Economic Horizons, January - April 2015, Volume 17, Number 1, 71 - 73 © Faculty of Economics, University of Kragujevac

UDC: 33 eISSN 2217-9232 www. ekfak.kg.ac.rs

Book review
UDC: 339.13.01(049.32)
doi: 10.5937/ekonhor1501073G

IN T ERNATIONAL BUSINESS: COMPETING IN T HE

GLOBAL MA R KET PLACE

Hill, C. W. L. (2014). Maidenhead, Berkshire, UK: McGraw-Hill Education

ISBN 13: 9780077163587; ISBN 10: 0077163583, XXII+654

Jovana Golo*
Faculty of Economics, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, the Republic of Serbia

Over the past three decades, there have been global market. The purpose of the book is to present
fundamental changes in the world economy. The the way international companies operate in the global
process of globalization, supported by the development economy in a comprehensive way and through a
of information and communication technologies and logical sequence of thematic units. It is intended for
the reduction in trade barriers between countries, both students and the scientific and professional
has led to the relativization of the importance of community that might be interested in the presented
geographical and cultural distances in global terms.
issues. The book consists of six parts, and each part is
In the circumstances of intensifying the integration
organized in several chapters.
processes of the economies of different countries, many
companies find opportunities for the improvement The first part of the book, titled: Introduction
and development of their business activities in to International Business (pp. 3-35), presents the
international markets through the internationalization contemporary trends and significant changes in the
of business. global economy enterprises are faced with in the
In the book titled: International Business: Competing in international market. The chapter is entirely devoted
the Global Marketplace by Charles W. L. Hill (professor to the process of globalization that has influenced
at the University of Washington, the United States) the the development of interconnection relations and
theoretical background is integrated with empirical the interdependence of international markets within
aspects, providing an insight into the complex nature the system of the world economy. Additionally,
of international business done in the competitive it emphasizes that a company’s involvement in
international business includes a number of potential
* Correspondence to: J. Golo, Faculty of Economics, University benefits as well as many challenges and an increased
of Kragujevac, Dj. Pucara 3, 34000 Kragujevac, complexity of performing business operations in
The Republic of Serbia; e-mail: jovanagolo@kg.ac.rs various international markets.
72 Economic Horizons (2015) 17(1), 71 - 73

The second part of the book, titled: Factors and The last chapter presents different levels of regional
Diversity of the National Business Environments (pp. economic integrations, paying special attention to the
36-157), includes four chapters. The first chapter characteristics, structure and functioning of the most
examines the differences between countries in terms important regional integrations in the world, such
of the existing political, economic and legal systems as the European Union (EU), the North American
as well as the potential benefits and risks that these Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Association of
differences generate. Another subject of the analysis Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and others.
is the relationship between the economic and political
systems of countries, underlining the importance of The fourth part, titled: The Global Monetary System
establishing democracy and a market economy as (pp. 294-377), explains the monetary framework in
the main determinants of economic development. which international business takes place. In the first
A separate chapter describes the influence of the chapter, the focus is on the foreign exchange market
elements of culture such as the language, the and its functions, which are reflected in enabling
religion and education on various aspects of the the conversion of the world currencies as well as in
business operations of international companies and reducing the risk of conducting international business
emphasizes the importance of understanding cross- transactions. The international monetary system is
cultural differences in achieving a business success. the subject of the research in the next chapter, which
Furthermore, the sources and nature of ethical issues presents its historical development and the institutions
in international business are analyzed as well as that have the biggest importance in the regulation of
different philosophical approaches to business ethics this system (the International Monetary Fund – IMF
and actions that companies can undertake in order to and the International Bank for Reconstruction and
have these questions taken into account when making Development – IBRD). The last segment of this part
business decisions. of the book is devoted to the international capital
market, which had a significant growth rate in the
The third part of the book, titled: World Trade and previous period due to the application of sophisticated
Investment Environment (pp. 158-293), shows the information technology.
historical development of the world trade and analyzes
the current trends in terms of international capital The fifth part of the book is titled: Strategy and
flows. The first chapter explores the motives that Organization of International Business (pp. 378-487).
countries have for being involved in the world trade In this part, which consists of three chapters, the
system, highlighting the impact that global free trade focus of the analysis is shifted from the business
has on raising the level of their economic well-being. environment to the enterprise level and the ways of
The detailed explanations of the world trade theories establishing and managing international business
(Theory of A. Smith, D. Ricardo and Heckscher-Ohlin activities are discussed. The first chapter presents the
Theorem) provide a basis for understanding the basic strategies companies can implement in order to
benefits that countries may obtain for participating achieve a competitive advantage in the international
in international trade. The further analysis describes market and create a value for their shareholders.
the reality of the world economy and trade, which Moreover, the different forms of the organizational
significantly differs from the previously mentioned structures of multinational and global companies
theoretical principles due to a number of the restrictive are explained, which enables the implementation
measures applied by countries in order to protect of the defined strategy, highlighting the necessity
their domestic economies (such as tariffs and quotas). of complementarity between the strategy and the
The theories of foreign direct investment as well as organizational structure. The strategies and modes
the current trends in their movement are analyzed for entering international markets which are available
in the third chapter, with puts an emphasis on the for companies to use (for example, export, licensing or
positive and negative effects achieved in both the host joint ventures) are the subject of the research in the last
country and the country of origin of investments. chapter of this part, which also includes a comparative
 J. Golo, Book Review: International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace 73

