DECLARATION I hereby declare that this dissertation is my own work and effort The dissertation has not been submitted anywhere for any award All the sources of information used have been well acknowledged Date: Signature Thansamay KOMMASITH ACKNOWLEDGMENT I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all the people who helped me during my doctoral research course First of all, I am forever indebted to my supervisor Associate Professor Dr NGUYEN THI TUYET MAI (National Economics University – Vietnam) with her fantastic personality and unbelievably supportive approach, and my colleagues Without their guidance and continuous support this dissertation could not have been completed I have learned a great many insights from all of them during the dissertation project They really helped me as a team, and I also consider them not only as my teachers, but also as my friends Thank you! I am also grateful to my office in encouraging me to achieve higher education at National Economics University, Vietnam Besides, my dissertation will not be completed without the honestly help of interview team and interviewees from International telecommunication ventures in Laos I greatly appreciate the help and the time these people have spent on me Last but not least, I would not have been able to pursue my studies without the help of my family: thanks to my parents, my brother, my wife, and my children who have been giving me the endless love with supports and strength i Table of Contents Acronyms iii Table of Figures v List of Tables vi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Research Motivation 1.1.1 International Joint Ventures (IJVs) in Telecommunication industry in Laos 1.1.2 Factors influencing IJVs’ Performance in Telecommunication Industry in Laos .4 Theoretical Background Research Methodology Contribution of the Study Organization of the Study 10 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 12 2.1 Literature review on International Joint Ventures’ Performance 12 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 2.1.1 Survival and Longevity 14 2.1.2 Financial Output Measures 15 2.1.3 Overall Satisfaction 16 2.1.4 Goal Achievement 17 2.1.5 Learning 18 2.2 Literature Review on Factors Influencing IJVs’ Performance 19 2.2.1 Control of the IJV 21 2.2.2 Trust 22 2.2.3 Cooperation and Commitment 24 2.2.4 National Culture and Corporate Culture Differences 26 2.2.5 Goal Compatibility 30 2.3 Conceptual Framework 31 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 34 3.1 An overview of Research Approach and Research Design 34 3.2 Case Study Method 36 3.2.1 Secondary Research 37 ii 3.2.2 Primary Research 37 CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH FINDINGS 47 4.1 The Current Status of IJVs’ Performance in the Telecommunication Industry in Laos 47 4.1.1 The Telecommunication Industryin Laos 47 4.1.2 Performance of the IJVs in the Telecoms Industry in Laos 65 4.2 Factors Influencing IJVs’ Performance in the Telecommunication Industry in Laos 73 4.2.1 Identification of Factors Influencing IJVs’Performance 73 4.2.2 The Impact of Several Factors on IJVs’ Performance - Regression Findings from Individuals’Perception 86 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSION 96 5.1 Conclusions 96 5.2 Discussion 97 5.2.1 Research Implications 98 5.2.2 Limitations and Future Research Directions 103 REFERENCES 106 APPENDICES 121 Appendix 1: Information about all key service providers in telecom industry in Laos122 Appendix 2: GUIDELINE FOR IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS 124 Appendix 3: QUESTIONAIRE 125 iii Acronyms ADSL Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line ADB Asia Development Bank ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nations ARPU Average Revenue Per User BMI Business Monitor Investment BTA Bilateral Trade Agreement BTS Base Transceiver Station CDMA Code Division Multiple Access EDGE Enhanced Data Rates for GSM ETL Enterprise of Telecommunication Laos FDI Foreign Direct Investment GDP Gross Domestic Product GMS Greater Mekong sub-region GPRS General Packet Radio Service (GSM) GSM Global System for Mobile Communications GOL Government of Laos ICT Information and Communication Technologies IJVs International Joint Ventures ISPs Internet Services Providers ITU International Telecommunications Union Lao PDR Lao People’s Democratic Republic LANIC Lao National Internet Committee LAK Laotian Kip LTE Long term Evolution iv LTC Lao Telecommunication Corporation Limited MCTPC Ministry of Communication Transport Post and Construction MDGs Millennium Development Goals MNEs Multiple National Enterprises MIC Ministry of Information and Culture