Session Summary

Session Number:175
Session ID:S32
Session Title:Multinational Firms in the People's Republic of China
Short Title:What's behind the Great Wall?
Session Type:Theme Session
Hotel:Swiss
Floor:LL3
Room:Gball I
Time:Tuesday, August 10, 1999 3:40 PM - 5:30 PM

Sponsors

AA  (Peter Smith Ring)pring@popmail.lmu.edu 310-338-7411 

General People

Chair Chen, Ming-Jer  U. of Pennsylvania mjchen@wharton.upenn.edu (215)-898-0018 
Chair Tsui, Anne S. Hong Kong U. of Science and Technology mnastsui@usthk.ust.hk 852.2358.7727 
Presenter Li, Jiatao  Hong Kong U. of Science and Technology mnjtli@ust.hk 852-2358-7722 
Presenter Boisot, Max  U. of Pennsylvania max.boisot@bcn.servicom.es 34-93-894-89-15 

Submissions

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Presenter Harrigan, Katherine R. Columbia U. krh1@columbia.edu (212)-854-3494 

Abstract

Recent academic and practitioner interest in emerging markets has made it worthwhile to pursue and translate insights from various disciplines of management in order to help guide the appropriate involvement of multinational firms (MNCs) in the pluralistic, transnational networks of these markets. Using the case of the largest and most prominent emerging market, the People's Republic China (the PRC), this symposium explores the specific experiences of MNCs, in particular, their adaptation, learning, leadership, and management, in the PRC. Drawing perspectives and expertise from three continents, the presentations seek to highlight some important issues of management and adaptation to suggest ways for MNCs to thrive in the PRC market. The first will analyze organizational challenges facing Western MNCs, and their various strategies for adaptation into this new economic environment. The second will highlight the significance of cultural barriers and adjustments by focusing on cross-cultural leadership teams (teams that unite executives from diverse backgrounds to help resolve the conflicting demands of corporate headquarters and local outposts) in joint-venture management. Finally, the third will attempt to trace the disparity between Western and Chinese approaches to transactional complexity and environmental turbulence to their different cultural, institutional, and economic roots. Following these presentations, two discussants will provide comments, one from a global perspective and the other from a local PRC perspective. Through these presentations, the symposium seeks to provoke an inquisitive, thought-provoking discussion among the panelists and the audience that might develop research direction for further focused management studies of emerging markets.