[go: up one dir, main page]
IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/iburev/v27y2018i3p678-700.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Strategic resource decisions to enhance the performance of global engineering services

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang, Yufeng
  • Yang, Zhibo
  • Zhang, Tao
Abstract
This paper extends our understanding of the internationalisation and firm performance (I-FP) relationship of service firms by considering the influence of strategic decisions on three types of slack resources. The research focusses on an important type of service operations − global engineering services, which are a major part of the global economy and represent a distinctive business model in the contemporary business environment. In doing so, we theorise the I-FP relationship by addressing the knowledge-intensive, project-based and people-centric features of engineering service firms (ESFs); and test the relationship with a carefully assembled dataset containing 12 years’ data from 242 ESFs. We identify a negative overall I-FP relationship, i.e. ESFs’ international expansion leads to worse financial performance in general. The presence of slack resources explains why such a result exists. Our findings have significant implications, both for future research on internationalisation and performance and for firms to effectively deploy their resources to support global service operations in a strategic manner.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Yufeng & Yang, Zhibo & Zhang, Tao, 2018. "Strategic resource decisions to enhance the performance of global engineering services," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 678-700.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:27:y:2018:i:3:p:678-700
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2017.11.004
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096959311730207X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2017.11.004?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gordon E Greenley & Mehmet Oktemgil, 1998. "A Comparison of Slack Resources in High and Low Performing British Companies," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3), pages 377-398, May.
    2. Arie Y Lewin & Silvia Massini & Carine Peeters, 2009. "Why are companies offshoring innovation? The emerging global race for talent," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 40(8), pages 1406-1406, October.
    3. Chang, Shao-Chi & Wang, Chi-Feng, 2007. "The effect of product diversification strategies on the relationship between international diversification and firm performance," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 61-79, March.
    4. Singla, Chitra & George, Rejie, 2013. "Internationalization and performance: A contextual analysis of Indian firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(12), pages 2500-2506.
    5. Lenn Gomes & Kannan Ramaswamy, 1999. "An Empirical Examination of the Form of the Relationship Between Multinationality and Performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(1), pages 173-187, March.
    6. Shin, Joonho & Mendoza, Xavier & Hawkins, Matthew A. & Choi, Changbum, 2017. "The relationship between multinationality and performance: Knowledge-intensive vs. capital-intensive service micro-multinational enterprises," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(5), pages 867-880.
    7. Richard Harris & Qian Cher Li, 2009. "Exporting, R&D, and absorptive capacity in UK establishments," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 61(1), pages 74-103, January.
    8. Miller, Stewart R. & Lavie, Dovev & Delios, Andrew, 2016. "International intensity, diversity, and distance: Unpacking the internationalization–performance relationship," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 907-920.
    9. Arie Lewin & Silvia Massini & Carine Peeters, 2008. "Why are companies offshoring innovation ?the emerging global race for talent," Working Papers CEB 08-009, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    10. Hausman, Jerry, 2015. "Specification tests in econometrics," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 38(2), pages 112-134.
    11. Qian, Gongming, 2002. "Multinationality, product diversification, and profitability of emerging US small- and medium-sized enterprises," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 611-633, October.
    12. Joon-Ho Shin & Xavier Mendoza & Matthew Hawkins & Changbum Choi, 2017. "The Relationship between Multinationality and Performance: Knowledge-Intensive vs. Capital-Intensive Service Micro-Multinational Enterprises," Post-Print hal-01515121, HAL.
    13. Lee, Jooh & Habte-Giorgis, Berhe, 2004. "Empirical approach to the sequential relationships between firm strategy, export activity, and performance in U.S. manufacturing firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 101-129, February.
    14. Daniel, Francis & Lohrke, Franz T. & Fornaciari, Charles J. & Turner, R. Jr., 2004. "Slack resources and firm performance: a meta-analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 57(6), pages 565-574, June.
    15. Geleilate, José-Mauricio G. & Magnusson, Peter & Parente, Ronaldo C. & Alvarado-Vargas, Marcelo J., 2016. "Home Country Institutional Effects on the Multinationality–Performance Relationship: A Comparison Between Emerging and Developed Market Multinationals," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 380-402.
    16. Morck, Randall & Yeung, Bernard, 1991. "Why Investors Value Multinationality," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 64(2), pages 165-187, April.
    17. K Skylar Powell, 2014. "From M–P to MA–P: Multinationality alignment and performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(2), pages 211-226, February.
    18. Christos Pantzalis, 2001. "Does Location Matter? An Empirical Analysis of Geographic Scope and MNC Market Valuation," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 32(1), pages 133-155, March.
