Ilan Alon

• Szrajber, Bentzion Edgardo; Alon, Ilan; Midtskogen, Sølve & Knudsen, Martin Enersen (2026). Environmental predictors of crypto adoption. Kybernetes. ISSN 0368-492X. p. 1–35. doi: 10.1108/K-11-2025-2875. Full text in Research Archive
• Cotton, Rick; Javidan, Mansour; Egri, Carolyn P.; Dorfman, Peter W.; Bullough, Amanda & Kar, Anirban [Show all 13 contributors for this article] (2026). The New GLOBE Project Integrative Model of Outstanding Leadership: A Springboard for Large-Scale Comparative Research in 134 Societies. Journal of World Business. ISSN 1090-9516. p. 101731–101731. doi: 10.1016/j.jwb.2026.101731. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Based on Implicit Leadership Theory (ILT), we expand on the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) 2004/2014 leadership model and present a reconfigured and updated GLOBE Integrative Model of Outstanding Leadership. This new model measures the contributors and inhibitors of outstanding leadership across 134 countries/societies – more than twice the number of societies included in the original GLOBE model and accounting for over 99% of world GDP and over 95% of world population - in the hopes of fueling comparative research in a much larger set of societies around the world. The new leadership model is based on a sample of 44,971 managers and professionals who participated in surveys (118 versions of 60 languages). In this paper, we report on our attempt to replicate the GLOBE 2004/2014 leadership model and then describe the methodological approach utilized to create the new, reconfigured model and its eight dimensions – six “light side” behavioral dimensions to aspire to and two “dark side” behavioral dimensions to avoid/curtail. This model is valid and reliable at both individual and societal levels and scores are provided for each of the eight leadership dimensions for each society. We provide descriptions for each leadership dimension along with survey items, a methodology supplement, and a world map supplement with maps for each of the eight dimensions. We describe theoretical implications, limitations, and future research directions, and include example direct and moderator hypotheses for the eight dimensions. We also offer managerial recommendations to foster more adaptive, integrative and contextualized leadership practice.

• Alon, Ilan & Keinan, Orpaz (2025). Crypto adoption, legalization, and sovereign credit ratings: evidence from ridge regression. Finance Research Letters. ISSN 1544-6123. 86(Part B). doi: 10.1016/j.frl.2025.108352. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study examines whether cryptocurrency adoption and legality affect sovereign credit ratings across 137 countries (2021–2023). Using cross-sectional data, we apply ridge regression and automated machine learning (AML) to address multicollinearity and identify key predictors. While economic freedom emerges as the strongest determinant, both crypto adoption and legality have significant, positive, and comparable effects on sovereign ratings. Our findings highlight the relevance of combining formal and informal institutions in assessing sovereign risk and showcase the utility of AML for improving model robustness in credit rating prediction.

• Zouari, Michael; Alon, Ilan & Shtudiner, Zeev (2025). Ethereum: Past, Present, and Future. Journal of Global Information Management. ISSN 1062-7375. 33(1). doi: 10.4018/JGIM.383938. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This bibliometric analysis of 602 Ethereum-focused publications (2017-2024) in business and economics identifies three key research clusters: contagion/volatility, investor behavior/market dynamics, and blockchain/DeFi applications. Findings reveal that exogenous macroeconomic shocks amplify volatility spillovers, while Ethereum's endogenous developments (protocol upgrades, governance) distinctively influence platform adoption and investor sentiment. By positioning Ethereum as a foundational layer connecting market speculation with real-world innovation, the study integrates disparate literature streams and establishes a research agenda addressing scaling, sustainability, and governance in decentralized ecosystems. These insights serve both scholars exploring distributed ledger economics and practitioners navigating Ethereum's evolving impact across financial systems and digital infrastructure.

• Zheng, Fang; Alon, Ilan; Taras, Vasyl; Jiménez, Alfredo; Richter, Nicole Franziska & Ott, Ursula F. (2025). Global virtual teamwork: reflections on the current and future research landscape. European Journal of International Management. ISSN 1751-6757. 26(3-4), p. 541–564. doi: 10.1504/EJIM.2025.146864. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This paper aims to promote research on Global Virtual Teams (GVTs). We review current GVT research, introduce the X-Culture data set as one potential empirical data set for future research, and summarise relevant future research avenues. These avenues align with the European Journal of International Management's (EJIM) vision of becoming a research platform for GVT-related research.

• Perotti, Francesco Antonio; Alon, Ilan; Gupta, Bhumika & Ferraris, Alberto (2025). Unravelling Inter-Organisational Collaboration to Address the Circular Economy Transitions: A Systematic Literature Review. Business Strategy and the Environment (BSE). ISSN 0964-4733. 34(8), p. 10653–10680. doi: 10.1002/bse.70136. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study offers a systematic review of the growing body of literature about inter-organisational collaboration initiatives that have arisen to deal with the circular economy transition. Indeed, circular economy transition is highly reliant on stakeholders' interaction in collaborative patterns, where organisations bring together specific knowledge and resources to overcome technical and economic constraints. Building on this awareness, an increasing number of studies furthered the understanding of circular economy from a meso-level perspective and the need for systematisation has become evident. In response to the lack of general conceptualisation and characterisation of inter-organisational collaboration initiatives, this article provides a clearer picture of the most common collaborative approaches discussed in the circular economy literature. As a result of the bibliometric and thematic content analysis of 78 scientific papers, we illustrate three thematic clusters and outline five dimensions to put forward a novel conceptual compass for circular economy ventures. Delving into circular partnerships, supply chains, and ecosystems, we offer a first systematisation of such a flourishing literature stream and suggest future avenues by handling several research questions for forthcoming studies. In terms of managerial implications, this study supports decision-making by comparing different strategic approaches to address the circular economy transition in collaboration with firm's stakeholders.

• Zheng, Fang & Alon, Ilan (2025). A review of the international business policy-turn studies: a societal perspective. Competitiveness Review: an international business journal. ISSN 1059-5422. p. 1–21. doi: 10.1108/CR-09-2024-0169. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Purpose This study aims to provide an integrated overview of international business (IB) policy-turn studies, suggesting avenues for future research that could potentially strengthen IB field’s relevance to policymakers, practitioners and broader society. Design/methodology/approach This study reviews emerging policy-turn studies that address societal concerns in the IB literature by combining content analysis with bibliometric methods using the bibliometrix R-package and VOSviewer software. Findings Drawing on 275 articles published between 2015 and 2024 in the Web of Science database, the authors identified three main research clusters: global value chain, sustainable development and institutional dynamics, revealing how IB scholarship can extend beyond firm-centric concerns to engage with complex social challenges. Originality/value By mapping the clusters, the study’s findings offer a clearer sense of what constitutes a policy-turn from a societal perspective and demonstrate the potential of such research in addressing pressing social issues IB activities are facing.

• Taras, Vas; Rickley, Marketa; Alon, Ilan; Dong, Longzhu & Malmin, Hilde (2025). Predictors of Cultural Intelligence: Automated Machine Learning vs. PLS-SEM. Journal of International Management. ISSN 1075-4253. 31(5). doi: 10.1016/j.intman.2025.101290. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study applies a dual-method analytical approach combining Automated Machine Learning (AML) and PLS-SEM to investigate the predictors of Cultural Intelligence (CQ), one of the most commonly used constructs in international business (IB) research. Our research seeks to (1) explore a wide range of potential CQ predictors, and (2) demonstrate how AML and PLS-SEM methodologies can complement each other in IB research. Using a large international sample of 58,784 participants from 160 countries, we find that while international experience and personality traits predict CQ as expected, English language proficiency and emotional intelligence also emerge as significant predictors. The methodological comparison confirms that AML excels in exploratory pattern detection and handling complex datasets, while PLS-SEM enables theory testing and structural validation. The integration of both methods yields richer insights than either method alone. Implications for practice and research are discussed, and guidelines for using AML and PLS-SEM in IB research are provided.

• Su, Jing; Lv, Ping; Gammeltoft, Peter & Alon, Ilan (2025). Host and home country co-determinants of foreign establishment modes: evidence from the Chinese natural resource industries. European Journal of International Management. ISSN 1751-6757. 25(1), p. 138–161. doi: 10.1504/EJIM.2025.143276. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  We analyse the impact of home and host country co-determinants on the foreign establishment modes of Chinese multinational enterprises in natural resource industries. Using data from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, we document that host country factors have a direct effect on establishment modes, whereas home country factors, particularly those related to the province in which the company is located, have an indirect effect through their impact on the firm's capabilities. While companies are more likely to pursue acquisitions in host countries with a rule-based governance environment, this relationship weakens when either the resource endowments of the home province increase, or the business environment of the home province improves.

