Canada and the International System of Bank Headquarters Cities, 1968–1989

ABSTRACT This paper examines spatial-temporal trends in the international system of corporate banking centers. It is evident that the largest corporations locate their headquarters in a formal national decision-making hierarchy and that national and regional nodes within this hierarchy house the headquarters of major banks. Initially these banks link clients internally. However, as domestic corporations evolve into transnationals, banks follow their customers overseas and establish foreign headquarters. The results of the study indicate that, until 1975, American banking corporations and their financial centers dominated global banking. Since then other countries, most notably Japan and Germany, have successfully challenged this hegemony, while others like the United Kingdom and Canada have been in relative decline. The 1980s witnessed a new era of international coordination of the world's largest industrial countries. Canada, for example, opened its doors to international banking, joined the G-7, and presently is linked to the world's major banking centers.     

Transnational state entrepreneurship? Assessing Singapore's Suzhou Industrial Park project (1994–2004)

Abstract: This paper examines an exemplary case of ‘transnational state entrepreneurship’, which was the Singapore government's Suzhou Industrial Park project. Between 1994 and 2001, the Singapore government was directly involved in the development and management of the project, hoping to generate an income that could eventually supplement Singapore's domestic economy. The strategy involved servicing the industrial needs of multinational corporations seeking to locate operations in China. This paper finds that transnational state entrepreneurship was less than successful, as the Singapore government's objectives were only partially achieved. The project's biggest problems were its lack of profitability and, ironically, the state's presence. This led to the Singapore government disengaging from the project in 2001. The paper concludes that it would be very difficult for a state, which is essentially a political entity, to be as efficient as a business entity, especially in an international environment.     

Transnational Corporations,Global Production Networks,and Urban and Regional Development: A Geographer's Perspective on Multinational Enterprises and the Global Economy

This paper offers an economic‐geographical interpretation of the role of transnational corporations (TNCs) in urban and regional development that is grounded in Dunning and Lundan's (2008 ) Multinational Enterprises and the Global Economy. I argue that TNCs and their activity are indisputably one of the keys to understanding urban and regional development in today's globalizing world economy. To support this perspective, I will deploy the recently developed analytical framework of global production networks (GPNs) to unpack the complex and mutually dependent relationships between TNCs and urban and regional development. The paper first provides a critique of several recent influential theories of urban and regional growth and identifies the omitted components in such important actors as TNCs. It then offers an analysis of TNCs as key agents of urban and regional development on the basis of ideas on TNC strategies, networks, and regional institutions expressed in Multinational Enterprises. Finally, I draw upon a relational view of TNCs in GPNs to illustrate how urban and regional development is increasingly a “globalizing” phenomenon. Situated in recent work in economic geography, I elaborate on the concept of strategic coupling as an interfacing mechanism bringing together TNCs and development at the urban and regional scales.     

The Globalization of Japanese Manufacturing Corporations

This paper discusses recent shifts in the overseas investment strategies of Japan's major multinational manufacturing companies (MNCs). Based on a survey of twenty corporations it is postulated that the move towards the globalization of these companies has taken place in three distinct but overlapping phases: (1) a linear link-up to Japan, (2) a transition stage, based upon international specialization and‘mesh’strategies, and (3) a tetra-polar strategic division of the world. The paper commences with a discussion of recent trends in MNC behavior, and then shows how overseas corporate organization has changed in the Japanese firms surveyed, especially after 1985. The implications of these changes among the major global regions is examined. The paper concludes with an assessment of whether the strategies of Japanese MNCs have converged with those. of United States or European MNCs, and to what degree they have retained their own distinctive attributes.     

Corporate Response to Environmental Issues: Packaging

Among the environmental issues that have come to dominate social concerns, the amount of packaging sent for disposal in landfills has gained increased prominence in Canada, with the issuance in 1990 of the National Protocol on Packaging (NAPP). Recognizing the increased demands for improved environmental performance on the part of corporations, this study seeks to understand why some companies respond more quickly than others to concerns about packaging-waste reduction. The paper links concepts found in the Corporate Social Responsibility and Innovation Theory literatures, in order to explore corporate response patterns to pressures for change and to develop a measure of corporate performance with regards to packaging-waste reduction efforts. Bivariate and linear logit analyses of data were undertaken, and confirm that variations in a company's response pattern can be explained in terms of factors such as company size, product orientation, and existence of an environmental affairs function, as well as external policies, such as NAPP.     

