Although social media use is gaining increasing importance as a component of firms’ portfolio of strategies, scant research has systematically consolidated and extended knowledge on social media ...marketing strategies (SMMSs). To fill this research gap, we first define SMMS, using social media and marketing strategy dimensions. This is followed by a conceptualization of the developmental process of SMMSs, which comprises four major components, namely drivers, inputs, throughputs, and outputs. Next, we propose a taxonomy that classifies SMMSs into four types according to their strategic maturity level: social commerce strategy, social content strategy, social monitoring strategy, and social CRM strategy. We subsequently validate this taxonomy of SMMSs using information derived from prior empirical studies, as well with data collected from in-depth interviews and a quantitive survey among social media marketing managers. Finally, we suggest fruitful directions for future research based on input received from scholars specializing in the field.
•The relationship between international diversification and firm performance has an inverted U-shape.•Firm performance is higher in firms with low/related product diversity and lower in firms with ...high/unrelated product diversity.•Reverse causality exists between international diversification and product diversification such that performance is marginally higher for firms pursuing a dual international-product diversification strategy.•Firm performance is higher among firms with higher R&D and advertising intensity.•Firms from advanced and emerging economies display identical internationalisation levels.
Numerous studies have examined the impact of international diversification on firm performance. However, the literature is characterised by inconsistent findings, suggesting the need for a quantitative review and synthesis of the hypothesised relationships. Using a sample of 263 effect sizes from 187 primary studies between 1974 and 2021, we conduct a meta-analysis to test the relationship between international diversification and firm performance, and the moderating effect of product diversification. The results of our meta-analysis indicate that the relationship between international diversification and firm performance is non-linear inverted U-shaped. Furthermore, we find that performance is higher in firms with low/related product diversity and lower in firms with high/unrelated product diversity, suggesting that the dual-diversification strategy is detrimental to firm performance. Although there is no significant difference in the performance of firms from advanced and emerging economies, the results highlight the importance of intangible assets for diversified firms.
Although international entry mode choice has been extensively studied, the empirical results regarding two key antecedents—various forms of distance and international experience—have been equivocal. ...The authors argue that the conceptualization and measurement of these variables may be contributing to the ambiguous results. They demonstrate that a broader conceptualization of the underlying factors driving the distance construct substantially increases the ability to predict entry mode. Furthermore, when a refined interpretation of international experience is employed, only experience in similar countries affects entry mode selection. Experience in dissimilar countries seems to have no predictive power. These results call for a radical change in how these two key constructs should be operationalized in further entry mode research.
Institutional distance can generate expanded opportunities for multinational firms to facilitate learning and responsiveness. However, such distance can also create obstacles regarding knowledge ...transfer and integration. A theoretical puzzle concerns the mechanisms and conditions in which international buyers and suppliers can overcome institutional distance and acquire new knowledge. We develop an integrative moderated-mediation model in which institutional distance prevents parties from accessing knowledge but, when knowledge is obtained and mutual trust is developed, it promotes cross-border knowledge acquisition in international buyer-supplier exchange, particularly between international firms and firms from the Asia Pacific region. These findings indicate that firms can overcome the challenges of regulative and cognitive distance and facilitate access to knowledge and knowledge acquisition when they are able to develop and cultivate relationships of mutual trust with foreign partners. While normative distance may create learning incentives and opportunities in international buyer-supplier relationships, its impacts on knowledge accessibility and acquisition are insignificant.
Building on Emotion Regulation Theory, we examine the role of an exporter’s emotional intelligence (EI) in enhancing the quality and boosting the long-term orientation of the working relationship ...with its import buyers. Using data gathered from 262 Greek exporters, we confirm that the proper use of EI helps to improve trust, commitment, cooperation, and satisfaction in the relationship with their importers, which subsequently contribute to its long-term orientation. This favorable effect of EI on relationship quality dimensions is amplified when exporters deal with importers located in countries with cultures characterized by low power distance, low individualism, low masculinity, high uncertainty avoidance, and high (national) long-term orientation.
•Systematic review using content analysis of empirical literature exclusively focusing on foreign divestments by MNEs.•Lack of uniformity in the choice of empirical design and different moderation ...effects that have been examined makes it difficult to draw any conclusions.•Several studies lack information on exit rate and home/host country location which increases the difficulty in interpreting the results.•Linear as well as non-linear relationships observed for some key variables.
Despite garnering an increasing amount of scholarly attention in the past three decades, the literature on foreign divestment is characterised by inconsistent theoretical arguments and mixed findings. In the present paper we review 53 articles on foreign divestment using the content analysis technique. Our aim is to compare and consolidate the main findings of the 53 articles, and provide suggestions for future research. The review suggests that there are several overlapping arguments provided by different theoretical frameworks. We also observed a great degree of discrepancy in the empirical design, particularly concerning the operationalisation of variables, sample sizes, and sample location. Moreover, we identified that there is a dearth of literature on exit modes, exit barriers, and post-divestment strategies. We conclude by providing recommendations and proposing a framework for future research.
•This study aims to answer the following research question: how have internationalization experience, cultural distance, and host country context characteristics moderated the relationship between ...full versus partial acquisition strategy and survival of foreign acquired units?•In general the probability of survival does not differ significantly between full and partial acquisitions.•The likelihood of survival in full, relative to partial acquisitions, is positively associated with the acquisition-specific experience, but inversely related to general international and target country experience.•The relationship between full acquisitions and survival of foreign acquired units is stronger if the acquisitions are made in culturally similar countries, in host countries that are less economically developed than home country, and in markets where the country risk has increased after entry.
The high divestment rates of acquired foreign units indicate challenges connected to planning and management of foreign acquisitions. In this paper we analyze the moderating effect of internal and external variables on the relationship between acquirers’ ownership strategy and survival of acquired foreign units. We test our hypotheses on a sample of 1275 acquisitions conducted by Finnish firms in various countries during the period 1980–2005. The results indicate that the probability of survival does not differ significantly between full and partial acquisitions. We further find that the likelihood of survival in full, relative to partial acquisitions, is positively associated with the acquisition-specific experience, but inversely related to general international and target country experience. The results also reveal that the positive impact of full acquisitions is stronger if the acquisitions are made in culturally similar countries, in less developed economies, and in markets where the country risk has increased after entry.
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