If approved by UK authorities, Asda, Wal-Mart’s British arm will be acquiring almost 200 UK stores of the Danish Netto chain for an alleged amount in excess of 1 billion US$. Acquiring smaller stores seems like a good move for Wal-Mart in Europe. First, shopping habits in many regions seem to change in a way […]
In a recent post, Australian business blogger Andre Sammartino reports that South African grocer Pick’n’Pay has sold off its Franklins supermarkets (“Australia’s Original Discount Grocer”) to the biggest Australian grocery wholesaler Metcash. It’s not the first time that Franklins has been sold off after a somewhat unsuccessful takeover. In the late 1970s Franklins was sold to […]
It looks like Honda’s China troubles are over for now. Its Chinese joint ventures, Guangqi Honda Automobile and Dongfeng Honda Automobile, will resume operations after having made significant concessions to workers who went on strike mid-May. There were complaints of working conditions and low wages. Honda agreed to raise wages by 25 %. Yes, twentyfive […]
Consultant McKinsey & Company reports on two seemingly unrelated facts of the global business world: first, many transnational mergers go down the drains, and second, the age of Asia continues to dawn. At the intersection of these two topics, evidence is emerging that Asian companies approach post-M&A integration slowly and cautiously, sometimes to the extent […]
As the Wall Street Journal reports, Dunkin Donuts is returning to Russia. After it has retreated from the market in 1999, the owner of the Dunkin’ Donut brand, Dunkin’ Brands, is planning to open 20 stores in Russia this year. At the time when then owner Allied Domecq decided after only three years in the […]
Here’s an interesting list of “100 Essential Cheat Sheets for Doing Business Abroad”, ranging from ‘food faux pas’ to ‘dress codes’ to ‘negotiations across cultures’. Not all of it offers the deepest insight available, but it’s definitely a good place to start.
Having been in Iceland during the most recent eruptions of the volcano Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland has been an interesting experience, even with a view to international strategy. Academics and managers have come so accustomed to being in control that the only thing we worry anymore are issues that may be tricky, but still are manageable. […]
Inspired by the recently announced sale of Volvo to Zhejiang Geely by Ford Motor, I tried to find out what’s happening to British Jaguar Land Rover that has been acquired by Tata Motors of India in 2008. Well, the news has been mixed. In fall 2009, Tata Motors has announced plans to close one of […]
Chinese carmaker Zhejiang Geely will acquire Swedish Volvo from American Ford Motor. Geely has come a long (and fast) way from its modest beginnings as a motorcycle parts manufacturer to what is now China’s 12th largest automotive manufacturer. Being the 12th may not mean a lot in other markets, but consider two things: First, China […]
As even small businesses grow their companies overseas through outsourcing, international customer outreach, mergers or global investing, future business professionals are going to need a solid understanding of international business culture in order to find any kind of job, let alone keep their edge. From CEOs to marketing assistants, being able to work with different […]
Tomorrow, the trial against four executives of the UK-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto will open in Shanghai. The executives have been charged with stealing commercial secrets and receiving bribes and are facing up to 20 years in prison. Both the protection of intellectual property and anti-corruption laws are important domains of the legal environment in […]
Have you ever heard of Li-Ning? You will. Li-Ning is a Chinese sportswear company with about 1 billion US$ in annual revenue and more than 7,000 stores in China. The company was founded in 1990 by Li-Ning, a Chinese gymnast who won three gold medals in the Summer Olympics of 1984. To Li-Ning, starting a […]