Brand management in mergers and acquisitions: emerging market multinationals venturing into advanced economies

Purpose: This paper focuses on emerging market firms that internationalize into advanced economies by means of acquisitions. This paper aims to describe and discuss brand management in post-acquisition integration from a multi-level perspective and identify how brand management strategy can be constructed. The paper takes into account the influences of country image, corporate brand and brand portfolio to obtain a granular view in managing brand after such acquisitions. Design/Methodology/Approach: A multiple case study approach is adopted. By using case studies and storytelling qualitative research methods, our empirical setting consists of Chinese firms’ acquisitions in Germany. Findings: We identified three mechanisms for brand management in post-acquisition integration of emerging market firms, namely transferring, dynamically redeploying and categorizing that underpin the interconnection and combined influence of country image on the national level, corporate brand on the organizational level and brand portfolio on the product level. Practical implications: Brand has been viewed as a strategic asset in Chinese cross-border acquisitions. Brand management is a dynamic process that involves learning and interaction between the acquirer and target. Our research offers a practical guideline for both acquirers and targets in managing brand amid emerging market firms’ acquisition in advanced economies. Originality/Value: Our findings shed important light on brand management strategy in Chinese overseas acquisitions in particular, and emerging market firms venturing into advanced economies in general. The interlinking of country, company and product levels presents new ideas to brand literature, and the setting with Chinese firms acquiring German companies constitutes an important contribution to understand how firms from emerging economies may pursue branding strategies different to present knowledge from advanced economy firms

FDI entry strategies and the impacts of economic freedom distance: Evidence from Nordic FDIs in transitional periphery of CIS and SEE

This paper addresses foreign direct investment (FDI) entry strategies of multinational enterprises (MNEs) by analysing both establishment mode (greenfield investment vs. acquisition) and ownership mode (wholly owned subsidiary vs. joint venture) strategies together. It contributes to extant IB literature by being one of the first to specifically address influences of economic freedom distance on both FDI establishment and ownership mode strategies of MNEs. The novel empirical sample consisting of 348 FDIs made by 146 Nordic (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) MNEs in the less researched transitional periphery of the European Union (EU), i.e. Common Wealth of Independent States (CIS) and South-Eastern Europe (SEE), during 1990–2009 further enhances the contribution of our study. The study results revealed that high economic freedom distance leads to preference of greenfield investments and JVs by Nordic MNEs in the full sample. Further in depth analysis by dividing the sample into FDIs in the Russian Federation vs. other host economies lead to more interesting insights into the establishment and ownership mode strategies of Nordic MNEs

Exploring the factors influencing the negotiation process in cross-border M&A

This research study provides an empirical examination of the impact of national cultural distance, organizational cultural differences, communication, and planned employee retention on the effectiveness of negotiation process in the cross-border mergers & acquisitions (M&As). We developed and tested a conceptual framework of negotiation process in order to provide a framework for analysis of the key components of the negotiation process in the cross border M&A. The findings indicate that communication positively influence antecedent and concurrent phase of negotiation process. In addition, national cultural distance and organizational cultural differences negatively influence the effectiveness of concurrent phase. We also found that national cultural distance moderates the relationship between communication and effectiveness of concurrent phase of the negotiation process, as such that the positive effect of communication is lower when national cultural distance is higher. Furthermore, we found that planned employee retention positively affect the effectiveness of concurrent phase. Finally, the effectiveness of concurrent phase positively influence the effectiveness of consequent phase i.e. M&A agreement. The contribution of this study lies in providing new insights on negotiation-associated factors for incumbent executives, in order to enable them to better plan and implement cross-border mergers and acquisition deals

Relating a Model of Resolution of Arrested Anger to Outcome in Emotion-Focused Therapy of Depression

