Home / Interview with Frank McDonald
Project part-financed by the European Union
Professor of International Business
Strategy, Economics and International Business Group, Bradford University School of Management
Can you give an overview of your specialist research interests relating to international business?
My work at Bradford University School of management is of a strategic nature and relates mainly to researching the relationships between a business head office and the strategic development of foreign owned subsidiaries. This includes researching how businesses develop effective business systems and networks with subsidiaries. I am interested in how subsidiaries can most effectively and competitively be developed, including systems within subsidiary networks for employer / employee relationships. My research also involves the importance of developing local, national and international networks and how these impact on the competitiveness of companies. This relates particularly to how business-to-business networks are used, how information and knowledge flows within business networks and how technologies are transferred between businesses.
Is there any leading edge research or academic work that you are involved in that will benefit businesses looking to enter or develop international markets?
Yes, I am currently researching the importance of ‘city regions’ for international business competitiveness, particularly innovative businesses involved in R&D development and technology transfer. The bulk of innovation activity is located in large urban areas and my research looks at the relationship between where innovation activities are located, the network connections of these activities, and implications for the international competitiveness of companies. I am also researching how companies directly link with and use ‘networks’ to further their strategic objectives to penetrate overseas markets and effect market entry. This work can help businesses to make strategic market entry decisions to establish and develop overseas investment locations.
What type of interventions can Bradford University School of Management offer to businesses in Yorkshire & Humber that wish to develop international markets?
The main support that we can provide businesses is through a range of our interventions, products and services. These include:
How do you work with businesses to develop their company skills to succeed in international business? Can you give some examples of the type of skills and your interventions?
We work with businesses to develop their international business skills in a number of different areas. Our SME Knowledge Network provides managers with best-practice management skills through our evening briefings and guest speaker forums providing an insight into specific business and management topics. Our graduate placement schemes can provide businesses with a valuable resource and language capabilities. Alternatively a group of students can work on a specific business project. Our Knowledge Transfer Partnership programme provides businesses with dedicated graduate expertise to work for up to two years on a specific project. Our experienced Professors and academics can also provide specialist consultancy and project development.
Which technologies, geographic markets, and industries does Bradford University School of Management have specialist knowledge in that can help businesses develop overseas?
Within the School of Management we have Professors and academics with specialist market knowledge of China, India, European Union and Russia. Our international students are from all over the world, including South East Asia, India, Pakistan, Latin- America. We have industry experts in international retailing, and in the field of corporate social responsibility, including how businesses must be responsible to the society they are located in. This includes sustainable environment business practices, ethical conduct, and fair trade practices. This is an increasingly important area for businesses to consider in international business.
How can businesses access the specialist research, knowledge, and graduate facilities that you offer?
Businesses can contact me directly, to discuss their individual business needs, and how we may help them. My contact details are, email: f.mcdonald@bradford.ac.uk telephone: 01274 234 389. Alternatively, you can visit the School of Management website which has details of all our business programmes www.brad.ac.uk/acad/management We also have a dedicated Director of Executive Education, Julian Rawel who can be contacted on exceed@bradford.ac.uk
Can you explain how graduate placements and language skills of students at Bradford University School of Management can benefit businesses developing internationally?
The skills provided by Bradford University School of Management are mainly strategic and aimed at senior managers, or specialist skills aimed at the developing the business as a whole. We therefore provide a different level of skills development to more operational international business skills development, e.g. provided by chambers of commerce. The requirement for skills development within a business is usually effected through interventions such as Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and graduate placements. These provide dedicated resources for businesses who are looking to add to their management team, and they can also provide market, industry and language capabilities.
What sort of education facilities and qualifications does Bradford University School of Management offer to businesses and international trade employees?
We provide a range of undergraduate programmes in international business, which include: BA International Management with French, BSc International Business & Management. Our postgraduate programmes include, MA International Business & Management, MA International Management, MA Interpreting & Translating for International Business. We also have a Doctor of Business Administration programme that provides for doctoral research on international business topics and problems that are connected to real companies. These courses provide an invaluable theoretical and practical framework for international business executives. We also offer short courses, seminars and workshops for business executives at our excellent Heaton Mount facilities.
What type of international business projects is Bradford University School of Management interested in receiving from businesses?
We are interested in hearing from businesses who would like to know more about any of our programmes and interventions. However, specifically, we would like to work with businesses that are developing market entry strategies in emerging markets, (such as India, China and Russia) and the European Union. We would like to work with businesses who are setting up head-office and subsidiary networks, and who are developing practices for cross-cultural management systems. Finally, we would like to hear from businesses that are developing new markets where they wish to explore areas of corporate social responsibility, environmental, ethical and fair-trade best practice.
Are any of these interventions free or partially funded, or are these interventions conducted at commercial business rates?
Our placements, projects and SME knowledge network events are free. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships are partly financially supported by the DTI. Further details of these can be found on our KTP website www.ktp.brad.ac.uk Our consultancy and bespoke business projects are usually negotiated with businesses on a commercial basis.
How is Bradford University School of Management working alongside UK Trade & Investment to enhance and add value to international business support?
We work very closely with the UKTI regional team and are exploring the ways that our international business expertise can be linked with UKTI services and promoted through the UKTI network. We have contacts with a number of the UKTI International Trade Advisers who are becoming increasingly aware of our added-value services and how we can jointly work with businesses to increase their international business capabilities. We are also planning joint events with UKTI and other regional universities to pool the expertise and knowledge we can offer to businesses.