MPT Ministry of Post and Telecommunications NAPT National Authority on Post and Telecommunications PCs Personal Computers PM Decree Prime Minister Decree PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network ROI Return on investment ROE Return on equity ROA Return on assets SIM Subscriber Identification Module SMS Short Message Service STL Star Telecom USAID United States Agency for International Development VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol WLL Wireless Local Loop WiMAX An air interface standard for fixed broadband wireless access (BWA) systems employing a point-to-multipoint architecture v Table of Figures Figure 1: A Conceptual Model for Studying Factors influencing International Joint Ventures’ Performance 33 Figure Research Design 35 Figure 3: Secondary Data and their sources 38 Figure 4: Laos Mobile Sector 2010 – 2017 50 Figure 5: Laos Mobile ARPU 2010 – 2017 52 Figure 6: Laos Fixed-Line Sector 2010 – 2017 56 Figure 7: Laos Broadband sector 2010 – 2017 59 Figure 8: Laos internet Market growth 2003 – 2011 61 Figure 9: Laos Broadband Market growth 2005 – 2011 62 vi List of Tables Table 1: Interview summary 41 Table 2: Demographic Profile of Respondents 44 Table 3: Telecoms sector in Laos – Historical Data and Forecasts 49 Table 4: Key players in Laos’ telecoms sector 66 Table 5: Perception of performance of LTC (N = 31) 67 Table 6: Perception of performance of Unitel (N = 26) 69 Table 7: Financial performance of Tigo/Beeline in the period 2010-2013 71 Table 8: Perception of performance of Beeline (N = 30) 72 Table 9: Perception of performance of the IJVs (N = 87) 73 Table 10: Perception of control mechanism at the IJVs (N = 87) 75 Table 11: Perception of Trust at the IJVs (N = 87) 78 Table 12: Perception of cooperation and commitment at the IJVs (N = 87) 79 Table 13: Perception of goal compatibility at the IJVs (N = 87) 82 Table 14: Perception of cultural differences at the IJVs (N = 87) 85 Table 15: Summary of descriptive statistics of IJVs and ANOVA results………86 Table 16: Performance measures and factor loading results (N = 87) 88 Table 17: IDVs’ measures and factor loading results (N = 87) 90 Table 18: Descriptive Statistics and Correlations (N = 87) 922 Table 19: Regression results (N = 87) DV: Financial Performance 93 Table 20: Regression results (N = 87) DV: Overall Satisfaction 93 Table 21: Regression results (N = 87) DV: Goal Achievement 94 Table 22: Regression results (N = 87) DV: Learnings 95 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Research Motivation 1.1.1 International Joint Ventures (IJVs) in Telecommunication industry in Laos Lao People Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is located in the central part of the Indochina peninsula The country covers about 236,800 KM2 and has a population of just over 6.5 million (2012 census) Lao PDR shares borders with countries: Vietnam to the East, China to the North, Union of Myanmar to the Northwest, Thailand to the West, and Cambodia to the South Since 1986 when the new Economic mechanism was adopted, the government of Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao P.D.R) has been promoting social and economic development under the policy of a market oriented economic During 2001-2005, Lao PDR had an average annual GDP growth rate of 6.2 percent, and it has increased to 8.1% in 2012.During 2006 – 2008 he average GDP per capita was approximately USD 700, and in 2011 it grew to over USD 1,300 (World Bank 2012) The service sector contributed to 26 percent of Laos’ GDP In 2008, the telecommunications sector accounted for approximately 1.6 percent of the total GDP and is considered one of the fastest growing sectors in Laos For example, since 2000, competition in the telecommunications boosted investment in the sector dramatically Investment per year jumped from USD 19 million in 2000 to USD 154.9 million in 2008 (USAID, 2009) Telecommunication technology plays a significant role for the flow of information It is an extremely useful tool to spread knowledge and new ideas, which can reduce infrastructure development gap between people in rural and urban area Furthermore, it can improve education, health care services, and encourage business activities In addition, it also plays the crucial role to the national economic development, especially to the developing country like Laos Therefore, telecommunication technology development is one way that Lao government uses to generate revenue and create job opportunity for people In addition, Lao government aims to improve people living standard and increase the ability to compete in global trade of Lao business by giving priority to the development