Abstract and summary The glocal province of competence. The regional building up of knowledge at Växjö University and its choice of home region. The aim of the study is to give views on knowledge and to describe and discuss which home region Växjö University has chosen as its context. Taking my point of departure in the literature and in examples, I illustrate, discuss and examine how three different disciplines at the university have chosen their home regions. The disciplines are history, economics and biology. The study covers the last 33 years. The empirical study, with its focus only on regional matters, is based on four sources. 1. Research and researchers 2. Education and the impact it has as shown by the papers written by students at bachelor and master levels. In all 459 papers have been classified 3. Interviews with the professors 4. The University’s annual report given by the board of directors. The study centres on the diverse and complex characteristics of regions which leads to a variation of regions used by different actors at the university. One aspect is the consideration of the relationship between formal and everyday knowledge. The three disciplines have different attitudes towards home region and towards how it is constituted. Generally speaking, historians see the home region more as territory with the emphasis on the southern part of the province of Småland. The economists concentrate on home region as a functional arena, even though examples and studies sometimes are found in Småland. The biologists, who are in a new discipline at the university, sometimes study the southern part of Sweden, but focus on general aspects. All three of them are interested in interdisciplinary methods and studies in order to build up knowledge connected to the home region. The board of directors has not chosen one specific region and varies its attitudes over the years. The interviews gave a broad perspective on knowledge and regions and with views on a local and global world. A glocal region. Keywords; home region, regional development, knowledge, higher education, university.

<p>Abstract and summary</p><p>The glocal province of competence.</p><p>The regional building up of knowledge at Växjö University and its choice of home region.</p><p>The aim of the study is to give views on knowledge and to describe and discuss which home region Växjö University has chosen as its context. Taking my point of departure in the literature and in examples, I illustrate, discuss and examine how three different disciplines at the university have chosen their home regions. The disciplines are history, economics and biology. The study covers the last 33 years.</p><p>The empirical study, with its focus only on regional matters, is based on four sources. 1. Research and researchers 2. Education and the impact it has as shown by the papers written by students at bachelor and master levels. In all 459 papers have been classified 3. Interviews with the professors 4. The University’s annual report given by the board of directors.</p><p>The study centres on the diverse and complex characteristics of regions which leads to a variation of regions used by different actors at the university. One aspect is the consideration of the relationship between formal and everyday knowledge.</p><p>The three disciplines have different attitudes towards home region and towards how it is constituted. Generally speaking, historians see the home region more as territory with the emphasis on the southern part of the province of Småland. The economists concentrate on home region as a functional arena, even though examples and studies sometimes are found in Småland. The biologists, who are in a new discipline at the university, sometimes study the southern part of Sweden, but focus on general aspects. All three of them are interested in interdisciplinary methods and studies in order to build up knowledge connected to the home region. The board of directors has not chosen one specific region and varies its attitudes over the years.</p><p>The interviews gave a broad perspective on knowledge and regions and with views on a local and global world. A glocal region.</p><p>Keywords; home region, regional development, knowledge, higher education, university.</p>

This study aims to explore the factors, aspects, and trends considered in the International Market Selection (IMS) process. Consequentially, it develops a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by home region oriented multinational enterprises (MNEs) during international expansion. The research question focuses on how home region oriented MNEs approach and execute market selection within the internationalization process. The importance of IMS is emphasized, as many MNEs struggle with Internationalization, and only a few achieve global presence. While previous academic literature highlighted the significance of market selection, a comprehensive model encompassing all relevant criteria on a macroeconomic level was lacking. To address this gap, in-depth interviews are conducted with practitioners and experts to gather qualitative insights. The main findings reveal that MNEs primarily face three key challenges when internationalizing and selecting new markets: Company internal aspects, product market aspects, as well as the macroeconomic situation. This thesis focuses on the macroeconomic assessment aspect and develops a holistic, transparent, applicable, and current framework: the multicriteria decision making framework. The framework bases on 53 indicators, structured according to the PESTLE model and helps selecting the right market based on macroeconomic conditions. To demonstrate the framework's applicability, a case study is conducted in collaboration with a global chemical company targeting the Latin American market. Using the framework, a clear recommendation on country attractiveness is provided. The company could leverage this information to maintain or intensify operations in high-scoring countries such as Chile, Mexico, or Brazil, while exercising caution or avoiding low-scoring countries such as Argentina or Venezuela. Accordingly, does this study not only explore behaviors and challenges faced by home region oriented MNEs but also introduce an applicable framework for IMS in the real business world. The framework's practicality makes it valuable for future research and contributions in the field of IMS.

The performance effects of multinationality have been subject to extensive study over the last four decades. To date, the findings of empirical studies have not been able to demonstrate a consistent picture as far as the relationship between multinationality (M) and performance (P) is concerned; nor have they established a general link. This dissertation suggests that the M-P relation might be contingent upon certain contextual considerations. In particular, this doctoral thesis examines the performance effects of multinationality depending on a) scope of international expansion (regional vs. global); b) the role of firm-specific assets (FSAs) and c) home region effects.

The performance effects of multinationality have been subject to extensive study over the last four decades. To date, the findings of empirical studies have not been able to demonstrate a consistent picture as far as the relationship between multinationality (M) and performance (P) is concerned; nor have they established a general link. This dissertation suggests that the M-P relation might be contingent upon certain contextual considerations. In particular, this doctoral thesis examines the performance effects of multinationality depending on a) scope of international expansion (regional vs. global); b) the role of firm-specific assets (FSAs) and c) home region effects.