The present study explored essential client performances believed to be involved in depression resolution with arrested anger at its core for 32 cases. The five predictors were: 1. marker of arrested anger, 2. the expression of assertive anger, 3. empathic and insightful understanding of the Other/Self-Critic, 4. expression of primary adaptive sadness, and 5. letting go/forgiving the Other/Self-Critic. Two independent, blind to outcome raters used The Marker of Arrested Anger Rating Scale (MAARS) and The Resolution of Depression Components Scale (RDCS), both 5-point scales developed during the study, to measure the predictors. The average of "peak" ratings was used. Final outcome was assessed using change scores on three self-report measures: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II, depressive symptomatology), Global Severity Index (GSI, global symptomatology), and the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP, interpersonal difficulties). Pearson’s correlations indicated the marker of arrested anger is strongly related with pre-treatment BDI-II scores (r = .78, p<.001), but not GSI and IIP. Simultaneous regressions analyses showed that taken together, the components of resolution significantly predicted changes in BDI-II scores (64% of the overall variance explained), but not in GSI and IIP. Assertive anger expression is a unique independent predictor of BDI-II and GSI change scores (42% and 35% variance explained), but not of IIP change scores. Letting go/forgiving was another independent predictor of BDI-II change scores (23% variance explained). No other components of resolution independently predicted outcome. The results are discussed in light of existing research in depression and emotional processing in EFT

Integration of nonmarket and market activities in cross-border mergers and acquisitions

Drawing on the resource dependence theory and the resource-based view, this paper investigates the interactions between market and nonmarket activities of firms in the context of the post-merger integration phase in cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Based on a cross-country survey of 111 M&A practitioners who were personally involved in cross-border M&As around the world, we test seven hypotheses on various market and nonmarket aspects of post-merger integration. We find a positive correlation between buffering strategies and adaptive capabilities in the nonmarket environment, and between bridging and adaptive capabilities in the market environment. However, we could not find any significant correlation between buffering and adaptive capabilities in the market environment, and bridging and adaptive capabilities in the nonmarket environment. We also find that adaptability in the nonmarket environment is positively correlated with adaptability in the market environment, and in turn adaptability in the market environment leads to positive organizational performance of a cross border M&A. These results provide further support for the value of the alignment between market and nonmarket activities and help to fill a gap in the literature on the market-nonmarket interactions in post-merger integration

QUALITY CONTROL METHODS AND TOOLS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF EFFECTIVENESS OF MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

The objective of this thesis is to uncover the usage of combining several modern methods for controlling and optimizing the manufacturing processes. The goal is to achieve manufacturing of high value-added products, monitor and control performance and the quality of the processes themselves in order to have fewer defects, to increase the non-defect production and improve the overall quality. Implementing innovative technologies into the manufacturing process and creating their mathematical model of effectiveness criteria of implementation allows evaluating the possible changes. Combining Lean Production, Six Sigma methodology and Fuzzy logic will give not only the broader view on all aspects, but also consider how to improve the manufacturing process and make it non defective, seamless and the most efficient. The first part of the thesis describes the current situation of the electronics market, clarifies and explains the basic terms of methods, how they can be combined and used in manufacturing processes in order to increase and control the quality. The second part of the thesis describes one of the manufacturing processes, i.e. Printed Circuit Board manufacturing, and development of the mathematical model and criteria for evaluation innovative technologies and their implementation into the manufacturing process. The third part of the thesis is focused on methodology for optimizing the printed circuit board assembly process by minimizing the duration of sub processes, which potentially will decrease the lead time of the whole assembly process itself. The fourth part of the thesis focuses on optimal strategy for implementing the innovative technologies into the manufacturing process as well as suggests the creation of policy manual of quality management system which will describe the interaction between individual processes within the organization.Katedra elektrotechnologi

Analisis Kesesuaian Lahan dan Daya Dukung Kawasan Untuk Wisata Pantai Di Pantai Tirtamaya, Desa Juntinyuat, Kecamatan Juntinyuat, Kabupaten Indramayu, Jawa Barat.

