ABSTRACT
This book focuses on the question of how firms attain a sustainable competitive advantage in a global environment. It is appropriate to begin by examining the relevant literature in the field of international business. This review has two main purposes. First, it is necessary to clarify exactly what is meant by the term ‘global environment’. A great deal of ambiguity exists in the use of terminology, with the adjective ‘global’ being interpreted in different ways by different authors. These interpretations are examined and a definition of global environment is proposed. Second, it is necessary to take stock of what is already known about the nature of competition in a global environment to provide a foundation for further work. As noted in Chapter 1, the international business literature is a broad and diverse body of thought that has grown dramatically in the past three decades. A selective review of this literature is conducted, focusing on the question of competition between firms. The findings of this review are presented, an assessment of the current state of knowledge is made and some conclusions are drawn.
