this technological pattern and, within the limited existing taxonomies of technology strategy, would be classified simply as 'technological imitators'. However, there can be wide differences between more 'active' and 'passive' imitative strategies. This study explores those differences in technology strategy within a small sample of 20 manufacturing firms in Thailand. Using an interview-based survey, it aims to examine the characteristics of firms' strategies in two different sectors: science-based (electronics) and scale-intensive (steel and petrochemicals). It also explores the relationships between the technology strategies and other aspects of business strategy, as well as other factors, such as size, age, ownership, and market orientation. The analysis focuses on aspects of strategy concerned specifically with the acquisition of technology and the accumulation of technological capabilities. The results show that although most firms focus their broad market and product strategies on the share of existing markets and the cost/quality of existing products, there are differences among firms and between the product strategies of firms in the two main industry groups. Although they were all technological imitators, their past practice and future objectives varied in terms of the market entry approach, the technological basis of market development, and their sourcing of that technology. There were also differences in the intensity of efforts to develop technological capabilities, but a large proportion of the firms made only limited efforts to develop the capabilities for changing and creating their product and process technologies. Differences between the two main industry groups were present but limited, and there were often similarly important

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The negotiation process (NP) is the process by which two or more negotiation parties try to achieve a mutual agreement. The negotiation strategy selection (NSS) is an important part in this process. As the proportion of the international to domestic trade increased in recent years so the frequency of the negotiation processes between people from different countries and cultures increased. Most of the relevant studies in the negotiation field focussed on NP generally and a very few of these studies focussed on the negotiation strategy (NS). There are many factors that influence NSS but from the relevant studies in the negotiation field there was no study focussed on the internal factors that influence NSS especially in multinational enterprises. Therefore, this study focussed on NS in multinational enterprises generally and Egyptian Multinational Enterprises (EME) specifically. The study. aimed to (i) Identify the concepts ofNPand NS. (ii) Identify the main types of NS and the negotiation tactics (NT). (iii) Identify the internal factors that influence NSS. This was undertaken with EME as a survey study, and Aea Brown Boveri (ABB) as a case study. ' j • This study' showed that there was arelative understanding in the perceptions of the managers in EME and ABB regarding the concepts of NP and NS and the main types of NS and NT. Also, their understanding regarding the concepts of NS was closer to the literature views than their understanding regarding the concepts ofNP. Further, there was a difference between the literature views and the managers' views in EME and ABB regarding the internal factors that influence NSS ..Finally, there was a difference between the managers' views in E:ME·and ABB 'regarding the concepts of NP and NS; the main types ofNS and NT and the importance rate (IR)"and the dependence rate (DR) of the internal factors that influence NSS.

This field work study furthers understanding about expatriate management, in particular, the nature of cross-cultural management in Abu Dhabi involving Western expatriate and U. A. E. host national managers, the important features of adjustment for expatriates living and working in Abu Dhabi, and the type of training which will assist them to adjust and to work successfully in this Arabic environment. Qualitative and quantitative data on each issue was gathered during in depth interviews in Abu Dhabi, using structured interview schedules, with thirty nine expatriate and thirty one host national managers drawn from a cross section of functional areas and organisations. Despite the adoption of Western technology and the influence of Western business practices, micro-level management in Abu Dhabi retains a cultural specificity which is consistent with the norms and values of the local culture. There are differences in how expatriates and host nationals define their social roles, and Abu Dhabi's Islamic and Bedouin history appears to influence cross cultural interpersonal interactions. The inability of the spouse and/or family to adapt to Abu Dhabi is identified as a major reason for expatriate assignments to fail, though the causes have less to do with living away from family and friends, than with Abu Dhabi environment. Culture shock is not identified as a major problem, but in Abu Dhabi micro level social factors require greater adjustment than macro level societal factors. The adjustment of expatriate mangersi s facilitated by a strong orientation toward careerd evelopment,p ossessiono f technical/professional expertise, and willingness to engage in a process of continuous `active learning' with respect to the host national society and culture. A four-part model of management training suitable for Abu Dhabi is derived from the study data. It consists of a pre-departure briefing, post-arrival cross-cultural training, language training in basic Arabic and in how to communicate more effectively in English with non-native speakers. III

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