Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) has increasingly been considered important by both industry and academia, organizations around the world seek to extend or disseminate their sustainable practices to their multi-tier supply chains in order to make the whole chain sustainable. Among the main streams of SSCM research, it is surprising that, with a few exceptions, the leadership role of multinational corporations (MNCs) in their supply chains in an emerging economy has been ignored by researchers. Little is known on how MNCs, assuming leadership in their supply chain, have been able to facilitate their supply chain members to learn sustainability practice in an emerging economy context i.e. the mechanisms. To address this gap in the literature, a multiple-case study is designed. Multi-tier supply chains of three MNCs were selected to investigate their proactive sustainability projects in China. They are: Tetra Pak creating a recycling chain in China; Nestlé modernising China’s dairy industry; and IKEA’s sustainable cotton initiative. By adopting Resource Orchestration Theory (ROT), findings related to supply chain leadership, supply chain learning, multi-tier SSCM are presented. A number of testable propositions are advanced. The main findings of the research are that rather than focusing on the ‘low hanging fruits’ of sustainability, MNCs implement proactive sustainable initiatives requiring a strategic thinking and long term significant investment by engaging their multi-tier suppliers and non-traditional supply chain members. They tend to play a leadership role in the implementation process enabled by transformational and transactional leadership styles. These MNCs applied different leadership styles and governance mechanisms on different tiers of suppliers, which render different supply chain structures in the process of supply chain learning, which includes three stages of set up, operating and sustaining. This research contributes to SSCM research in the following ways: first, it may be the first attempt that investigates multi-tier SSCM through supply chain learning and supply chain leadership angles adopting a ROT perspective. This help to explain how MNCs implement sustainable initiatives in China; second, it contributes to supply chain learning literature by differentiating supply chain learning stages and learning content in terms of focal company knowledge resources and supplier learning complexity to explain the implementation of SSCM initiatives; third, leadership at an individual level is well researched and understood but it is not the case for organisational level leadership. This research enriches our understanding of the role of organisational leadership in MNCs’ SSCM; fourth, the research contributes to multi-tier SSCM with a focus on both supply chain governance mechanisms and supply chain structure; fifth, this research extend ROT from within an organization context to supply chains and include three aspects: breadth (resource orchestration across the scope of the supply chain including both internal and external breadth); depth (resource orchestration across multi-tiers of the supply chain); and project lifecycle (resource orchestration at various stages of supply chain learning stages); finally, a complete theoretical framework is developed to tie together the constructs of supply chain learning, supply chain leadership, multi-tier SSCM with ROT. Practically, a step by step methodology, integrating the key factors affecting the implementation of SSCM initiatives including supply chain learning, supply chain leadership, multi-tier supply chain governance and supply chain structure, is proposed. The ‘best practices’ of the researched MNCs provide a feasible roadmap for these organizations to learn from.

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Background -Today's international business environment has facilitated the internationalisation process for firms all around the world by the reduced barriers to international trade (Efrat and Shoham, 2012). An expansion across borders is desirable since it offers the possibility of future business activities and it can aid a company to reach superior performance (Cotae, 2013). There are numerous strategies to an internationalisation process and the decisions made by the top management demonstrates the relationship between leadership behaviour and internationalisation (Cotae, 2013; Schweizer, Vahlne and Johanson, 2010). Therefore, this study will investigate leaders in multiple firms during the various stages of the internationalisation process in order to discover both how and to what degree they influence the internationalisation within their organisations.   Purpose- The purpose of this study is to explore what types of leadership behaviour influence the internationalisation process in MNCs and to examine specifically influential types of leadership behaviours in order to analyse the relationship between the behavioural and strategic differences in MNCs throughout the internationalisation process.   Method- This study will use an exploratory approach by combining existing theoretical frameworks and empirical data. Empirical data was collected through a qualitative research method consisting of nine semi-structured interviews, then qualitative content analysis was applied. Conclusion– The results show that a medium influence through authentic leadership can be demonstrated and can also be revealed as successful based on the MNCs current international activities.