analysis of advantages and disadvantages along with the way in which investment decisions are affected by
the effects of these strategies. various fiscal and tax regulations of countries.

The sixth and last part of the book, which is titled: Considering the current process of globalization and
International Business Functions (pp. 488- 635), consists the necessity for companies to participate in modern
of five chapters and its focus narrows further on international business trends in order to achieve
investigating business functions. At the beginning growth and development, it can be concluded that
of this part, a detailed explanation of the companies’ the content of the book is relevant, contemporary
export activities as well as the measures by which and applicable in practice. The author’s scientific
states provide assistance to local companies in order to and academic achievements, including the papers he
increase their export are presented. Decisions on the has published in the Academy of Management Review
organization of production, outsourcing and logistics and the Academy of Management Journal, as well as
considered at the global level, which are the subject his cooperation with many international companies
of the analysis in the next chapter, are one of the key (Microsoft, Boeing, AT&T), indicate his scientific and
factors for gaining a competitive advantage and have professional competence, in the field of international
a much higher level of complexity in an international business. The book has many practical examples
company, comparing to a domestic one. The impact of as well as the case studies of the real business
the globalization process on the marketing function situations, which are set at the beginning of each
in international companies is described in the chapter and intended to facilitate our understanding
process of creating strategies through decisions on of the analyzed concepts. In addition, the book
the product, pricing, promotion and distribution in abounds with statistical data and tabulations and the
online interactive publications, which are available,
international markets . Human resource management
complement the content of the book.
has strategic importance in international business, but
also contains a number of challenges arising when In the analysis of the problems of international
performing activities such as a selection, training and business, the author applies a primarily descriptive
designing compensation packages mainly because approach in presenting the current situation, the
of employees with various cultural backgrounds as most important segments and trends of international
well as because of the many regulations that must business, omitting a critical review of the importance
be adhered to in different countries. The accounting of relations between the elements of this complex
and financial aspects of business doing are discussed system as well as the ways to overcome numerous
in the last chapter of the book, with an emphasis on problem situations that may arise due to companies’
the differences in national accounting standards and involvement in the international business.

