CALL FOR PAPERS
DEADLINE EXTENDED TO OCTOBER 31, 2008
Special Issue of the Journal of International Business Studies
Conflict, Security and Political Risk: International Business in Challenging
Times
Special Issue Editors:
. Witold Henisz (Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania,
henisz@wharton.upenn.edu)
. Edward D. Mansfield (Political Science, University of Pennsylvania,
emansfie@sas.upenn.edu)
. Mary Ann Von Glinow (Management & International Business, Florida
International University,
vonglino@fiu.edu)
Deadline for submission: October 31, 2008
Tentative publication date: Fall 2009 or Spring 2010
Introduction
The genesis for this Special Issue was an AIB/JIBS Emerging Research
Frontiers in International Business Workshop, organized by Mary Ann von
Glinow at Florida International University, November 28-December 1, 2007, on
"Conflict, Security and Political Risk: International Business in a
Challenging Environment"; see:
http://ciber.fiu.edu/frontiers/. This JIBS
Call for Papers builds on the Workshop theme. The Special Issue Editors hope
to attract manuscript submissions from all scholars interested in the nexus
between international business and conflict, security and political risk.
The Editors are particularly interested in manuscripts that are
cross-disciplinary in focus (e.g. political science and international
business) or are written by authors from different disciplines.
Special Issue Theme
The recent growth in diplomatic, civil, and military conflicts presents
evolving challenges for international trade and investment. Civil wars,
domestic instability and regime change, terrorist attacks, narco- and human
trafficking and laundered funds across borders create new sources of
political risk. At the same time, more traditional topics in international
business research, such as business-government relations, have taken on new
dimensions with the revival of economic nationalism in countries such as
Russia, Bolivia and Venezuela and the rise of civil society onto the global
stage. As a result, concepts such as "liability of foreignness", "distance",
"ally", "partner" and "security" may take on a very different cast. The
focus of this special issue is research on the issues facing firms in an
uncertain world where traditional boundaries between "international
relations" and "international business" have blurred.
This new global environment presents opportunities as well as challenges for
international business. Defense contractors are in harm's way on the
battlefield, raising international human resources and governance issues.
Provision of security services is a booming worldwide industry.
Political-risk and emergency-management consultancies are seeing increased
demand for their services at the same time that experts in these areas are
sought by firms operating in insecure regions. Both the military and
multinational enterprises are reaching out to anthropologists and
sociologists to help them better understand, react to and, ultimately,
influence local cultural and social structures with the aim of improving
security. While some observers felt that the decision to invade Iraq
underscored the ineffectiveness of economic sanctions, others have argued
that sanctions remain a key tool of statecraft.
The relationship between international business and diplomatic, military and
political-economic conflict is complex and multi-directional. While
multinationals certainly feel the impacts of operating in a riskier and more
dangerous environment, international business itself may cause or exacerbate
conflicts by providing financial resources for laundering and channeling
funds to organizations pursuing illicit, violent or repressive activities.
International trade in natural resources has both fueled regional conflicts
(e.g., diamonds in Africa, oil in Sudan and gas in Myanmar/Burma) and
strained international relations - e.g., "resource nationalism" such as
Russia's energy polices toward CIS countries and Western Europe.
It appears we have moved out of the "eye of the storm" into a new and more
conflictual period for multinational enterprises, as Vernon predicted in his
book, In the Hurricane's Eye. In this more turbulent environment, new
efforts are needed to understand the role of international business in areas
such as conflict, crisis management, regional security, and terrorism. There
is a need to link scholars in schools of international affairs and
international relations that focus on security studies and conflict analysis
or the link between security, trade and investment with scholars of
international business to come up with new insights that reflect the role of
international business in a rapidly changing, more unstable and
conflict-ridden international security environment.
Topics for the Special Issue
The list of topics below is merely suggestive of the range of topics
appropriate for the Special Issue, which ideally seeks inputs from scholars
across a number of disciplines related to conducting business in a less
secure, more risky, conflict-ridden world. We seek papers on:
. The role of international business (including trade and investment)in
military conflicts
. The impact of potential economic sanctions on the coordination and
configuration strategies of global companies
. The relationship between political and diplomatic disputes and
international business activity
. The impact of terrorism (including cyber terrorism) and threats of
terrorism on international business
. The relationship between international trade and investment and terrorism
. The analysis and management of the political risks arising from the new
security environment
. The impact of resource nationalism and energy security on international
business relations
. The role of and risks posed to international business in ethnic, sectarian
and religious conflict
. The responsibilities of multinational firms in failed states
. The human rights responsibilities of multinational firms
. The contributions multinational firms can make to the management of
post-conflict resolution or humanitarian emergencies
. The relative roles of the private sector and NGOs in peace or recovery
operations
. The relationship between national security, information and communication
technology, and international business
. The ethical responsibilities of multinational firms in war and conflict
situations or humanitarian emergencies
. The external stakeholder relations strategy of multinational firms in
conflict situations and humanitarian emergencies
Submission Process
Manuscript submissions for the Special Issue will be accepted between
October 1 and October 17, 2008 at:
http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jibs.
Please select the option from the special issue drop-down menu on Manuscript
Central that identifies your paper as a submission for the "Conflict & IB"
Special Issue, and include the words "Conflict and IB Special Issue
Submission" on your title page. Submissions must follow all JIBS policy
statements including the Statement of Editorial Policy, Instructions for
Contributors, Style Guide and Code of Ethics; see:
http://www.jibs.net. All
submissions will go through the JIBS regular double-blind review process and
follow the same norms and processes. As manuscripts are accepted for
publication, they will be posted in the Advance Online Publication system on
http://www.jibs.net.
For more information about this Call for Papers, please contact the Special
Issue Editors or the JIBS Managing Editor (
managing-editor@jibs.net).
-------------------
Anne Hoekman
Managing Editor, Journal of International Business Studies
JIBS Editorial Office
Academy of International Business
Michigan State University
Tel: +1-517-432-1452
Fax: +1-517-432-1009
E-mail:
managing-editor@jibs.net
Web: www.jibs.net