Dentro da área de Negócios Internacionais, uma nova tendência surgiu no início da década de 2000, em complemento ao movimento de outsourcing que já se observava há décadas. Este movimento denominado offshoring passou a ocupar importante espaço na mídia e também em periódicos especializados, onde se procurou entender, caracterizar e delimitar sua abrangência, causas e conseqüências. Este trabalho procura contribuir neste tema através de um survey realizado junto a 172 subsidiárias de multinacionais instaladas no Brasil dos mais variados setores da economia. Com base nisso, quatro conjuntos de hipóteses foram elaborados para serem testados através das respostas obtidas com a aplicação de um questionário via Internet e que possibilitaram a verificação estatística para cada hipótese formulada. O primeiro conjunto foi referente aos tipos de atividades (estratégicas ou não-estratégicas) que a subsidiária desenvolve no país. O segundo conjunto está relacionado à terceirização de atividades. Se a terceirização faz parte do modelo de negócios adotado e que tipo de serviços contrata junto a terceiros. O terceiro conjunto questiona a percepção com relação à competitividade obtida pela subsidiária segundo os drivers encontrados, as ferramentas para decisão disponíveis e eventuais parcerias realizadas. Finalmente o quarto conjunto avalia a percepção dos respondentes com relação ao risco de perda ou inibição interna de competências. De forma geral, os testes realizados mostraram que as empresas pesquisadas realizam grande quantidade de atividades estratégicas, mas que também terceirizam serviços estratégicos em complemento às suas operações e modelos de negócios. Também foi observado que a competitividade é melhorada através do outsourcing de serviços, mas que também existe o receio de risco de perda ou inibição de competências, apesar de utilizarem ferramentas ou conceitos conhecidos como cadeia de valor, custo de transação, visão baseada em recursos e competências essenciais. / Within the area of international business, a new trend emerged in the early 2000s, in addition to the movement of outsourcing that has already been watched for decades. This movement called offshoring went on to occupy important space in the media and also in specialist periodicals, which sought to understand, characterize and delimit its scope, causes and consequences. This work seeks to contribute in this theme through a survey conducted among 172 subsidiaries of multinationals in Brazil from different sectors of the economy. Basis, four sets of hypotheses to be tested were prepared through the answers obtained by applying a questionnaire via the Internet and that allowed the statistical verification for each assumption made. The first set was covering the types of activities (strategic or non-strategic) that the subsidiary develops in the country. The second set is related to the outsourcing of activities. If outsourcing is part of the business model adopted and what kind of services hires along to third parties. The third set questions the perception with respect to competitiveness obtained by subsidiary second drivers found, available tools for decision and possible partnerships undertaken. Finally the fourth set assesses the perception of the respondents with respect to the risk of loss or inhibition of internal competence. Generally, the tests showed that the companies surveyed develop large amount of strategic activities internally, but that also outsource strategic services in addition to its operations and business model. It was also noted that competitiveness is improved through outsourcing services, but also there is the fear of risk of loss or inhibition of skills, although using tools or concepts known as value chain, transaction cost economics, resource-based view and core competences.

O presente estudo procurou compreender a transferência, o desenvolvimento e o reconhecimento das competências das subsidiárias. O objetivo principal foi entender o modelo de gestão da corporação, determinante para o fenômeno da transferência, desenvolvimento e reconhecimento das competências. O modelo proposto abordou a importância das diretrizes estratégicas da matriz na relação com as subsidiárias (autonomia, integração, orientação empreendedora), a gestão da subsidiária (iniciativa própria) e a gestão da relação da subsidiária com o ambiente externo (contexto competitivo e a rede externa). Serviu de base para a elaboração desses pressupostos a teoria da visão baseada em recursos e capacidades dinâmicas; os modelos estratégicos das multinacionais em conjunto com a teoria evolucionária do papel das subsidiárias; e as teorias recentes acerca das multinacionais emergentes. Para testar os pressupostos foi conduzido um survey com as subsidiárias de multinacionais brasileiras. De 46 empresas multinacionais brasileiras identificadas, 29 aceitaram participar da pesquisa. Estas multinacionais tinham 93 subsidiárias para as quais foram enviados questionários, retornando a resposta de 66 subsidiárias. De modo geral os resultados mostram a importância das variáveis ambiente externo para a transferência, desenvolvimento e reconhecimento de competências. Deve ser salientada a necessidade de iniciativas das subsidiárias para a criação de competências não-locais em contraposição às competências específicas e locais. Os resultados mostram também como diferentes modelos de gestão refletem na presença de diferentes tipos de competências nas subsidiárias. Conclui-se que a transferência, desenvolvimento e reconhecimento de competências das subsidiárias figuram como um dos fatores essenciais para a competitividade das multinacionais brasileiras. Isso implica que as multinacionais brasileiras devem enxergar as subsidiárias como fonte de competências superado o fato da empresa ter nascido no país errado e exaltando os modelos da estratégia transnacional e metanacional como guias para os seus modelos de gestão. / The current study tried to understand the transference, the development and the recognition of the competences of the subsidiaries. The main objective was to understand the model of management of the corporation, important for the phenomenon of the transference, development and recognition of the competences. The related model approached the importance of the strategic lines of direction of the headquarters in the relation with the subsidiary (autonomy, integration, entrepreneurial orientation), the management of subsidiary (initiatives) and the management of the relation of the subsidiary with the external environment (competitive context and the business network). The dynamic theory of the resource based view was considered as base for the elaboration of these purposes; the strategic models of the multinationals together with the evolutionary theory of the role of the subsidiaries; and the recent theories concerning the emerging multinationals. In order to test the purposes, a survey was conducted with the subsidiaries of the Brazilian multinationals. Twenty nine out of forty six identified Brazilian multinational companies, accepted to participate in the survey. These multinational companies had 93 subsidiaries for which questionnaires were sent, and from which 66 were answered. In general, the results show an the importance of the variable external environment for the transference, development and recognition of competences. The necessity of initiatives of the subsidiaries for the creation of non-local competences in contraposition to the specific and local competences must be pointed out. The results also show how different models of management reflect in the presence of different types of competences in the subsidiaries. As a conclusion, the transference, development and recognition of competences of the subsidiaries appear as one of the essential factors for the competitiveness of the Brazilian multinationals. This implies that the Brazilian multinationals must see the subsidiaries as source of competences considering the fact of the company has been born in the wrong country and emphasizing the models of the transnational and metanational strategy as guides for its models of management.

Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2017-05-05T12:45:19Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_Gardiner_Gabriel.pdf: 3755831 bytes, checksum: 77fadca7de2cf1f6ed974df044baae45 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-05T12:45:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_Gardiner_Gabriel.pdf: 3755831 bytes, checksum: 77fadca7de2cf1f6ed974df044baae45 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-22 / OEA- Organização dos Estados Americanos / This dissertation attempts to analyze the concept of political risk, its evolution and application both within the academic and market setting. An endeavor to contribute to the quantification of the political risk field is made via econometric modeling. Overall, 6 different indicators for political risk are employed in the empirical analysis. The results show that political risk is a highly significant determinant to foreign investment inflows on emerging market countries. Though political risk is a phenomenon that is present in all countries both highly industrialized and still developing, this study is focused on the emerging market economy. Due to the rise in importance of the emerging market within the global economy, special emphasis is dedicated towards the new capitalist tools developed by the administrators of the emerging market economy. / Esta dissertação tenta analisar o conceito de risco político, sua evolução e aplicação tanto acadêmica quanto mercadológica. Com um modelo econométrico, pretende-se contribuir para a quantificação no campo do risco político. O trabalho emprega seis indicadores diferentes de risco político. Os resultados mostram que o risco político é um determinante altamente significativo do fluxo de investimento estrangeiro direto nos países de mercado emergente. Embora o risco político seja um fenômeno presente em todos os países, altamente industrializados e também nos ainda em desenvolvimento, este estudo se foca nas economias de mercado emergentes. Devido à crescente importância dos mercados emergentes na economia global, ênfase especial é dedicada aos novos instrumentos capitalistas (fundo soberano, empresa estatal e campeão nacional) desenvolvidos por administradores de economias de mercado emergente.

Two literatures exist concerning cross-border merger activity's impact on domestic wages: one focusing on positive spillover-effects; the other focusing on negative bargaining-effects. Motivated by scarce theoretical scholarship spanning these literatures, we nest both mechanisms in a single conceptual framework. Considering the separate phenomena of inward and outward cross-border merger activity, our theoretical model generates three formal propositions: cross-border mergers can lead to wage increases via positive spillover-effects; and negative bargaining-effects are relatively more dominant when union market power is high, and when merging firms exhibit relatedness. Employing US firm-level panel data on wages combined with industry-level data on unionization and merger activity (covering 1989-2001), we find support for our propositions as inward and outward cross-border merger activity generate positive spillovers to wages, but are more likely to generate firm-level wage decreases when unionization rates are high and when cross-border merger activity is characterized as horizontal. Accordingly, future research on how cross-border mergers affect domestic wages should be mindful that both spillover and bargaining effects are at play, and that the degree of union market-power and the relatedness of cross-border merger activity are critical in determining which effect dominates. (authors' abstract)

