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The Sustainable Competitive Advantage and Catching-up of Nations: FDI, Clusters and the Liability (Asset) of Smallness

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  • Christos N. Pitelis

    (University of Cambridge)

Abstract

and Key Results We explore the role of foreign direct investment and (its relationship to) clusters for the competitiveness (and catching-up) of small(er) developing countries. We suggest that while size per se need not matter, small(er) developing countries need to explicitly account for any liabilities of smallness when devising and implementing strategies for competitiveness and catching-up. We claim that international strategic management scholarship can add insights on this important issue, by complementing extant literature and contributions by international trade and economic development scholarship.

Suggested Citation

  • Christos N. Pitelis, 2009. "The Sustainable Competitive Advantage and Catching-up of Nations: FDI, Clusters and the Liability (Asset) of Smallness," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 95-120, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:manint:v:49:y:2009:i:1:d:10.1007_s11575-008-0127-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s11575-008-0127-4
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    Cited by:

    1. Ioanna Boulouta & Christos Pitelis, 2014. "Who Needs CSR? The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on National Competitiveness," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 119(3), pages 349-364, February.
    2. Harzing, Anne-Wil & Giroud, Axèle, 2014. "The competitive advantage of nations: An application to academia," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 8(1), pages 29-42.
    3. Joseph T. Mahoney & Anita M. McGahan & Christos N. Pitelis, 2009. "Perspective ---The Interdependence of Private and Public Interests," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 20(6), pages 1034-1052, December.
    4. Genc, Omer F. & Luo, Dan, 2024. "A different view on acquisition paradox: Empirical examination of international acquisitions from competitiveness perspective," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    5. Dmitry Khanin & Robert Rosenfield & Raj V. Mahto & Cherry Singhal, 2022. "Barriers to entrepreneurship: opportunity recognition vs. opportunity pursuit," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 1147-1167, May.
    6. Christos N. Pitelis & Pellumb Kelmendi, 2011. "European Industrial Policy: Perspectives, Trends and a Sustainability-focused New Framework," Chapters, in: Miroslav N. Jovanović (ed.), International Handbook on the Economics of Integration, Volume II, chapter 2, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    7. Pitelis, Christos, 2009. "Edith Penrose’s ‘The Theory of the Growth of the Firm’ Fifty Years Later," MPRA Paper 23180, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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