Pantai Tirtamaya terletak pada jalur pantura antara Indramayu (16 km) dan Cirebon (38 km) yang berada di Indramayu, Jawa Barat. Pantai Tirtamaya merupakan salah satu tujuan wisata lokal yang banyak dikunjungi, karena selain dapat digunakan sebagai pemandian laut yang aman juga mempunyai panorama yang indah, terutama saat terbit dan terbenamnya matahari. Pantai ini memiliki potensi yang sangat baik di bidang pariwisata laut dan juga menjadi salah satu pantai yang menjadi penunjang aktivitas warga beserta aktivitas industri di sekitarnya. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui nilai daya dukung pantai Tirtamaya untuk kegiatan wisata pantai dan untuk mengetahui nilai indeks kesesuaian wisata Pantai Tirtamaya untuk kegiatan wisata pantai. Metode yang digunakan pada penelitian ini adalah metode survei. Tahap pada penelitian ini dibagi menjadi dua yakni tahap persiapan dan tahap pengumpulan data. Tahap persiapan yakni melakukan dengan cara observasi secara langsung di lapangan. Tahap pengumpulan data yakni terdiri dari data primer dan data sekunder. Data Primer meliputi data kualitas air dan wawancara. Data sekunder meliputi studi literatur dari penelitian terdahulu dan instansi terkait. Tahap selanjutnya yaitu analisa data meliputi analisis kualitas perairan, analisis kesesuaian lahan kategori wisata pantai dan analisis daya dukung kawasan. Berdasarkan hasil pengukuran Indeks Kesesuaian Wisata (IKW) di Pantai Tirtamaya menunjukkan penggunaan untuk kegiatan rekreasi dan wisata pantai termasuk dalam S1 (Sangat Sesuai) dengan hasil sebesar 81,11 %, kategori ini dapat diartikan tidak ada faktor yang membatasi untuk penggunaan lahan tersebut secara lestari. Nilai tersebut di dapat dari hasil rata – rata tiap stasiun dengan lokasi yang berbeda. Pantai Tirtamaya memiliki daya dukung untuk kegiatan rekreasi pantai dengan jumlah 1.040 orang/hari (379.600 orang/tahun) dengan batas waktu yang disediakan dari pihak pengelola selama 8 jam dengan luasan Pantai Tirtamaya 20.000 m2 dan unit area kategori rekreasi pantai seluas 50 m2

COVID-19 and the Changing Perception of Strategic Industries : Implications for International Business

The COVID-19 pandemic has been referred to as one of the most significant health related crises in recent memory, which has also had significant economic and societal implications. Scholars suggest that defining strategic industries is rather difficult due to the fluidity of the criteria, which can be used to define them, as it tends to change. During the twentieth century, the most significant crises, having taken place globally, were World War I and World War II, as well as multiple influenza pandemics, of which the Spanish flu being the most severe one. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a renewed focus on strategic sectors, which can have far reaching implications for international business. Despite all restrictive policies, discussed above, it is a well-known fact based on the outcomes of prior crises that in order to limit the negative outcomes of the pandemic, international cooperation and collaborations are fundamental among private sector firm, including multinational companies, global institutions and policy makers.©2021 Routledge. This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge in Covid-19 and International Business: Change of Era on December 29, 2020 available online: http://www.routledge.com/Covid-19-and-International-Business-Change-of-Era/Marinov-Marinova/p/book/9780367623241fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Inibitori duali di Topoisomerasi I e Tirosil-DNA fosfodiesterasi I quali innovativi agenti antitumorali.

