Riikka Harikkala-Laihinen – författare

Marking the 50th anniversary of the European International Business Academy (EIBA), the 2024 Annual Conference in Finland was more than a celebration—it was a call to action. This volume captures the spirit of that milestone gathering, where scholars from around the world came together to reimagine the future of international business (IB) research. As the field enters a new era, contributors to this collection explore how we can challenge established thinking, reshape theoretical foundations, and pursue bold, impactful research that addresses the pressing needs of our time. Book A of this volume addresses new perspectives on agency and the role of governments, knowledge creation and novel technologies in uncertain conditions, and sustainable transnational collaboration in global value chains.

In a world marked by deepening societal polarisation, mounting global challenges, and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, international business must evolve. This volume advocates for a more transdisciplinary approach—one where academics, practitioners, policymakers, and creatives collaborate to produce knowledge that bridges disciplines and sectors. By rethinking what we study, how we study it, and why it matters, this volume offers a visionary roadmap for the next 50 years of IB scholarship—grounded in relevance, responsibility, and the pursuit of societal impact. 

Marking the 50th anniversary of the European International Business Academy (EIBA), the 2024 Annual Conference in Finland was more than a celebration—it was a call to action. This volume captures the spirit of that milestone gathering, where scholars from around the world came together to reimagine the future of international business (IB) research. As the field enters a new era, contributors to this collection explore how we can challenge established thinking, reshape theoretical foundations, and pursue bold, impactful research that addresses the pressing needs of our time. Book B of this volume expands current knowledge on governance models, and introduces novel applications of research methods and frameworks that can help push the boundaries of IB.

In a world marked by deepening societal polarisation, mounting global challenges, and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, international business must evolve. This volume advocates for a more transdisciplinary approach—one where academics, practitioners, policymakers, and creatives collaborate to produce knowledge that bridges disciplines and sectors. By rethinking what we study, how we study it, and why it matters, this volume offers a visionary roadmap for the next 50 years of IB scholarship—grounded in relevance, responsibility, and the pursuit of societal impact.

This book takes a fresh perspective to acquisition research, focusing on employee emotions. It builds on the human-centric approach to mergers and acquisitions, where previous literature has concluded that emotions are important, yet few studies have explored them in depth. To fill the gap, this book takes emotion research in organizations as its starting point, exploring what emotions are, how they emerge, and how they influence organizational contexts, such as acquisitions. Whereas previous acquisition literature has concluded that emotions are most often negative and lead to complications, this book shows how emotions can become a positive force driving post-acquisition change and unification. 

This book combines multidisciplinary theoretical insights with practical real-world case studies to provide detailed analysis and approachable findings that will appeal to academics and practitioners alike.