of telecommunication technology with the intention to promote sustainable development of the nation In line with the new Economic mechanism, the Telecommunication sector in Laos was privatized at the year 1996 as a joint venture with a Thai investor (Shinawana International Public Company Limited) However, this telecom privatization policy has been revised due to the importance of a national telecommunication development strategy which is able to resolve keen issues such as digital divide among regions and the frequent telephonic traffic congestion caused by a deficiency in the nation-wide telecommunication facilities (eg switching and telephone line capacity and human resources) (MCTPC, 1982; MCTPC, 1990 &1995; MCTPC, 1990 – 2007) Besides, Lao P.D.R has a responsible position for promoting telecom development programs planned for the Greater Mekong sub-region (GMS) This development concept of GMS proposed by Asia Development Bank (ADB) and is applied to an area or regional development approach to GMS, promoting networks among the six Mekong riparian countries, including supporting activities for a common standard of telecom services availability which is increasing in Laos Telecommunication increased steadily from 2007 to 2011 (MCTPC, 2007 – 2011) There are some communication policy studies undertaken by scholars and media and political organization, but research on International Joint Ventures (IJVs) in Telecommunication industry in Laos has been limited Especially, it seems that very modest attention has been given to investigateIJVs’ performance and factors influencing it in the industry in Laos Thus, these issues will be the focus of this research Regarding telecommunication service policies in Laos, National Authority of Posts and Telecommunication (NAPT) was established on 22nd October 2007 by the PM Decree No: 375/PM NAPT is an organization under the Prime Minister office, dealing with policy, strategy and its implementation and 113 Contractual Relations Yale University Press, New Haven, CT Madhok, A., 1995, Revisiting multinational firms’ tolerance for joint ventures: a trust-based approach, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol 26, pp 217-37 Madhok, A., 2006, How much does ownership really matter? Equity and trust relations in joint venture relationships, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol 37 No 1, pp 4-11 Makhija, M.V and Ganesh, U.,1997, The relationship between control and partner learning in learning-related joint ventures, Organization Science, Vol 8, pp 508-27 Makino, S., C M Chan, T Isobe, & P W Beamish, 2007, Intended and unintended termination of international joint ventures, Strategic Management Journal, 28, pp 1113-1132 Mayer, R C., Davis, H J , & Schoorman, F D., 1995, An integrative model of organizational trust Academy of Management Review,20: 709-734 Meschi, P X., & Riccio, E L., 2008,Country risk, national cultural differences between partners and survival of international joint ventures in Brazil International Business Review, 17: 250-266 Miles, M B & Huberman, A M.,1994, Qualitative data analysis, 2nd Edition, London, Sage Ministry of Communication Transport Post and Construction (MCTPC), 1982, MCTPC report in 1982, MCTPC, 1990, Ministry of Communication Transport Post and Construction report in 1990 MCTPC, 1995, Ministry of Communication Transport Post and Construction report in 1995 MCTPC, 2004, Ministry of Communication Transport Post and Construction report in 2004 MCTPC, 1990 - 2007, Ministry of Communication Transport Post and Construction report in 1990 – 2007 Mills, Albert J & Jean Helms Mills, 2012, Workshop on Qualitative research 114 bySaint Mary’s University, at the NEU Ministry of Post and Telecommunication (MPT), 2011, Ministry of Post and Telecommunication report in 2011 Mjoen, H and Tallman, S., 1997, Control and performance in international joint ventures, Organization Science, Vol 8, pp 257-74 Mohr, J., & Spekman, R., 1994, Characteristics of partnership success: Partnership attributes, communication behavior, and conflict resolution techniques Strategic Management Journal, 15: 135-152.
 Nakos, G., & Brouthers, K D., 2008, International alliance commitment and performance of small and medium-size enterprises: The mediating role of process control Journal of International Management, 14: 124-137 National Authority Post and Telecommunication (NAPT), 2007 – 2011, National Authority Post and Telecommunication annual report 2007 – 2011 Newburry, W., & Zeira, Y., 1999, Autonomy and effectiveness of equity international joint ventures: A comparative analysis of Hungary and Britain Journal of Management Studies, 36: 263-285.
