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 Call for Papers

Publication:
International Journal of Emerging Markets
Title:
MNEs from Russia and CIS: From national champions to global players
Type:
Journal Special Issue
Editors:
Snejina Michailova (The University of Auckland)
Andrei Panibratov (Saint Petersburg State University)
Deadline:
31 May , 201 6
 
Over the last two decades both the academic literature and the popular press have been overly populated with studies on “emerging markets” in general and “emerging markets m ultinational enterprises” in particular.  While the latter began their international operations much earlier, a significant increase in their scale and scope of expansion took place in the beginning of the 2000s (World Investment Report 2015). This development has changed the shape of the global economy as the vector of financial and political power started shifting from advanced to emerging economies and triggered substantial research in that space. Various phenomena have been examined and new debates have been born in the International Business literature in regard to emerging markets and multinational enterprises (MNEs) originating there.
This special issue is an attempt to contribute to the scholarly conversation on emerging markets MNEs that has been taking place in  International Business outlets in general and  on the pages of  International Journal of Emerging Markets  in particular . At the same time, we take a distance from the highly popular term “emerging markets”, which itself is grounded on the assumption of similarity among various countries clustered in this group, and focus solely on MNEs from Russia and  Commonwealth of Independent States  ( CIS).  Outward foreign direct investment flows from Russia reached $86.5 billion and the remaining part of CIS accounted for $4.5 billion in 2013 ( World Investment Report 2015). This development featured clearly regional dynamics as well – it put Russia in a dominant position in the CIS region. Only India dominated in the South Asia region to a comparable extent. 
We invite scholars from a diverse range of disciplines such as economics, management, sociology, political science, and international business to offer analyses and examinations of various phenomena related to these MNEs.  Topics for submissions of this SI include, but are not limited to:
1.       The nature of Russian and CIS MNEs and their impact on the global economy.
Submissions can examine the  distinctive features of MNEs from Russia and CIS countries in comparison with MNEs from developed economies and from other emerging economies. We invite authors to discuss the liability of foreignness of Russian and CIS MNEs, the country of origin effect for these firms, how they coordinate and control operations within their global value chains, and how they absorb and disseminate knowledge during international expansion. Analyses of how MNEs from this region shape and sustain their competitive advantages, what are origins of these advantages, and what capabilities do they leverage are welcome, too.
2.       Russian and CIS MNEs’ expansion motives and preferences
While some Russian MNEs have affiliates almost all over the world, the effects of their historical and cultural ties, physical proximity and the interdependence of inward and outward foreign direct investment are evident in the geographical distribution of Russian outward investments.  Also,  the subject of most research (despite broadly analyzed) so far has been the interest of Russian companies to diversify their operations through international investment predominantly in the oil and gas, metallurgic and telecom industries. While the most typical investment motives of Russian MNEs are said to be the search for markets and resources, there are also predictions on the rising importance of efficiency-seeking and knowledge-seeking motives for their internationalization. This warrants further investigation. 
3.       Entry strategies and post-entry operations of Russian and CIS MNEs.
There is a great heterogeneity in strategies followed by MNEs globally, and so, we invite papers that offer a better understanding of integrative influence of institutional, industry-, firm-, and individual-level determinants on internationalization strategies of Russian and CISMNEs. Russian MNEs often start with aggressive acquisitions in order to immediately establish their position abroad and subsequently they continue expanding via exports or partnerships. This sequence requires explanation of how these MNEs operate without well-grounded knowledge of international operations and how they leverage the home government involvement. We also welcome submissions that examine cross-border mergers and acquisitions by Russian and CIS MNEs, the outcomes of acquisitions abroad (post-acquisition practices, investment solutions, human resource management policies and practices), decision making by senior executives and/or top-management teams leading to success or failures of cross-border mergers and acquisitions.
4.       The role of the state and governments in Russian and CIS MNEs’ internationalization.
The role of the state and governments (federal as well as regional) has been seen as both an advantage and a disadvantage in the internationalization process of MNEs from this region. It has been established that various political groups have considerable influence on these companies’ operations. Outward foreign direct investment from Russia is sometimes driven by image-building, relationships between business and political circles, domestic political risks prevention considerations and so, the state and the governments at different levels are key players in these MNEs’ internationalization . With this in mind, w e invite submissions that can provide insight into the nature and the extent of the involvement of the state in the international expansion of Russian and CIS MNEs. Papers can focus on origins, forms and consequences of home government support or restrictions applied to domestic MNEs, and on opportunities and obstacles for these firms’ international expansion that arise from host state- and government-related institutions. Papers can also examine the relationships between the federal government and the regional governments and how their interactions influence company strategies and behavior. The role of formal and informal relationships with the home- and host governments, including issues of political connections of Russian and CIS firms is also a potential subject of papers’ submissions.