• Alon, Ilan; Bretas, Vanessa P.G.; Galetti, Jefferson R.B.; Götz, Marta & Jankowska, Barbara (2025). Determinants of human-machine interaction technology usage: An automated machine learning approach. Technovation. ISSN 0166-4972. 143. doi: 10.1016/j.technovation.2025.103230. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The advent of Industry 4.0 technologies has reshaped modern manufacturing. Human-machine interaction (HMI) technologies are essential to this transformation, as they facilitate communication between people and machines, bridge the digital and physical worlds, improve decision-making, and increase overall productivity. However, the diffusion of these cutting-edge technologies varies greatly, possibly resulting in persistent geographical disparities over time. Moreover, our understanding of the factors determining the use of HMI technologies is still limited. Our goal is to investigate the factors that influence manufacturing firms’ use of these technologies, providing a comprehensive perspective. Combining insights provided by economic geography and innovation studies, we take a holistic approach that includes a wide range of technological, organizational, and environmental (TOE) factors. Using Automated Machine Learning (AML), we identify non-linear relationships between key predictors and the usage of HMI technology. Our analysis highlights the importance of geographical and organizational proximities in absorbing local external knowledge and coordinating long-distance knowledge pipelines alongside traditional factors influencing the rate of technology use.

• Alon, Ilan; Klemetsen, Haakon Støle; Šilenskytė, Aušrinė & Gildin, Ilan (2025). New pathways for international business governance via blockchain-based decentralized autonomous organizations. Multinational Business Review. ISSN 1525-383X. 33(2), p. 238–267. doi: 10.1108/MBR-07-2024-0132. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Purpose This study aims to explore the innovative governance structures enabled by blockchain-based decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) in the context of international business (IB). As nonhierarchical entities managed through collective voting and peer-to-peer interactions, DAOs challenge traditional assumptions of multinational corporation (MNC) governance. Design/methodology/approach The authors perform a literature review, which combines qualitative content analysis of both academic papers on DAO and whitepapers with quantitative analysis of bibliometrics using VosViewer. Findings The findings highlight DAOs’ ability to generate new research questions and offer a foundation for future studies on decentralized governance in IB. Through a bibliometric analysis of 73 papers from Web of Science and qualitative content analysis, the authors identify four primary research streams in the DAO literature. A deep dive into financial DAOs, or DeFi DAOs, reveals insights into their governance mechanisms and implications for the studies in the field of IB. Research limitations/implications Research on DAOs is in its early stages, and the practice in IB is nascent. As the regulatory, economic and technological landscape for DAOs changes, more research will be needed on the governance mechanisms and their sustainability. Originality/value This paper advances the field by providing a multilevel analysis of DAOs’ potential impact on IB, considering macro (country), meso (MNC/DPE) and micro (multicultural team and individual) levels.

• Kettunen, Kerttu Pauliina; Inkpen, Andrew; Alajoutsijärvi, Jouni Kimmo & Alon, Ilan (2025). Stop Devaluing My Degree! Stakeholder-Led Stigmatization to Save Business School Status. Academy of Management Learning & Education. ISSN 1537-260X. 24(2), p. 149–174. doi: 10.5465/amle.2024.0066. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This paper explores organizational stigma, an important yet underexamined phenomenon in business schools, and its role in the preservation of institutional status and prestige. Through a case study of a prestigious U.S.-based business school, we examine the stigmatization process initiated by alumni stakeholders following the announcement of an alliance with a global conglomerate that operates a network of for-profit universities. Our study contributes to existing research on the critical role of stakeholder evaluations in shaping and maintaining business schools’ status, reputation, and legitimacy. By analyzing the stigmatizers’ perspective, we propose a process model for the alumni-led stigmatization. We highlight how these stakeholders, particularly in the era of social media, can disrupt strategic decision-making at business schools by triggering and enacting stigmas across multiple levels both within and outside the institution.

• Scuotto, Veronica; Karagöz, Deniz; Farronato, Nicola & Alon, Ilan (2024). A destination’s personality as a factor in tourists’ environmental knowledge management. Journal of Knowledge Management. ISSN 1367-3270. 28(5), p. 1185–1203. doi: 10.1108/JKM-07-2022-0534. Full text in Research Archive
• Raut, Sachin Kumar; Alon, Ilan; Rana, Sudhir & Kathuria, Sakshi (2024). Knowledge management and career readiness: a review and synthesis. Journal of Knowledge Management. ISSN 1367-3270. 28(7), p. 1821–1866. doi: 10.1108/JKM-02-2023-0140. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study aims to examine the relationship between knowledge management and career development in an era characterized by high levels of youth unemployment and a demand for specialized skills. Despite the increasing transition to a knowledge-based economy, there is a significant gap between young people’s skills and career readiness, necessitating an in-depth analysis of the role of knowledge management at the individual, organizational and national levels. The authors conducted a qualitative study using the theory-context-characteristics-methodology approach based on a systematic literature review. The authors created an ecological framework for reflecting on knowledge management and career development, arguing for a multidisciplinary approach that invites collaboration across sectors to generate innovative and reliable solutions. This study presents a comprehensive review of the existing literature and trends, noting the need for more focus on the interplay between knowledge management and career development. It emphasizes the need for businesses to promote the acquisition, storage, diffusion and application of knowledge and its circulation and exchange to create international business human capital. The findings may help multinational corporations develop managerial training programs and recruitment strategies, given the demand for advanced knowledge-based skills in the modern workspace. The study also discusses the influences of education, experience and job skills on business managers’ performance, guiding the future recruitment of talents. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this review is among the first to assess the triadic relationship between knowledge management, career development and the global unemployment crisis. The proposed multidisciplinary approach seeks to break down existing silos, thus fostering a more comprehensive understanding of how to address these ongoing global concerns.

• Lankut, Erik; Warner-Søderholm, Gillian; Alon, Ilan & Minelgaite, Inga (2024). Big Data in Leadership Studies: Automated Machine Learning Model to Predict Preferred Leader Behavior Across Cultures. Businesses. 4(4), p. 696–722. doi: 10.3390/businesses4040039. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  With global leadership as the new norm, discussion about followers’ preferred leader behaviors across cultures is growing in significance. This study proposes a comprehensive predictive model to explore significant preferred leadership factors, drawn from the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire (LBDQXII), across cultures using automated machine learning (AML). We offer a robust empirical measurement of culturally contingent leader behavior and entrepreneurship behaviors and provide a tool for assessing the cultural predictors of preferred leader behavior to minimize predictive errors, explore patterns in the data and make predictions in an empirically robust way. Hence, our approach fills a gap in the literature relating to applications of AML in leadership studies and contributes a novel empirical method to better predict leadership preferences. Cultural indicators from Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior (GLOBE) predict the likelihood of the preferred leader behaviors of “Role Assumption”, “Production Emphasis” and “Initiation of Structure”. Hofstede’s Long-Term/Short-Term Orientation is the most critical predictor of preferences for “Tolerance of Uncertainty” and “Initiation of Structure”, whereas the value of restraint impacts the likelihood of preferring leaders with skills in “Integration” and “Consideration”. Significant entrepreneurial values indicators have a significant impact on preferences for leaders focused on “Initiation of Structure”, “Production Emphasis” and “Predictive Accuracy”. Findings also support earlier studies that reveal age and gender significantly impact our preferences for specific leader behaviors. We discuss and offer conclusions to support our findings that foster development of global business managers and practitioners.

• Munim, Ziaul Haque; Sørli, Michael André Hindenes; Kim, Hyung Ju & Alon, Ilan (2024). Predicting maritime accident risk using Automated Machine Learning. Reliability Engineering & System Safety. ISSN 0951-8320. 248. doi: 10.1016/j.ress.2024.110148. Full text in Research Archive
• Berger, Ron; Ali, Abbas J.; Barnes, Bradley R. & Alon, Ilan (2024). Doing business in an Islamic context: six schools of thought. Journal of Islamic Marketing. ISSN 1759-0833. doi: 10.1108/JIMA-10-2023-0324. Full text in Research Archive
• Alon, Ilan; Berthelsen, Andreas Sauge; Bjellerås, Espen & Silva-Rêgo, Bernardo (2024). Decentralized autonomous organizations: The new global digital venture capital. Research In International Business and Finance. ISSN 0275-5319. 74. doi: 10.1016/j.ribaf.2024.102671. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  What makes a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO)-based venture capital (VC) whitepaper trustworthy? We conducted a content analysis of 10 prominent DAO VC whitepapers to identify the relevant components that promote investors’ trust. Our findings show that there are 10 key components that can do so: registration, permissioned access, token-based voting, staking, separation of strategic and operational votes, duration of dynamic voting, adaptive quorum systems, "rage quit" mechanisms, organizational support structures, and comprehensive whitepaper sections. Our findings make two contributions to VC studies. First, we illuminate how blockchain technology fosters trust within the investment ecosystem, potentially mitigating the information asymmetries and opportunistic behavior prevalent in traditional VC settings. Second, we highlight the potential of blockchain-based DAO VCs to democratize access to capital and address resource imbalances. Hence, the availability of a clear, informative whitepaper plays an important role in improving the DAO VCs’ transparency, increasing access to the resources needed for informed decision-making, and improving the trust of prospective investors in this new investment vehicle.

