Four Decades of International Business at Reading: Looking to the Future.
Apologies for cross-postings
April 16-17, 2007
Reading, United Kingdom
The University of Reading has played a leading role in International
business studies for the last four decades. Over this period, international
business as a discipline has also evolved quite considerably, simultaneously
becoming more specialised and more cross-disciplinary. The University of
Readings has been at the centre of much research and many publications. But
its contribution extends even further: a surprising number of IB scholars
have studied and worked in, or visited, Reading over this period.
To celebrate Readings role in IB scholarship and to mark the launch of the
Centre for International Business and Strategy (CIBS), we are pleased to
announce a 2-day conference on the future of IB research. Globalisation is
changing the playing field for international business, and thereby altering
the way that firms interact with their environment at the local, national
and supra-national environment. It also changes how multinational firms are
organised and managed internally. Future research needs to address these
challenges. Do we need to question old truths and conventional approaches to
international business? Are we too complacent in our approach to these new
issues? We invite all scholars with an interest in IB research traditions
in Reading in the past and the future to join us for this exciting event,
and to submit papers to this conference.
The conference consists of two main elements. A series of debates will focus
our attention on what the future holds for IB research. These interactive
debates bring together prominent established scholars and younger
researchers on four specific themes. Speakers who have already agreed to
participate include Peter Buckley, Alan Rugman, Masaaki Kotabe, Ram Mudambi,
Marina Papanastassiou, Bernard Yeung, and Stephen Young.
A series of poster sessions with paper presentations provides opportunities
for young and senior scholars to discuss their latest research with
colleagues in the field. Because there will not be parallel sessions, the
poster sessions will be well-attended, and many senior scholars including
Bob Pearce, John Cantwell, Mark Casson and others will be including their
papers in the poster sessions. These debates and the poster sessions will
centre on the following four themes.
1. Is the multinational firm a dying breed? (track chair: Michael Mol)
Globalisation has changed the relative merits of alternative organisational
forms. Is the concept of internalization as relevant as it was in the 1980s
to explain cross-border activities? Do new business concepts of outsourcing,
alliances and global production networks make the concept of the monolithic
MNE obsolete? To what extent are geographical borders themselves still
relevant to firms?
2. The geography of innovation (track chair: Bob Pearce)
Globalisation has changed the dynamics of innovation, the dynamics of
cluster evolution and the patterns of interaction between clusters. This is
of great concern to those wishing to attract high value-adding activity to
certain locations. Can innovation and industrial policy initiatives really
help to create new innovation clusters? Should so many resources be focused
on creating high-tech clusters, and do new MNE structures help or hinder the
creation of new clusters?
3. Management across countries and contexts (track chair: Klaus Meyer)
Globalisation brings MNEs into contact with a variety of different business
environments. This challenges multinational enterprises to adapt their
strategies and operations in areas like marketing, human resources, supply
chain management and subsidiary roles. How are management practices,
structures and modes of operation influenced by the host country
environment? How do MNEs adapt organizational forms and management
practices to diverse institutional and cultural contexts? And what impact
does this have on firm performance and on individuals within those
organizations?
4. Conflicts in international business regulation (track chair: Rajneesh
Narula)
Globalisation has meant that conflicting interests of regions, nation
states, supranational organizations and integration areas generate a wide
array of policy initiatives which are rarely harmonised. Although it is
recognised that policy harmonisation is necessary at either global or
regional level in certain areas (such as standards, competition policy,
etc), differences between industries, ideologies etc, has meant that many
new global institutions that hinder international business.
Conference dates:
The conference begins on Monday morning, the 16th of April 2007 and closes
on the 17th of April. This conference dovetails with the AIB UK 2007 meeting
which takes place on 13-14th April at Kings College, London. In addition, we
are organising a dinner on the 16th evening to mark John Dunnings 80th
birthday.
Submission requirements:
Unlike other conferences, we seek papers for the poster sessions that are
essentially complete, and not workin-progress, and that are provocative
in either theory development, or in terms of data and analysis.
Abstract submissions should be made by November 15th at the latest, and
decisions on acceptance will be confirmed by December 1. Final versions of
the papers should be submitted by February 1.
You are encouraged to submit your abstracts early, since the number of
spaces is limited in each theme to 50 papers.
The website for abstract submission and registration will be operational
from October 1 2006.
Location:
The conference will be held at the University of Readings picturesque
campus. Reading is just a half hour away from central London, and 45 minutes
from Heathrow.
Conference fees and costs
Conference registration will be £120, including the dinner and reception.
For further details visit the website at:
http://www.rdg.ac.uk/business/default.asp?id=215
Regards,
Dr. Michael J. Mol
Senior Lecturer in Strategic Management
The Business School
University of Reading
&
Visiting Researcher
Management Innovation Lab
London Business School
Visit my web site at
www.michaelmol.com
www.managementinnovationlab.com