Il cancro rappresenta, dopo le malattie cardiocircolatorie, la seconda causa di morte nei paesi industrializzati. Poiché il processo neoplastico è dovuto ad un’alterazione nei meccanismi che regolano numerosi aspetti del fenotipo cellulare, è indispensabile comprendere questa patologia a livello molecolare e cellulare al fine di trovare gli strumenti più adeguati per arrestare il processo di proliferazione, invasione e metastatizzazione delle cellule tumorali. Le DNA topoisomerasi (I e II) sono una classe di enzimi appartenenti alla classe delle isomerasi, presenti sia negli eucarioti che nei procarioti, essenziali per il metabolismo degli acidi nucleici. In particolare, la topoisomerasi 1 (Top1) eucariotica è un enzima essenziale per molti processi cellulari, perché rilassa il doppio filamento del DNA cosi l’informazione genetica può essere usata facilmente durante la trascrizione, replicazione e riparo. Gli inibitori della Top1, come la camptotecina (CPT) e i suoi derivati usati clinicamente per la cura del cancro, topotecan, irinotecan e belotecan, come anche altri inibitori non-CPT come le indenoisoquinoline, indotecan e indimitecan, inibiscono la rilegatura collocandosi in maniera selettiva e reversibile all’interfaccia Top1-DNA. Questo porta alla morte cellulare dovuto alla rottura definitiva del doppio filamento di DNA. La tirosil-DNA-fosfodiesterasi (Tdp1) è un enzima che catalizza specificamente l’idrolisi del legame fosfodiesterico tra la Tyr723 catalitica della Top1 e DNA-3’-fosfato. Quindi, Tdp1 sembra essere coinvolto nella riparazione dei danni al DNA. L’importanza cellulare di Tdp1 deriva dal fatto che è ubiquitario negli eucarioti e gioca un ruolo fisiologico importante. Le evidenze sperimentali suggeriscono che Tdp1 ha un di rilievo nel mantenimento della stabilità genomica e questo fa di Tdp1 un bersaglio per lo sviluppo di farmaci antitumorali. Quindi, trovare inibitori della Tdp1 diventa molto importante per la cura del cancro. Questi inibitori si possono associare agli inibitori della topoisomerasi 1 per potenziare il loro effetto. Uno sviluppo in questo ambito è quindi trovare degli inibitori duali Topoismerasi 1-Tirosil-DNA-Fosfodiesterasi 1 per ridurre le quantità dei farmaci somministrati e avere lo stesso effetto terapeutico. Lo scopo di questa tesi è stato quello di descrivere i ruoli fondamentali giocati dagli enzimi Topoismerasi 1 e Tirosil-DNA-Fosfodiesterasi 1, riportare gli inibitori selettivi di ciascun enzima nonché individuare gli inibitori duali Topoismerasi 1-Tirosil-DNA-Fosfodiesterasi 1 recentemente descritti allo scopo di razionalizzare la progettazione di nuovi inibitori duali

Răspuns la o aşa-zisă cercetare privind „Istoria genetică a Balcanilor văzută prin prisma migraţiei slave”

România, aşezată la „răscruce de drumuri” între est şi vest şi între sud şi nord are o moştenire genetică foarte bogată/variată şi complexă. De aceea, a alege un haplogrup caracteristic românilor este foarte dificil. Populaţia României şi a Republicii Moldova prezintă practic aceleaşi haplogrupuri, pe care le au toate popoarele din Balcani, chiar dacă în proporţii uneori diferite, partea comună fiind moştenită mai ales prin intermediul străbunilor noştri traci (ramura daco-getică, în cazul nostru) de la populaţia ancestrală a acestor locuri. Deci, dacă ar fi să alegem un haplogrup caracteristic, acesta nu poate fi decât unul foarte vechi, de dinaintea venirii triburilor ce au adus dinspre est în Europa limbile indo-europene. Multiple cercetări paleogenetice şi arheologice au arătat că cel mai vechi şi singurul haplogrup major pe linie paternă apărut încă din paleolitic în Europa (numită de specialişti „Vechea Europă”) este haplogrupul I („i mare”, cu mai multe subgrupuri sau ramuri), iar acesta are la noi într-adevăr cea mai mare frecvenţă dintre toate haplogrupurile (peste 30%)