• Bretas, Vanessa P.G.; Galetti, Jefferson R.B.; Alon, Ilan & Rocha, Thelma Valéria (2024). Do stakeholders matter in entry mode decisions? An investigation of international franchise governance mode choice. Journal of Business Research. ISSN 0148-2963. 178. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.114673. Full text in Research Archive
• Alon, Ilan; Lankut, Erik; Gunkel, Marjaana; Munim, Ziaul Haque; Taras, Vasyl & Richter, Nicole Franziska (2023). Predicting leadership emergence in global virtual teams. Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review. ISSN 2353-883X. 11(3), p. 7–23. doi: 10.15678/EBER.2023.110301. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Objective: This study examines the individual factors that predict whether individuals will emerge as leaders in global virtual teams, which often lack a more formal leadership structure. Research Design & Methods: We focus on emotional intelligence (EQ) and cultural intelligence (CQ) as two contemporary concepts that are of key relevance to leadership success. Building on socioanalytic theory, we hypothesize that individuals with higher levels of EQ and CQ have a higher probability of emerging as team leaders. We test the hypotheses on a sample of 415 teams comprised of 1 102 individuals who participated in a virtual international collaboration project. Using structural equation modeling, the results reveal that individuals with higher CQ were more likely to emerge as leaders. Findings: Our findings did not support the relevance of EQ. In addition, individual factors such as English proficiency, a higher age, and a lower power distance were also associated with leadership emergence. Implications & Recommendations: The study identified the gap in the literature regarding EQ and CQ in the context of leadership emergence. The results demonstrate that individuals with high CQ and high EQ that may have beneficial effects on the team and its outcomes do not automatically emerge as team leaders. We recommend that managers carefully consider which projects and tasks they will leave the leadership structure to emerge more informally. Contribution & Value Added: The key contribution and value added of this study is the investigation of the role of CQ and EQ with leadership emergence in global virtual teams (GVT), through the creation of a leadership emergence model building on socio-analytic theory.

• Richter, Nicole Franziska; Schlaegel, Christopher; Taras, Vasyl; Alon, Ilan & Bird, Allan (2023). Reviewing half a century of measuring cross-cultural competence: Aligning theoretical constructs and empirical measures. International Business Review. ISSN 0969-5931. 32(4). doi: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2023.102122. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  We provide a comprehensive review of how cross-cultural competence (CCC) has been measured over the past half-century in order to more closely align theoretical constructs and empirical measures. Based on a content analysis of 68 academic and commercial CCC instruments and a supplemental survey of 160 experts, we review the approaches used in these instruments to conceptualize and quantify CCC, discuss their limitations, and recommend best practices and directions for future researchers and practitioners when selecting and using CCC instruments or developing new alternatives.

• Bargoni, Augusto; Alon, Ilan & Ferraris, Alberto (2023). A systematic review of family business and consumer behaviour. Journal of Business Research. ISSN 0148-2963. 158. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.113698. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review on the intertwining of family business and consumer behaviour literature. Leveraging bibliometric software, we systematically reviewed 178 articles from 1991 to 2022. Five research clusters are identified: (1) the familiness of the firm: a social capital perspective, (2) promoting corporate social responsibility, (3) branding the family firm, (4) family firm characteristics and (5) the family firm brand. This study puts forward a novel conceptual framework to analyse the concept of familiness from a dual perspective: the business perspective to investigate how and why family firms communicate their family nature and the consumer perspective to explore how stakeholders perceive family firms’ unique characteristics. Moreover, we show a change in research patterns in family business and consumer literature, providing a deeper understanding of the conceptual structure of the field. Finally, we suggest 28 future research questions.

• Raut, Sachin Kumar; Alon, Ilan & Rana, Sudhir (2023). A review of the contribution of Yair Aharoni to the foreign investment decision process: a bibliometric analysis. European Journal of International Management. ISSN 1751-6757. 20(1), p. 8–42. doi: 10.1504/EJIM.2023.130362. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study reviews the lifetime contribution of Professor Yair Aharoni to the international business literature. We utilised the VOSviewer software and the Bibliometrix R Studio package to conduct a bibliometric analysis of 43 articles published between 1967 and 2018 obtained from the Scopus database. This study combined keyword occurrence, bibliometric coupling, historiographic citation and conceptual thematic analysis with content analysis of the most cited publications. Professor Aharoni's contributions fall into five major research areas about making foreign investment decisions: (1) emerging and developing markets, (2) global strategic management, (3) the performance of firms in international markets, (4) international market operations and (5) the international business environment. We conclude by outlining possible avenues for future research.

• Bahoo, Salman; Alon, Ilan; Floreani, Josanco & Cucculelli, Marco (2023). Corruption, formal institutions, and foreign direct investment: The case of OECD countries in Africa. Thunderbird International Business Review. ISSN 1096-4762. 65(5), p. 461–483. doi: 10.1002/tie.22361. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Purpose Corruption has shown a mixed impact on foreign direct investment (FDI). This study proposed moderating the role of two—foreign aid (international institution) from the home country and democracy (national institution) in the host country—between corruption-FDI nexus. Methodology The framework is analyzed using panel data analysis (2001–2018) of bilateral foreign aid and FDI from 18 European members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to 34 African countries. Findings The presents several key findings. First, Africa's level of government corruption harms bilateral FDI from Europe. Second, the OECD's bilateral foreign aid moderates the negative effects of Africa's host-country corruption on FDI. Third, the level of democracy in the host country also moderates the negative impact of corruption on FDI. Finally, foreign aid strongly moderates the negative effect of corruption on FDI in democratic countries compared to non-democratic host countries. Research Implications This study provides the institutional analysis that bilateral foreign aid and democracy as formal institutions affect the European multinational enterprises's decision to invest in Africa. Practical Implications It presents the policy and managerial implications. First, European MNEs managers avoid investing in Africa, and governments must take strict actions to attract FDI. Second, foreign aid and democracy motivate MNEs to invest in Africa. Finally, the OECD policymaker could formulate rigorous and relevant conditions for foreign aid to Africa to reduce corruption. Originality/Value Through the lens of institutional theory and selectorate theory, the novel institutional role of foreign aid and democracy is proposed and tested between the nexus of corruption-FDI.

• Naatu, Felicia; Alon, Ilan; Amoako, George Kofi & Mornah, Dekuwmini (2023). Pro-Environmental values’ and consumer behavior in base of the pyramid market: Ghana. Competitiveness Review: an international business journal. ISSN 1059-5422. 34(4). doi: 10.1108/CR-02-2023-0026. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Purpose This study aims to fill the gap on proenvironmental behavior studies among consumers in bottom of the pyramid (BOP) market by examining the relationship between values, beliefs and norms among Ghanaian consumers. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 324 Ghanaian consumers (responses rate of 64%) was used to estimate the model. The data was analyzed using maximum likelihood robust approach of Lavaan package for structural equation modeling in R. Findings The findings show that there is no significant relationship between values and the new ecological worldview, which also does not affect awareness of environmental consequences. However, awareness of consequences, likely based on personal experiences, significantly impacts perceived ability to reduce threats to the environment. Ghanaian consumers are mainly influenced by personal experiences with local environmental consequences that affect their perceived ability to reduce threats to their environment and their willingness to engage in proenvironmental behavior. The study supports the argument that proenvironmental behavior is the result of complex decision-making that might be influenced by a country’s economic situation, infrastructure, culture and institutions. Research limitations/implications This study focuses on a single country in Africa. More studies are needed among other base of the pyramid countries, and in comparison to developed countries’ consumers. Originality/value The study adds to the limited knowledge regarding sustainable consumption in the neglected context of the bottom of the pyramid market.

• Bazel-Shoham, Ofra; Lee, Sang Mook; Ahammad, Mohammad Faisal; Tarba, Shlomo Y. & Alon, Ilan (2023). IP protection and ownership in cross-border acquisitions. International Business Review. ISSN 0969-5931. 32(3). doi: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2023.102101. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  We use the institutional theory to examine the impact of intellectual property protection on US multinational corporations (MNCs) ownership levels of their foreign acquisitions. Based on a sample of 7238 completed international M&A deals made by US MNCs from 1998 to 2017, we found that multinationals protect their intellectual property through more ownership when they are technologically intensive and invest more when IP protection is strong. However, IP protection negatively moderates the need for more ownership for technologically-intensive multinational corporations. Our results are robust to a battery of empirical tests, including a unique instrumental variable approach. This leads us to claim that our results are not merely correlated but are causal.

