Emerging Asian Economies and MNCs Strategies

New Horizons in International Business series

Edited by Robert Taylor, University of Sheffield, UK and Bernadette Andreosso-O’Callaghan, University of Limerick, Ireland and Ruhr Universität Bochum, Germany

Analysing the role of multinational investors in emerging Asian economies and the implications for regional economic integration, this astute study examines the increasing role being played by Asian countries in the global economy.

Encompassing a large number of diverse manufacturing and service sectors, this book highlights the cultural and strategic challenges faced by multinational investors in the region in which they invest. It shows that despite high rates of economic growth in Asian countries presenting multinational traders and investors with unparalleled market opportunities, there have been only tentative moves towards regional economic integration. Areas such as trade facilitation, uniform customs clearance, removal of non-tariff barriers and labour deployment issues are yet to be adequately addressed.

‘Taylor and Andreosso-O’Callaghan’s new book is a very welcome addition to the literature on Asian economic integration in the context of its barriers, problematic decision-making of regional bodies and infrastructure. They use a plethora of international experts to cover a varied and disparate range of areas, including: regional production networks; food supply chain; R&D location strategies; outward investment into the EU; expatriation policies; innovation in food processing small firms and ICT using Samsung as a case. One of the most interesting and perceptive pieces is Taylor’s on labour mobility and human resources and the need for corporate cultures to adapt to indigenous cultural values and norms, as well as to the emergence of hybrid systems of management. This stands in useful contrast to the often naïve navel-gazing and ethnocentric assertions of too much US-UK management literature.’
– Chris Rowley, Korea University, Nottingham University, UK, Griffith University, Australia and City University, London, UK

‘This is a very valuable contribution to the literature on emerging Asian economies and MNCs strategies. It covers an impressive range of countries and corporations. It should be of great interest to both academics and practitioners in the field.’
– Malcolm Warner, University of Cambridge, UK