 Ng, P W., Lau, C., & Nyaw, M., 2007, The effect of trust on international joint venture performance in China Journal of International Management,13: 430-448 Nguyen, Đ Q., 2012, Cooperation in Telecommunication sector between Laos and Vietnam, International conference’s proceeding: Cooperation in Economic between Laos and Vietnam: Developing key economic sector until 2020, Vientiane Nguyen, T T M., 2012, Opportunities and challenges for Vietnamese companies to invest in the telecommunication market in Laos, Proceedings of International Conference, The National Economics University and the National University of Laos, in Vientiane, Laos Nguyen, V T, 2005, Learning to trust: a study of interfirm trust dynamics in Vietnam, Journal of World Business, 40: 203 – 221 Nielsen, B.B.,2002, Determining international strategic alliance performance, Working Paper-6, Copenhagen Business School Department of International Economics and Management, Copenhagen 115 Ozorhon, B., Arditi, D., Dikmen, I and Birgonul, M.T., 2008, Implications of culture in the performance of international construction joint ventures, Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, Vol 134 No 5, pp 361-70 Parkhe, A., 1991, Interfirm diversity, organizational learning, and longevity in global strategic alliances, Journal International Business Studies, Vol 22 No 4, pp 579-601 Parkhe, A., 1993, Partner nationality and the structure-performance relationship in strategic alliances, Organization Science, Vol No 2, p 301 Park, S H., & Ungson, G., 1997, The effect of national culture, organizational complimentarity, and economic motivation on joint venture dissolution Academy of Management Journal, 40: 279-307 Phan, T T A., Baughn, C C., Ngo, T M H., & Neupert, K E., 2006, Knowledge acquisition from foreign parents in international joint ventures: An empirical study in Vietnam,International Business Review, 15: 463-487 Phan, T T A., Ngo,T.M H., 2009, Culture and Performance of International Joint Ventures in Vietnam, The New Asian Dragon – Internationalization of firms in Vietnam, Copenhagen Business School Press, Copenhagen – Denmark Pratt, J., Mohrweis, L.C and Beaulieu, P., 1993, The interaction between national and organizational culture in accounting firms: an extension, Accounting, Organizations and Society, Vol 18 Nos 7-8, pp 621-8 Pothukuchi, V., Damanpour, F., Choi, J., Chen, C C., & Park, S H., 2002, National and organizational culture differences and international joint venture performance Journal of International Business Studies, 33: 243265 Ren, H 2008 Faultlines and network ties in multicultural teams Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Pennsylvania State University, University Park Reports of LTC, Beeline & Unitel, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 Reus, T H., & Ritchie, W J., III., 2004, Interpartner, parent, and environmental factors influencing the operation of international joint ventures: 15 years 116 of research,Management International Review, 44: 369-395 Robins, J A., Tallman, S., & Fladmoe-Lindquist, K., 2002, Autonomy and dependence of international cooperative ventures: An exploration of the strategic performance of U.S ventures in Mexico Strategic ManagementJournal, 23: 881-901.
 Robson, M J., Katsikeas, C S., & Bello, D C., 2008, Drivers and performance outcomes of trust in international strategic alliances: The role of organizational complexity,Organization Science, 19: 647-665.
 Rod, Michel, 2009, A model for the effective management of joint ventures: A case study approach, International Journal of Management, 26 (1): 3-17 Saunders, M., Lewis, P and Thornhill, A., 2007, Research Methods for Business Students, 4th Edition, Financial Times, Prentice Hall, printed by Pearson Education Ltd, England Schmidt, S., & Kochan, T., 1972, Conflict: Toward conceptual clarity Administrative Science Quarterly, 19: 359-370 Schein, E., 1992, Organizational Culture and Leadership, 2nd ed., Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA Shenkar, O and Zeira, Y., 1992, Role conflict and role ambiguity of chief executive officers in international joint ventures, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol 23 No 1, pp 55-75 Sim, A.B and Ali, M.Y.,2000, Determinants of stability in international joint ventures: evidence from a developing country context, Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Vol 17 No 3, pp 373-97 Simonin, B L., 1999, Ambiguity and the process of knowledge transfer in strategic alliances,Strategic Management Journal,20: 595-623 Sirmon, D G., & Lane, P J., 2004, A model of cultural differences and international alliance performance,Journalof International Business Studies, 35: 306-319 Smith, K.G., Carroll, S.J and Ashford, S.J., 1995, Intra- and interorganizational cooperation: toward a research agenda, Academy of Management Journal, Vol 38 No 1, pp 7-23 117 Styles, C and Hersch, L.,2005, Relationship formation in international joint ventures: insights from Australian-Malaysian international joint ventures, Journal of International Marketing, Vol 13 No 3, pp 105-34 Steensma, H K., & Lyles, M A., 2000, Explaining IJV survival in a transitional economy through social exchange and knowledge-based perspectives Strategic Management Journal, 21: 831-851.