• Raut, Sachin Kumar; Rana, Sudhir; Kathuria, Sakshi & Alon, Ilan (2023). The Dark Side of Members’ Heterogeneity Within Online Brand Communities and Global Virtual Teams: An Extension to Schwartz’s Value Theory. Journal of Global Marketing. ISSN 0891-1762. 36(4). doi: 10.1080/08911762.2023.2178354. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  he present article positions culture at the center of analysis investigating schadenfreude within online brand communities and global virtual teams. through this article, the authors explore the underlying causes and consequences of motivational values dimensions based on the typology developed by shalom schwartz in 1992 and 2012, respectively. We extend the schwartz Value theory by exploring the triggers of schadenfreude among online brand communities and global virtual teams. accordingly, the proposed conceptual framework identifies Openness to change and self enhancement as leading values governing human behavior in communities, teams and societies. Findings from this article may be applied as a roadmap by organizations or brands hoping to identify the root causes of heterogeneous group conflicts and schadenfreude directed within online brand communities and global virtual teams.

• Berger, Ron; Drori, Netanel; Rachamim, Matti & Alon, Ilan (2022). Towards an emic model of business culture. Competitiveness Review: an international business journal. ISSN 1059-5422. doi: 10.1108/CR-06-2022-0081. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Purpose This paper aims to generalize emic studies of culture and thus provide indigenous view nuanced particularly for emerging markets. Design/methodology/approach The authors review four local business frameworks and deconstruct each into three different constructs. The authors systematically evaluate culture specific studies, particularities of jaan pehchaan (India), guanxi (China), sviazi (Russia) and wasta (Arab countries). Findings Building on social networking theory, the authors synthesize an emic model for four types of large emerging markets cultures – China, Russia, India and Arab countries – and divide them according to their affective, conative and cognitive elements. Practical implications By knowing the impact of the constructs and how to leverage it, managers can successfully penetrate and manage these complex markets. Originality/value Current models of culture, such as the ones proposed by Hofstede and GLOBE, are etic in their orientation, attempting to find variations in common dimensions across different cultures. Emic approaches to studying culture are more bottom-up and are idiosyncratic to the culture.

• Iddy, Judith Jacob; Alon, Ilan & Litalien, Benjamin C. (2022). Institutions and training: A case of social franchising in Africa. Africa Journal of Management (AJOM). ISSN 2332-2373. 8(3), p. 347–373. doi: 10.1080/23322373.2022.2071575. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The purpose of this paper is to explore two questions: how do institutions affect knowledge transfer in social franchises in Africa, and does training help social franchises respond to these challenges? Despite advances in the knowledge management literature, our understanding of the role of training in social franchising remains inadequate. Using the qualitative induction methodology, we examine a social franchise network operating in Africa. Our findings suggest that differences in formal and informal institutions affect knowledge transfer within the social franchise network. However, social franchises that understand the institutional environment have been successful in adapting their training strategies to scale up their social impact across African countries. We provide valuable insights into the expansion of a rapidly growing business model within social entrepreneurship, social franchising, and show how a successful social franchise managed to replicate its knowledge across different institutional frameworks in Africa.

• Šeinauskienė, Beata; Virvilaitė, Regina & Alon, Ilan (2022). Psychic distance, marketing strategy adaptation and export performance: the role of international experience. European Journal of International Management. ISSN 1751-6757. 18(2-3), p. 444–477. doi: 10.1504/ejim.2022.124885. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study theorises that a performance-enhancing strategic fit between a perceived psychic distance and an export marketing strategy adaptation applies under the boundary conditions of international experience. We model an export marketing strategy as a function of psychic distance and export performance as an outcome of export marketing strategy, moderated by international experience. To test the hypotheses, we carried out a survey of Lithuanian exporting companies that conduct business in the dairy and meat processing industries. The results did not support the existence of the conditional indirect effect of perceived psychic distance on export performance through export marketing strategy adaptation. Unlike the expectation, data indicated that export performance increases with an increase in distribution adaptation, but only: (a) among companies who scored low in the length of experience in an export country and (b) under conditions of low export intensity.

• Wilczewski, Michał & Alon, Ilan (2022). Language and communication in international students’ adaptation: a bibliometric and content analysis review. Higher Education. ISSN 0018-1560. doi: 10.1007/s10734-022-00888-8. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This article systematically reviews the literature (313 articles) on language and communication in international students’ cross-cultural adaptation in institutions of higher education for 1994–2021. We used bibliometric analysis to identify the most impactful journals and articles, and the intellectual structure of the field. We used content analysis to synthesize the results within each research stream and suggest future research directions. We established two major research streams: second-language proficiency and interactions in the host country. We found inconclusive results about the role of communication with co-nationals in students’ adaptation, which contradicts the major adaptation theories. New contextualized research and the use of other theories could help explain the contradictory results and develop the existing theories. Our review suggests the need to theoretically refine the interrelationships between the interactional variables and different adaptation domains. Moreover, to create a better fit between the empirical data and the adaptation models, research should test the mediating effects of second-language proficiency and the willingness to communicate with locals. Finally, research should focus on students in non-Anglophone countries and explore the effects of remote communication in online learning on students’ adaptation. We document the intellectual structure of the research on the role of language and communication in international students’ adaptation and suggest a future research agenda.

• Fon, Roger & Alon, Ilan (2022). Governance, foreign aid, and Chinese foreign direct investment. Thunderbird International Business Review. ISSN 1096-4762. 64(2), p. 179–201. doi: 10.1002/tie.22257. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This article examines how Chinese foreign aid interacts with the quality of the host country's governance in shaping Chinese state-owned enterprises' (CSOEs') foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa. By analyzing the firm-level greenfield FDI data of CSOEs between 2003 and 2014 and distinguishing between China's official development assistance and less concessional forms of Chinese foreign aid, we reveal two main findings. First, the quality of the host country's governance negatively affects CSOEs' FDI. Second, other official aid and loans from China negatively moderate the relationship between the quality of the host country's governance and FDI by CSOEs. Specifically, the tendency for CSOEs to invest in locations with weak governance increases when their investments are integrated with less concessional forms of Chinese foreign aid in the form of other official flows and loans. Our results are robust to alternative measures of the governance and different methodological approaches. The article challenges the traditional notion of institutional theory which assumes a positive relationship between governance quality and FDI attraction.

• Bahoo, Salman; Alon, Ilan & Floreani, Josanco (2022). Corruption, foreign aid, and international trade. Thunderbird International Business Review. ISSN 1096-4762. 64(2), p. 139–167. doi: 10.1002/tie.22253. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Corruption has varying effects on international trade flows. Through the lenses of the institutional and transaction costs theories, we propose a novel institutional analysis of foreign aid as a formal institution that moderates the negative impact of corruption on international trade. We investigate this framework using a sample of the imports and exports of 30 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries and their 150 trading partners from 1995 to 2018. We analyze two main types of bilateral foreign aid within this framework: official development assistance and aid for trade. We present three main findings. First, the trading partners' corruption has a negative impact on OECD bilateral imports and exports. Second, both forms of foreign aid moderate the negative effect of the trading partners' corruption on OECD countries' exports. These findings confirm that OECD member countries are willing to export to very corrupt countries. Third, official development assistance does not moderate the relationship between corruption and imports, meaning that OECD countries do not import from corrupt locations. However, aid for trade still moderates the negative impact of corruption on OCED countries' imports. Overall, we confirm that foreign aid negatively moderates the adverse effect of corruption on exports but not on imports. Thus, foreign aid as a formal institution deserves more attention from OECD policymakers and managers of MNEs as a mechanism for reducing corruption and boosting international trade.

• Bretas, Vanessa P.G.; Alon, Ilan; Paltrinieri, Andrea & Chawla, Kavilash (2022). Bibliometric review on FDI attractiveness factors. European Journal of International Management. ISSN 1751-6757. 17(2-3), p. 469–499. doi: 10.1504/EJIM.2022.120721. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This article reviews the literature on foreign direct investment (FDI) attractiveness factors through bibliometric and content analyses. We analyse 499 articles between 1994 and 2021 extracted from the Web of Science database. Using Bibliometrix R-package and VOSviewer software, we combined co-citation, bibliographic coupling, and keyword co-occurrence temporal analysis with a content analysis of the most cited articles. Five main research categories are revealed: structure for FDI, market conditions, entry conditions, institutional framework, and resources offer. We propose a conceptual framework of FDI attractiveness factors aligned with FDI motives. The article comprehensively reviews the key determinants using quantitative and qualitative approaches and provides future research directions.

