International business and emerging markets

Main theme: MNCs and (de)globalization: New paradigm for emerging markets

Co-chairs: Jorma Larimo (Vaasa University) and Andrei Panibratov (GSOM)

Trade disputes and political tensions between countries evoked concerns of scholars about ongoing de-globalization that has been actively problematized since the end of 2010s. The consequences of Covid-19 pandemic have only accelerated the pace of this phenomenon, bringing new restrictions on mobility and disruptions in value chains. While many scholars expect greater risk aversion, protectionism and nationalism to be the paradigm for national economies and for multinational companies (MNCs), others oppose suggesting that the foundations of globalization have not eroded, and post-pandemic world will need even more globalization. This point grounds on the idea that the world is now and will long be fragmented and unequal, and international firms will persist as bridges that connect the fragmented reality.

As a part of dynamic reassessment, relocation and reorganization of activities, divestment is one of the possible strategic decisions of firms in response to (de)globalization related uncertainty and turmoil. IB scholars have studied the companies’ divestment strategy as an essential part of their (de)internationalization strategy when locating in an unfavorable environment, with an example of the exit behavior of Japanese and Korean firms from China under the impact of the trade war, or of Western MNCs continually divesting from Russia due to economic sanctions applied by the US and EU governments.

The question which remains open - whether in the coming years firms will retract MNCs global markets or just relocate their international activities to other foreign destinations? The session will be devoted to the phenomena of de-globalization and of foreign divestment and relocation of business which are assumed to persist in the new reality of post-Covid.

 

For the main theme competitive and interactive papers are welcomed. The session will be seeking for conceptual papers, literature reviews, empirical works, and case-based studies discussing the phenomenon of de-globalization and the strategy of foreign divestments and relocation of MNCs. More specifically, the following topics can be suggested:

• What is the role of environmental uncertainty (caused by sanctions, Covid-19, geopolitical conflicts) for de-internationalization strategy and for the host country of divesting MNCs?
• How institutional factors of home and host markets affect the decision of a firm to de-internationalize?
• How foreign divestment (FD) decision is made? What are antecedents to FD?
• How companies choose a destination when they change location? What is the motivation to relocate firms’ operations?
• To which extent the FD decision is conditioned by the image of the home country of divesting firm? What’s the FD effect for firms’ legitimacy?
• What’s the role of location-specific and firm-specific advantages for the FD decision?
• What does FD means for divesting firms? Is it failure or part of strategy?

The best papers of this theme sessions will be nominated for publication in the Special Issue of the BRICS Journal of Economics (https://www.brics-econ.org) or recommended for fast-track review in the International Journal of Emerging Market (https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/journal/ijoem).

Special theme: Emerging market multinationals and the politics of internationalization

Co-chairs: Peter Gammeltoft (Copenhagen Business School) and Andrei Panibratov (GSOM)

With this year's special theme, the conference particularly welcomes contributions, which extend the understanding of the multi-level interplay between political processes, governance and policies and the internationalization of emerging market multinationals and the implications it holds for firms, governments, and international regimes. This theme spans a range of specific topics and can be approached with different disciplinary, theoretical and empirical lenses. Hence, both theoretical and empirical papers are welcome, applying qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods, and contributions from a range of disciplines are encouraged, such as international business, strategy and organization, political science, economic geography, economic sociology, economic history, as well as cross-disciplinary contributions.

For the special theme competitive and interactive papers are welcomed. The session will be seeking for conceptual papers, literature reviews, empirical works, and case-based studies discussing the non-market strategy and political activity of EMNEs. Illustrative but by no means exhaustive questions pertaining to the special theme include the following:

• How and with which outcomes do home governments support the internationalization of EMNCs, both domestically and abroad?
• How and with which effects do host governments seek to capture the opportunities and mitigate the risks from the increasing presence and strengths of EMNCs?
• How do dynamics between different levels of government in home countries, e.g. central vs regional, affect EMNC internationalization?
• What are the roles of diplomacy and soft power in EMNC internationalization?
• Which nonmarket strategies do EMNCs deploy to mobilize the support of or to mitigate the adverse effects of governments in home and host countries?
• Do EMNCs' nonmarket strategies vary systematically with firm characteristics such as forms of ownership, governance, nationality, industry or certain types of capabilities?
• How do protectionist measures and increasing regulatory scrutiny in host economies influence international strategies and supply chain organization of EMNCs?
• How do EMNCs manage increasing political risk and regulatory uncertainty?
• How have international regimes evolved to shape EMNC internationalization? How do firms and governments seek to actively influence their evolution?
• How do civil society organizations, popular movements and the media shape the responses to EMNC internationalization?

Prospective participants are encouraged to also consider submission for the related special issue of International Business Review (IBR). Please note that the submission deadline for the special issue has been extended to December 1, 2021.

Call for papers: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-business-review/call-for-papers/emerging-market-multinationals

Round table: Economy, politics, and culture: Three pillars of the Sino-Russian business relationships

October,12 (Tu.) 5 pm - 7 pm 

Working language - English (with simultaneous interpretation into Russian)

Speakers:

Mr. Lyu Tao, Economic & Commecial Consul, The Consulate General of The People's Republic of China in St.Petersburg

Mr. Chen Zhigang, Vice President of the Association for the Promotion of Business Relations of the China Business Center, President of the Chinese Society of St. Petersburg

Prof. Alexsey Maslov, Director of the Institute of Asian and African Studies of Moscow State University, Academic Director of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Questions:

1. Belt and Road Initiative: whether investment and technology breakthroughs possible without the governments’ support?
2. Where is the dividing line between cooperation and competition of Russian and Chinese companies?
3. What is the role of Chinese diaspora for Russia, and to what extent are two cultures changing (enriching)?
4. What are the most important areas for cooperation between China and Russia in the context of sanctions and Covid-19?

Moderators: Professor Tony Fang, Stockholm Business School (SBS), Stockholm University and Andrei Panibratov, Graduate School of Management (GSOM), St.Petersburg University)