Information dissemination and communication in stakeholder participation: the Bohol-Cebu water supply project

Development theories in the 1990s embrace a much more people-centred perspective than in previous decades. At the same time, foreign direct investment is increasingly being touted as a new form of development assistance, and transnational corporations as new aid agents. However, the ideology of the free market is incongruous with the people-centredness of contemporary development theory. The result is a polarisation between participatory development and market driven paradigms. This study introduced the models of instrumental and transformative participation and the way they influence information flow and communication. These models are used to examine a project proponent’s and stakeholder’s actions in a privatised development setting, using a Philippine case study. The case study is the Bohol-Cebu water supply project, a project of water capture, treatment, and transmission, linking the islands of Bohol and Cebu. Communication and information dissemination between the project proponent and stakeholders is viewed under the requirements of Philippine legislation for participation in development. The findings from this research suggest that the proponent tended to exclude or only partially include affected stakeholders in the development process. Sources of information were often nongovernmental organisations, the Church, and, in many instances, the media. The proponent’s method of disseminating information was primarily to target the municipal or provincial government level, thus disenfranchising the ‘grass roots’     

In situ dynamics of Japanese electronic subsidiaries in ASEAN countries: Reflections from a development perspective

This paper contributes to the theory of subsidiary evolution in multinational corporations through utilising a value chain approach. It assesses the changing activities of the branches of Japanese electronics firms located in Southeast Asia (the ASEAN region) since the 1997–1998 financial crisis. In the paper, we argue that a modest development of Japanese subsidiaries has occurred in this region during the past 10 years or so. We connect models of subsidiary development to Michael Porter's value chain in the results of a set of interviews with 37 managers in the factories, sales offices and regional headquarters of Japanese subsidiary companies located in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. We show that decentralisation of management functions from Japan occurred in both primary and support activities of the value chain. However, corporate long‐term research and development did not disperse to Southeast Asia and is unlikely to in the near future. The article interprets these results and highlights the need for further research relating to the evolving geography of Japanese electronics multinational corporations and their subsidiaries in Southeast Asia.     

Voluntary environmental initiatives: ISO14001 certified organisations in Singapore

The value of environmental regulation through command and control measures has been questioned because of inflexibility and high cost. Voluntary environmental initiatives have been proposed as an alternative approach to save costs, overcome problems of inadequate enforcement and monitoring and to take advantage of the environmental leadership of transnational corporations (TNCs). Amongst voluntary environmental initiatives certified environmental management system standards have so far had most impact in Singapore and the rest of Southeast Asia. This paper investigates the environmental policy statements of 52 ISO14001 certified organisations in Singapore and shows that the environmental commitments being made are no substitute for traditional environmental regulations.     

Analysis on the Ownership Structures of American Listed Companies and Its Enlightenments

The authors investigate the ownership structures about American stock corporations and think that the successful experiences based on institutional arrangements for the ownership structures of American listed companies and the way to carry out ownership authorities will give some following enlightenments for Chinese stock companies to perfect their ownership structures:Let all kinds of equity ownerships tradable completely,some ownership diffused or concentrated should be determined by market.To decentralize and transform the state-owned ownership through in the competitive industries,and the ownerships should be mainly holded among legal investors,strategic investors, individuals,employees,managers,foreign investors. The following results are realized to develop perfect law and regulate systems with the function enhancing fair competition and make ownership structure,corporate governance mechanism,all markets,corporate performance interact profitably.     

Managing the hinterland beyond: Two ideal‐type strategies of economic development for small island territories

Abstract: Rarely does one come across critical analysis which looks at islands as the strategic and candid promoters of a role as political and economic usufructuaries over external resources. This paper is premised on the proposition that a small territory is especially obliged to use extra‐territorial resources as its hinterland for economic success. Such resources extend over a whole range of goods and services and include access to investment, welfare, security, stable currency, international relations, specialised labour power, transfers, markets and higher education. The MIRAB syndrome is one way of articulating this condition. This paper proposes a second cluster of features that are, or can be, deployed by small territories in a manner somewhat different from MIRAB; this second cluster has a more proactive policy orientation and a disposition towards carving out procedural and jurisdictional powers. It is thus proposed to consider a small territory's engagement with the external hinterland as a position on a sliding scale, a strategic mix of options located between two distinct development trajectories, of which MIRAB is one and the PROFIT model the other.     

