<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><bold>Objective:</bold> The article’s purpose is twofold: 1) to demonstrate how a corporate culture influences an enterprise’s success, and 2) how important it is to follow its values throughout the business down to each individual employee.<bold>Methodology:</bold> The study shows how the structure of a business and its success are affected by being family-owned company. The paper is based on expert individual semi-structured in-depth interviews with selected board members as well as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of a foreign subsidiary.<bold>Findings:</bold> The findings illustrate how the guidelines set up by the mother company affect daily activities. Furthermore, the results indicate how the company’s objectives are accompanied by the defined corporate values, and how they are transferred to the management team and each employee.<bold>Value Added:</bold> The study, which is rather of a practical nature, proposes some management rules applying to the daily work of the Board, the COOs and the units abroad. This policy gives an insight how the family enterprise communicates its values and beliefs in order to maintain definite working practices around the world.<bold>Recommendations:</bold> The paper gives an insight into the international market challenges for family-owned businesses, using August Storck KG as an example. In any firm, corporate culture should be built on stable and timeless values repetitively displayed, reflected in all activities and internalized by the entire team. The key is the need to connect the company’s goals with the values resulting from being a family business. Consequently, employees have a great interest in a positive development of the firm and hence give their best working expertise to ensure it.</abstract>

Company Values – A Case Study of the Family Enterprise August Storck KG

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><bold>Objective:</bold> The aim of the study is to identify the scope in which business groups in Poland apply the diversification strategy and examine it influence on the performance of a business group.<bold>Methodology:</bold> The research method is a critical analysis of academic literature as well as documents analysis (desk research). Authors applied also statistical inference.<bold>Findings:</bold> Conducted research on business groups in Poland showed that business groups in Poland are moderately diversified. The study showed also that the diversification strategy does not differentiate the performance of business groups.<bold>Value Added:</bold> The paper is a unique summary of the researches about diversification strategy and business group performance. The theory review and empirical studies deepen research on business groups and their strategies.<bold>Recommendations:</bold> It is recommended for business groups to explore the diversification strategies in the context of performance as implementing it may be crucial for further business group development.</abstract>

The Diversification Strategy and Business Groups’ Performance in Poland

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><bold>Objective:</bold> This study explores the settlement decisions of Serbian self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) in the United States.<bold>Methodology:</bold> Using qualitative phenomenological inquiry, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 Serbian SIEs, and the data were analyzed through the framework analysis method. This explorative study focused on individual preferences and processes, social interactions, and socio-economic environment through the concepts of decision theory, acculturation orientation, and transnational attachment.<bold>Findings:</bold> Serbian SIEs were motivated to migrate to the United States for career opportunities, self-worth validation, departure from social norms placed by the Serbian society, and normal, happy lives. Their decisions to stay were deeply influenced by their family members, possible repatriation or further journey dependent on favorable opportunities at home, potential boredom with a current lifestyle, and intention to start a family. Serbian SIEs navigated the macro system based on knowledge gained through exploration and transnational networks. They chose the path of individualism and integration in terms of their acculturation orientation, which put them in balanced position for their own well-being. Serbian SIEs deliberately chose metropolitan areas, in which transnational attachments were fostered, and more opportunities arose.<bold>Value added:</bold> Living in a culturally plural society has become a reality, leading to acculturation among migrants. If policy makers, hiring organizations, social service agencies, immigration officials, and law enforcement agencies understand why people choose to permanently relocate, they can also provide appropriate and relevant help in their adjustment challenges.<bold>Recommendations:</bold> The research on migration and SIEs’ decisions shows strong evidence that it relates to economic and professional gain as well as social networks and family ties; however, economic and social factors are not the only ones influencing migration decisions. Studies that call for both person- and institutional level are needed for deeper understanding of migration and settlement decisions as parameters exploring the consequences of immigration, crucial for the development of the intercultural management field. This way, both micro- and macro-level aspects would be equally highlighted, while meso-level information would serve for providing the connection between the two.</abstract>

Choice Under Uncertainty: The Settlement Decisions of Serbian Self-Initiated Expatriates in the United States

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><bold>Objective:</bold> The goal of the article is to study the problem of identification of the correlation between the goals and development strategies of network structures (organizations) and the goals and strategies of SMEs, realization of their harmonization and synergy effect generation as well as adaptation of typical strategies to the conditions of functioning of small and medium-sized family businesses within network structures.<bold>Methodology:</bold> Theoretical (critical analysis of sources, data systematization, statistical analysis, comparative analysis, hypothesis formulation, etc.) and empirical (survey method, observation, critical analysis, hypothesis verification, etc.) research methods are used in the article. In order to study the prospects of and readiness of small enterprises for cooperation within network structures an express questionnaire online survey of the representatives of small companies in different sectors of Lviv and Lviv region (Ukraine) was conducted. The sample included 134 respondents.<bold>Findings:</bold> Calculation and statistical analysis of empirical material collected within the survey has not confirmed the assumption made by the authors about presupposed that the overwhelming majority of the representatives of small and micro enterprises would be open to (ready for) cooperation in the supply chains, ready for close interaction in the field of IC, business process integration with the supply network or chain participants/partners, etc. Only 7.6% are ready to be active participants of network structures, 84.6% are not yet clear about that, while 7.8% object to such cooperation. Less than 40% are ready to integrate their ICs with the ICs of network participants, and the same is the number of those who are not yet clear about that. The largest number of negative answers was given to the question about the readiness to share competences, expertise with network participants – 38.5% and 30.7% are not clear about that. Commodity (service) certification procedure is the direction where the representatives of SMEs showed the strongest readiness for cooperation (69.2%)<bold>Value Added:</bold> The article suggests a model of the mechanism of strategic development of small and medium-sized family businesses in the supply chain. This model involves, primarily, combination of strategies specific to the micro level and integrated systems, and secondly, delineation of typifying of strategic decisions in such areas as the basic strategies of competitive behaviour, strategies of supply chain development, strategies of supply system planning, relationship institutionalization strategies and specialization strategies.<bold>Recommendations:</bold> Modern supply networks and chains must possess a considerable elasticity potential that will enable them to successful adjust to the turbulent environment. Such elasticity potential should be developed via involvement of small and medium-sized enterprises with a relatively narrow specialization. Such process must take place in the context of well-grounded decisions of out/insourcing in the distribution system and towards construction of network structures in the strategic dimension. Involvement of small and medium-sized enterprises will contribute to increased elasticity of network structures’ means.</abstract>

