100 Most Relevant Papers in International Business Research
A. Foundations of International Business and the MNE
Hymer, S. H. (1960/1976). The International Operations of National Firms: A Study of Direct Foreign Investment.
Vernon, R. (1966). International Investment and International Trade in the Product Cycle.
Dunning, J. H. (1973). The Determinants of International Production.
Dunning, J. H. (1977). Trade, Location of Economic Activity and the Multinational Enterprise: A Search for an Eclectic Approach.
Dunning, J. H. (1979). Explaining Changing Patterns of International Production: In Defence of the Eclectic Theory.
Dunning, J. H. (1980). Toward an Eclectic Theory of International Production: Some Empirical Tests.
Dunning, J. H. (1988). The Eclectic Paradigm of International Production: A Restatement and Some Possible Extensions.
Dunning, J. H. (1989). The Study of International Business: A Plea for a More Interdisciplinary Approach.
Dunning, J. H. (1998). Location and the Multinational Enterprise: A Neglected Factor.
Dunning, J. H. (2000). The Eclectic Paradigm as an Envelope for Economic and Business Theories of MNE Activity.
B. Internationalization and the Uppsala School
Johanson, J., & Vahlne, J.-E. (1977). The Internationalization Process of the Firm: A Model of Knowledge Development and Increasing Foreign Market Commitments.
Johanson, J., & Vahlne, J.-E. (1990). The Mechanism of Internationalisation.
Johanson, J., & Vahlne, J.-E. (2002). The Internationalization Process of the Firm: A Model of Knowledge Development and Increasing Foreign Market Commitments—An Update.
Johanson, J., & Vahlne, J.-E. (2009). The Uppsala Internationalization Process Model Revisited: From Liability of Foreignness to Liability of Outsidership.
Vahlne, J.-E., & Johanson, J. (2013). The Uppsala Model on Evolution of the Multinational Business Enterprise.
Vahlne, J.-E., & Johanson, J. (2017). From Internationalization to Evolution: The Uppsala Model at 40 Years.
Johanson, J., & Wiedersheim-Paul, F. (1975). The Internationalization of the Firm—Four Swedish Cases.
Johanson, J., & Mattsson, L.-G. (1988). Internationalisation in Industrial Systems—A Network Approach.
Welch, L. S., & Luostarinen, R. (1988). Internationalization: Evolution of a Concept.
Coviello, N., & Munro, H. (1997). Network Relationships and the Internationalisation Process of Small Software Firms.
C. Foreign Market Entry and FDI
Anderson, E., & Gatignon, H. (1986). Modes of Foreign Entry: A Transaction Cost Analysis and Propositions.
Kogut, B., & Singh, H. (1988). The Effect of National Culture on the Choice of Entry Mode.
Agarwal, S., & Ramaswami, S. N. (1992). Choice of Foreign Market Entry Mode: Impact of Ownership, Location and Internalization Factors.
Erramilli, M. K., & Rao, C. P. (1993). Service Firms' International Entry-Mode Choice: A Modified Transaction-Cost Analysis Approach.
Pan, Y., & Tse, D. K. (2000). The Hierarchical Model of Market Entry Modes.
Brouthers, K. D. (2002). Institutional, Cultural and Transaction Cost Influences on Entry Mode Choice and Performance.
Brouthers, K. D., & Hennart, J.-F. (2007). Boundaries of the Firm: Insights From International Entry Mode Research.
Meyer, K. E., Estrin, S., Bhaumik, S. K., & Peng, M. W. (2009). Institutions, Resources, and Entry Strategies in Emerging Economies.
Slangen, A. H. L., & Hennart, J.-F. (2007). Greenfield or Acquisition Entry? A Review of the Empirical Foreign Establishment Mode Literature.
Harzing, A.-W. (2002). Acquisitions Versus Greenfield Investments: International Strategy and Management of Entry Modes.
D. Liability of Foreignness, Distance and Country Differences
Zaheer, S. (1995). Overcoming the Liability of Foreignness.
Kostova, T. (1999). Transnational Transfer of Strategic Organizational Practices: A Contextual Perspective.
Kostova, T., & Zaheer, S. (1999). Organizational Legitimacy Under Conditions of Complexity: The Case of the Multinational Enterprise.
Eden, L., & Miller, S. R. (2004). Distance Matters: Liability of Foreignness, Institutional Distance and Ownership Strategy.
Berry, H., Guillén, M. F., & Zhou, N. (2010). An Institutional Approach to Cross-National Distance.
Ghemawat, P. (2001). Distance Still Matters: The Hard Reality of Global Expansion.
Shenkar, O. (2001). Cultural Distance Revisited: Towards a More Rigorous Conceptualization and Measurement of Cultural Differences.
Tihanyi, L., Griffith, D. A., & Russell, C. J. (2005). The Effect of Cultural Distance on Entry Mode Choice, International Diversification, and Performance.
Beugelsdijk, S., et al. (2018). Cultural Distance and Firm Internationalization: A Meta-Analytical Review.
