An economic and business strategy analysis of joint ventures between Greek enterprises and enterprises in the Balkan countries and Russia : from the Greek parent company perspective

[摘要] This thesis analyses joint ventures which have been establishedbetween Greek enterprises and enterprises from Albania, Bulgaria, Romaniaand Russia. An international joint venture (IJV) is an enterprise establishedbetween two or more companies, one of which exercises its entrepreneurialactivities in a foreign country.The core set of questions that this thesis addresses consist of motivesfor the establishment of joint ventures, partner selection criteria, control andconflict inside a joint venture, stability and performance. Another issueaddressed is that of the problems which joint venturers face, as identified byGreek businessmen and academics.This framework is deployed upon an extensive body of primary sourcedata gathered in 1994 by field work methods, using an administratedquestionnaire largely within the Greek parent companies. Our researchrelates to evidence on 44 Greek enterprises, groups of companies, orindividuals who established joint ventures with Eastern European partnersafter 1989. The questionnaire design is based on the notion that theexpansion of the domestic boundaries of the firm abroad, and its decision toestablish an IJV are the outcomes of strategic, financial and country specificmotives.The key results of the thesis are that successful joint ventures inEastern Europe have the following characteristics:1. Dominant control by the Greek partner over the IJV, when the EasternEuropean partner is a bureaucrat.2. Low perceived conflict as regards intensity and frequency over dimensionslike transfer of knowledge.3. High stability as measured by the percentage increase in share capital heldby the Greek partner and by resistance to transformation to wholly ownedsubsidiary status of the IJV.4. Good perceived financial performance.5. Evolution of the IJV such that the Eastern European partner increasinglytakes on a managerial role and becomes attuned to managerial modes ofbehaviour.6. Shared decision making between partners to the IJV beyond the infantstage.

[发布机构] University:University of St Andrews;Department:Economics & Finance (School of)