Focusing on the timing and geographical scope of import and export activities of Belgian small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), the paper analyzes the importance, structural features and performance implications of firms that recently started to export following the geographical...

Subsidiaries of Multinational Enterprises (MNE) located in Flanders have been an important source of innovation and growth for the region. However, new trends in the global environment, including the rapid rise of emerging countries, have fundamentally affected the position of Flanders for...

We investigate the impact of import competition from low-cost countries on the exit of domestic firms from the manufacturing industries of eight European countries. We find a significant positive impact on the exit of large firms, while small firms are not directly affected.The empirical...

In recent years, there has been a growing concern about the effect of globalisation on employment in most West European countries. More and more firms had to drastically restructure their operations in order to survive the rise in global competition. Restructuring often leads to a collective...

Poorly performing firms need to improve their profitability through restructuring their operations. In many cases this means downsizing by means of collective layoff of employees. Based on a unique sample of Belgian firms reporting collective layoffs this paper analyzes whether a firm dismisses...

Pressured by globalizing economies and growing international competition, an increasing number of firms are forced to rationalize productive operations. Especially poorly performing firms need to improve their profitability through downsizing or relocating their operations, which in many cases...

We investigate the impact of import competition from low-cost countries on the exit of domestic firms from the manufacturing industries of eight European countries. We find a significant positive impact on the exit of large firms, while small firms are not directly affected. The empirical...

The authors present an original attempt to trace the changing industrial and geographical diversification strategy of firms along the integration process. The analysis is based on a unique database covering the product and geographical scope of the leading European firms in the manufacturing...

Focusing on the timing and geographical scope of import and export activities of Belgian small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), the paper analyzes the importance, structural features and performance implications of firms that recently started to export following the geographical...

Focusing on the timing and geographical scope of import and export activities of Belgian small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), the paper analyzes the importance, structural features and performance implications of firms that recently started to export following the geographical...