Brewer, P. A. (2007). Operationalizing the Geography of Trade: Proximity, Politics, and the Globalization of the Firm.
E. Culture and Cross-Cultural Management
Hofstede, G. (1980). Motivation, Leadership, and Organization: Do American Theories Apply Abroad?
Hofstede, G. (1983). The Cultural Relativity of Organizational Practices and Theories.
Hofstede, G. (1993). Cultural Constraints in Management Theories.
House, R. J., et al. (2004). Culture, Leadership, and Organizations: The GLOBE Study.
Earley, P. C., & Ang, S. (2003). Cultural Intelligence: Individual Interactions Across Cultures.
Earley, P. C., & Mosakowski, E. (2004). Cultural Intelligence.
Ang, S., et al. (2007). Cultural Intelligence: Its Measurement and Effects on Cultural Judgment and Decision Making, Cultural Adaptation and Task Performance.
Kirkman, B. L., Lowe, K. B., & Gibson, C. B. (2006). A Quarter Century of Culture's Consequences: A Review of Empirical Research Incorporating Hofstede's Cultural Values Framework.
Stahl, G. K., et al. (2010). Unraveling the Effects of Cultural Diversity in Teams: A Meta-analysis of Research on Multicultural Work Groups.
Stahl, G. K., & Tung, R. L. (2015). Towards a More Balanced Treatment of Culture in International Business Studies.
F. Global Strategy and Globalization
Levitt, T. (1983). The Globalization of Markets.
Porter, M. E. (1986). Competition in Global Industries.
Prahalad, C. K., & Doz, Y. L. (1987). The Multinational Mission: Balancing Local Demands and Global Vision.
Ghoshal, S. (1987). Global Strategy: An Organizing Framework.
Bartlett, C. A., & Ghoshal, S. (1989). Managing Across Borders.
Roth, K. (1992). Global Strategy Implementation at the Business Unit Level: A Balanced Perspective.
Yip, G. S. (1995). Total Global Strategy.
Rugman, A. M., & Verbeke, A. (2004). A Perspective on Regional and Global Strategies of Multinational Enterprises.
Ghemawat, P. (2003). Semiglobalization and International Business Strategy.
Ghemawat, P. (2007). Redefining Global Strategy.
G. Knowledge, Learning and the MNE
Kogut, B., & Zander, U. (1992). Knowledge of the Firm, Combinative Capabilities, and the Replication of Technology.
Kogut, B., & Zander, U. (1993). Knowledge of the Firm and the Evolutionary Theory of the Multinational Corporation.
Hedlund, G. (1986). The Hypermodern MNC: A Heterarchy?
Gupta, A. K., & Govindarajan, V. (2000). Knowledge Flows Within Multinational Corporations.
Birkinshaw, J., Hood, N., & Jonsson, S. (1998). Building Firm-Specific Advantages in Multinational Corporations: The Role of Subsidiary Initiative.
Birkinshaw, J., & Hood, N. (1998). Multinational Subsidiary Evolution: Capability and Charter Change in Foreign-Owned Subsidiary Companies.
Ambos, T. C., Ambos, B., & Schlegelmilch, B. B. (2006). Learning From Foreign Subsidiaries.
Mudambi, R., & Navarra, P. (2004). Is Knowledge Power? Knowledge Flows, Subsidiary Power and Rent-Seeking Within MNCs.
Doz, Y., Santos, J., & Williamson, P. (2001). From Global to Metanational.
Cantwell, J., & Mudambi, R. (2005). MNE Competence-Creating Subsidiary Mandates.
H. International Entrepreneurship and Born Globals
Oviatt, B. M., & McDougall, P. P. (1994). Toward a Theory of International New Ventures.
Oviatt, B. M., & McDougall, P. P. (1994). Explaining the Formation of International New Ventures.
Knight, G. A., & Cavusgil, S. T. (2004). Innovation, Organizational Capabilities, and the Born-Global Firm.
Rennie, M. W. (1993). Global Competitiveness: Born Global.
Autio, E., Sapienza, H. J., & Almeida, J. G. (2000). Effects of Age at Entry, Knowledge Intensity, and Imitability on International Growth.
Zahra, S. A., Ireland, R. D., & Hitt, M. A. (2000). International Expansion by New Venture Firms.
Coviello, N. E., & Jones, M. V. (2004). Methodological Issues in International Entrepreneurship Research.
Jones, M. V., Coviello, N. E., & Tang, Y. K. (2011). International Entrepreneurship Research: A Review, Synthesis and Suggestions for Future Research.
Keupp, M. M., & Gassmann, O. (2009). The Past and the Future of International Entrepreneurship Research.
Knight, G. A., & Liesch, P. W. (2016). Internationalization: From Incremental to Born Global.
I. Institutions, Emerging Markets and Political Environment
North, D. C. (1990). Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance.
Peng, M. W., Wang, D. Y. L., & Jiang, Y. (2008). An Institution-Based View of International Business Strategy: A Review and Agenda for Future Research.