 Strauss, A & Corbin, J M., 1998, Basics of qualitative research: techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory.Thousand Oaks, CA, Sage Strauss, A & Corbin, J., 1990, Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, Inc Talha, M Atik, Hung, T and Cristhian V., 2008, FDI in Developing Countries: The case of Ericsson in Mexico and Vietnam, MSc in Business Administration - Strategy and Culture, ISNR: LIU-IEI-FIL-A 08/00224, Linköping University, Sweden Tatoglu, E and Glaister, K.W., 1998, Performance of international joint ventures in Turkey: perspectives of Western firms and Turkish firms, International Business Review, Vol No 6, pp 635-56 Tihanyi, L., Griffith, D.A and Russell, C.J.,2005, The effect of cultural distance on entry mode choice, international diversification, and MNE performance: a meta-analysis, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol 36 No 3, pp 270-83 Tinsley, C H., & Weldon, E., 2003, Responses to a normative conflict among American and Chinese managers International Journal of Conflict Management, 3: 183-194.
 Tong, T W., Reuer, J J., & Peng, M W., 2008, International joint ventures and the value of growth options Academyof Management Journal, 51: 10141029.
 Tsang, E W K., 2002, Acquiring knowledge by foreign partners from international joint ventures in a transition economy: Learning-by-doing and learning myopia Strategic Management Journal, 23: 835-854.
 United States Agency for International Development (USAID), 2009, Trade in telecommunication services in the Lao PDR, Nathan Associates Inc., 118 USA Viettelpost,2012, Unitel – for more beautiful life in Laos, www.viettelpost.com.vn (Vietnamese) Wang, Y and Nicholas, S., 2005, Knowledge transfer, knowledge replication, and learning in non-equity alliances: operating contractual joint ventures in China.Management International Review, Vol 45, pp 99-118 Weber, Y., Shenkar, O and Raveh, A., 1996,National and corporate culture fit in mergers/acquisitions: an exploratory study.Management Science, Vol 42 No 8, pp 1215-27 Williamson, O., 1975, Markets and Hierarchies: Analysis and Antitrust Implications, The Free Press, New York, NY Williamson, O.,1985, The Economic Institutions of Capitalism, The Free Press, New York, NY Yan, Y & Child, J 2004 Investors’ resources and management participation in internationaljoint ventures: a control perspective.Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Vol 21 No 3,pp 287-304 Yan, A., & Gray, B., 1994, Bargaining power, management control, and performance in US-China joint ventures: A comparative case study Academy of Management Journal, 37: 1478-1517.
 Yan, A & Gray, B., 1996, Linking management control and inter-partner relationship with performance in U.S.-Chinese joint ventures, in Child, J and Lu, Y (Eds), Management Issues in China: Volume II International Enterprises, Routledge, London, pp 106-27 Yan, A., & Gray, B., 2001a, Antecedents and effects of parent control in international joint ventures Journal ofManagement Studies, 38: 393-416.
 Yan, A., & Gray, B., 2001b, Negotiating control and achieving performance in international joint ventures: A conceptual model Journal of International Management, 7: 295-315.
 Yan, A., & Zeng, M., 1999, International joint venture instability: A critique of previous research, a reconceptualization, and directions for future research Journal of International Business Studies, 30: 397-414 119 Yan, Y.,2000, International Joint Ventures in China: Ownership, Control and Performance, Macmillan, Basingstoke Yeheskel, O., Zeira, Y., Shenkar, O., & Newburry, W., 2001, Parent company dissimilarity and equity international joint venture effectiveness Journal of International Management, 7: 81-104.