Doctor Legum - LLD / At the heart of this thesis is the notion of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), an innovative concept deep-rooted in the globalisation phenomenon. The notion of CSR entails the much-debated duty of businesses, not only to comply with international and local standards in terms of, inter alia, labour rights and working conditions, human rights and environmental protection, but also to be at the forefront of voluntary and uplifting actions geared toward addressing societal issues and concerns. For corporations, it is about moving from the traditional approach of business as an activity with the sole purpose of realising profit towards acknowledging the need to integrate societal and environmental issues and concerns into their business purposes. The thesis examines selected multinational corporations’ (MNC) approaches to CSR as contained in their codes of conduct, in an effort to reach a comprehensive understanding of the purpose, interest and practices of businesses engaging in CSR activities. Particular attention is given to the analysis of labour orientated measures implemented by selected MNCs as they undertake to voluntarily act as proponents of the theory of the necessity of socially responsible businesses. The aim is to comparatively assess the legal dimension and the relevance, in different countries, of these MNC CSR commitments. The first part of the thesis is theoretical and has the purpose to present a comprehensive analysis of CSR against the current legal framework, at a global scale and within the context of selected countries. The thesis will explore the notion of CSR in order to present its definition and characteristics, briefly retrace its history, differentiate it from related and/or similar concepts, and finally assess the extent of its introduction and adaptation into various national and international institutional frameworks. Even though initially addressing the issue of CSR in the current legal framework as a whole, the scope of the thesis will ultimately be reduced to focus only on labour-related aspects of CSR. The aim of the thesis is to assess MNC’s CSR commitments, and subsequently highlight the interaction between CSR, labour and employment legal frameworks (at national and international level) and the effective implementation of labour rights and working conditions as observed in the context of different countries. More importantly, the thesis will also include a comparative analysis of CSR principles included in selected MNC codes of conduct, in order to assess the extent of their compliance with national labour legislation, international labour standards, as well as the standards and principles set by national and international CSR instruments and institutions. The purpose of such an exercise is to thoroughly assess the impact of a national context - in terms of national legal, economic, social and industrial framework - on the legal dimension, and the relevance of MNCs CSR commitments. A crucial argument developed in the thesis refers to the fact that MNC codes of conduct may have the potential to impact on labour rights and working conditions of a MNC across the different countries into which the MNC operates. Finally, considering the fact that as a topic CSR is a potentially controversial subject, it is necessary to point out, from the onset, that the thesis engages with the subject from a critical perspective. The approach therefore entails critically analysing and discussing MNC commitments and practices as observed in different countries, so as to be able to ascertain and comprehend the impact of a national context on the content, the relevance and the legal dimension of MNC codes of conducts.

The presented dissertation reports the findings of a quantitative study on shared values of a multinational corporation across its Middle East and Sub-Saharan subsidiaries. The study is based on the Competing Values Framework (Quinn &Rohrbaugh, 1983; Cameron&Quinn, 1999) with 24 shared values superimposed upon the Competing Values Framework (McDonald&Gandz, 1992). The presented work argues that an organisation can increase its competitiveness by understanding its shared value system and by managing the organisation accordingly. In return, the organisation due to an increased competitiveness would realise a competitive advantage by understanding the shared value composition. In understanding the shared values composition one can attract and retain staff due to a greater person organisation fit, which in turn would lead to a reduction in staff turnover, skilling and training cost in return yielding a competitive advantage. The research found that there seems to be a common shift or trend in the Cape Town, Johannesburg and Middle East subsidiaries. The trend is that the subsidiaries value those shared values most that fits into the clan and market culture quadrants with some elements of the adhocracy and hierarchy cultures type resembled. The latter not being as dominant as the clan and market culture types. The Pretoria and Turkey subsidiaries regarded the values of the clan and adhocracy culture quadrants higher than those within the market and hierarchy culture quadrants. This is unexpected to a degree as the subsidiaries are across multiple nations encompassing different cultures. The subsidiaries believe in culture of collaboration and competition with the purpose of group cohesion and the pursuit of objectives. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Purpose: The objective of this study is to analyze the content of disclosure on internal control in multinational corporations’ annual reports and to investigate the determinants of disclosure. The study questions whether there are differences in the content, volume and quality of disclosure between multinational corporations and what factors could explain these differences? Methodology: This research is based on 178 multinational corporations selected from the 2012 ranking of Global 500 published by Fortune Magazine. Content analysis was used to analyze the volume and quality of internal control information disclosed in the multinational corporations’ annual reports. The study accommodates for three disclosure measures which are: Disclosure Index (DI), Disclosure Volume (DV) and Disclosure Quality (DQ) Findings: Based on univariate and multivariate analysis, results seem to indicate that national factors are more significant in explaining the differences in disclosure than governance and operational factors. The study also proved that there is at least one significant variable under each category of factors (National, Governance and Operational) Implications: These findings could be relevant to a number of stakeholders concerned with multinational corporations’ activities and performances. Stakeholders influenced by the study are top managers of Multinational Corporation, regulatory setters and investors. The research has implications on the accounting literature by shedding light on disclosure on internal control and the internal control factors grouping.