Caribbean Management Studies

Twentieth Anniversary Special Issue of Global Development Studies

THEME: Management Studies, Research and Practices in the Commonwealth Caribbean

Global Development Studies intends to publish a 20th anniversary special issue focusing on the Caribbean region in fall 2018.

“A call for Research in Forgotten Areas” (Thomas, 1994)

This thematic issue of the journal will examine the impact of the current process of globalization on management studies, research and practices in the Caribbean region.

It will assess management, research and practices in the Caribbean and their contributions in addressing some the current business, economic and social challenges and opportunities in the region:

For this thematic issue, a broad definition of management studies is used to encompass international and global business strategies, organizational behavior, human resource management, business ethics and entrepreneurship.

The Caribbean region has not been the subject of much management research. Observations expressed in the 1980s and 1990s on the paucity of management studies – with limited conceptual and empirical studies-- on the region remain valid.

In contrast to the Asian emerging economies, the literature on Latin America and the Caribbean remains limited and fragmented, with a relative scarcity of academic research (publications) addressing management issues in the Caribbean region.

A cursory review of the current literature on international business and international management shows limited studies on the Caribbean region—particularly the absence of comprehensive studies in the last two decades.

Despite the large success of many firms and managers from emerging markets, the knowledge about management practices in Caribbean economies is still limited and the academic literature is still dominated by Western concepts.

Theoretically and contextually, the issue seeks to publish exploratory analyses (contributions) of Caribbean management education, practices and empirical research. Exploratory studies will facilitate understanding of the nature and sources of differences in the region and the framework for further management research and empirical analyses.

New approaches in cross-cultural management research stress the importance of context specific research – the contextual dimensions and institutional framework for understanding national and regional management studies.

In the context of the Caribbean region, what are the variations in cultural and institutional contexts, and how have they shaped the institutions and rules influencing the conduct of business activities and management studies and practices in the region in the post-independence period?

Impact of Globalization on Management Education, Research and Practice:

Emerging Trends and Research Themes:

The increased elimination of barriers to global business and economic activities reflect the unprecedented changes in the global business and economic environment engendered by the new requirements of the process of globalization.

Consequently, the following developments should be considered

● The increased importance of the fields of international business and international management studies.

● Expansion of the scope and reach of international business and international management studies.

● Cross-border transnational activities: key strategies relating to the activities of transnational corporations (TNCSs.

Transnational corporations are the main drivers of globalization:

Corporations pursuing a transnational strategy tend to have diversified product structures, they serve numerous markets, and their organizational structures relative to production, marketing, financing, and supplies are the most integrated of all international strategies. Unlike other international strategies, the core competencies of firms pursuing this strategy are not invariably developed from the firms' headquarters; they can be developed from any location in the firms' global operations.

2. Knowledge Diffusion, Transmission and Assimilation:

Adapting Teaching and Research Relating to Management Studies:

Adaptation is important due to the variations in the cultural and institutional contexts (dimensions) of national business and economic environments.

Epistemological assumption about Anglo-American knowledge: The diffusion of management knowledge from the United States and Europe to other countries and regions assumes that management knowledge is neutral, a-historical and universal.

The elimination of barriers to economic and business activities and the increased expansion of international business and management studies reinforce the s relating to the universalization and standardization of knowledge management practices.

3. Context in International Management Research: Adaptation:

Location for International Business and International Management Research

Economic and Social Implications:

Responding to the scope and magnitude of the new technological regime which transcends sectoral boundaries and encompasses entire national economies.

Responding to organizational changes and strategic dislocations as global firms (entrepreneurs) respond to the new logic of global competition.

The Impact of Culture on International Management Research:

Heterogeneous or Homogeneous Management Standards?

● Cultural differences affect the organizational structures of global organizations, the decision whether to impose general human resource policies from a corporation's headquarters, or whether to modify and adapt the corporation's policies to the specific local environment.

● Different cultural beliefs and values generate different sets of assumption regarding the nature of work, the workplace, authority and leadership. In turn, they influence different human resource management policies and practices relative to workplace performance, codes of ethic, conflict resolution, recruitment, and many other factors.

● Cultural differences play a critical role in determining why human resource management policies tend to have varying effects in different countries -- which human resource management practices can be globally used and which practices need to be locally adjusted.

Caribbean Context in International Management Research:

Role and Contribution of Management Studies—Education, Research and Practice:

1. National Level:

● How nations prepare and respond to the new requirements for global competition:

Intellectual capital reflects the knowledge, skills, and experiences of human capital and the organizational changes (flexibility) required to continuously provide the highest quality of products and services for consumers.

● Contributions in building institutional arrangements and behavioral processes for the acquisition of knowledge and skills to facilitate enhanced productivity and competitiveness.

● Economic Diversification and Economic Transition: Developing national and regional capabilities relating to the creation of institutional, technical, knowledge and market specific advantages.

● How the region acquires the overall flexibility for long-term structural adaptation and economic transition.

● New Industrial Relations: Building workplace flexibility and new industrial relations: how nations and organizations respond to changes in the workplace—the nature of work and new work requirements.

2. Organization (Firm) Level: Organizational Behavior:

● How firms respond to the new requirements of global competition.

● Organizational Performance: How are business organizations adapting or responding to the new requirements (including opportunities) of globalization?

● Management Practices: Managing organizations in the Caribbean region.

● Corporate governance and management ethics in Caribbean organizations.

● Impact of human resource development/management on organizational performance.

● How human resource management affect the competitive advantage of firms doing business in the Caribbean region.

Caribbean Management Studies, Research and Practice:

While not exhaustive or exclusive, the editor will give special consideration to exploratory and empirical contributions relating to the topics and areas listed below:

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT STUDIES