    19. Masaaki Kotabe & Srini S Srinivasan & Preet S Aulakh, 2002. "Multinationality and Firm Performance: The Moderating Role of R&D and Marketing Capabilities," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 33(1), pages 79-97, March.
    20. Chiung-Hui Tseng & Patriya Tansuhaj & William Hallagan & James McCullough, 2007. "Effects of firm resources on growth in multinationality," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(6), pages 961-974, November.
    21. Lin, Wen-Ting & Cheng, Kuei-Yang & Liu, Yunshi, 2009. "Organizational slack and firm's internationalization: A longitudinal study of high-technology firms," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 44(4), pages 397-406, October.
    22. Jean-François Hennart, 2007. "The theoretical rationale for a multinationality-performance relationship," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 423-452, June.
    23. Severn, Alan K. & Laurence, Martin M., 1974. "Direct Investment, Research Intensity, and Profitability," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(2), pages 181-190, March.
    24. J. Michael Geringer & Stephen Tallman & David M. Olsen, 2000. "Product and international diversification among Japanese multinational firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(1), pages 51-80, January.
    25. Yuri Mishina & Timothy G. Pollock & Joseph F. Porac, 2004. "Are more resources always better for growth? Resource stickiness in market and product expansion," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(12), pages 1179-1197, December.
    26. Zahra, Shaker A., 2003. "International expansion of U.S. manufacturing family businesses: the effect of ownership and involvement," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 495-512, July.
    27. W. Chan Kim & Peter Hwang & William P. Burgers, 1989. "Global diversification strategy and corporate profit performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(1), pages 45-57, January.
    28. Tsai, Huei-Ting, 2014. "Moderators on international diversification of advanced emerging market firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(6), pages 1243-1248.
    29. Chen, Chung-Jen & Huang, Yi-Fen & Lin, Bou-Wen, 2012. "How firms innovate through R&D internationalization? An S-curve hypothesis," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(9), pages 1544-1554.
    30. Robert M Grant, 1987. "Multinationality and Performance among British Manufacturing Companies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 18(3), pages 79-89, September.
    31. Russell W. Coff, 1999. "When Competitive Advantage Doesn't Lead to Performance: The Resource-Based View and Stakeholder Bargaining Power," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 10(2), pages 119-133, April.
    32. Frances A Katrishen & Nicos A Scordis, 1998. "Economies of Scale in Services: A study of Multinational Insurers," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 29(2), pages 305-323, June.
    33. Winfried Ruigrok & Wolfgang Amann & Hardy Wagner, 2007. "The internationalization-performance relationship at Swiss firms: A test of the S-shape and extreme degrees of internationalization," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 349-368, June.
    34. Westhead, Paul & Wright, Mike & Ucbasaran, Deniz, 2001. "The internationalization of new and small firms: A resource-based view," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 333-358, July.
    35. Israel Shaked, 1986. "Are Multinational Corporations Safer?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 17(1), pages 83-106, March.
    36. Yves Schemeil, 2013. "Bringing International Organization In," Post-Print halshs-00810370, HAL.
    37. Hughes, John S. & Logue, Dennis E. & Sweeney, Richard James, 1975. "Corporate International Diversification and Market Assigned Measures of Risk and Diversification," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(4), pages 627-637, November.
    38. Steven W. Bradley & Dean A. Shepherd & Johan Wiklund, 2011. "The Importance of Slack for New Organizations Facing ‘Tough’ Environments," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48, pages 1071-1097, July.
    39. Farok J Contractor & Sumit K Kundu & Chin-Chun Hsu, 2003. "A three-stage theory of international expansion: the link between multinationality and performance in the service sector," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 34(1), pages 5-18, January.
    40. Chen, Chung-Jen & Huang, Yi-Fen, 2010. "Creative workforce density, organizational slack, and innovation performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(4), pages 411-417, April.
    41. Namrata Malhotra & Timothy Morris, 2009. "Heterogeneity in Professional Service Firms," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(6), pages 895-922, September.
    42. Royston Greenwood & Stan X. Li & Rajshree Prakash & David L. Deephouse, 2005. "Reputation, Diversification, and Organizational Explanations of Performance in Professional Service Firms," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 16(6), pages 661-673, December.
    43. Justin Tan & Mike W. Peng, 2003. "Organizational slack and firm performance during economic transitions: two studies from an emerging economy," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(13), pages 1249-1263, December.
    44. Berger, Allen N & Udell, Gregory F, 1995. "Relationship Lending and Lines of Credit in Small Firm Finance," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 68(3), pages 351-381, July.
    45. Lianxi Zhou & Wei-ping Wu & Xueming Luo, 2007. "Internationalization and the performance of born-global SMEs: the mediating role of social networks," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(4), pages 673-690, July.
