South Asian Journal of Global Business Research

Shaista E. Khilji; Candice D. Matthews

2012 South Asian Journal of Global Business Research

doi: 10.1108/20454451211252705

Purpose – The purpose of this paper (editorial) is to take a stock of the research focused upon South Asia, in order to evaluate if it has produced useful results, and to discuss its future directions as per the scope and mission of the South Asian Journal of Global Business Research . In view of pleas for greater attention to context effects, the authors use the concept of contextualization as the basis for analysis. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative content analysis of research published in 21 top‐tier business journals is employed, including a total of 96 articles focusing upon South Asia or any South Asian country. Findings – A contextualization typology is presented, related to purpose (whether context guides the research or not) and methodology (whether new or old framework and/or scales are used) and continuum of attention to contextualizations for hypotheses and/or research questions, and research findings in order to discuss the status of published South Asian research. Research limitations/implications – The authors discuss limitations of their philosophical underpinning and epistemological standing that have influenced their analytical approach and results. Originality/value – This paper presents a contextualization typology as a starting point to discuss contextualization in international business theory and practice. The paper also provides directions for future research for scholars interested in South Asian research.

Kathleen Crowley

2012 South Asian Journal of Global Business Research

doi: 10.1108/20454451211252714

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to share the perspective of the founder and CEO of Edible Arrangements, Tariq Farid, while exploring the importance of life stories and authenticity to successful leadership and entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach – The paper was based on a structured interview format. Tariq Farid's responses were used to guide and inform the discussion. Findings – This paper presents the views of a successful Pakistani‐American. It found that a person's life stories and early socialization provide meaning and self‐awareness that are important to their success as a leader and an entrepreneur. Originality/value – This paper offers the perspective of a CEO of a multinational corporation with first‐hand experience and knowledge of being a successful and innovative entrepreneur. His perspectives are valuable to the discussion on the influence of life stories, being authentic and the role of South Asian values and upbringing in honing leadership and entrepreneurship qualities.

Antoinette C. Jenkins

2012 South Asian Journal of Global Business Research

doi: 10.1108/20454451211252723

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to share a personal perspective on the 2012 Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) International Research Conference in the Americas held in Denver, Colorado. It explores the author's reflection on her experiences attending AHRD conference sessions related to companies based in India. Design/methodology/approach – The author's reflection was based on participant observations from a constructionist perspective. Findings – This paper argued that attending AHRD conference sessions related to South Asia enhanced the author's worldview. Originality/value – This paper offers the personal perspective of an American doctoral student based on her observations as an attendee of AHRD conference sessions focused on business issues in South Asia.

D.M. Nachane; M. Shahidul Islam

2012 South Asian Journal of Global Business Research

doi: 10.1108/20454451211252732

Purpose – The global crisis, originating in the US financial sector, affected the Asian region primarily through three channels – declining trade volumes, exchange rate pressure and asset deflation. The purpose of this paper is to focus on how the crisis impacted the four major economies of South Asia, viz. Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and how, by a combination of swift actions on the monetary, fiscal and exchange rate fronts, the worst consequences of the crisis were averted. Design/methodology/approach – The regulatory and supervisory systems in these four economies are then benchmarked against certain desirable norms, which have emerged out of post‐crisis international deliberations. Findings – It is felt that the South Asian regulatory systems perform fairly well vis ‐ à ‐ vis these norms. Practical implications – The paper also touches upon the major highlights of the crisis impact, policy responses and post‐crisis recovery in the Southeast Asian region. Originality/value – The several similarities and the few contrasts between the two regions on these aspects are also presented.

Anil Perera; J. Wickramanayake

2012 South Asian Journal of Global Business Research

doi: 10.1108/20454451211252741

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine financial market integration in major South Asian financial markets: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Also to identify the required policy interactions and structural changes vital for broader economic integration. Design/methodology/approach – This research opted for an empirical study employing co‐integration and causality techniques using a sample of stock and bond market data for major South Asian countries. Findings – Empirical results show that both stock and bond returns are co‐integrated, indicating common stochastic trends. Stock market integration appears to be much stronger compared to the less developed and data deficient bond markets. Research limitations/implications – The study relies on widely cited empirical methodology. However, adopting alternative specifications and also allowing for time variant factors while examining inter‐linkages between stock and bond markets seem to be appropriate for robustness of results. Practical implications – Increased integration would help in reducing arbitrage opportunities in these financial markets, having implications for market participants and promoting economic growth through financial deepening, in general. Since the degree of integration is dependent on policy and institutional infrastructure, ongoing efforts to develop financial sectors and reforms would need to be accelerated to further strengthen the degree of convergence between securities markets. Originality/value – The paper fulfills an identified need to examine financial market integration in the SAARC region, using data for both stock and bond markets. This is the first study to use bond market data for SAARC countries and it also adds to the limited literature of bond market integration.