• Naatu, Felicia; Nyarko, Samuel Anokye; Munim, Ziaul Haque & Alon, Ilan (2022). Crowd-out effect on consumers attitude towards corporate social responsibility communication. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. ISSN 0040-1625. 177. doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121544. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is assumed to function better in open societies and competitive markets where market forces drive communication and voluntary adoption of self-regulated quality CSR practices. Thus, the common wisdom maintains that consumer awareness of positive CSR activities of an organisation elicits positive perceptions about the organisation. Contrarily, we find negative and insignificant effect of CSR communication on perceived CSR performance in the context of Norway. The findings are consistent with predictions of crowding-out theory which submits that moderately enforced government policies can displace consumers’ intrinsic motivations to contribute to public good. Further, we find support for the contention that context affects decisions, especially where there are no clearly defined norms for appropriate behaviour and decisions are sensitive to social considerations. Building on existing literature, we provide a novel contribution by introducing explanations for consumers’ attitude towards CSR communication based on context and crowding-out theory.

• Seeber, Marco; Alon, Ilan; Pina, David G.; Piro, Fredrik Niclas & Seeber, Michele (2022). Predictors of applying for and winning an ERC Proof-of-Concept grant: An automated machine learning model. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. ISSN 0040-1625. 184. doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2022.122009. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Research often fails to be translated into applications because of lack of financial support. The Proof of Concept (PoC) funding scheme from the European Research Council (ERC) supports the early stages of the valorization process of the research conducted by its grantees. This article explores the factors that predict who will apply for ERC grants and which grant proposals will prove successful. By combining information from two datasets of 10,074 ERC grants (representing 8361 individual grantees) and 2186 PoC proposals, and using automated machine learning, we can identify the main predictors of the propensity to apply and to win. Doing so fills a void in the literature on likelihood to apply. The results reveal major differences between potential and actual beneficiaries, due to decisions about applying for a grant and evaluations of the proposals. The decision to apply is affected by the interaction between the characteristics of the PoC funding scheme, the ERC grantee, and his/her environment. Grantees in countries that invest little in innovation, with low cost of personnel, and strong collaboration in innovation are more likely to apply. Male grantees are more likely to apply but have similar chances of winning as women.

• Alon, Ilan; Bretas, Vanessa P.G.; Schlip, A & Paltrinieri, Andrea (2022). Greenfield FDI attractiveness index: a machine learning approach. Competitiveness Review: an international business journal. ISSN 1059-5422. 32(7), p. 85–108. doi: 10.1108/CR-12-2021-0171. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Purpose – This study aims to propose a comprehensive greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) attractiveness index using exploratory factor analysis and automated machine learning (AML). We offer offer a robust empirical measurement of location-choice factors identified in the FDI literature through a novel method and provide a tool for assessing the countries’ investment potential. Design/methodology/approach – Based on five conceptual key sub-domains of FDI, We collected quantitative indicators in several databases with annual data ranging from 2006 to 2019. This study first run a factor analysis to identify the most important features. It then uses AML to assess the relative importance of each resultant factor and generate a calibrated index. AML computational algorithms minimize predictive errors, explore patterns in the data and make predictions in an empirically robust way. Findings – Openness conditions and economic growth are the most relevant factors to attract FDI identified in the study. Luxembourg, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malta and Ireland are the top five countries with the highest overall greenfield attractiveness index. This study also presents specific indices for the three sectors: energy, financial services, information and communication technology (ICT) and electronics. Originality/value – Existent indexes present deficiencies in conceptualization and measurement, lacking theoretical foundation, arbitrary selection of factors and use of limited linear models. This study’s index is developed in a robust three-stage process. The use of AML configures an advantage compared to traditional linear and additive models, as it selects the best model considering the predictive capacity of many models simultaneously.

• Hertenstein, Peter & Alon, Ilan (2021). A learning portal model of emerging markets multinationals. Global Strategy Journal. ISSN 2042-5791. 12(1), p. 134–162. doi: 10.1002/gsj.1400. Full text in Research Archive
• Bretas, Vanessa P.G. & Alon, Ilan (2021). Franchising research on emerging markets: Bibliometric and content analyses. Journal of Business Research. ISSN 0148-2963. 133, p. 51–65. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.067. Full text in Research Archive
• Jell-Ojobor, Maria; Alon, Ilan & Windsperger, Josef (2021). The choice of master international franchising – A modified transaction cost model. International Business Review. ISSN 0969-5931. 31(2). doi: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2021.101942. Full text in Research Archive
• Bretas, Vanessa Pilla Galetti; Alon, Ilan; Rocha, Thelma Valéria & Galetti, Jefferson Ricardo Bretas (2021). International governance mode choice : Evidence from Brazilian franchisors. Journal of International Management. ISSN 1075-4253. 27(2). doi: 10.1016/j.intman.2021.100851. Full text in Research Archive
• Jiao, Hao; Wang, Tang & Alon, Ilan (2021). Financial wealth, socioemotional wealth, and founder exits: an empirical examination of Chinese IPOs. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development. ISSN 0898-5626. 33(3-4), p. 208–226. doi: 10.1080/08985626.2021.1872935. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Initial public offerings (IPOs) are typically viewed as the peak of entrepreneurial success, providing founder-CEOs a chance to profitably exit. Founder-CEOs, however, are often motivated by non-financial considerations in addition to the desire to amass wealth. According to the behavioral agency model, the founder-CEOs’ framing of gains vs. losses of their wealth creation at IPO determines their risk aversion vs. risk taking behaviors. In addition, the behavioral agency model argues that founder-CEOs with a great deal of socioemotional wealth fear losing that wealth. This fear will attenuate their aversion to losing financial wealth. To test our model, we collected a sample of 130 entrepreneurial IPOs from 2004 to 2009 in China whose founder-CEOs left the firm after it went public. The results confirm a U-shaped relationship between the founder-CEOs’ financial wealth and their exit speed after the IPO. A high level of socioemotional wealth, exemplified by the CEOs’ tenure, a higher ratio of insiders on the board, and the age of the stock market, negatively moderates the effect of financial wealth. We contribute to the literature by providing empirical support for the behavioral agency model and founder-CEO exits in China by examining both financial and socioemotional wealth.

• Jalal, Raja Nabeel-Ud-Din; Alon, Ilan & Paltrinieri, Andrea (2021). A bibliometric review of cryptocurrencies as a financial asset. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management. ISSN 0953-7325. doi: 10.1080/09537325.2021.1939001. Full text in Research Archive
• Wang, Xu; Deng, Shengliang & Alon, Ilan (2021). Women executives and financing pecking order of GEM-listed companies: Moderating roles of social capital and regional institutional environment. Journal of Business Research. ISSN 0148-2963. 136, p. 466–478. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.07.055. Full text in Research Archive
• Naatu, Felicia; Alon, Ilan & Uwamahoro, Rehema (2021). Micro-Franchising in the Bottom of the Pyramid Market: Rwanda. Journal of Social Entrepreneurship. ISSN 1942-0676. p. 1–21. doi: 10.1080/19420676.2020.1755347. Full text in Research Archive
• Alajoutsijärvi, Jouni Kimmo; Alon, Ilan & Pinheiro, Romulo (2021). The Marketisation of Higher Education: Antecedents, Processes, and Outcomes. In Branch, John D. & Christiansen, Bryan (Ed.), The Marketisation of Higher Education: Concepts, Cases, and Criticisms. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9783030674403. p. 17–45. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-67441-0_2. Full text in Research Archive
• Richter, Nicole; Martin, Jonathan; Hansen, Sofie V.; Taras, Vas & Alon, Ilan (2021). Motivational configurations of cultural intelligence, social integration, and performance in global virtual teams. Journal of Business Research. ISSN 0148-2963. 129, p. 351–367. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.03.012. Full text in Research Archive
• Arslan, Ahmad; Haapanen, Lauri; Hurmelinna-Laukkanen, Pia; Tarba, Shlomo Y. & Alon, Ilan (2021). Climate change, consumer lifestyles and legitimation strategies of sustainability-oriented firms. European Management Journal. ISSN 0263-2373. 39(6), p. 720–730. doi: 10.1016/j.emj.2021.03.005. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study explores the links between climate change, consumer lifestyles, and legitimation strategies of sustainable firms. Our findings offer new insight into this under-researched area based on qualitative case studies of four Nordic firms operating in industrial and consumer contexts. We find that climate change consciousness is a major driver for all case firms’ sustainability-focused operations, but the dynamics differed. Achieving sociopolitical legitimacy emerges as an important factor for the case firms operating in the energy sector, especially as it connects to government incentives and regulative pressures. However, cognitive legitimacy is increasingly important for them also, and the firms are trying to connect to their consumers’ lifestyles as well. In turn, for the case firms operating in the consumer (clothing) industry, functionality and the use of products are highlighted even though cognitive legitimacy based on linking to their consumers’ lifestyle is visible. Finally, the findings reveal that despite the sustainable lifestyles are increasingly important and better recognized in firm strategies and practices, other practicalities of running the business successfully in a highly competitive marketplace are relevant. Building legitimacy in such a way that captures and justifies different approaches, therefore, emerges as the connecting factor between the changing consumer behavior and pro-environmental firm practices.

