Rob van Tulder - Böcker

The basic function of companies is to add value to society. Profits are a means to an end, not an end in itself. The ability of companies to innovate, scale and invest provides them with a powerful base for positive change. But companies are also criticized for not contributing sufficiently to society’s grand challenges. An increasingly VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world creates serious governance gaps that not only require new ways of regulation, but also new ways of doing business. Can companies effectively contribute to sustainable development and confront society’s systemic challenges?Arguably the most important frame to drive this ambition was introduced and unanimously adopted in 2015: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDG-agenda not only defines a holistic set of global goals and targets, but also foundational principles to guide meaningful action to their achievement by 2030. Multinational companies have signed up to the SDGs as the world’s long-term business plan. Realizing the SDGs provides a yearly $12 trillion investment and growth opportunity, while creating hundreds of millions of jobs in the process. But progress is too slow – witnessing society’s inability to deal with pressing human, ecological, economic and health crises – whilst the vast potential for societal value creation remains underutilized. This book provides a timely account of the systemic, strategic and operational challenges that need to be addressed to enhance the effectiveness of corporate involvement in society, by using the SDGs as the leading principles-based framework for actionable, powerful and transformative change.Principles of Sustainable Business is written for graduate and postgraduate (executive) students, policymakers and business professionals who want to understand the complex challenges of global sustainability. It shows how companies can design and implement SDG-relevant strategies at three levels: the macro level, to assess whether the SDGs present wicked problems or opportunities; the micro level, to develop and operationalize innovative business models, design new business cases and navigate organizational transition trajectories; and the meso level, to develop fit-for-purpose cross-sector partnering strategies. Principles of Sustainable Business presents innovative tools embedded in a coherent sequence of analytical frameworks that can be applied in courses for students, be put into practice by business professionals and used by action researchers to help companies contribute to the Decade of Action.

The basic function of companies is to add value to society. Profits are a means to an end, not an end in itself. The ability of companies to innovate, scale and invest provides them with a powerful base for positive change. But companies are also criticized for not contributing sufficiently to society’s grand challenges. An increasingly VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world creates serious governance gaps that not only require new ways of regulation, but also new ways of doing business. Can companies effectively contribute to sustainable development and confront society’s systemic challenges?Arguably the most important frame to drive this ambition was introduced and unanimously adopted in 2015: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDG-agenda not only defines a holistic set of global goals and targets, but also foundational principles to guide meaningful action to their achievement by 2030. Multinational companies have signed up to the SDGs as the world’s long-term business plan. Realizing the SDGs provides a yearly $12 trillion investment and growth opportunity, while creating hundreds of millions of jobs in the process. But progress is too slow – witnessing society’s inability to deal with pressing human, ecological, economic and health crises – whilst the vast potential for societal value creation remains underutilized. This book provides a timely account of the systemic, strategic and operational challenges that need to be addressed to enhance the effectiveness of corporate involvement in society, by using the SDGs as the leading principles-based framework for actionable, powerful and transformative change.Principles of Sustainable Business is written for graduate and postgraduate (executive) students, policymakers and business professionals who want to understand the complex challenges of global sustainability. It shows how companies can design and implement SDG-relevant strategies at three levels: the macro level, to assess whether the SDGs present wicked problems or opportunities; the micro level, to develop and operationalize innovative business models, design new business cases and navigate organizational transition trajectories; and the meso level, to develop fit-for-purpose cross-sector partnering strategies. Principles of Sustainable Business presents innovative tools embedded in a coherent sequence of analytical frameworks that can be applied in courses for students, be put into practice by business professionals and used by action researchers to help companies contribute to the Decade of Action.

