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This study attempts to identify conditions under which announcements of international joint venture (JV) formation lead to increases in shareholder value of participating U.S. firms. It does so by combining the singular theoretical foci of previous work on the topic and specifying previously unconsidered, but conceptually important, influences on firms' expected JV performance. The study's findings indicate support for the hypothesized effect of variables in partners' task-related, competitive, and structural context(s), but not those in these firms' partner-related and institutional context(s). Specifically, partner–venture business relatedness, the pursuit of R&D-oriented activity, greater equity ownership, and large firm size, all are found to have a positive impact on firms' JV-based value creation. Although this study finds support for the performance impact of firm-level competition, the direction of this impact is contrary to that hypothesized. No support is found for hypothesized effect of partner–partner business relatedness, previous JV experience, partners' relative firm size, (national) cultural relatedness, and JV host country political risk. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

How can executives achieve a match between expected external environmental conditions and internal organizational capabilities that facilitates improved performance? This paper argues that a firm's choice of ‘reference points’ can help achieve strategic alignment capable of yielding improved performance and potentially even a sustainable competitive advantage. Building upon prospect theory and other relevant theoretical perspectives, the strategic reference point (SRP) matrix is developed. A firm's SRP consists of three dimensions: internal capability, external conditions, and time. A theory is developed which posits an optimal SRP structure, and propositions are offered which articulate the expected relationships between the SRP, strategic choice behavior, and firm performance. The paper closes with some suggestions for using strategic reference points in both research and practice.

This essay examines the relationship between strategic management and economics. It introduces the special issue on this same topic by providing a guide to the eight papers contained in the special issue, and it offers the guest editors viewpoints on the contributions of each discipline to the other. The essay notes the major contribution from economics has been primarily from the industrial organization literature, with promises of important gains to be made from the ‘new’ economics as it breaks away from the neoclassical theory of the firm. Contributions from strategic management to economics are noted. Areas for further research utilizing the relationship between strategic management and economics are also indicated.