Meyer, K. E. (2001). Institutions, Transaction Costs, and Entry Mode Choice in Eastern Europe.
Peng, M. W. (2003). Institutional Transitions and Strategic Choices.
Hoskisson, R. E., et al. (2000). Strategy in Emerging Economies.
Luo, Y. (2005). Toward Coopetition Within a Multinational Enterprise.
Henisz, W. J. (2000). The Institutional Environment for Multinational Investment.
Henisz, W. J., & Williamson, O. E. (1999). Comparative Economic Organization—Within and Between Countries.
Cuervo-Cazurra, A., & Genc, M. (2008). Transforming Disadvantages Into Advantages: Developing-Country MNEs in the Least Developed Countries.
Ramamurti, R. (2012). What Is Really Different About Emerging Market Multinationals?
J. Networks, Alliances, Innovation and the Future of IB
Gulati, R. (1998). Alliances and Networks.
Gulati, R., Nohria, N., & Zaheer, A. (2000). Strategic Networks.
Hennart, J.-F. (1988). A Transaction Costs Theory of Equity Joint Ventures.
Oxley, J. E. (1997). Approaches to Managing Knowledge Spillovers in Strategic Alliances.
Teece, D. J., Pisano, G., & Shuen, A. (1997). Dynamic Capabilities and Strategic Management.
O'Cass, A., & Julian, C. (2003). Examining Firm and Environmental Influences on Export Marketing Mix Strategy.
Zou, S., & Cavusgil, S. T. (2002). The GMS: A Broad Conceptualization of Global Marketing Strategy and Its Effect on Firm Performance.
Cavusgil, S. T., & Zou, S. (1994). Marketing Strategy-Performance Relationship.
Buckley, P. J., & Casson, M. C. (2009). The Internalisation Theory of the Multinational Enterprise.
Buckley, P. J., & Ghauri, P. N. (2004). Globalisation, Economic Geography and the Strategy of Multinational Enterprises.
20 Best Books for Executives
Pankaj Ghemawat — Redefining Global Strategy
One of the best books for understanding what globalization actually means for corporate strategy.Thomas L. Friedman — The World Is Flat
Technology, globalization and international competition.Thomas L. Friedman — The Lexus and the Olive Tree
A broader examination of globalization and its economic and political forces.Dani Rodrik — The Globalization Paradox
Particularly useful for understanding the tension between globalization, democracy and national sovereignty.Erin Meyer — The Culture Map
Probably the most immediately practical book for executives managing across cultures.Fons Trompenaars & Charles Hampden-Turner — Riding the Waves of Culture
A major contribution to cross-cultural management.Ernest Gundling, Anita Zanchettin & Karen Zweig — Leading Across Cultures
Practical global leadership.Peter Frankopan — The Silk Roads
Excellent historical context for understanding today's economic geography.Tim Marshall — Prisoners of Geography
Particularly useful for executives trying to understand geopolitical constraints.Moisés Naím — The End of Power
Examines how power is changing among governments, companies and other institutions.Peter Frankopan — The New Silk Roads
Particularly relevant to China, Asia and the emerging global economic order.Javier Blas & Jack Farchy — The World for Sale
Excellent insight into commodities and global economic power.Pietra Rivoli — The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy
One of the best executive introductions to globalization and international supply chains.Marc Levinson — The Box
Explains how containerization transformed international trade.David S. Landes — The Wealth and Poverty of Nations
Historical foundations of global economic development.Daron Acemoglu & James A. Robinson — Why Nations Fail
Institutions, economic development and national competitiveness.Abhijit V. Banerjee & Esther Duflo — Poor Economics
Excellent for understanding emerging and developing-market environments.Klaus Schwab — The Fourth Industrial Revolution
Technology and the transformation of international business.W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne — Blue Ocean Strategy
Competitive strategy and international market creation.Michael E. Porter — Competitive Strategy
A foundational strategy book that remains highly relevant to international competition.
10 Best Movies / Documentaries for International Business
American Factory (2019)
Theme: China–US business, cultural differences, manufacturing, labor relations and M&A.Inside Job (2010)
Theme: Global financial system, financial institutions, regulation and corporate incentives.The Corporation (2003)
Theme: Multinational corporations, corporate power, globalization and ethics.Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)
Theme: Corporate governance, incentives, financial markets and business ethics.The True Cost (2015)
Theme: Globalization, international outsourcing, apparel supply chains, labor and consumption.China Blue (2005)
Theme: Chinese manufacturing, labor, global supply chains and Western consumption.Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)
Theme: Capitalism, corporate power, financial markets and political economy.Bitter Rivals: Iran and Saudi Arabia (2017)
Theme: Geopolitics, energy, international relations and business risk.Samsara (2011)
Theme: Globalization, consumption, production, culture and economic development.Gung Ho (1986)
Theme: Japanese–American management, cultural differences, organizational behavior and manufacturing.