 Yin, R K., 1989, Case study research: design and methods, Newbury Park, CA, Sage Yu, B.T.W & Ming, T.W.,2008, Effects on control mechanisms on positive organizational change.Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol 21 No 3,pp 385-404 Zaheer, A., McEvily, B and Perrone, V., 1998, Does trust matter? Exploring the effects of inter-organizational and interpersonal trust on performance, Organization Science, Vol 9, pp 141-59 Zaheer, S and Zaheer, A., 2006, Trust across borders, Journal of International Business Studies, Vol 37, pp 21-9 Zeng, M., & Chen, X., 2003, Achieving cooperation in multiparty alliances: A social dilemma approach to partneraship management,Academy of Management Review, 28: 587-605 Zeira, Y and Parker, B., 1995, International joint ventures in the United States: an examination of factors related to their efficiency, The International Executive, Vol 37 No 4, pp 373-93 Zhan, W., & Luo, Y., 2008, Performance implications of capability exploitation and upgrading in international joint ventures,Management International Review, 48: 227-253 Zhang, Y., & Li, H., 2001, The control design and performance in international joint ventures: A dynamic evolution perspective,International Business Review, 10: 341-362 Zhang, Y., Li, H., Hitt, M A., & Cui, G., 2007, R&D intensity and international joint venture performance in an emerging market: Moderating effects of market focus and ownership structure,Journal of International Business Studies, 38: 944-960 Zhao, L and Culpepper, R.,1996, Performance measures for china-based joint 120 ventures: a comparison of Chinese and American managers, Journal of Asian Business, Vol 12 No 4, pp 33-50 121 APPENDICES 122 Appendix 1: Information about all key service providers in telecom industry in Laos Name Local partner Lao Telecom (LTC) Star Telecom (Unitel) Vimplecom Lao Co., LTD (Beeline) Sky Telecom State Company (SKYTEL) Vimplecom Lao Co., LTD Sky Telecom State Company (SKYTEL) ETL Public Company (ETL) ETL Public Company Name of the local company Lao Telecommunications Company / Lao Government Its ownership (e.g stateowned, private co.,…) State - Owned State - Owned Private enterprise State - Owned State - Owned Foreign partner Shenington Investment PTE, Ltd Viettel Global Vimplecom Co., Ltd None None Time limit (how many years of JV) 25 Years 30 Years 20 Years None None Investment license number 058-07 (Issued by Committee For Planning & Investment) 005-12/PI 137-11/CIC No: 204/MPT.DOT 0595/ERO 10th November 1996 24 November 2007 23 January 2002 13 December 2011 31 August 2000 USD 96.84 Million USD 59.465.567 USD 45.000.000 USD 11.500.000 USD 28.205.128 51% 51% 22% 100% 100% When it started operation in Laos Investment Total capital capital Share of the local partner Star Telecom(Lao Asia Telecom) 123 % Staff Share of the foreign partner % Total number of employees Number of expatriates (if any) 49% 49% 78% 0% 0% 2.214 (As at 30th September 2013) 1.500 320 60 1,080 NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE 124 Appendix 2: GUIDELINE FOR IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS Main questions and key issues in the interview: What are the factors that your company considered when investing in developing countries, especially in Laos? - What kind of opportunities and problems/challenges might arise when a company starts its direct investment in developing countries? How about in Laos? How can you evaluate performance of your IJV over the past few years? - General evaluation of the IJV performance - Explore some key dimensions of performance: + Financial performance + Goal achievement + Satisfaction with the IJV in general, and satisfaction with the partner + Learning from the partner What factors influence your IJV’s performance Explore some factors based on the theoretical framework: - Cultural differences (describe experience in working with the partner; the feeling each time of working with the partner, etc - Trust in the partner - Cooperation and commitment of the partner - Control mechanism in the IJV - Goal compatibility 125 Appendix 3: QUESTIONAIRE Answer 1.1 How long have your IJVs been established? 1.2 How long is your license? 1.3 The commitment between your venture and Laos government is strong or weak? Strongly Disagree 2.1 The venture achieved its target sales volume(last year) 2.2 The venture achieved its target market share (last year) 2.3 The venture achieved its target profits (last year) 2.4 The venture have high rate of ROI (last year) 2.5 The venture have high rate of ROE (last year) 2.6 The venture have high rate of ROA (last year) 2.7 Overall, the venture achieved its planned goals (last year) 2.8 There is a trend in increasing sales of the venture over the last years 2.9 There is a trend in increasing market share of the venture over the last years 2.10 There is a trend in increasing profits of the venture over the last years 2.11 The venture has achieved a great performance overall 2.12 Overall, partners and the parent firm are satisfied with the IJV’s performance 2.13 Overall, partners and the parent firm are satisfied with the co-operation and partnership in the IJV 3.1 Laotians have learned a great deal of technological expertise from the partner(s) 3.2 Laotians have learned a great deal of manufacturing processes from the partner(s) 3.3 Laotians have learned a great deal of new knowledge about product development expertise from the partner(s) 3.4 Laotians have learned a great deal of marketing expertise from the partner(s) 3.5 Laotians have learned a great deal of new knowledge Strongly Agree 126 about foreign culture and tastes from the partner(s) 3.6 Laotians have learned a great deal of managerial techniques from the partner(s) 4.1 Generally, we