Competitiveness of Family SMEs in the Supply Chain

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><bold>Objective:</bold> This paper aims to summarize and discuss key findings in the literature around the main responses used by incumbents in order to anticipate or counter-attack disruptive up-starters and hence to partially or totally tackle the innovator’s dilemma.<bold>Methodology:</bold> The research method is based on critical and comparative literature review. Hence, by narrowing down the scope of studies papers using a multi-stage selection process, this paper discusses other scholars’ research and findings on the topic of disruption innovation and the directions well-established firms choose to avoid being disrupted.<bold>Findings:</bold> This paper enumerated some main strategies invoked in a finely selected literature advised for incumbents wiling to escape disruptive threats. It suggests that these strategies share a common exploitation/exploration basis but are implemented in distinct ways and have different impacts across the organization. It also discovered many missing parts in the literature that stand for interesting research opportunities.<bold>Value added:</bold> This literature review contributes to the current body of knowledge by providing an overview of the main incumbents’ responses to disruptive threats. It also identifies some current gaps in research and provides recommendations on how to close them.<bold>Recommendations:</bold> This paper builds on hitherto literature in order to present state-of-the art approaches to disrupt or resist disruption. It categorizes these responses into internal and external, and proactive vs. reactive. While these strategies are studied in different contexts and are labeled distinctly, this study proposes a common frame displaying a similar underlying purpose to all of them. It also provides some updated research avenues for scholars to inspect.</abstract>

Innovator’s Dilemma: Review of the Main Responses to Disruptive Innovation

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><bold>Objective:</bold> The phenomenon of ethnocentrism in the public sector has not been well recognized. The study was aimed at initiating an effort to fill the research gap by introducing the concept of “public ethnocentrism” and presenting empirical evidence from a preliminary test of the concept.<bold>Methodology:</bold> while analysing and seeking full contextual understanding of the public ethnocentrism the ethnographic public representative’s observation and open-ended interviews have been chosen. Study of public ethnocentrism in Poland have been supplemented by interviews with 11 representatives of public sector from the USA, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Indonesia, Malaysia, Tanzania, Namibia and Mexico.<bold>Findings:</bold> Studies have shown a scale of willingness to use an ethnocentric attitude when making decisions in a public organization. It was found that public ethnocentrism restricts innovation by disrupting public choice.<bold>Value Added:</bold> Two new research questions are identified.<bold>Recommendations:</bold> There is a need to create an Ethnocentrism Perception Index (EPI). The tendency for ethnocentric behaviour should be taken into accounts when determining whether formal and informal institutions are conducive to running a business in a given country.</abstract>

Public Ethnocentrism. An Obstacle of Worldwide Economic Development: Concept and a Preliminary Research

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Journal of Intercultural Management

 The Journal of Intercultural Management (JOIM) focuses on issues related to the management of global enterprises, both in a practical and theoretical context.  The recent development of corporate globalization has brought to the fore the importance of intercultural management. Cultural backgrounds have been a huge game changer in the communication between people of different cultures both on a national and organizational level. Together with verbal communication, the underlying values and norms have always been an important element in international management practices. Often these issues are not fully appreciated and therefore there is a need for corporate leaders and managers to be informed about and to remain up-to-date with differences in language, behaviour, attitude and cultrure in order to fully utilize the advantages brought about by diversity. It is this intercultural intelligence which leads to tolerance and empathy between people of which is necessary for a harmonious working environment between employers and colleagues with varying beliefs and values.  The Journal of Intercultural Management analyzes intercultural management issues brought about by different cultural components. Other areas this journal include: international business strategy, risk management, human resource management and organizational behaviour.  A strict and thorough expert/peer review process precedes the publication of any article in this journal, with the review process taking anywhere from four to eight weeks. Editors subsequently inform the author(s) of their article review process and the manuscript may either be accepted for publication or rejected, depending on the outcome of the evaluation. Author(s) of an accepted paper is/are invited to submit their final manuscript which is then published in the Journal after all changes and requirements have been fulfilled. They are also invited to give a paper presentation of their work at conferences on 'Intercultural Management'.   Archiving  Sciendo archives the contents of this journal in Portico - digital long-term preservation service of scholarly books, journals and collections.  Plagiarism Policy  The editorial board is participating in a growing community of Similarity Check System's users in order to ensure that the content published is original and trustworthy. Similarity Check is a medium that allows for comprehensive manuscripts screening, aimed to eliminate plagiarism and provide a high standard and quality peer-review process. 