Received on 1st April 2015,

after revision,
accepted for publication on 6th April 2015.
Published online on 21st April 2015

Jovana Golo is a Teaching Assistant at the Faculty of Economics, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac,
the Republic of Serbia. She teaches the subjects of International Business and International Marketing.
She is a PhD student at the Faculty of Economics, University of Kragujevac. Her main areas of scientific
research are international business and international marketing.
Ekonomski horizonti, Januar - April 2015, Volumen 17, Sveska 1, 73 - 75 © Ekonomski fakultet Univerziteta u Kragujevcu
UDC: 33 ISSN: 1450-863 X www. ekfak.kg.ac.rs

Prikaz knjige
UDK: 339.13.01(049.32)
doi: 10.5937/ekonhor1501073G

IN T ERNATIONAL BUSINESS: COMPETING IN T HE

GLOBAL MA R KET PLACE

Hill, C. W. L. (2014). Maidenhead, Berkshire, UK: McGraw-Hill Education

ISBN 13: 9780077163587; ISBN 10: 0077163583, XXII+654

Jovana Golo*
Ekonomski fakultet Univerziteta u Kragujevcu

Tokom protekle tri decenije došlo je do fundamentalnih funkcionisanje međunarodnih preduzeća u sistemu
promena u svetskoj ekonomiji. Proces globalizacije, globalne ekonomije. Namenjena je kako studentima,
podržan razvojem informaciono-komunikacionih tako i naučnoj i stručnoj javnosti, koja može biti
tehnologija i smanjenjem barijera u trgovini između zainteresovana za izloženu problematiku. Knjiga se
zemalja, doveo je do relativiziranja značaja geografskih sastoji od šest delova, a svaki deo je organizovan kroz
i kulturalnih distanci u globalnim okvirima. U nekoliko odeljaka.
uslovima sve intenzivnijih procesa integracije privreda
različitih zemalja, veliki broj preduzeća pronalazi U prvom delu knjige, naslovljenom: Uvod u međunarodno
mogućnosti za unapređenje i razvoj svojih poslovnih poslovanje (3-35 str.), razmatrane su savremene
aktivnosti na međunarodnom tržištu, putem tendencije i značajne promene u globalnoj ekonomiji,
internacionalizacije poslovanja. sa kojima se suočavaju preduzeća prilikom nastupa na
međunarodnom tržištu. Ovaj deo je posvećen analizi
U knjizi pod naslovom: International Business: procesa globalizacije, koji je uticao na razvoj odnosa
Competing in the Global Marketplace, autor Charles W. povezanosti i međuzavisnosti međunarodnih tržišta u
L. Hill (profesor Univerziteta u Vašingtonu, Sjedinjene okviru sistema svetske privrede. Posebno je istaknuto
Američke Države), povezivanjem teorijskih osnova da uključivanje u tokove međunarodnog poslovanja
i empirijskih aspekata pruža uvid u kompleksnu podrazumeva brojne potencijalne pogodnosti
prirodu međunarodnog poslovanja preduzeća, za preduzeća, ali i brojne izazove i povećanje
koje se odvija u uslovima izražene konkurencije na kompleksnosti obavljanja poslovnih operacija na
globalnom tržištu. Svrha knjige je da sveobuhvatno različitim međunarodnim tržištima.
i kroz logičan sled tematskih jedinica prikaže
Drugi deo knjige, pod naslovom: Faktori i različitosti
* Korespondencija: J. Golo, Ekonomski fakultet Univerziteta u nacionalnih poslovnih okruženja (36-157 str.) obuhvata
Kragujevcu, Đ. Pucara 3, 34000 Kragujevac, Republika Srbija; četiri odeljka. U prvom odeljku se ukazuje na razlike
e-mail: jovanagolo@kg.ac.rs koje postoje između zemalja u pogledu postojećih
74 Ekonomski horizonti (2014) 17(1), 73 - 75

