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Purpose: The purpose of this work is to explore what determines a country's entrepreneurial environment attractiveness, by understanding how countries compare regarding their business environment and entrepreneurial opportunities and whether such aspects have changed over time. Design/methodology/approach: Through a longitudinal country-level cluster analysis of business environments (years 2001 and 2016), this study captures changes in classification of both emerging and developed market economies throughout an attractiveness spectrum, from least to most attractive environments. Findings: Interesting findings involve the difference in trajectories of emerging economies, such as India compared to the stagnation of Brazil, Argentina and South Korea in the 15-year period. The paper seeks to contribute to the debate on the attractiveness of the entrepreneurial environment beyond the simple notion of most and least economically developed countries by providing a framework for dynamic cross-country analysis of entrepreneurial environmental attractiveness that can be further explored, tested and expanded. Research limitations/implications: Main limitations relate to the non-exhaustive sample of countries and variables. Contributions are both academic and managerial: helping to fill important research gaps in international entrepreneurship, namely, environmental conditions, cross-country comparisons (Coombs et al., 2009) and the understanding of elements of the investment climate (Stern, 2002); and assisting managers, entrepreneurs and policymakers understand what defines a country's entrepreneurial environment attractiveness to better evaluate potential locations for investment. Originality/value: The originality of the paper lies in using cluster analysis in a longitudinal study of country attractiveness, as well as in advancing the debate of country attractiveness, by adding a temporal dimension (from factors that are less structural to more conjunctural) and a comparative dimension in a new cross-country comparison framework of analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The springboard theory for multinational enterprises and the upward spiral model address the expansion of emerging countries' multinational enterprises (MNEs) abroad as a set of resource-building stages. This paper aims to analyze this model by qualifying knowledge flows in three domains: learning effects, transfer flows and global connections. Design/methodology/approach: The authors use 2018 data from the ORBIS database to identify evidence concerning the springboard MNE (SMNE) phenomenon. The authors select MNE firms from 93 emerging economies with presence in 71 developed and 93 developing countries. In addition, the authors differentiate between the levels of technological intensity of emerging market MNEs' sectors. Findings: The results highlight the existence of learning processes taking place in subsidiaries and feeding back into parent firms, as well as the existence of capability transfer from home to host units. Originality/value: The main contribution is the addition of empirical evidence on the SMNE and specifically the upward spiral model, considering the micro-level and the productivity differences between parent firm and subsidiaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate empirically the perceptions of the stakeholder regarding their relevance based on their perceived preference in terms of climate strategy proactivity (CSP) which is an outcome of the importance and influence of the category of the stakeholders of Indian companies. Revolutionized by the liberalization–privatization–globalization, the practices and strategies of the companies in the developing country such as India have been marked by dynamic changes in the several past decades. In these circumstances, it has become imperative to understand the relevance of the stakeholders in terms of CSP displayed by these companies to seek help in developing appropriate strategies in the emerging competitive market. Design/methodology/approach: This paper used a research design comprising descriptive analytical method using non-probability purposive sampling method to collect data from a sampled 701 respondents representing eleven categories stakeholders, with the help of a cross-sectional, self-administered online survey questionnaire. Findings: The findings of the study detail the evaluation of the stakeholders relevance based on their perceived preference in terms of CSP attaching significance to the stakeholders' perception as a useful tool. While the findings hint at the incessant growth of stakeholder awareness urging corporations to analyze effects and adopt appropriate strategies in developing countries, they also evaluate empirically the perceptions of the stakeholder regarding their relevance based on their perceived preference in terms of CSP which is an outcome of the importance and influence enjoyed by the category of the stakeholders of Indian companies. The findings confirmed the adequate level of awareness of the stakeholders of Indian companies responsible for making them adopt CSP. Research limitations/implications: This study had the limitations such as collection of information through a self-reported questionnaire which might have the impact of self-bias despite all the preventive and corrective measures, and the risk of creation of a subjective viewpoint due to the assessment of the perceptions of varied stakeholders. Nonetheless, meeting the objective of this study, the study succeeds in providing a stakeholder perspective to the existing body of knowledge with respect to CSP, a stakeholders-centric concept which is in infancy in the context of developing countries and their corporations. Originality/value: The paper is original as it adds value by providing empirical evidence from the perspective of different stakeholders, including but not limited to managers or shareholders only, like majority of previous studies. By doing so, it successfully attempts to contextualize them indicating the need to unlock huge potentialities and substantial significance for other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this conceptual paper is to present a new approach that will enable marketers in developing and emerging countries to promote their products, irrespective of their country of origin's image. Many companies in emerging and developing countries, intent on exporting their products/services, struggle to overcome the negative "made-in" image barrier. Despite tremendous efforts by the governments of these countries to change the unfavorable image of products made there, their good quality products are still perceived as inferior compared to companies whose products are "made-in" in countries with a positive image, mainly developed countries. Design/methodology/approach -- The proposed conceptual model hinges on two dimensions -- global political status and human capital capabilities. Using this framework, four different types of country destination positioning emerge, each with its own country branding strategy. Findings -- Companies from emerging and developing countries can compete on an equal footing with Western companies by changing their country branding strategy. Companies from countries such as China and Costa Rica can promote themselves better by implementing region and continent branding strategies. Practical implications -- The proposed conceptual model enables marketers to cope even with the most negative "made-in" country stereotypes and improve their marketplace positions. Originality/value -- The literature review demonstrates that researchers have not dealt with these two dimensions. Consequently, the paper offers marketers a new perspective on the complex issue of country positioning and how to leverage their strengths to maximize their company's profits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Existing theories on the determining factors of corporate investment decisions raise the importance of financial market imperfections in explaining investment behavior. Many factors have been proposed as drivers of investment, mainly in developed economies, while emerging countries have almost been neglected. The main purpose of this study is to examine the effect of financing constraints on the investment behavior of a small context, namely, Jordan, with an imperfect environment. Design/methodology/approach: This study considers panel data regressions from the industrial companies traded at the Amman Stock Exchange with a total of 1,058 firm-year observations. Findings: The results are able to demonstrate that business size, tangibility, market-to-book ratio, profitability, financial slack and leverage are major drivers of investment choices. The results support the importance of information asymmetry in explaining the investment behavior of firms. Nonetheless, the Q-theory is in place, as is firm agility. Practical implications: Policies to reduce information asymmetry are immediately needed to help firms increase investments by providing them with access to training, technology and market information. They also should enhance the firms' opportunities for growth. Moreover, they should make it easier for businesses to access financial slack, such as by improving access to credit and financial institutions. They also can work to improve the financial infrastructure to meet the financing needs of businesses. Finally, smaller businesses should be assisted by improving their ability to invest and grow. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is one of the first studies, if any, to investigate this issue in a distinct environment. Despite the unique characteristics of Jordan, the findings are applicable to other countries that experience comparable political and economic circumstances because Jordan has traits common to many emerging nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]