There is within the corporate world an evolving international restructuring race,between industrial complexes,that is set to intensify over the coming years.An industrial complex consists of suppliers,distributors,governments,financiers and trade unions.It is the reorganisation of the relationship between the core firm and the above components that is set to change before very long.In this book, Winfied Ruigrok and Rob van Tulder address many current debates on topics such as "Post-Fordism","globalisation" and "lean production".They also identify a number pf rival internationalisation strategies that have been adopted by different companies.Moreover,they present an abundance of new,as well as historical data,on the world's one hundred largest core companies.This data shows that none of the largest core firms is truly "global" or "borderless",and that virtually all of them in their history have benefited decisively from Governmental trade or industrial policies.The authors offer a highly interdisciplinary effort to link three previously isolated debates on industrial restructuring,globalisation and international trade policies.The Logic of International Restructuring is aimed at a wide academic,post-graduate and professional audience working in the areas of business,economics,organisational studies and international relations.

There is within the corporate world an evolving international restructuring race,between industrial complexes,that is set to intensify over the coming years.An industrial complex consists of suppliers,distributors,governments,financiers and trade unions.It is the reorganisation of the relationship between the core firm and the above components that is set to change before very long.In this book, Winfied Ruigrok and Rob van Tulder address many current debates on topics such as "Post-Fordism","globalisation" and "lean production".They also identify a number pf rival internationalisation strategies that have been adopted by different companies.Moreover,they present an abundance of new,as well as historical data,on the world's one hundred largest core companies.This data shows that none of the largest core firms is truly "global" or "borderless",and that virtually all of them in their history have benefited decisively from Governmental trade or industrial policies.The authors offer a highly interdisciplinary effort to link three previously isolated debates on industrial restructuring,globalisation and international trade policies.The Logic of International Restructuring is aimed at a wide academic,post-graduate and professional audience working in the areas of business,economics,organisational studies and international relations.

In the twenty-first century, as traditional divides are redefined, bargaining over corporate responsibilities has increasingly centred around corporate reputation and the question of whether businesses are part of society’s problems or part of their solution. This ground-breaking book treats issues, strategies and societal interaction in a homogenous manner and analyzes the nature of the international bargaining society as it has matured.Discussing and contextualizing contemporary debates on international corporate social responsibility, globalization and the impact of reputation, this key text integrates them into a new and coherent framework: Societal Interface Management. Using this unique framework, it explores the interfaces between international corporations, governments and civil society representatives.Analytic and revealing, the text applies the framework to in-depth studies of Nike, Shell, Triumph International, GlaxoSmithKline and ExxonMobil. It investigates the conflicts surrounding Burma, blood diamonds, child labour, oil spills, food safety, patents on HIV/AIDS medication and labour rights that have resulted in a large number of disciplining activities. An accompanying website (www.ib-sm.org) contains additional case studies, as well as issue dossiers on the challenges confronting international firms. Drawing on a wealth of experience both in research and teaching, the authors have developed a text that integrates reputation, responsibility, ethics and accountability. Clearly constructed, it is a must-have book for all those studying or teaching business ethics, political economics, economic geography, public relations, and corporate social responsibility.

In the twenty-first century, as traditional divides are redefined, bargaining over corporate responsibilities has increasingly centred around corporate reputation and the question of whether businesses are part of society’s problems or part of their solution. This ground-breaking book treats issues, strategies and societal interaction in a homogenous manner and analyzes the nature of the international bargaining society as it has matured.Discussing and contextualizing contemporary debates on international corporate social responsibility, globalization and the impact of reputation, this key text integrates them into a new and coherent framework: Societal Interface Management. Using this unique framework, it explores the interfaces between international corporations, governments and civil society representatives.Analytic and revealing, the text applies the framework to in-depth studies of Nike, Shell, Triumph International, GlaxoSmithKline and ExxonMobil. It investigates the conflicts surrounding Burma, blood diamonds, child labour, oil spills, food safety, patents on HIV/AIDS medication and labour rights that have resulted in a large number of disciplining activities. An accompanying website (www.ib-sm.org) contains additional case studies, as well as issue dossiers on the challenges confronting international firms. Drawing on a wealth of experience both in research and teaching, the authors have developed a text that integrates reputation, responsibility, ethics and accountability. Clearly constructed, it is a must-have book for all those studying or teaching business ethics, political economics, economic geography, public relations, and corporate social responsibility.