• Szymanski, Mike; Alon, Ilan & Kalra, Komal (2021). Multilingual and multicultural managers’ effects on team performance: insights from professional football teams. Multinational Business Review. ISSN 1525-383X. doi: 10.1108/MBR-03-2020-0054. Full text in Research Archive
• Shneor, Rotem; Munim, Ziaul Haque; Zhu, Helena & Alon, Ilan (2021). Individualism, collectivism and reward crowdfunding contribution intention and behavior. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications. ISSN 1567-4223. 47. doi: 10.1016/j.elerap.2021.101045. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The study examines the role of the individualism-collectivism (IDV) cultural dimension in reward crowdfunding contribution intentionality and behavior. An extended Theory of Planned Behavior framework is used for comparative analysis using survey data collected from users of national platforms from opposing cultures along the IDV dimension – China and Finland. Main findings suggest that: attitudes are positively associated with information sharing and financial contribution intentions in both cultures; collectivism enhances the effects of subjective norms on both intentions; behavior control is more strongly observed in individualistic cultures; and information sharing intentions are more strongly associated with contribution behavior in collectivistic cultures.

• Bahoo, Salman; Alon, Ilan & Paltrinieri, Andrea (2020). Sovereign wealth funds: Past, present and future. International Review of Financial Analysis. ISSN 1057-5219. 67. doi: 10.1016/j.irfa.2019.101418. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In this article, we conduct a meta-literature review of sovereign wealth funds (SWFs), covering 184 articles from 2005 to 2019. Our meta-literature review consists of qualitative analysis of content using the NVivo software program and quantitative analyses of bibliometric citations using the HistCite and VOSviewer software programs. We identify three main research streams: (i) the overview and growth of SWFs, (ii) governance and political concerns regarding SWFs, and (iii) the investment strategies of SWFs. We identify the most influential aspects of the SWF literature, such as the leading countries, institutions, journals, authors, and articles. Finally, we propose 20 research questions based on the meta-literature review of sovereign wealth funds to set the future research agenda.

• Bretas, Vanessa Pilla Galetti & Alon, Ilan (2020). The impact of COVID-19 on franchising in emerging markets: An example from Brazil. Global Business and Organizational Excellence. ISSN 1932-2054. 39(6), p. 6–16. doi: 10.1002/joe.22053. Full text in Research Archive
• Alon, Ilan; Jeminez, Alfredo; Liu, Hui & Wang, Hua (2020). The Institutionalization of Political Risk Assessment by Chinese Multinational Firms. Management International (MI). ISSN 1206-1697. Full text in Research Archive
• Alon, Ilan; Mersland, Roy; Musteen, Martina & Randøy, Trond (2020). The Research Frontier on Internationalization of Social Enterprises. Journal of World Business. ISSN 1090-9516. 55(1). doi: 10.1016/j.jwb.2020.101091. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Social enterprises (SEs) are hybrid organizations that simultaneously pursue financial and social goals, while addressing institutional voids. Despite the extensive cross-border activities of SEs, the state of research addressing such flows of funds, technology and personnel is undeveloped. In this introductory article, we discuss the unique aspects of SEs and explore how the international business literature can inform our understanding of their internationalization. We outline promising areas for future research related to the drivers of and the processes underlying SE internationalization as well as its consequences. With this as a background, we introduce the five articles in this Special Issue.

• Yari, Nooria; Lankut, Erik; Alon, Ilan & Richter, Nicole (2020). Cultural intelligence, global mindset, and cross-cultural competencies : a systematic review using bibliometric methods. European Journal of International Management. ISSN 1751-6757. 14(2), p. 210–250. doi: 10.1504/EJIM.2020.105567. Full text in Research Archive
• Sutherland, Dylan; Anderson, John; Bailey, Nicholas & Alon, Ilan (2020). Policy, institutional fragility, and Chinese outward foreign direct investment: An empirical examination of the Belt and Road Initiative. Journal of International Business Policy (JIBP). ISSN 2522-0691. 3, p. 249–272. doi: 10.1057/s42214-020-00056-8. Full text in Research Archive
• Alon, Ilan; Farrell, Matthew & Li, Shaomin (2020). Regime Type and COVID-19 Response. FIIB Business Review. ISSN 2319-7145. 9(3), p. 152–160. doi: 10.1177/2319714520928884. Full text in Research Archive
• Wang, Yuxia & Alon, Ilan (2020). Chinese Outward Foreign Direct Investment: The Reasons Why some Chinese Firms Fail in Norway. Global Business and Organizational Excellence. ISSN 1932-2054. 40(1), p. 31–43. doi: 10.1002/joe.22066. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Recent years have seen a dramatic rise in Chinese multinationals investing in various projects around the world. While there have been numerous studies of Chinese outward foreign direct investment (FDI), there have been far fewer that examine the factors that relate to their success or failure from the perspective of the Chinese investor. Here we present a cross-case analysis of four examples of Chinese investments in Norway that failed to produce a profit. Using semi-structured interviews with Chinese and local managers, government agencies, and data from secondary sources, we identify five factors that contributed to this: (a) legal factors, (b) cultural differences, (c) business strategies, (d) organizational structure, and (e) the selection of people. We believe that these four case studies contribute to our knowledge of the reasons why Chinese outward FDI fails, and that it offers guidance to the management of Chinese firms wishing to invest in Europe.

• Alon, Ilan; Ranfagni, Silvia; Vescovi, Tiziano & Vianelli, Donata (2020). Family business internationalization: an insight into opportunities and challenges. Sinergie Italian Journal of Management. ISSN 0393-5108. 38(2), p. 11–17. doi: 10.7433/s112.2020.01. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The theme of internationalization in family businesses is a highly topical issue that is increasingly attracting management scholars. This is because, in addition of being a particular type of business (Alcorn, 1982), they play a central role in most economies worldwide. Accounting for 65-80 percent of all the world’s firms, they generate around 70-90 percent of annual global GDP, and are the source of 50-80 percent of new jobs in most countries. Their essence lies in the close bond they have with their founders and above all, in the family’s involvement in the business ownership and management (Franco and Prata, 2019). This bond may prove to be a limit for fuelling internationalization processes. If, in fact, on the one hand, a moderate level of family ownership favors them (Fernández and Nieto, 2005), on the other, family involvement in management can jeopardize them (Graves and Thomas, 2008). The main barriers are found in a lack of resources, capital and managerial skills. Others include the fear of losing control of the business and the founders’ reluctance to decentralize decision-making in favor of experts from outside the family (Tabor et al., 2018). … to be continued

