Global Strategy: Creating and Sustaining Advantage Across Borders

Global Strategy: Creating and Sustaining Advantage across Borders (Strategic Management) by Andrew Inkpen and Kannan Ramaswamy integrates academic research and case studies to inform readers about global avenues to competition. Political instability, corrpution, inadequate infrastructure, and closely knit ownership structures are addressed. For example, readers are advised that leapfrogging offers the best window for an MNE to bypass poor physical infrastructure – as in widespread diffusion of cell phone use. Direct state ownership often means partnerships must pursue agendas not directly relevant to shareholder wealth maximization. Family control may emphasize profitability over growth.

The chapter on Corporate Governance Issues in International Business provides a good overview of the OECD principles, stakeholder versus shareholder debate and differences in the corporate governance systems typically found in various countries, giving the greatest attention to Anglo countries, Japan, Germany, China, India and Brazil. The authors also discuss the growing demand for foreign directors. Although very brief, the discussion does serve to warn readers that knowledge of international corporate governance is an essential element in global strategies. Books, such as Christine A. Mallin’s International Corporate Governance: A Case Study Approach, offer a more comprehensive examination. However, Global Strategy provides a good overview for the practitioner.