In combining practice and theory, this textbook provides a management perspective on the ‘business case’ for sustainability. Drawing on examples from 20 frontrunner companies located in the Netherlands, it builds upon a unique research project in which CEOs and middle-managers gave access not only to their decision-making process, but also revealed how their perceptions shaped the transition process.This book identifies four different archetypes of business cases and related business models that business students and managers can use to identify phases and related attitudes towards sustainability. The book provides in-depth analysis and insight into:• theoretical concepts and an overview of the relevant literature• the different business cases for sustainability• behavioural characteristics of each phase and the typical barriers between them• more than 70 tipping points• approaches to shaping stakeholder dialogue• effective engagement of stakeholders in each phase of transition• how companies move through the phases towards higher levels of sustainability• insights of employees of the 20 companies whether the business case was really achieved• summary of the interventions which have proved successful in these companies.This book offers students as well as managers of vocational and academic institutions at undergraduate and postgraduate level insight into real-life transition processes towards sustainability.

In combining practice and theory, this textbook provides a management perspective on the ‘business case’ for sustainability. Drawing on examples from 20 frontrunner companies located in the Netherlands, it builds upon a unique research project in which CEOs and middle-managers gave access not only to their decision-making process, but also revealed how their perceptions shaped the transition process.This book identifies four different archetypes of business cases and related business models that business students and managers can use to identify phases and related attitudes towards sustainability. The book provides in-depth analysis and insight into:• theoretical concepts and an overview of the relevant literature• the different business cases for sustainability• behavioural characteristics of each phase and the typical barriers between them• more than 70 tipping points• approaches to shaping stakeholder dialogue• effective engagement of stakeholders in each phase of transition• how companies move through the phases towards higher levels of sustainability• insights of employees of the 20 companies whether the business case was really achieved• summary of the interventions which have proved successful in these companies.This book offers students as well as managers of vocational and academic institutions at undergraduate and postgraduate level insight into real-life transition processes towards sustainability.

This 15-chapter volume provides the latest research insights from the international business field on entrepreneurship in the global firm. The first section of the book addresses entrepreneurship challenges in smaller, internationalizing companies. The second section analyses a variety of entrepreneurship problems in large, established multinational enterprises, with a focus on subsidiary entrepreneurial initiatives. The third section discusses entrepreneurial activity impacts, both within the firm and in the broader external networks and clusters within which the multinational enterprise is embedded. This collection provides a unique, comprehensive perspective on the wide variety of conceptual and managerial issues that arise as a result of entrepreneurial action in firms operating in the global economy. It is a must read for scholars and managers alike, who face the need for continuous change in dynamic international business environments.

This volume takes stock of the latest international business research on the relationship between European multinational enterprises (MNEs) and their policy environment. The volume brings together a variety of scholarly contributions from an European perspective. European MNEs were amongst the earliest to internationalize and many now command globally dispersed operations. European MNEs pioneered the multi-centric organizational form, which can be interpreted in part as an effort to address the policy challenges facing these firms in environments fraught with natural and government-imposed market imperfections. The volume covers four dimensions of MNE corporate strategy in the face of complex policy environments: corporate strategic responses to national policy institutions; pro-active institution-oriented strategies; dynamics of international business-government relations; and, corporate strategies in turbulent times.

Sustainable development is one of the key challenges of our time. It has social, ecological and economic dimensions, which makes it also a multi-faceted and complex problem. International Business scholars have stressed that the Multinational Enterprise should be considered the most important vehicle through which sustainable development occurs in developing countries. However, actual study of the topic remains fraught with theoretical and empirical caveats. This eighth volume in the Progress in International Business Research series includes new texts from a number of leading scholars and opinion leaders in the area. Contributors develop new levels of analysis (in particular global value chains or the partnership strategies of firms) that present promising areas for new theoretical and empirical insights. Whilst authors from leading international institutes are brought together in this volume, younger scholars with innovative ideas also offer valuable insights.

This research volume in honour of the late Daniel Van Den Bulcke, one of the founding fathers of the European Business Academy (EIBA) and a core institution builder of the Academy of International Business (AIB), focuses on conceptual innovations in assessing the impact of institutions on multinational enterprise (MNE) strategies.