considered our partner trustworthy 4.2 In our opinion, our partner is reliable 4.3 Our partner generally meets the negotiated obligations 4.4 Our partner cares about our problems, feelings and concerns 5.1 In this joint venture, partners express interest in the longterm relationship 5.2 In this joint venture, partners are willing to act on their promise 5.3 In this joint venture, partners show commitment of significant resources to the venture 5.4 In general, partners of the venture show good cooperation 6.1 In my joint venture, it is important that partners can monitor results and intervene when necessary 6.2 In my joint venture, partners can take steps to ensure (through legal, physical & administrative means) that certain desirable actions are taken 6.3 In my joint venture, partners can take steps to ensure that IJV personnel are able to perform well 6.4 Overall, in my joint venture, the control mechanism is proper 7.1 Our national culture is very different from the partner’s 7.2 Language differences are a major obstacle in communicating with, and understanding the partner 7.3 Our problem solving methods are very different from that of the partner(s) 7.4 Our management style is very different from that of the partner’s 8.1 In my joint venture, partnershave similar strategic objectives about the venture 8.2 In general, partnerssharethe direction of the venture development 127 Personal information (of the interviewee): Name of joint venture where are you working: Age: …………… Gender: Position: Nationality: How long have you been working in this JV: Male Top manager Middle Female manager Laotian Senior Other years [...]... are the key factors influencing the performance of the IJVs in the telecommunication industry in Laos and what are the impacts of these factors on the IJVs’ performance? In terms of the research scope, the data collected for this study mainly from the three IJVs in the telecommunication industry in Laos In terms of timing, the collected data mainly cover recent three years (from 2010 to date) The analyses... respondents in the IJV, including managers of the IJV and parent firms In this study, the author employed all the five key dimensions of IJV performance when investigating the IJVs’ performance in the telecommunication industry in Laos to have a better understanding of the current status of the IJVs’ performance When examining the impact of some factors on the IJVs’ performance, all the measures of performance. .. determinants of the IJVs’ success or failure While focusing on the main objective of investigating the impact of several factors on performance of the IJVs in telecommunication industry in Laos, this study aims to answer the following questions: 1 What is the overall picture of business performance of IJVs in Lao’s telecommunication industry regarding different aspects of performance based on the theoretical... data, and then collected qualitative data The main purpose of collecting qualitative data is to explore and discover the relevant concepts and the interested relationships among them in the new context of Laos telecommunication industry Specifically, the concepts of IJV’s performance and 8 its dimensions and the factors influencing IJVs’ performance were explored The relationships between the factors and... performance Finally, the proposed conceptual framework is presented 2.1 Literature Review on International Joint Ventures’ Performance The topic on international joint venture and its performance has attracted much research interest from many scholars and practitioners There have been numerous research examining IJVs since the first critique of the literature on international joint ventures (IJVs)of Yan and... advancement of organization theory, strategic management, and enrich international business knowledge The findings of this study also help to enrich the knowledge about IJVs by investigating simultaneously the key dimensions of IJV performance Specifically, all five performance dimensions were examined in the context of the telecommunication industry in Laos, including Survival and Longevity of the. .. and the IJVs’ performance were also examined The survey data were collected to provide empirical findings regarding the current status of the IJVs’ performance in the telecom industry in Laos and empirical evidence on the impact of some factors influencing the IJVs’ performance Specific data collection methods used in this study include desk research (for collecting secondary data), observation, interviews... to investigate the three cases, IJVs in Laos telecommunication industry Chapter 4 reports the main research findings in the context of Laos IJVs in the telecommunication industry The final chapter (Chapter 5) concludes the dissertation by providing a summary of the findings and a discussion of the research implications, an outline of the study’s 11 limitations, and a roadmap for future research directions... aspects of IJV’s performance and the factors influencing it The primary data mainly focus on the perspective from Lao’s partners in the IJVs 7 1.2 Theoretical Background This study employs the theoretical background regarding IJVs performance and factors influencing their performance (e.g., Cao, 2012, Ren et al., 2009, Bener & Glaister, 2010) On the basis of literature review, performance of IJVs has... 2001; and Tong et al., 2008) have examined IJVs performance, which enhanced human beings’ knowledge about this attractive topic However, the conceptualization of IJV performance and factors influencing it remains an often-debated issue in IJV research (Reus & Ritchie, 2004) In recent years, more researchattention hasbeen given to studyIJVs performance and factors influencing IJVs performance in the context