Nurul Absar; Balasundaram Nimalathasan; Monowar Mahmood

2012 South Asian Journal of Global Business Research

doi: 10.1108/20454451211252750

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of human resource management (HRM) practices on the market performance of manufacturing industries in Bangladesh. As one of the pioneer studies, it is hoped that this research will convince organizations that by adopting systematic and efficient HRM practices, they will achieve competitive advantages. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative survey was used to gather data from publicly listed, large manufacturing companies in Bangladesh. Modified questionnaires were used to measure the adoption of HRM practices and the perceived market performance of the organizations. The statistical programme, SPSS, was used to analyse and interpret the results. Findings – The study revealed that HRM practices have a positive impact on organizations’ market performance. However, among different HRM practices, the performance appraisal seems to have the highest impact. Among the others, employee training and development, and the compensation practices were shown to have higher positive impacts than recruitment and selection practices. Practical implications – The paper concludes that in order to improve their competitiveness and gain competitive advantages, business organizations in Bangladesh need to adopt systematic HRM practices. The paper's findings will encourage the next generation of business entrepreneurs to develop systematic HRM practices and corporate management culture in Bangladesh. Originality/value – The paper validates the effectiveness of the US and European developed HRM practices in an Eastern developing country context. This is one of the pioneer studies which followed methodological rigor to validate the much discussed HRM‐performance relationship in Bangladesh.

Shaista E. Khilji; Tomasz Mroczkowski; Rashmi Assudani

2012 South Asian Journal of Global Business Research

doi: 10.1108/20454451211252769

Purpose – Biotech companies are generally faced with the paradoxes of simultaneously managing growth and innovation, as well as addressing explorative and exploitative aspects of innovation. Scholars have urged them to re‐evaluate their business model. The purpose of this paper is to explore how biotech companies in emerging economies address these paradoxes, focusing upon the nascent biotech industry in India, in order to investigate their growth and innovation patterns, as well as identify the challenges that they may face. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative data collection, using in‐depth interviews with representatives of organizations that deal directly with improving the quality of the business environment for biotech industry in India, as well as biotech entrepreneurs and leaders were undertaken. A total of 13 interviews provided insights related to innovation and growth that is discussed in the paper. Findings – Data indicate that Indian biotech companies are ambidextrous and have managed to transcend the aforementioned paradoxes by developing and maintaining distinct organizational capabilities. They were found to pursue an integrated model of efficiency and innovation and utilize both exploitative and explorative aspects of innovation to fuel growth and innovation. The authors also found evidence of some of the characteristics of the “India Way”, proposed by Cappelli et al. Research limitations/implications – The authors conclude that Indian companies offer an opportunity for learning for American biotech companies with respect to building new competencies and balancing growth and innovation in today's competitive environment. Originality/value – Despite being labeled as the “industry of the decade”, biotechnology has been neglected in technology and innovation literature. It is hoped that the paper's findings will generate interest in the study of biotech industries in emerging economies, to help scholars develop interesting new theoretical models of innovation and aid managers in coping with the innovation and change paradoxes that they are faced with in developing new products and services.

Linzi J. Kemp; Jeannette Vinke

2012 South Asian Journal of Global Business Research

doi: 10.1108/20454451211252778

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the corporate social responsibility (CSR) content on corporate web sites and in annual reports, to identify the prevailing CSR dimensions and themes employed by the aviation industry of Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use a qualitative content analysis of annual reports and corporate web sites to identify primary CSR dimensions and themes in the aviation companies in Pakistan. Findings – Only 13 out of 39 companies (or 33 per cent) clearly identified at least one CSR dimension in their financial reporting and/or on their web site. Overall content analysis revealed prevalence of two distinct CSR dimensions, including Social and Economic as well as Environment, and eight subsequent themes. Research limitations/implications – The present research is limited by a dearth of available CSR data in the aviation industry of Pakistan due to the lack of annual reporting and inconsistent web site information. An implication for future research is to support our rudimentary findings through in‐depth interviews and/or survey results. Practical implications – It is concluded that Pakistani aviation companies must increase CSR disclosure (CSD) in annual reports, in order to meet international requirements. Social implications – CSR information (in the aviation industry) is likely to raise public awareness about social, economic and environmental issues within the Pakistani society. It is subsequently likely to improve conditions for wider use of CSD within Pakistani companies. Originality/value – This is the first paper to analyze CSR disclosures within the aviation industry of Pakistan. The research adds value to the existing body of knowledge about CSR in developing countries, in particular within South Asia.

Joe Follman

2012 South Asian Journal of Global Business Research

doi: 10.1108/20454451211252787

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the first ten years of research on the Bottom (or Base) of the Pyramid (BoP) strategy of providing products and services to billions of the world's poor. Conceptions of BoP have shifted significantly, but the nature and implications of these shifts have not been adequately explored. The paper asks: What is the present conception of BoP, how and why has it evolved since 2002, and what are differences and concordances between first‐ and second‐generation understandings? What would an integrative perspective on BoP include, and how can it be applied? Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes the form of a literature review of peer‐reviewed journal articles and books on BoP. Findings – It is found that ten years of research have rapidly advanced the definition of BoP, from a way for multinational corporations to profit by selling to the poor to how collaborative networks – including local firms and NGOs – engage with the poor to design, produce, distribute, and sell goods and services. An emerging consensus is that successful BoP ventures must use an integrative approach in key areas: understanding distinctions among poverty levels, focusing on BoP need to create customized products and services at low prices, collaboration with local organizations, engagement of BoP populations as producers and not just consumers, and applying a reciprocal shared value concept (Porter and Kramer) to ensure products and services provide real economic and social benefits to both the company and members of the BoP. Originality/value – The paper's suggested integrative approach reframes the BoP discussion as a meso approach of using effective strategies in complementary ways, as does the application of the shared value framework for BoP initiatives.