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Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2006 12:03:20 +0300
From: <Zsuzsanna.Vincze@tse.fi>

CALL FOR PAPERS

A SPECIAL ISSUE OF THE JOURNAL OF TEACHING IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
on
Learning and Teaching International Business:
Evolving and Emerging Issues Affecting the Content of International Business Curricula a Decade Ahead

Guest Edited by
Zsuzsanna Vincze, Turku School of Economics, Finland
Peter Zettinig, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Foster Ofosu, Turku School of Economics, Finland

Introduction
 
The idea for this special issue originated from discussions about the core and fringe of international business research and its implications for the teaching and development of international business curricula. Initial interactions took place during the International Management Development Association’s Annual World Business Congress in Granada, Spain in 2005. As a result of these highly stimulating discussions, the guest editors of this special edition initiated a Delphi study in which 30 highly committed experts in international business, from all continents, developed visions about the futures of learning and teaching international business. Among these experts were leading IB scholars, forward-looking researchers in international business, and a number of industry and/or public policy makers in the international business field. These experts agreed to participate to our lengthy process of finding and refining some of the most critical issues and trends that will affect the development and delivery of international business education in the next decade.

The Delphi study undertaken over a six month period, generated over 400 initial factors and issues that experts believe will be most significant in the teaching and learning of international business subjects a decade ahead. After 5 rounds of this process, the experts selected a set of most significant issues affecting international business subjects, and theories/concepts, methods and skills thought to be most important to equip graduates of international business programs for future success in the business world. The results of this Delphi study provide the framework for this call for papers in a special issue of the Journal of Teaching in International Business:

Topics of Interest

1. The evolution of big emerging market economies, their importance as both resource-rich countries and important markets for growth oriented internationally operating firms. Further the interactions (i.e. competition, M&As, cooperation) between MNEs originating from long-established market economies and from big emerging market economies.
2. The role of knowledge of cultural differences and commonalities for international business (i.e. development of business innovations, cross-cultural teams, international human resource management). Importance of trends of ‘cultural convergence’, ‘clashes of culture’ and ‘dominant cultures’ and its implications for skill development. Importance of including skill forming projects and programmes which engage students in cross-cultural interactions and which allow them to succeed across institutional and mindset boundaries.
3. The importance of innovations in business models and alternative approaches to international business strategy. Development of capabilities to think dynamically about innovations of complete business systems and stimulating the creation of capacities to produce sustainable systems and processes.
4. Challenges of increasing global integration of business systems, operations and processes while increasing the level of service for localised needs. Challenges of coordination and governance in the internationally operating firm and its contributions to democracy and economic development in developing countries. Development of capabilities to form sustainable global strategies, which serve local or personal needs and to leverage knowledge in order to generate a long-lasting competitive advantage.
5. The study of inter-organisational relationships (i.e. international joint ventures, mergers, strategic alliances, looser network types) including futuristic organisational frameworks that provide for the development of new organisational innovations. Discussions about useful competencies that provide for innovation in such complex relationships..
6. The study of the role of the entrepreneur in the process of business expansion and internationalisation. The management and internationalisation of the resource constrained small and medium-sized firm and the international commercialisation of innovations. Approaches for forming entrepreneurial mindsets, capabilities (i.e. ‘collaborative entrepreneurship’) and initiatives for the development of programmes that focus on international entrepreneurship activities.
7. Concepts and determinants for international business strategy including theories and approaches to understand the social dimension of globalisation. Mindsets and approaches for the selection of input- and output markets and the analysis of institutional environments.
8. Risk assessment and crisis management. Frameworks and methods for analysis, identification and measurement of risks in international business. Skill development that support the management of international crisis (i.e. avian flu, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, terrorism). Holistic approaches to assess the impact of international business decisions (i.e. manufacturing, transportation) on externalities (e.g. environmental issues, social changes, dependencies).

These eight broad topics form the framework for which to receive contributions. Submitted papers will focus on one of these topic areas by defining the current issue(s), how it is evolving, which broader trends contribute to their  role in future teaching and research, and how different published research supports such a view. Furthermore, it is important to provide insights into the implications of these issues in terms of content design for an international business programme. Additional selection criteria of submitted papers are:

Quality of recommendations how to implement the topic area into the wider IB content currently taught as core in most IB programmes; suggestions how to generate an ‘intellectually challenging’ environment, within which the students and teachers can engage over the specific issue/topic; and, propositions as to what kind of skills and capabilities are most important in order for graduates to best serve their future firms in order to succeed in this particular area.

Submissions and Review Process
 
Papers should be submitted to peter.zettinig@vuw.ac.nz before the submission deadline (2nd of March 2007). Please indicate in the subject line ‘Submission for the Special Issue of the Journal of Teaching in International Business’. All papers will be reviewed according to a double blind process and must follow the submission guidelines viewable at: . The maximum length of a paper might not exceed 25 pages (12 pt), double spaced, including all tables, figures, references (American Psychology Association Style, APA)

Time Line
Submission Deadline: 2nd of March 2007
Notification of Authors (for inclusion in review process): 19th of March 2007
Review Feedback: 1st of June 2007
Deadline for Revised Papers: 24th of August 2007
Publication of Special Issue: Autumn 2007

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