• Cao, Mingchun & Alon, Ilan (2020). Intellectual structure of the belt and road initiative research: A scientometric analysis and suggestions for a future research agenda. Sustainability. 12:6901(17), p. 1–41. doi: 10.3390/SU12176901. Full text in Research Archive
• Cao, Mingchun & Alon, Ilan (2020). Overcoming the liability of foreignness – A new perspective on Chinese MNCs. Journal of Business Research. ISSN 0148-2963. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.11.017. Full text in Research Archive
• Alon, Ilan; Zhang, Wenxian & Lattermann, Christoph (2020). Introduction. In Zhang, Wenxian; Alon, Ilan & Lattermann, Christoph (Ed.), Huawei Goes Global. Volume I: Made in China for the World. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9783030475635. Full text in Research Archive
• Alon, Ilan; Zhang, Wenxian & Lattermann, Christoph (2020). Introduction. In Zhang, Wenxian; Alon, Ilan & Lattermann, Christoph (Ed.), Huawei Goes Global: Regional, Geopolitical Perspectives and Crisis Management. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9783030475789. Full text in Research Archive
• Lattermann, Christoph; Alon, Ilan & Zhang, Wenxian (2020). Final Reflections: Connectivity, Innovation, Transformation, and Global Challenges. In Zhang, Wenxian; Alon, Ilan & Lattermann, Christoph (Ed.), Huawei Goes Global: Regional, Geopolitical Perspectives and Crisis Management. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9783030475789. Full text in Research Archive
• Lattermann, Christoph; Alon, Ilan & Zhang, Wenxian (2020). Final Reflections: Global Challenges from Innovation and Connectivity. In Zhang, Wenxian; Alon, Ilan & Lattermann, Christoph (Ed.), Huawei Goes Global. Volume I: Made in China for the World. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9783030475635. Full text in Research Archive
• Alon, Ilan; Apriliyanti, Indri Dwi & Parodi, Massiel Carolina Henriquez (2020). A systematic review of international franchising. Multinational Business Review. ISSN 1525-383X. 29(1), p. 43–69. doi: 10.1108/MBR-01-2020-0019. Full text in Research Archive
• Li, Shaomin & Alon, Ilan (2020). China’s Intellectual Property Rights Provocation: A Political Economy View. Journal of International Business Policy (JIBP). ISSN 2522-0691. p. 60–72. doi: 10.1057/s42214-019-00032-x. Full text in Research Archive
• Alon, Ilan; Elia, Stefano & Li, Shaomin (2020). Greenfield or M&A? An institutional and learning perspective on the establishment mode choice of Chinese outward investments. Journal of International Management. ISSN 1075-4253. 26(3). doi: 10.1016/j.intman.2020.100758. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  We develop and test a model of Chinese greenfield investments using institutional and learning theories. Both the host country institutional context and the firm's international characteristics affect the establishment mode. Using 152 Chinese emerging market multinationals (EMNEs) with 401 subsidiaries distributed in 26 countries from 2003 to 2013, we build a database of 284 pairs of host country/Chinese firms to test two hypotheses. We find that, first, governance environment affects the establishment mode: greenfield investments are preferred over acquisitions in relation-based host markets, and M&As are preferred in rule-based countries. Second, the depth of Chinese EMNEs' international experience (i.e. the amount of previous investments in the same host market) moderates the effect of the governance environment on the establishment mode. Firms with greater international depth use more M&As in relation-based markets and more greenfield investments in rule-based markets, suggesting that previous investments in the same host country provide a type of learning that reduces acquisition uncertainty in the former case and increases the self-confidence of Chinese EMNEs in the latter.

• Bahoo, Salman & Alon, Ilan (2020). News Framing of the China’s Belt and Road Initiative: A Media Analysis. Nordic Journal of Media Management. ISSN 2597-0445. 1(4), p. 495–525. doi: 10.5278/njmm.2597-0445.6325. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Purpose: Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) became international media headline news as a vision of China which was presented by Xi Jinping back in 2013. The policy actors of China, US, Western, and BRI partnering countries formulate a positive or negative public opinion about BRI through media. This article addresses the questions of how journalists are framing the BRI? What is the headline tone of journalists about BRI? Is international business media and journalists biased towards BRI? Methodology: A qualitative media framing analysis of the articles published in two newspapers, The Wall Street Journal (N=68) and The Economist (N=32) during the period of January 2012 to June 2019 was conducted. Findings: Articles from both business journals revealed that journalists cover BRI in three frames; (1) BRI: overview and economic development; (2) geopolitics under BRI, which sub-divided in four frames, (i) geopolitics: BRI and the United State of America, (ii) geopolitics: BRI and Europe, (iii) geopolitics: BRI and Africa, (iv) geopolitics: BRI and Asia; and (3) BRI and world order. The analysis also indicated that international business media is neutral, and journalists interpret, present, and exemplify official statements, reports, political views, and events about BRI. Implications: The authors consider the implications of the study for international business practitioners who follow these business newspapers. Further, the application of media communication theories could open a new field of research for international business researchers with future practical implications related to projects, products, and business models.

• Bahoo, Salman; Alon, Ilan & Floreani, Josanco (2020). Corruption in economics: a bibliometric analysis and research agenda. Applied Economics Letters. ISSN 1350-4851. doi: 10.1080/13504851.2020.1764476. Full text in Research Archive
• Parodi, Massiel Carolina Henriquez & Alon, Ilan (2019). Experiential Learning Using Social Media in International Business Education. In Gonzalez-Perez, Maria Alejandra; Lynden, Karen & Taras, Vas (Ed.), The Palgrave Handbook of Learning and Teaching International Business and Management. Palgrave Macmillan. ISSN 9783030204143. p. 111–134. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-20415-0_6. Full text in Research Archive
• Reid, David McHardy; Chi, Guotai; Zhao, Zhi & Alon, Ilan (2019). Indexing innovation within China. Competitiveness Review: an international business journal. ISSN 1059-5422. Full text in Research Archive
• Naatu, Felicia & Alon, Ilan (2019). Social Franchising: A Bibliometric and Theoretic Review. Journal of Promotion Management. ISSN 1049-6491. 25(5), p. 1–26. doi: 10.1080/10496491.2019.1584777. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  ABSTRACT We present a comprehensive review of social franchising literature and an integrated framework highlighting factors and theories driving the concept. Bibliometric and content analysis are used to analyze 111 articles between 2002 and 2018 from ISI Web of Science and Scopus. The following three research streams are identified: motivations for social franchising, how social franchising work, and impact of social franchising. These are integrated into a conceptual framework of five factors providing insights into value creation, performance improvement, and minimization of failures among social franchises. The review responds to calls for theoretical explorations in the field and provides bases for further studies.

• Munim, Ziaul Haque; Shakil, Mohammad Hassan & Alon, Ilan (2019). Next-Day Bitcoin Price Forecast. Journal of Risk and Financial Management. ISSN 1911-8066. 12(2). doi: 10.3390/jrfm12020103. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study analyzes forecasts of Bitcoin price using the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and neural network autoregression (NNAR) models. Employing the static forecast approach, we forecast next-day Bitcoin price both with and without re-estimation of the forecast model for each step. For cross-validation of forecast results, we consider two different training and test samples. In the first training-sample, NNAR performs better than ARIMA, while ARIMA outperforms NNAR in the second training-sample. Additionally, ARIMA with model re-estimation at each step outperforms NNAR in the two test-sample forecast periods. The Diebold Mariano test confirms the superiority of forecast results of ARIMA model over NNAR in the test-sample periods. Forecast performance of ARIMA models with and without re-estimation are identical for the estimated test-sample periods. Despite the sophistication of NNAR, this paper demonstrates ARIMA enduring power of volatile Bitcoin price prediction.

• Rialti, Ricardo; Zollo, Lamberto; Ferraris, Alberto & Alon, Ilan (2019). Big Data Analytics Capabilities and Performance: Evidence from a Moderated Multi-Mediation Model. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. ISSN 0040-1625. doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2019.119781. Full text in Research Archive
• Bahoo, Salman; Alon, Ilan & Paltrinieri, Andrea (2019). Corruption in international business: A review and research agenda. International Business Review. ISSN 0969-5931. 29(04), p. 1–24. doi: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2019.101660. Full text in Research Archive

View all works in NVA

• Alon, Ilan; Jaffe, DE; Luceri, Beatrice; Prange, Christiane & Vianelli, Donata (2022). Marketing internazionale. Strategie, principi e applicazioni. Routledge. ISBN 9788892140684. 464 p. Full text in Research Archive
• Alon, Ilan; Jaffe, Eugene; Prange, Christiane & Vianelli, Donata (2020). Global Marketing: Strategy, Practice, and Cases. Routledge. ISBN 9780367196097. 666 p. Full text in Research Archive
• Zhang, Wenxian; Alon, Ilan & Lattermann, Christoph (2020). Huawei Goes Global. Volume I: Made in China for the World. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9783030475635. 353 p. Full text in Research Archive
• Zhang, Wenxian; Alon, Ilan & Lattermann, Christoph (2020). Huawei Goes Global: Regional, Geopolitical Perspectives and Crisis Management. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9783030475789. 391 p. Full text in Research Archive

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• Vakhromov, Oleg; Alon, Ilan & Gildin, Ilan (2025). The ripple effect: navigating an XRP investment decision. doi: 10.1108/TCJ-01-2025-0028. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The “Ripple vs XRP Dilemma” case examines the challenges faced by John Valdez, a financial advisor, as he navigates the complex world of cryptocurrency investments for his tech entrepreneur client, Steven Baker. Steven is particularly intrigued by XRP, a cryptocurrency he believes could become a standard for global transactions and seeks John’s guidance on whether to invest directly in XRP or gain exposure through Ripple Labs, the private company behind the cryptocurrency. As John investigates XRP’s functionality and its ties to Ripple Labs, he confronts the challenges of limited expertise, regulatory uncertainties and the strategic differences between crypto assets and equity investments. The case highlights John’s decision-making process as he evaluates the potential risks and rewards of these options in a rapidly evolving financial landscape. What makes this case particularly novel is that it not only addresses the complexities of crypto asset valuation but also explores a unique scenario in which the crypto asset is intricately linked to the performance of a commercial enterprise.

