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Using data from the Hong Kong electronics industry, this paper studies the “make” or “buy” decisions associated with export channel strategies (Peng, Zhou, & York, 2006). Findings show that the integrated channels (the “make” decision in transaction cost theory) play a more important role on exporting than the market governance channels (the “buy” decision, i.e., buying channel services from local export intermediaries). In addition to manufacturers’ integrated channels, from the buyers’ standpoint, we find two active integrated channels, namely, (1) the buying offices of firms from developed economies which are located in Hong Kong and (2) the regular visiting buyers of firms from developed economies. These two export channels are integrated channels from the buyers’ standpoint. They are not found in the export distribution structure of developed economies. This paper explains the development and the importance of these buyers’ channels in newly industrialized economies. It also examines the similarities and dissimilarities of export behavior between manufacturing firms in developed and newly industrialized economies, using Hong Kong as an example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the effects of quota restrictions on textile and garment exports from China. These restrictions will only make more powerful competitors in the market. Producers from growing economies will be pressured to displace production to countries that do not fall within the umbrella of quota restrictions. It was also shown that the Multi-Fibre Arrangement has affected the internationalization of the garment companies in Hong Kong.

Shopping is one of the most enjoyable leisure-time activities for many tourists. It is, for some destinations, the primary reason for tourism. This article introduces a conceptual model on cross-border shopping built on the extant literature of outshopping, cross-border shopping, and border travel. The authors incorporate macro- and microanalytical factors that influence cross-border shopping behavior. It is hypothesized that market and consumer characteristics (i.e., macro and micro factors) affect cross-border shopping. The model has been tested with data collected from 1,000 Hong Kong residents. Findings of this study confirmed that cross-border shopping behavior was affected by the macro-environmental factors (market characteristics) of the shopping area and socioeconomic as well as motivational characteristics of the consumer (microanalytical factors). On the other hand, the impact of traveling distance between the tourist's place of residence and the shopping area on cross-border shopping was found to be nonsignificant. Implications for retailers and tourism-related institutions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an argument that the channel of distribution reflects the economic development of a country. China is a developing country. When supermarket technology was introduced to China in 1981, supermarkets were mainly serving visitors from overseas. When the economic environment improved during the 1990s, supermarkets in China shifted focus to the local community. The findings of this study showed that the nature of problems faced by supermarkets changed over time during the past 18 years. In the 1980s, most of the problems were related to technology transfer and the support from supplementary industries. In the 1990s, the problems were mainly related to competition and management issues. If China joins the WTO the Chinese government will speed up the development of the service industry. Supermarkets will then become a new power in the retailing industry in China. Multinational retailing giants will play a significant role in the technology transfer. However, their presence will also create tremendous pressure on local operators, forcing many inefficient ones out of the retailing scene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which introduced a theoretical model of production cycle of manufacturing industry (PCMI), which extends the international product life cycle to emerging economies. Parts of PCMI; Data sources; Results and discussion.

This article focuses on the multinational companies of the developing countries. Firms in developed countries or countries with a large domestic market tend to show less interest in exporting or in expanding business to foreign markets. Literature on the export behaviour of firms suggested that the export development process is a process of incremental commitment. Risk on capital involvement in foreign operations is the major consideration during the internationalization process. To sum up the views above, we can come to the conclusion that the internationalization process of a firm does not necessarily conflict with the internalization theory. They are in fact complementary to each other. For firms with limited resources, they tend to choose the incremental approach of internationalization, but for others, they have the option of selecting the three alternatives. Even for those choosing the incremental approach of internationalization, they are in fact building up firm-specific knowledge on soft technology over time. Once they have accumulated sufficient financial resources and/or human resources, the firm may internalize its firm-specific advantages through foreign direct investment, or contractual arrangements.

The underlying factors of consumer outshopping patterns have drawn various attention, both from scholars and practitioners. Outshopping is a significant retailing phenomenon, not only because of its managerial implications to retailers but also because of its influence on urban planning. The other approaches, such as demographic, socio-economic and psychographic approaches focus on the characteristics and attitudes of outshoppers, and their implications for the local community. All these approaches have one thing in common, that is they study the outshopping behaviour through the analysis of people. People are segmented into different groups, such as outshoppers versus inshoppers; frequent outshoppers versus infrequent outshoppers; and etc. The largest photographic equipment retailing chain store in Hong Kong was selected for this study. One hundred consumers were interviewed at the time of purchasing cameras. Ninety four questionnaires were usable. Ten districts in Hong Kong were covered, which included the four major shopping districts in Hong Kong, namely, Central, Tai Hang, Tsimshatsui, and Mongkok. Consumers were particularly requested to answer the question of why they bought the camera from the district. The purpose of this personal interview is to cross check with the results concluded from the sales record analysis.

Irrespective of the potential benefits associated with the international transfer of retail technology, the question over the appropriateness of marketing technology of Western origin in different socio-cultural settings is yet to be answered. Using the supermarket technology in Hong Kong as an example, this paper shows that the transference of the retail technology from one market to another is highly dependent on the socio-cultural environment. It concludes that in effecting an international transfer, a retailer may have to be satisfied with an incomplete transfer, proceed in a gradual, evolutionary process and maintain an adaptative interaction with the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents abstracts and keyword of several articles. In "Rural Outshopping in Australia: The Bathurst-Orange Region," it says that net retail trade flow and outshopping specifically have been examined from a variety of different aspects. All earlier works used some adjusted income data to determine total retail expenditures, however, these expenditures were not adjusted according to spending behaviour of the various income groups. This particular study determines net effect of outshopping and inshopping levels based on retail expenditures which are calculated for each income group within an area. Since 1965 Japan has been a significant market for Australian "wild-caught" shrimp taken from fisheries off northern Australia. Recent developments in shrimp culture, however, have resulted in he entry of high-quality, lower-priced shrimp into the Japanese market from North-east and South-east Asia, displacing the Australian product from its previously competitive position. The advent of optical scanning technology at supermarket checkouts has meant the replacement of item pricing by shelf pricing and an accompanied concern about price accuracy.