    46. Pangarkar, Nitin, 2008. "Internationalization and performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 475-485, October.
    47. Anthony Goerzen & Paul W. Beamish, 2003. "Geographic scope and multinational enterprise performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(13), pages 1289-1306, December.
    48. J Markham Collins, 1990. "A Market Performance Comparison of U.S. Firms Active in Domestic, Developed and Developing Countries," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 21(2), pages 271-287, June.
    49. repec:fth:michin:282 is not listed on IDEAS
    50. Michael Shayne Gary, 2005. "Implementation strategy and performance outcomes in related diversification," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(7), pages 643-664, July.
    51. N Capar & M Kotabe, 2003. "The relationship between international diversification and performance in service firms," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 34(4), pages 345-355, July.
    52. Hsu, Chin-Chun & Pereira, Arun, 2008. "Internationalization and performance: The moderating effects of organizational learning," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 188-205, April.
    53. Xiao Zhang & Weiguo Zhong & Shige Makino, 2015. "Customer involvement and service firm internationalization performance: An integrative framework," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 46(3), pages 355-380, April.
    54. Sokol Celo & Aya Chacar, 2015. "International coherence and MNE performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 46(5), pages 620-628, June.
    55. Carney, Michael & Dieleman, Marleen & Taussig, Markus, 2016. "How are institutional capabilities transferred across borders?," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(6), pages 882-894.
    56. Hsu, Wen-Tsung & Chen, Hsiang-Lan & Cheng, Chia-Yi, 2013. "Internationalization and firm performance of SMEs: The moderating effects of CEO attributes," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 1-12.
    57. Heather Berry & Mauro F Guillén & Nan Zhou, 2010. "An institutional approach to cross-national distance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(9), pages 1460-1480, December.
    58. Lin, Wen-Ting & Liu, Yunshi & Cheng, Kuei-Yang, 2011. "The internationalization and performance of a firm: Moderating effect of a firm's behavior," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 83-95, March.
    59. Arie Lewin & Silvia Massini & Carine Peeters, 2009. "Why are companies offshoring innovation the emerging global race for talent (Journal of International Business Studies (2009) 40 (901-925) DOI:10.1057/jibs.2008.92)," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/205625, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    60. Allen Michel & Israel Shaked, 1986. "Multinational Corporations vs Domestic Corporations: Financial Performance and Characteristics," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 17(3), pages 89-100, September.
    61. Elitsa R Banalieva & Charles Dhanaraj, 2013. "Home-region orientation in international expansion strategies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 44(2), pages 89-116, February.
    62. Andrew Delios & Paul W. Beamish, 1999. "Ownership strategy of Japanese firms: transactional, institutional, and experience influences," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(10), pages 915-933, October.
    63. Contractor, Farok J. & Kumar, Vikas & Kundu, Sumit K., 2007. "Nature of the relationship between international expansion and performance: The case of emerging market firms," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 42(4), pages 401-417, December.
    64. Valentina Marano & Jean-Luc Arregle & Michael Hitt & Ettore Spadafora & Marc van Essen, 2016. "Home Country Institutions and the Internationalization-Performance Relationship : A Meta-Analytic Review," Post-Print hal-02313365, HAL.
    65. Gongming Qian & Lee Li & Ji Li & Zhengming Qian, 2008. "Regional diversification and firm performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 39(2), pages 197-214, March.
    66. Bello, Daniel C. & Radulovich, Lori P. & Javalgi, Rajshekhar (Raj) G. & Scherer, Robert F. & Taylor, Jennifer, 2016. "Performance of professional service firms from emerging markets: Role of innovative services and firm capabilities," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 413-424.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Evers, Natasha & Ojala, Arto & Sousa, Carlos M.P. & Criado-Rialp, Alex, 2023. "Unraveling business model innovation in firm internationalization: A systematic literature review and future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    2. Phuong V. Nguyen & Hien Thi Ngoc Huynh & Hoa Doan Xuan Trieu & Khoa T. Tran, 2019. "Internationalization, Strategic Slack Resources, and Firm Performance: The Case Study of Vietnamese Enterprises," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-24, September.
    3. Bag, Surajit & Gupta, Shivam & Kumar, Sameer, 2021. "Industry 4.0 adoption and 10R advance manufacturing capabilities for sustainable development," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    4. Huanyong Ji & Guannan Xu & Yuan Zhou & Zhongzhen Miao, 2019. "The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Firms’ Innovation in China: The Role of Institutional Support," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-20, November.
    5. Dayuan Li & Yuqing Zhao & Ding Wang & Lu Zhang & Yang Liu, 2023. "Too Far East is West: CEO Overconfidence Influences Firm Internationalization in Emerging Economies," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 63(3), pages 377-402, June.