An Empirical Study on the Relationship between Diversification and Economic Performance of Listed Corporations of China

It is crucial for corporations to select a proper development mode in competitive market. Diversification has been one of the most popular development modes that corporations all over the world pursued since 1960's. The relationship between diversification and economic performance is also an important subject for the research in strategic management. This paper re-examines the economic performance of China listed corporations and designs the measure index system of diversification strategy and economic performance. Moreover, it adopts empirical study on the relationship between them through the approaches such as regression model, variance analysis. It attempts to seek for the diversification development mode fit for China corporations so as to enhance economic performance.     

中国与主要贸易国水产品中渔用抗菌药残留限量标准和管理措施对比分析

为进一步了解主要水产品贸易国抗菌药管控措施,完善中国水产品中渔用抗菌药残留限量(MRL)标准体系,提高中国水产品质量安全水平和国际竞争力。本研究比较了中国、国际食品法典委员会(CAC)、欧盟(EU)、美国和日本等国家、地区及国际组织水产品中渔用抗菌药MRL标准体系管理现状,分析中国与主要贸易国在渔用抗菌药MRL规定上的异同。结果发现,中国与上述国家、地区及国际组织在水产品中渔用抗菌药MRL数量、限量值及种类上均存在差异。其中,日本制定的MRL标准数量最多为31项,其次是欧盟有26项,中国有22项,CAC和美国制定渔用抗菌药MRL的数量较少,均为5项。针对中国目前渔用抗菌药MRL标准存在的问题,本研究提出加大渔用抗菌药的基础研究、主导或积极参与渔用抗菌药MRL制定、紧跟国际标准发展趋势、加强国际间合作交流的建议。     

国内外植物检疫体系研究及对中国的启示

为了健全中国植物检疫体系、充分发挥植物检疫在农业生产和贸易中的作用,总结了国际植物保护公约组织、区域性植物保护组织、TBT/SPS协议和检疫双边协定的现状。同时,重点从机构设置、法律法规及标准方面阐述了美国、欧盟、日本和澳大利亚等发达国家和组织的植物检疫体系及其特点,并且对中国目前的植物检疫体系进行了归纳,结合中国实际情况,在完善植物检疫性法律法规和标准体系、推进有害生物风险分析,加强检验检疫项目合作,积极参与国际标准的制定等方面提出了建议,更好地保护中国农产品国际贸易。     

Environmental Regulation and International Sourcing Policies of Multinational Firms

This paper explores the role of environmental factors in the contract-allocation decisions of European and North American multinational corporations (MNCs). Particular attention is given to the motivations and experiences of selected MNCs that have recently adopted environmental policies to guide specific aspects of their international purchasing procedures. The results of a pilot survey of 12 MNCs suggest that environmental issues are beginning to enter into the strategic decision-making fields of corporate planners, notably with regard to supplier selection and evaluation. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of possible directions for future empirical research.     

Analyzing the spatial allocation of Japan’s aid to China: A perspective from the relations between aid allocation stakeholders

While the spatial distribution of foreign aid has aroused a widespread academic interest, the existing research is limited mainly to the transnational level and lacks an analysis of aid allocation within a single recipient country. Moreover, more attention is paid to the factors influencing the aid allocation than to the interactions among different aid allocation stakeholders. To fill the research blank, this paper proposes a “three-party relationship model” to analyze the spatial allocation of aid within a recipient county, and uses the case of Japan's aid to China to validate the model. We find most of the aid has been allocated to the economic infrastructure, over time, and the key aid sector has shifted from economic infrastructure to social infrastructure and general environmental protection; The allocation characteristics of total aid and key aid sectors are various; The spatial allocation pattern of aid reflects an interaction between the donor (Japan) and the recipient country (China). The degree of importance of each aid allocation stakeholder is different at different stages of the total life cycle of aid, and the aid allocation stakeholder relationship in the three-party relationship model may be constantly reshaped during the allocation processes of aid in space.     