• Inkpen, Andrew; Kettunen, Kerttu Pauliina; Alajoutsijärvi, Jouni Kimmo & Alon, Ilan (2023). Stakeholder Stigmatization and social media communities. Full text in Research Archive
• Kettunen, Kerttu Pauliina; Inkpen, Andrew; Alajoutsijärvi, Jouni Kimmo & Alon, Ilan (2022). Presentation at SCANCOR workshop: Stigmatization and stakeholder activism. Full text in Research Archive
• Bahoo, Salman; Alon, Ilan & Floreani, Josanco (2021). Corruption, Foreign Aid and Foreign Direct Investment. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This paper examines the moderating effect of foreign aid on corruption and foreign direct investment (FDI). Corruption has an asymmetric relationship with FDI. We propose and test a framework in which foreign aid as a formal institution moderates corruption's negative impact as an informal institution on FDI. We present two findings. First, corruption has a negative effect on FDI, confirming the "corruption as sand" theory. Second, foreign aid moderates the negative impact of corruption on FDI, and as a result, the original effect becomes positive. This result suggests that foreign aid as a formal institution negates the adverse outcomes of the informal institution of corruption for foreign investors. Countries that provide foreign aid contingent on reductions in corruption promote future economic activity, mitigate investment risks, and improve corrupt governments' governance and institutional quality. Therefore, foreign aid deserves more attention from companies and governments when formulating strategies and policies related to FDI and controlling corruption.

• Parodi, Massiel Carolina Henriquez; Lankut, Erik & Alon, Ilan (2021). Kavli Selling Cheese in a Tube to the World, Intercultural Management in Practice: Learning to Lead Diverse Global Organizations. Emerald Group Publishing Limited. ISSN 9781839828270. p. 27–33. doi: 10.1108/978-1-83982-826-320211004. Full text in Research Archive
• Alon, Ilan; Zhang, Wenxian & Lattemann, Christoph (2021). The Case for Regulating Huawei. FIIB Business Review. ISSN 2319-7145. p. 1–3. doi: 10.1177/2319714520984666. Full text in Research Archive
• Alon, Ilan & Bretas, Vanessa P.G. (2021). COVID-19 and International Business. In Fang, Tony & Hassler, John (Ed.), Globalization, political economy, business and society in pandemic times. Emerald Group Publishing Limited. ISSN 9781800717923. p. 253–268. doi: 10.1108/S1876-066X20220000036021. Full text in Research Archive
• Alon, Ilan (2020). COVID-19 and International Business: A viewpoint. FIIB Business Review. ISSN 2319-7145. doi: 10.1177/2319714520923579. Full text in Research Archive
• Parodi, Massiel Carolina Henriquez; Alon, Ilan & Mason, Michela Cesarina (2020). A Cross-Country Study of Behavioural Intentions of McDonalds Consumers. Full text in Research Archive
• Parodi, Massiel Carolina Henriquez & Alon, Ilan (2020). International Marketing Video Project. Full text in Research Archive
• Iddy, Judith Jacob; Alon, Ilan & Litalien, Benjamin (2020). Knowledge Transfer, Institutions, and Franchising: A Case of Social Enterprise in Africa. Full text in Research Archive
• Bretas, Vanessa Pilla Galetti & Alon, Ilan (2020). Franchising in Brazil: foreign entrants build a presence. ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print). doi: 10.1108/JBS-03-2020-0051. Full text in Research Archive
• Bretas, Vanessa Pilla Galetti; Alon, Ilan; Rocha, Thelma Valéria & Galetti, Jefferson Ricardo Bretas (2020). International Governance Mode Choice: Evidence from Brazilian Franchisors. Full text in Research Archive
• Bretas, Vanessa Pilla Galetti; Alon, Ilan; Rocha, Thelma Valéria & Galetti, Jefferson Ricardo Bretas (2020). International franchising governance mode choice: A stakeholder perspective. Full text in Research Archive
• Alon, Ilan; Larsen, Cecilie & Melgar-Echeverria, Gabriela E. (2020). Cultural intelligence: Contextual antecedents. Full text in Research Archive
• Bahoo, Salman & Alon, Ilan (2019). Framing the China’s Belt and Road Initiative: A Media Analysis. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The purpose of the article is to conduct a media analysis of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by apply framing theory of media communication. Using qualitative analysis approach through NVivo, we examined total 100 articles from world top business media outlets (newspaper and magazine); The Wall Street Journal (68 articles), and The Economist (32 articles), from January 2012 to March 2019. We identify three main frames: (1) the BRI overview and economics; (2) the BRI and Geopolitics, the frame 2 has four sub-frames; (i) Geopolitics: BRI and United States of America, (ii) Geopolitics: BRI and Europe, (iii) Geopolitics: BRI and Africa, (iv) Geopolitics: BRI and Asia; and third main frame is (3) the BRI and world security and order. We conducted headlines tone analysis (positive or negative) and found that both media outlets are neutral regarding the reporting on BRI. We present a synthesis of issues related to BRI and policy recommendations. The methods and the findings have implications for international business scholars related to BRI and Chinese policymakers and thinktanks to consider the latest and practical issues or concerns of the critical stakeholders about BRI.

• Perotti, Francesco Antonio; Dhir, Amandeep; Alon, Ilan & Ferraris, Alberto (2024). Collaborate or Perish: Harnessing Strategic Drivers to Navigate the Circular Economy Transition. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 9788284272276. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In an era marked by burgeoning environmental concerns and resource depletion, integrating economic growth with sustainable development has become imperative. In response, this research project dwells on circular economy as a strategic approach that promotes a shift from traditional production and consumption systems to restorative and renewable ones. Through four distinct studies, I investigated the practices driving circular principles’ adoption in businesses, winking at inter-organisational collaborative approaches. The dissertation includes a systematic literature review, two multiple case studies with differing philosophical positions, and deductive research based on structural equation modelling. As a result, it recognises and clarifies some critical drivers of circular economy adoption in businesses, which are enabled and empowered by a multistakeholder approach. Findings highlight the importance of strategic collaboration, open innovation, and digital technologies in encouraging circular products, processes, and practices development in collaborative business models. Each study made a specific contribution to the literature by wearing different theoretical lenses, including the resource-based view of the firm, stakeholder theory, and institutional theory. In terms of practical implications, this dissertation provides valuable insights into the strategic drivers and collaborative practices essential for achieving sustainable development and pursuing the circular economy transition.

• Naatu, Felicia & Alon, Ilan (2021). Social Entrepreneurship and Corporate Social Responsibility in Franchising. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 9788284270234. Full text in Research Archive
• Bretas, Vanessa Pilla Galetti & Alon, Ilan (2021). International Franchising Governance Modes : An Emerging Market Perspective. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 9788284270210. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This dissertation analyzes the governance mode choice of Brazilian franchisors expanding their operations abroad. The purpose is to understand which aspects influence the international governance mode choice from an emerging market franchisor standpoint. Four papers were developed. The first article offers an in-depth analysis of franchising literature in emerging and developing markets using bibliometric techniques. The following three articles address different theoretical lenses to provide a comprehensive understanding of a multidimensional decision-making process as the international governance mode choice. The second article tests an integrative model of governance mode choice through a quantitative approach using a representative sample of data from the Brazilian Franchising Association - ABF. The integrative model encompasses the transaction cost, agency, resource-based, and organizational capabilities theories. The third article evaluates the applicability of internalization theory assumptions of asset specificity and host country's protection of intellectual property in an emerging market context through a mixed-method approach. The fourth article explores stakeholders' influence, namely business groups, government, and local network of stakeholders, on the Brazilian franchisors' governance mode decision through statistical tests with ABF data. The study encompasses the lack of research on international governance mode and emerging markets firms expanding to international markets, contributing to the entry mode and international franchising literature. Moreover, Brazil offers an interesting context in which to investigate the topic. Brazilian franchisors with operations abroad represent emerging market multinationals, which possess unique characteristics in their international expansion strategies. We explore how specificities in the home country of EM firms might affect the existing theories' predictions, contributing to Goldilocks' debate about the suitability of mainstream theoretical perspectives.

• Bahoo, Salman; Alon, Ilan & Floreani, Josanco (2021). Essays on Corruption. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 9788284270159. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Corruption is blamed for reductions in operational efficiency, information asymmetry, limited income distribution, policy failure, and weak economic growth and development. Corruption can originate from either the “demand-side” (the recipients of the bribe) or the “supply-side” (the givers of the bribe). This double edge effect of corruption on the economy and society makes it a multidisciplinary subject and phenomenon. Thus, scholars from different fields and disciplines, such as finance, banking, economics, accounting, law, foreign aid, and international business, examined and analyzed corruption as a multidisciplinary subject. In this dissertation, I investigate and explore the characteristics and association of corruption with firms, international business, banking, foreign direct investment (FDI), foreign aid, and international trade flows.

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