This latest volume of Progress in International Business Research explores novel ways in which international business is organized. Contributions advance our understanding and stretch our thinking about new organizational and geographic structures in MNCs, and other organizational forms across borders and geographies. Authors ask challenging questions: will the traditional MNC as we know it be replaced by other dominant designs, and what new forms of global organizing can we expect in the future? What do contemporary digital and technological developments, e.g. social media, virtual worlds, and cloud services, imply for the international organization of work, communication, and management practices?

This PIBR volume examines a number of idiosyncratic elements in the internationalization strategies of BRIC MNEs and, in particular, in their relationship with home country policies: 1.The theoretical challenge: do we need different or more specific theories of EMNEs to assess the phenomenon of BRIC multinationals? 2.The empirical challenge: what marks the changing position of BRIC countries in the world economy? 3.The managerial challenge: with the coming of age of a new breed of multinationals, what distinguishes BRIC multinationals from other (emerging market) multinationals? 4.The policy making challenge: what impact have MNEs from BRIC countries had on their domestic economy?

This research and teaching volume has been composed in honour of Rosalie Tung, a distinguished institution builder, thought leader and educator in the field of international business (IB). The volume addresses Rosalie Tung’s main research focus in a career that has already spanned several decades, namely the analysis of distance facing multinational enterprises (MNEs), with a focus on state-of-the-art conceptual and fact-based empirical developments in the realm of cultural and institutional distance elements. The impact of distance on international business transactions and operations remains ill-understood. How should distance be conceptualized? Which dimensions of distance should be considered? Is distance always a cost, or can it sometimes confer value? This twelfth volume in the Progress in International Business Research series presents extensive accounts of the contemporary scientific debate on how to assess the impacts of distance, both negative and positive ones, on the conduct of international business. This volume covers five dimensions related to the concept, cost and value of distance, in International business: •The concept of distance •The cost of cultural and psychic distance •The cost of institutional distance •The value of distance •Alternative lenses for IB research

This volume is dedicated to Lorraine Eden for herlifetime contributions to IB scholarship. Her research, spanning severaldecades, has addressed many interdisciplinary and societal themes at the heartof the IB field. The story of her intellectual journey -- strongly influenced bythe coming of age of the fourth industrial revolution -- is shared in the opening chapterof this volume.This thirteenth volume in the PIBR series covers an increasingly importantarea of research for International Business (IB) scholars: the role ofmultinational enterprises (MNEs) in the digital and information age. A limitednumber of MNEs now dominate the landscape of the digital age, but almost allinternationally operating firms are being affected by prevailing trends. How totake stock of these trends? How to develop resilient international businessmodels? How to regulate? The digital age presents new opportunities but alsomajor challenges for established and emerging MNEs alike.This volume brings together papers from leading IB scholars and from academics in adjacent disciplines such as economic geography,international relations and political science, strategic management, andtechnology studies.Four dimensions of the information and digital age are analyzed using an IB angle: Trends and theories in the information ageEntrepreneurial strategies in the informationageFunctional strategies in the information ageIndustry 4.0

The Multiple Dimensions of Institutional Complexity in International Business Research provides a fresh overview of many novel international business research challenges as they pertain to salient institutional dimensions with a locational component. The first part of the Volume includes chapters honoring the work of Eleanor Westney. These chapters address subject matter related to globalization challenges in the realm of the ‘new normal’ of populism and de-globalization tendencies. They focus on how the ‘new normal’, as well as various rapidly evolving institutions, will affect the functioning of multinational enterprises. The subsequent parts explore the impacts on international business of home country institutions; host country institutions; cross-country and subnational institutions; and finally, sustainability pressures. The book is strongly focused on the multiple contemporary dimensions of institutions and how they affect internationally operating firms. It is a must read for scholars and postgraduate students interested in the ‘new normal’ on a global scale.