四川猕猴桃产业竞争力分析及可持续发展战略研判

猕猴桃是四川省优势特色产业之一,新形势下面临产业盲目扩张、产品结构性过剩、国际贸易壁垒等问题和挑战。应用综合优势比较模型,分析比较四川、陕西、贵州、湖南、湖北、河南等猕猴桃主产省的效率优势指数(EAI)、规模优势指数(SAI)、综合比较优势指数(AAI)。结果表明,近年来四川省猕猴桃EAI、SAI、AAI平均指数分别为0.88、3.32、1.67,并呈上升趋势;结合AHP-SWOT模型解析四川猕猴桃产业的优势、劣势、机遇和挑战,各要素对战略选择影响力由强到弱依次为红肉品种优势、产业规模优势、国内外消费空间、“中新联合实验室”建设（有利于猕猴桃国际化）、种质资源丰富、消费多元化与网络化、猕猴桃产能结构性过剩、溃疡病影响、产品国际竞争力不强、盲目扩张、加工与品牌营销较弱;构建产业发展战略四边形,战略类型方位变量tanθ=0.3281,应采取“开拓战略区实力型方位域”的发展战略。建议明确产业适宜范围,突出地方特色;加强科技协同创新,提升国际竞争力;优化产业结构,积极应对溃疡病。     

跨国种子公司的发展对中国种业未来发展的启示

通过对4个主要跨国育种公司发展历史的介绍,对中国种业的现状进行了分析,指出目前中国种业面临的问题是育种、繁殖以及推广相脱节以及公司规模较小,难以形成国际竞争力,并指出未来中国种业只有形成以科技为支撑,育种、繁殖以及推广为一体的大型育种公司,并逐步走出国门,才能成长为真正的可持续发展的跨国种子公司,才能使得中国种业不受国外种业的控制。     

The Affection of Learning Mechanism to Unequal Strategic Alliance Partnership

Some symmetric mathematical models, such as Tech-Tech or Tech & Market - Tech & Market, had been set up in the researches of theoretical models of cooperative behavior among firms in strategic alliances. An asymmetric model is established in this paper by discussing the Tech-Market type strategic alliances and expressing the strength contrast between the partners in an alliance by the Bass diffusion models. The benefits changes of alliances partners are studied in several different occasions, and the model about the influences of learning upon partnership is built by introducing the learning mechanism to retrofit the Bass models. Then it is proved that the learning mechanism possesses strategic significance to the partnership, that is to say, the development of an alliance is beneficial to the partner who has higher learning efficiency and unfavorable to the other one. At the same time, the original cause of the strategy, i.e., gaining foreign investment and technology by let foreign firms own some domestic market share, was not work well in last ten years in China, has been revealed. It is pointed out that China's firms should do their best to improve their learning efficiency when they participate in the international alliances.     

Climate change education in the South Pacific: Resilience for whom?

Climate change education (CCE) can be an important tool to increase local community resilience. In 2017, the Pacific Community ratified the Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific (FRDP) aiming to equip local communities with skills needed to become more climate change resilient. In 2018, Fiji implemented the Climate Change Resilience Programme (CCRP) at the University of the South Pacific (USP), the first of its kind in the South Pacific. This paper evaluates (i) the orientation and aim of the programme and (ii) how different stakeholders influenced the curriculum development process. Tribe's concept of curriculum space is used to highlight the overall aim of the CCRP. Freeman's stakeholder theory allows to identify key stakeholders and their influence on the curriculum. Results indicate that the programme seems to foster climate resilience in the workplace rather than the local community. Unfortunately, current and future community leaders, the notional targets of this course, were almost completely unrepresented in the process to accredit the course, with the body responsible for accreditation being dominated by industry representatives. This study helps to inform the current review of the Regional Certificate Programme to realign it with its initially envisioned community focus.     

A Corporate Geography of Canada: Insights into a Multi‐Jurisdictional Model of Corporate Governance

Comparative corporate governance has long focused on national models of corporate governance with particular attention paid to the balance of influence between divergent path dependence and convergent global market forces. Within this debate, the Canadian model of corporate governance has received little attention and has long been assumed to be an extension of the U.S. model. An analysis of the corporate geography of Canada demonstrates that the path‐dependent forces of Canada's resource‐dependent economic development remain a principal determinant in contemporary corporate Canada. Continued resource dependence in combination with a system of asymmetric federalism has led to a distinctively multi‐jurisdictional model of corporate governance. As corporate interests are provincially distinct because of the heterogeneous distribution of natural resources and markets across Canada, this model may lead to provincial lock‐in and an associated degree of managerial entrenchment.