Asian Business System and Enterprise Strategies

During the past few decades we have witnessed the consolidation of Japan as a global economic power and the fast, irresistible rise of new industrialized countries in Asia. In addition to the economic growth and industrial development in these countries themselves, there is a growing trend towards economic integration between the countries of the region. Trade flows are increasing, financial activities expand, while foreign direct investment and regional assistance programmes stimulate the industrial and technological development of these countries.
Although regional governments set the stage, individual companies or groups of companies are the dominant actors in the development of trade and investment relations. Their strategic behaviour is of utmost importance to the outcome of the development process.
In Asia industrial groups play a crucial role; they can be considered specific systems of corporate and contractual governance, which can be defined as the internal and external disciplining mechanisms that press management of firms to allocate resources efficiently in a static as well as dynamic sense. A system of corporate and contractual governance includes the internal organization of firms (for instance the divisional structure, the role of the board of management, the role of shareholders, etc.) as well as the external organization (the role of other members of the industrial group like the main bank, the general trading company, the role of the capital market and the like).
The systems of corporate and contractual governance, also called a 'business system' differ between Japan, Korea, and China. These differences have wide implications for the strategies firms develop. Knowledge of the different business systems in Asia is also of great value to European enterprises which choose to compete with Asian firms and consider strategies of cooperation in joint ventures, take-overs, technology transfer etc.
The workshop Asian Business Systems and Enterprise Strategies deals with issues of both European and Asian companies in the Asian Pacific region. The focus of the workshop will be on competition, cooperation, and interaction with local governments. Specific topics range from capital market developments, joint ventures, inter-firm collaboration to issues like technology transfer, and manpower development. The workshop will be convened by Dr J. Groenewegen and Dr J.A. Stam (both from Erasmus University Rotterdam) and will be open to invited participants only.