State-owned enterprises in the contemporary global business scenario: introduction

• Date: 05 March 2018
• Pages: 98-112
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPSM-01-2018-0015
• Published date: 05 March 2018
• Author: En Xie,K.S. Redding
• Subject Matter: Public policy & environmental management,Politics,Public adminstration & management

State-owned enterprises in the

contemporary global business

scenario: introduction

En Xie

The School of Economics and Management, Tongji University,

Shanghai, China, and

K.S. Redding

School of Management, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an, China

Abstract

Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue on state-owned enterprises (SOEs)

in the contemporary global business scenario. Against the theoretical background of and the invited themes

for the special issue, the paper presents a summary of key findings and practical implications of the accepted

papers and suggests future research directions.

Design/methodology/approach –The paper is conceptual, which organized through utilitarianism or

legitimism; SOEs scenario 1 –hungry fox, hunting bears; SOEs scenario 2 –dancing elephant, flying bears;

what do we know and what we wish to explore; what have been examined; what we need to study further;

closing note by bears’well-wishers; and protocol of the special issue.

Findings –By deeply looking into emerging economies (China, India), developed economies (Denmark, Italy,

Sweden), transition economies (Tunisia) and diverse sectors (public transport, space), coupled with cross-

country sample data, the nine accepted papers have discussed several interesting findings and recommended

numerous implications for the policymakers and SOEs’managers. Drawing upon the interdisciplinary

literature, empirical and qualitative papers would deepen the understanding of the growth strategies and

performance of SOEs, and the application of management theories such as institutional theory, agency theory,

social exchange theory, managerial grid theory, incomplete contracts theory and public governance view,

among others. The issue also brings a review-cum-citation analysis paper on the impact of privatization on

the performance of SOEs.

Originality/value –The papers have made unique contributions to the public economics, new public

management, international business and organizational development literature by critically analyzing the

burgeoning phenomenon of the changing dynamics and globalization of SOEs.

Keywords Disinvestment, Cross-border mergers and acquisitions, Internationalization, Privatization,

State-owned enterprises, Outward foreign direct investment

Paper type Viewpoint

1. Opening note

With a great pleasureand academic determination,we are honored to be the Guest Editorsof

InternationalJournal of Public Sector Management’s(IJPSM) special issue on “Corporatization

to globalization: the changing dynamics and performance of state-owned enterprises”

(Volume 31, No. 2, 2018). Thiscolloquium is the inspiration of IJPSM’s previous special issue

(Volume 28, Nos 4/5, 2015) on “corporate governance in SOEs”(Grossi et al., 2015).

2. Utilitarianism or legitimism

The most important resource in this universe is “information.”The procurement and

assessment of the information is a cyclical process of nature creationsand artificial creations,

which help people and organizations to make creative decisions for their happiness and

survival. The point we wish to emphasize here is “happiness”and hence, we accept t hat

happiness arises from amity and hand-in-hand among stakeholders, but not just from our

pockets. In that sense,creating happiness is the foremost purposeof the state or the so-called

government (inspired by the school of utilitarianism, Jeremy Bentham and followers).

International Journal of Public

Sector Management

Vol. 31 No. 2, 2018

pp. 98-112

© Emerald PublishingLimited

0951-3558

DOI 10.1108/IJPSM-01-2018-0015

Received 16 January 2018

Accepted 16 January 2018

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

www.emeraldinsight.com/0951-3558.htm

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