5.       Inside Russian and CIS MNEs
We welcome submissions that investigate  human resource management approaches of Russian and CIS MNEs – what are these approaches, do they differ in the contexts of developed and developing host countries and how do headquarters apply them in the respective local contexts. Papers can investigate whether Russian and CIS headquarters are receptive of knowledge, expertise and practices that originate in their foreign subsidiaries and if so, to what extent and in what areas. We need to know more about who are the upper echelons in these MNEs, what are their demographic attributes and how those influence the strategies and the decisions made. In addition, it would be valuable to know how Russian and CIS MNEs manage the talent of people they employ and how do they expatriate and repatriate staff.   
Deadlines, Submission Guidelines and Guest Editor Information
Submissions to the Special Issue must be submitted through the  IJoEM website. The deadline for submissions is  March 31, 2016 . The call for paper can also be found at:  http://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/call_for_papers.htm?id=6496 .  For general submission guidelines, see  http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journal/ijoem .  No late submissions will be accepted . We have a marked preference for submissions which debate with, extend, and/or refute the existing literature. Please indicate that your submission is to be reviewed for the Special Issue on From national champions to global leaders: The MNEs from Russia and CIS. For questions about the special issue, please contact the two guest editors:  [log in to unmask] and  [log in to unmask]
Indicative Literature 
Annushkina, O.E. & Colonel, R.T. 2013. Foreign market selection by Russian MNEs – beyond a binary approach?.  critical perspectives on international business , 9(1): 1-47. 
Bertrand, O., & Betschinger, M-A. 2012. Performance of domestic and cross-border acquisitions: Empirical evidence from Russian acquirers.  Journal of Comparative Economics , 40: 413-437.
Bulatov, A. 1998. Russian direct investment abroad: Main motivations in the post-Soviet period.  Transnational Corporations , 7(1): 69-82.
Bulatov, A. 2001. Russian direct investment abroad: history, motives, finance, control and planning.  Economics of Planning , 34(3): 179-194.
Fey, C.F. & Beamish, P.W. 2000. Joint venture conflict: The case of Russian international joint ventures.  International Business Review , 9: 139-162. 
Filippov, S. 2010. Russian companies: The rise of new multinationals.  International Journal of Emerging Markets , 5(3/4): 307-332.
Kalotay, K. 2005. Outward foreign direct investment from Russia in a global context.  Journal of East-West Business , 11(3/4): 9-22.
Kalotay, K. 2008. Russian transnationals and international investment paradigms.  Research in International Business and Finance , 22: 85-107. 
Kalotay, K. & Panibratov, A. 2013. Developing competitive advantages of Russian multinationals through foreign acquisitions, in P.J. Williamson, R. Ramamurti, A. Fleury and M.T.L. Fleury (eds.)  The Competitive Advantage of Emerging Market Multinationals . Cambridge University Press, New York, pp. 220-238.
Kalotay, K. & Sulstarova A., 2010. Modeling Russian outward FDI.  Journal of International Management,  16: 131-142.
Kuznetsov, A.V. 2009. Country conditions in emerging markets and their effects on entry mode decisions of multinational manufacturing enterprises: Evidence from Russia.  International Journal of Emerging Markets , 4(4): 375-388.
Kuznetsov, A.V. 2012. The development of Russian multinational corporations.  International Studies of Management and Organization , 41(4): 34-50.
Liuhto, K. 2005.  Expansion or Exodus: Why Do Russian Corporations Invest Abroad? Haworth Press, Binghamton, NY.
Liuhto, K., & Vahtra, P. 2007. Foreign operations of Russia’s largest industrial corporations – building a typology.  Transnational Corporation , 16(1): 117-144. 
Michailova, S., McCarthy, D.J. & Puffer, S.M. 2013. Russia: As solid as a BRIC?  critical perspectives on international business,  9(1/2):5-18.
Mihailova, I. & Panibratov, A. 2012. Determinants of internationalization strategies of emerging market firms: A multilevel approach.  Journal of East-West Business , 18(2): 157-184.
Panibratov, A. 2012.  Russian Multinationals: From Regional Supremacy to Global Lead. Routledge, London, U.K.
Panibratov, A. 2015. Liability of foreignness of emerging market firms: The country of origin effect on Russian IT companies.  Journal of East-West Business , 21(1): 22-40.
Puffer, S.M. & McCarthy, D.J. 2007. Can Russia’s state-managed, network capitalism be competitive? Institutional pull versus institutional push.  Journal of World Business , 42: 1-13. 
Puffer, S.M., & McCarthy, D.J. 2011. Two decades of Russian business and management research: An institutional theory perspective.  Academy of Management Perspectives , 25(2): 21-36.
Vaatanen, J., Podmetina, D. & Pillania, R.K. 2009. Internationalization and company performance: A study of emerging Russian multinationals.  Multinational Business Review , 17(2): 157-178.
World Investment Report. 2015:  Reforming International Investment Governance. United Nations publication. Geneva: UNCTAD.
Zubkovskaya, A. & Michailova, S. 2014. The development of Russian multinational enterprises from the 1990s to the present.  Organizations and Markets in Emerging Economies , 5, 2(10): 59-75.
 
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