East Asian Business Systems In Evolutionary Perspective

Economic studies on East Asia economies in general and Chinese economies are not lacking. However, most studies hitherto adopt the conventional neo-classical economic approach. In particular, the Cobb-Douglas production function and/or theory of comparative advantage are often applied to explain economic growth of an Asian economy. In international business, Dunning's eclectic theory is also widely adopted to understand the pattern of foreign direct investments in East Asian economies. Yet it is generally agreed that the mainstream neo-classical approach has severe drawbacks and limitations. In particular, it does not consider the role of knowledge and uncertainty. Entrepreneurship, which is the true engine of growth, is largely missing in neo-classical economics. This book uses the evolutionary approach to analyse economic and business activities in East Asian economies. Specifically, the book focuses on knowledge and coordination problems and examines the role of entrepreneurship in economic affairs.

Compares characteristics of firms and markets in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong, relating these to their social, political and economic contexts. This analysis shows that business practices can only be understood with reference to the societies and cultures of which they are a part.

Since the end of the Second World War, Taiwan has transformed in around 60 years time from a farmland to a high tech industrial economy. This book examines entrepreneurship, innovative systems and government policies in Taiwan.

With the shift of the global economic gravity toward emerging economies and the roaring economic growth of the past three decades in China, East Asian catching-up growth strategies have profound implications for latecomer economies. While there are many handbooks on entrepreneurship in general, there is no reference on East Asian entrepreneurship. This is the first of its kinds in the market. The volume provides a useful reference for those who want to know East Asian entrepreneurship and business systems. It also provides many excellent cases and illustrations on the growth of entrepreneurial firms and the rise of branded products in East Asia. Policy makers or scholars who are interested in entrepreneurship, small and medium sized enterprises, Asian business systems, international business, innovation and technology management, economic development, strategic management and East Asian studies would benefit from this volume. The volume contains two parts. The first part is the key concepts associate with entrepreneurship and East Asian firm growth and transformation. The second part presents cases of entrepreneurial firms and their founders in East Asia, including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China. With the handbook, scholars, students and policy makers can grab some basic ideas how entrepreneurs and firms in East Asia compete and survive in the world market and understand why and how East Asia economies can emerge as one of the most dynamic regions in the world. Part I concepts: relating to Entrepreneurship: Guanxi Catching-up strategies Types of entrepreneurship Business System Strategic Management Leadership Part II cases cover variedly from manufacturing to services industries, and specifically including traditional and newly corporations ranging from toys, convenient stores, fast fashion, high-tech, to catering and service. Written by experts in their respective areas, Handbook of East Asia entrepreneurship is an excellent review of theories, policies and empirical evidences on important topics in Entrepreneurship in East Asian economic development. The book is both a superb teaching tool and a valuable handbook in development economics.

Until recently, research in family business has been confined to a sub-group of entrepreneurship scholars, labor economists, and sociologists. Family business employment is often the only economic option available to migrants, the first entrepreneurial experience for young people, and a source of an economy's new business creation activities. These issues are typically framed in terms of the generational transfer of wealth, management succession, or the interplay between the economic system of a family and its sociopolitical system. The phenomenon is clearly widespread but for some reason continues to be poorly understood. We believe that progress on the empirical front has been hampered by a lack of accepted theoretical frameworks. For example, attempts to employ agency theory, geographic agglomeration and spill overs, social networks, sense making, bargaining and other frameworks have been scattered. In our view, the extant research has not created the theoretic ballast that can withstand repeated empirical verification. More fundamentally, researchers are beginning to ask, "Is family business theoretically distinctive or a convenient phenomenon for exploiting familiar theories with new data?" We believe the time is ripe for a focused look at the theoretical history and prospects of family business research. Review articles grounded in economics, sociology, psychology and political economy and that offer multidisciplinary implications are especially sought. Theory based empirical papers are also welcomed. We believe that there are exciting opportunities for theory development and so encourage authors to focus on this in their submissions. In sum, the focus of this volume is on showcasing and advancing the latest research in family business.

An insightful analysis of the strategy of one of Southeast Asia's largest family business groups.

In this book, three modern Chinese family businesses, including food and beverage company Yeo Hiap Seng, are studied to analyze the problems that family enterprises face. Other case studies include long-standing family businesses in Europe, America and Asia, such as Ford, Kikkoman and Samsung. This book also discusses the changing characteristics of Chinese family businesses, the pitfalls that such enterprises are likely to face, and how they can overcome these pitfalls and achieve sustainable development.

The Nature of Asian Firms provides managers and others interested in doing business in the dynamic and fast changing Asian region with an understanding of the underlying principles driving both current and future business practices of Asian firms. The book is for internationally focused individuals who realize the importance of gaining a deeper understanding of the fastest growing economic region in the world and the firms from this region. Takes a look at the evolutionary and historical development of Asian firms Examines the regional nature of Asian firms Provides readers with a cross-cultural perspective