Emerging Market Multinationals and Europe: Challenges and Strategies

Abstract

Emerging Market Multinationals and Europe: Challenges and Strategies, edited by Breinbauer et al., is the fruit of a five year long research project carried out by a group of scholars with expertise rooted in different disciplines (economics, economic geography, sociology, management, and political science). The volume’s main objective is to unveil the future impact of emerging multinational companies’ investments on European countries, using a multidimensional approach. Throughout the book, the focus of the authors was captured mainly by China’s multinational companies in Europe. However, a few parts of the book have selected Brazilian, Turkish, and Russian companies as case studies. The six parts of the volume include approximately three chapters each. Each of the chapters adopts different methods, case studies, and structures, all while contributing to the book’s objective. The book offers three main findings as follows. First, the key element to strengthening the European economy and business is a prudent location policy. Second, a smart public location policy can lead to the creation of a sustainable and mutually beneficial business location for foreign investors and host markets. Finally, emerging multinationals’ investments must not only contribute to the creation of long-term jobs and improvement of the host country’s overall well-being, but they should also generate benefits for the society regionally, nationally, and on the European level. Furthermore, they must be in line with the objectives of the regional economic policy of the host country. The book fills a gap in the literature to provide much needed answers to ease the rising concerns in several developed countries regarding the impacts of emerging multinational companies’ investments on the advanced economies. In addition, it offers a guide for European decision-makers and institutions to formulate policies and strategies that would help attract long-term and stable investments to improve the general well-being of their nations without negative impacts. The first part offers an empirical and theoretical overview, the second part addresses the internal governance and decision making of an emerging multinational, and the third part focuses on the impact emerging multinationals have on sustainability and the different strategies these entities use to measure their commitment to their host countries’ sustainability goals.