Challenges for European Management in a Global Context

MIKE GEPPERT, DIRK MATTEN and KAREN WILLIAMS are all at the European Business Management School, University of Wales, Swansea

'Does globalization make the world a uniform place? This very timely volume sheds light on this question from a very interesting perspective. The contributions, authored by leading academics in the fields, show the multifaceted effects of global corporate strategies in distinct national backgrounds. The different chapters analyse in a very competent and comprehensive way, the interplay of national culture and institutions with the forces of globalization in various relevant fields of management. The empirical background of Germany and Britain is particularly well chosen and makes this book the latest example of a longstanding tradition in comparative research in international business. The lessons of this book however, are not only vital for readers with European interests: This remarkably well organized and rounded set of papers sheds particular light on the strengths and the potential of the European legacy in cross-national research in management and organization.' - Professor Alfred Kieser, University of Mannheim, Germany 'This volume deserves to be studied not only by scholars of international business, but also by European labor market policymakers who are increasingly concerned with the durability of their respective national models of conducting business in the wake of globalization.' - Paul Gooderham, Journal of International Business Studies

• Introduction: M.Geppert, D Matten & K Williams PART A: CHALLENGES FOR MANAGEMENT THEORY AND PRACTICE For Boundedness in the Study of Comparative and International Business: The case of the Diversified Multidivisional Corporation: R.Whittington & M.Mayer Global Change Management Approaches in Multinational Corporations and Distinct National Trajectories; M.Geppert, D.Matten & K.Williams Control Mechanisms and Patterns of Reorganization in Multinational Corporations; F.Becker-Ritterspach, K.Lange & K.Lohr Headquarter Subsidiary Relationships in Multinational Companies: A British German Comparison; A.Harzing, A.Sorge & J.Paauwe Extending the Perspective: Small & Medium Sized Enterprises as Competitors and Network Partners of Multinational Corporations; M.Brussig & L.Gerlach PART B: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS IN EUROPE: THE PRESSURES OF GLOBALIZATION Multinational Companies, Institutional Environments and the Diffusion of HRM Practices: A.Tempel Middle Managers: Differences between Britain & Germany; H.Ganter, P.Walgenbach Resistance is Useless! The Problems of Trade Union Organization in the European Fast-Food Industry: The Case of McDonalds; T.Royle Global Market Pressures in a Regional Context: Experiences from Field Research in the Industrial Region of South-Wales, UK; J. Boggis PART C: GLOBALIZATION AND THE INSTITUTIONAL AND CULTURAL FRAMEWORK OF EUROPE: AN OUTLOOK The Effects of Globalization on State-Business Relationships: A Conceptual Framework: I.Taplin Globalization and the Effects of Diversity and National Identity: Illustrations from Three British Companies: A.Lorbiecki German Management Facing Globalization: The 'German Model' on Trial; G.Schmidt & K.Williams