    6. Lina Liu & Bo Yu & Weiwei Wu, 2019. "The Formation and Effects of Exploitative Dynamic Capabilities and Explorative Dynamic Capabilities: An Empirical Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-21, May.
    7. Jun Wan & Yongsheng Jin & Huanyong Ji, 2023. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Green Innovation: The Moderating Roles of Unabsorbed Slack Resources and Media Evaluation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-15, March.
    8. Liu, Tiansen & Song, Yazhi & Xing, Xinpeng & Zhu, Yue & Qu, Zhengyu, 2021. "Bridging production factors allocation and environmental performance of China’s heavy-polluting energy firms: The moderation effect of financing and internationalization," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    9. Callaghan, Christian William, 2021. "Consequences of deindustrialisation for globalisation: Insights for international business," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(3).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Quyen T. K. Nguyen, 2017. "Multinationality and Performance Literature: A Critical Review and Future Research Agenda," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 57(3), pages 311-347, June.
    2. Yong Yang & Nigel Driffield, 2012. "Multinationality-Performance Relationship," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 52(1), pages 23-47, February.
    3. Joonho Shin & Xavier Mendoza & Changbum Choi, 2022. "Do internationalizing business group affiliates perform better after promarket reforms? Evidence from Korean SMEs," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(2), pages 805-841, June.
    4. Arte, Pratik & Larimo, Jorma, 2022. "Moderating influence of product diversification on the international diversification-performance relationship: A meta-analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 1408-1423.
    5. Buigues, Pierre-André & Lacoste, Denis & Lavigne, Stéphanie, 2015. "When over internationalized companies reduce their international footprint," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 1039-1047.
    6. Alice Schmuck & Katarina Lagerström & James Sallis, 2022. "Turning the Tables: The Relationship Between Performance and Multinationality," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 62(1), pages 3-26, February.
    7. Nguyen, Quyen T.K. & Kim, Sylvia, 2020. "The multinationality and performance relationship: Revisiting the literature and exploring the implications," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(2).
    8. Benito-Osorio, Diana & Colino, Alberto & Guerras-Martín, Luis Ángel & Zúñiga-Vicente, José Ángel, 2016. "The international diversification-performance link in Spain: Does firm size really matter?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 548-558.
    9. Verbeke, Alain & Brugman, Paul, 2009. "Triple-testing the quality of multinationality-performance research: An internalization theory perspective," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 265-275, June.
    10. Nicole Franziska Richter, 2014. "Information Costs in International Business: Analyzing the Effects of Economies of Scale, Cultural Diversity and Decentralization," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 54(2), pages 171-193, April.
    11. Yong Yang & Pedro S. Martins & Nigel Driffield, 2013. "Multinational Performance and the Geography of FDI," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 53(6), pages 763-794, December.
    12. Lei Li, 2008. "Multinationality and technical efficiency: A neglected perspective," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 39-64, February.
    13. Afrifa, Godfred Adjapong & Amankwah-Amoah, Joseph & Yamoah, Fred & Acquaye, Adolf & Syllias, Johnny & Quaye, Enoch Nii Boi, 2022. "Regional development, innovation systems and service companies’ performance," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    14. Contractor, Farok J. & Kumar, Vikas & Kundu, Sumit K., 2007. "Nature of the relationship between international expansion and performance: The case of emerging market firms," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 42(4), pages 401-417, December.
    15. Phuong V. Nguyen & Hien Thi Ngoc Huynh & Hoa Doan Xuan Trieu & Khoa T. Tran, 2019. "Internationalization, Strategic Slack Resources, and Firm Performance: The Case Study of Vietnamese Enterprises," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-24, September.
    16. Xiao, Simon Shufeng & Jeong, Insik & Moon, Jon Jungbien & Chung, Chris Changwha & Chung, Jaiho, 2013. "Internationalization and Performance of Firms in China: Moderating Effects of Governance Structure and the Degree of Centralized Control," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 19(2), pages 118-137.
    17. de Jong, Gjalt & van Houten, Jerry, 2014. "The impact of MNE cultural diversity on the internationalization-performance relationship," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 313-326.
    18. Pangarkar, Nitin, 2008. "Internationalization and performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 475-485, October.
    19. Hien Thi Ngoc Huynh & Phuong V. Nguyen & Khoa T. Tran, 2018. "Internationalization and Performance of Vietnamese Manufacturing Firms: Does Organizational Slack Matter?," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-15, October.
    20. Garbe, Jan-Nicolas & Richter, Nicole Franziska, 2009. "Causal analysis of the internationalization and performance relationship based on neural networks -- advocating the transnational structure," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 413-431, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:27:y:2018:i:3:p:678-700. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/133/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.