Purpose This paper aims to investigate the business ownership style (BOS) of Indigenous Hui entrepreneurs in the Ningxia Autonomous Region of China as a distinctive system of ethical governance embedded within privately owned enterprise (POE) structures. This study examines how moral reasoning, oral tradition and community-based trust mechanisms become institutionalised as operational domestic and international business practices Design/methodology/approach Drawing upon ethnological fieldwork conducted between 2022 and 2024, including interviews, participant observation, oral testimony and student engagement across Ningxia, this study analyses Hui BOS as a historically grounded yet adaptive model of enterprise governance. The research integrates institutional analysis with ethnological inquiry to examine how Hui entrepreneurs sustain trust, legitimacy and resilience across contemporary market conditions. Findings The findings of this study demonstrate that Hui BOS operates through non-familial hiring, servant leadership, ethical reinvestment, mentorship-based capability development, oral trust networks and gradualist growth strategies. Rather than functioning as informal residual traditions, these practices operate as structured governance mechanisms that institutionalise ethical reasoning within enterprise operations. This study further demonstrates that Hui BOS contributes significantly to regional economic resilience, organisational continuity and stakeholder trust. Research limitations/implications The authors limit the academic research included in this paper to those work that specifically address the Hui BOS. Practical implications This study is conducted to develop a practical awareness of the Indigenous ethnic group BOS of the Hui peoples and in doing so breaking away from any monolith thinking in relation to Chinese business practice. Originality/value This paper contributes to international business and institutional theory by demonstrating how Indigenous governance systems can function as durable forms of organisational infrastructure. It extends existing scholarship on entrepreneurship, governance and institutional economics by evidencing how ethical principles become operational governance mechanisms within Indigenous POEs. This study positions Hui BOS as a transferable framework for understanding trust-based governance, sustainable enterprise and alternative models of economic modernity.
Purpose This paper aims to examine the barriers encountered by female architects from developing countries as they attempt to enter and progress within the elite and creative architectural profession in the UK. This paper explores how intersecting identities shape their professional trajectories. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on qualitative data from 49 in-depth interviews with female migrant architects originating from developing countries (India, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Pakistan). Theoretically, it is informed by McCall’s construct of intracategorical complexity and the concept of the liability of outsidership (LOO), enabling a nuanced understanding of intersectional disadvantage. Findings The findings reveal that the intersectional interplay of gender, race and migrant status reinforces professional exclusion for female migrant architects. Complex credential recognition processes and the lack of UK-specific experience make entry into the profession particularly difficult. Furthermore, the devaluation of foreign-acquired skills and expertise – shaped by gendered, racialised and migration-related biases – constrains career development and limits access to meaningful opportunities. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the theoretical enrichment of intersectionality by applying it to an under-explored professional context. Future research could expand to other creative and highly skilled professions or compare experiences across developed host countries to deepen understanding of these barriers. Practical implications The paper calls for policy interventions to create clearer pathways for recognising foreign qualifications and professional experience. It also urges organisations to offer structured mentorship and sponsorship opportunities and to avoid privileging “localness” and “cultural fit” when assessing talent and allocating career opportunities. This will also have a positive influence on overall organisational effectiveness and performance. Originality/value This paper provides a rare intersectional analysis of migrant females’ experiences in the UK architectural profession. It offers fresh insights into how multiple identity-based disadvantages converge to shape professional exclusion, while highlighting actionable measures for policy and organisational change.
Purpose The purpose of this systematic review is to explore how liabilities of outsidership (LoO) is positioned as a theory primarily in extant international business (IB) literature as well as other literature, including general management, international marketing and international entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach The systematic review identified a total of 120 papers based on a key word search of (“liability of outsidership” OR “outsidership”) AND (“international business” OR “multinational enterprise” OR “MNE”) AND (theory OR framework OR model) in Google Scholar. After removing duplicates, conference papers, dissertations, books and book chapters, 60 peer-reviewed journal articles representing IB, international marketing, international entrepreneurship and general management journals were reviewed. Findings Three core themes emerged in relation to varied applications. The first theme identified was ‘the emergence of LoO as a theory’ since the revised Uppsala model. The second theme was ‘LoO and the influence of institutions’ and the final theme was ‘LoO as a finite/recurring challenge’. Research limitations/implications The findings of this paper attempt to highlight LoO as a theory by advancing the revised Uppsala model. This paper will enable managers of MNEs to understand the nature of LoO and equip themselves with necessary strategies to overcome it. Originality/value This systematic review paper is unique from other related reviews. Prior literature reviews have focused primarily on LoO as an antecedent of firm performance or strategies to overcome LoO. In contrast, the current paper is the only systematic literature review that identifies LoO as a theory; explores LoO amidst absent/non-functioning institutions and identifies LoO as a finite or recurring barrier.
Purpose The purpose of this study is to review the existing literature on guanxi and further avenues of research. Over the past quarter-century, the concept of guanxi-the intricate system of personal relationships and informal networks deeply embedded in Chinese society-has become a focal point of scholarly inquiry in management research. This paper presents a comprehensive bibliometric review of Guanxi research published in leading management journals from 1998 to 2023, mapping the intellectual landscape and thematic evolution of the field. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on data from the Web of Science database, the review uses advanced bibliometric techniques to identify influential works, leading scholars and dominant research clusters. The analysis reveals a marked increase in guanxi-related publications since the late 1990s, reflecting its enduring relevance amid China’s economic transformation and integration into the global economy. Findings The findings highlight the centrality of guanxi in navigating China’s complex business environment, where trust in personal relationships often compensates for institutional weaknesses and legal uncertainties. The review also underscores the cultural roots of guanxi in Confucianism and Daoism, contrasting its collectivist, relationship-centered ethos with Western individualism. While existing literature extensively documents the general utility of guanxi, this bibliometric review reveals several novel patterns that challenge traditional assumptions. Originality/value The study is motivated by the growing global significance of China and East Asia, where guanxi plays a critical role in both social and business contexts, and by the need for a systematic synthesis of fragmented research streams.
Purpose Green business strategies of multinational enterprises (MNEs) have witnessed an upsurge in scholarly interest mainly due to the growing concern about environmental issues on a global basis. In this respect, the purpose of this study is to synthesize and encapsulate the empirical body of research on green business strategies in the context of MNEs. Design/methodology/approach Using a systematic literature review methodology, 65 empirical articles published between 1995 and 2023 were subjected to content analysis with thematic aspects and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, theoretical underpinnings and empirical issues. Findings Despite considerable progress, the findings of this systematic review unveil the shortcomings in the thematic distributions, the gaps associated with the theoretical foundations and the fragmentations covering the empirical results, entailing additional improvements for the thrust of research on green business strategies of MNEs to move towards maturity. Originality/value Addressing the environmental pillar of sustainability thoroughly in the context of MNEs, this systematic review is expected to offer fresh and useful insights into the relevant literature.
