AIB Special Theme Conference

      Academy of International Business Special Theme Conference           Sustainable Development and International Competitiveness of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in the Post COVID-19 Era

Date: 10-11 June 2023

Venue: University of Nottingham Ningbo China

Co-Hosts

Nottingham University Business School China, University of Nottingham Ningbo China

School of Business, East China University of Science and Technology

School of Management, University of San Francisco

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the entire business world and driven out many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in particular, in the hospitality and service industries. The situation has been exacerbated by the resurgent protectionism/populism, the tendency of deglobalization, and the potential decoupling between the world’s two largest economies. Nevertheless, some SMEs have weathered the disruptions effectively and shown strong competitiveness even in the global arena, in particular, those labelled as hidden champions or niche leaders.

What are the challenges as well as opportunities for SMEs in the post COVID-19 era? What could many SMEs learn from the hidden champions or niche leaders and develop sustainable business and international competitiveness in the coming years? Specifically, how would SMEs rejuvenate their businesses and ventures internationally? What would be their viable internationalization processes? How would they handle legitimization complexity influenced by their home and host country institutional environments? What about national security concerns faced by certain high-tech specialists?

We stress that the research issues as mentioned above are becoming even more important in today’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) global environment. In this special theme conference, we encourage scholars in international business and other related areas such as international economics to share/disseminate their innovative research on the evolving global environments SMEs are facing and their sustainable development and international competitiveness in the future.

This AIB special theme conference is organized through the cooperation among AIB Asia Pacific Chapter, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, East China University of Science and Technology, and University of San Francisco. It is fully supported by AIB global leadership and AIB Asia Pacific Chapter Executive board. Among others, the following AIB fellows have confirmed their attendance and will give keynote speeches or deliver plenary panels during the conference.

• JT Li, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (in-person)
• Jane Lu, City University of Hong Kong (in-person)
• Jeremy Clegg, University of Leeds (virtually)
• Gary Knight, Willamette University (virtually)
• Nicole Coviello, Wilfried Laurier University (virtually)

The conference is dedicated to providing a platform for participants to communicate with one another on important international business issues, particularly those focusing on sustainable development and international competitiveness of SMEs in the post COVID-19 era. Some important research issues include:

• What drives international venturing of different types of SMEs? Are there some conspicuous differences between emerging and developed economy SMEs?
• Are there differential/unique foreign market entries and internationalization processes for SMEs in the post-COVID 19 era, especially in the contexts of Asian countries?
• How do hidden champions operate in the global arena? Are they less vulnerable than other SMEs in face of global value chain reconfiguration?
• What international strategies and how do hidden champions pursue in face of global institutional changes?
• What is the impact of China’s Road and Belt Initiative on international venturing of SMEs, especially in relation to sustainable development?
• Would SMEs become more innovative in the process of internationalization based on learning and international alliances/networking?
• How do digital technologies affect the sustainable development and international venturing of SMEs?
• How do formal and informal institutions in home and host countries affect the legitimacy of SMEs? Are certain high-tech SMEs, for example, ill perceived and treated in some host countries due to national security concerns?
• How do deglobalization and/or decoupling shape innovation, strategy, global talent flow, global value chain and sustainable development? What are the implications for SMEs based in the Asia Pacific region?

• Research Purpose
• Research Design/Research Methods
• Research Findings
• Contributions and Limitations
• Practical Implications

Panel proposals must be submitted by the panel chair. All panel proposals must include:

• A Title Page that includes the panel name, the session format (e.g., regular panel, debate, roundtable discussion) and the panel participants.
• The name, affiliation, email address, and role of each participant in the panel (chair, other panelists). All panelists listed in the submission must appear and present at the conference. Each panel must designate a chair.
• An overview of the main issue(s) addressed or arguments to be made by the panel.
• Copies of emails from each participant stating they agree to participate in the panel if the proposal is accepted.

For general inquiries and questions about the conference, please contact Yuxue Luo, Yuxue.Luo@nottingham.edu.cn.

Click HERE to download the full version of the Call for papers.

Click HERE for the conference information on the AIB website.

Click HERE for photos taken at the conference