This sixteenth volume in the PIBR series, International Business in Times of Crisis, is dedicated to Professor Geoffrey Jones from the Harvard Business School, and to the importance of historical scholarship in International Business (IB) studies.The global Covid-19 crisis triggered a profound economic crisis, with a decline in global economic activity on a scale not seen since the Great Depression. This pandemic revealed systems failures and fragilities closely related to the organization of global economic, financial, political, and social systems. It has confronted the world with fundamental questions regarding how the global community, as well as companies in general and multinational enterprises (MNEs) in particular, should design global responses to crises. A multi-level and longitudinal approach to studying crises in IB is clearly necessary. This book classifies studies of crises relevant to IB research and will hopefully be helpful to IB scholars, as they reflect on the type of crises they want to study as part of their future research agenda.“The main point coming out of this brief description of my own intellectual journey is to emphasize that crises have been the norm rather than the exception in the history of international business. They have taken many forms and building a typology of crises would be a helpful next step in new research.” Geoffrey Jones (in this volume)

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.

Across the globe, concerns escalate about the effects of greenhouse gas emissions on global climate conditions, implications on global trade from pandemics, and the destruction of ecosystems from the exploitation of limited and non-replaceable global resources. Politicians and businesses alike agree that something must be done, the question is what, how, when, and by whom? What should firms do to reduce their carbon footprint while continuing to secure jobs and profits? When should firms make decisions to transform their businesses given the uncertainty of markets as well as the lack of clear guidance from global institutions? In this volume we ask: Are we actually walking the talk?This volume includes select contributions from the 2022 EIBA conference in Oslo, as well as a number of invited contributions. The book is a tribute to Professor Alain Verbeke who has contributed substantially to the theme of ‘walking the talk’ in the IB community. The chapters in this volume illustrate a broad spectre of research questions and ways to answer them within the IB community that provide evidence that many types of actors are taking – or can take - steps to actually “walk the talk”. The contributions also show, however, that MNEs face considerable challenges to make their ambitions real, which in turn presents a challenge for IB scholarship to develop relevant and robust analytical approaches to cover the transition problems that MNEs face.

The 2023 conference of the European International Business Academy (EIBA) was held in Lisbon, three decades after the previous EIBA Lisbon conference in 1993. Over this 30-year period, the international business environment changed dramatically, passing through phases of globalisation, increased nationalistic sentiments in a large number of countries, and a ‘cascade of crises’ or a ‘poly-crisis’. Currently, MNEs operate within a changing global power balance, with China and its allies challenging the hegemony of the U.S. and its allies. For European MNEs as well as for policy makers, the world economy is no longer characterized by a clear set of relatively stable enabling global conditions but rather by increased volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA).Volume 19 of the Progress in International Business Research (PIBR) series covers three key vectors: The changing global power balance in the world economy, how to deal with rapid changes in technology and innovation, and how to understand and assess the resulting challenges for Europe. A wide variety of perspectives are presented here, including a chapter from Elisa Ferreira, the European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, who takes stock of the present situation and looks into the future from a European policy perspective. By choosing ‘innovation’ as a major area of focus, we pay tribute to one of the leading international business authors in that area – and a long-term EIBA member – John Cantwell.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent the leading governance frame with which the international community tries to address complex interconnected global issues. The SDGs were adopted in 2015 by all 193 UN member states and were also quickly embraced by most Multinational Enterprises (MNEs), International NGOs and leading business schools. But progress has proved slow. In 2020, the United Nations announced a ’decade of action’ to speed-up progress in the area. To what extent and under what circumstances can MNEs help in this effort: revitalize the SDGs and rescue the beneficial effects of globalization?Volume 17 in the series Progress in International Business Research argues that the SDGs can be considered the only relevant agenda for progress in the years to come. This makes it all the more important to critically consider the role played by MNEs, as well as explore the way IB scholarship can help MNEs to ‘walk the talk’ on the complex issues that affect the sustainable development – thereby leveraging the future shape of ‘globalization’.The book contains contributions by established as well as young scholars and is intended to stimulate present and future research, create new forms of conceptualizations and provide first evidence of more focused empirical research on the topic of MNEs and the SDGs.