ABSTRACT
This chapter examines global trends towards achieving standardization of management concepts and looks at the remaining national differences. In general, the various connections between the socioeconomic and political levels of market coordination are subject to our analysis. The aim is to survey the political and fiscal challenges resulting from the growing influence of value added concepts and shareholder value orientation in Europe and East Asia. Economic coordination takes place within firms at a domestic and transnational level. In order to reduce complexity, it focuses on cross-border R&D investments and R&D policy in China. The emphasis on shareholder orientation is a response to heightened pressure of competition and the dominance of financial markets. The rationale for choosing China lies in its increasing importance as an actor in the areas of production, finance and innovation. The country differs from the liberal market economy model of the UK and USA and from the German, Japanese and South Korean models.