političkih, ekonomskih i pravnih sistema, kao i na Globalni monetarni sistem (294-377 str.) je naslov
potencijalne koristi, ali i rizike koje te razlike uzrokuju. četvrtog dela knjige, koji objašnjava monetarni okvir
U nastavku, detaljnije je analizirana povezanost u kome se odvija međunarodno poslovanje. U prvom
ekonomskih i političkih sistema zemalja, uz isticanje odeljku, fokus je na međunarodnom deviznom
značaja uspostavljanja demokratije i tržišne ekonomije tržištu i njegovim funkcijama, koje se ogledaju u
kao osnovnih determinanti ekonomskog razvoja. U omogućavanju konverzije svetskih valuta, kao i u
okviru posebnog odeljka se istražuje uticaj elemenata smanjenju rizika prilikom obavljanja međunarodnih
kulture, kao što su jezik, religija i obrazovanje, na poslovnih transakcija. Međunarodni monetarni
različite aspekte poslovanja međunarodnih kompanija sistem je predmet istraživanja u narednom odeljku,
i naglašava se značaj razumevanja interkulturalnih gde su prikazani njegov istorijski razvoj i institucije
razlika za ostvarivanje poslovnog uspeha. Posebno koje imaju najveći značaj u regulaciji ovog sistema
(International Monetary Fund - IMF i International
su razmatrani izvori i priroda etičkih pitanja u
Bank for Reconstruction and Development - IBRD).
međunarodnom poslovanju, različiti filozofski pristupi
Poslednji segment ovog dela knjige jeste međunarodno
poslovnoj etici, kao i aktivnosti koje međunarodne
tržište kapitala, koje beleži značajne stope rasta u
kompanije mogu preduzeti kako bi se ova pitanja
prethodnom periodu, usled primene sofisticiranih
uzela u obzir prilikom donošenja poslovnih odluka.
informacionih tehnologija.
U trećem delu knjige, naslovljenom: Svetska trgovina i Peti deo knjige naslovljen je: Strategije i organizacija
investiciona klima (158–293 str.) analiziraju se istorijski međunarodnog poslovanja preduzeća (378-487 str.). U
razvoj svetske trgovine i savremeni trendovi u ovom delu, koji se sastoji iz tri odeljka, fokus analize je
pogledu međunarodnih tokova kapitala. U prvom premešten sa poslovnog okruženja na nivo preduzeća
odeljku su istraživani motivi uključivanja zemalja i detaljnije su analizirani načini uspostavljanja i
u sistem svetske trgovine, sa isticanjem uticaja koji upravljanja međunarodnim poslovnim aktivnostima
slobodna svetska trgovina ima na podizanje nivoa preduzeća. U prvom odeljku su predstavljene osnovne
njihovog ekonomskog blagostanja. Detaljno objašnjene strategije pomoću kojih preduzeća mogu ostvariti
teorije svetske trgovine (teorije A. Smith-a, D. Ricard-a konkurentsku prednost na međunarodnom tržištu
i Heckscher-Ohlin-ova teorema) pružaju osnovu i kreirati vrednost za akcionare. U nastavku su
za razumevanje koristi koje zemlje mogu imati prikazane različite forme organizacionih struktura
učestovanjem u međunarodnoj razmeni. Uz navedeno, multinacionalnih i globalnih preduzeća, koje
analizirana je realnost svetske ekonomije i trgovine, omogućavaju implementaciju definisanih strategija, uz
koja značajno odstupa od prethodno navedenih isticanje neophodnosti postojanja komplementarnosti
teorijskih principa, usled brojnih ograničavajućih mera između strategije i organizacione strukture preduzeća.
koje države primenjuju u cilju zaštite domaće privrede Od posebnog značaja u međunarodnom poslovanju su
(na primer, carine i kvote). Teorije stranih direktnih strategije i načini ulaska preduzeća na međunarodna
investicija, kao i aktuelni trendovi u njihovom kretanju tržišta (na primer izvoz, licence ili joint ventures), koji
su predmet razmatranja u trećem odeljku, sa osvrtom su predmet istraživanja u poslednjem odeljku ovog
na pozitivne i negativne efekte koji se ostvaruju, kako dela knjige, gde je prikazana komparativna analiza
u zemlji domaćinu, tako i u zemlji porekla investicija. prednosti i nedostataka, kao i efekata ovih strategija.
U poslednjem odeljku prikazani su različiti nivoi Šesti, poslednji deo knjige, koji nosi naslov:
regionalnih ekonomskih integracija, pri čemu je Međunarodne poslovne funkcije (488-635 str.), sastoji se od
najveća pažnja posvećena analizi karakteristika, pet odeljaka i u njemu se fokus dalje sužava u smeru
strukture i funkcionisanja najznačajnijih regionalnih istraživanja poslovnih funkcija. Na početku se detaljno
integracija u svetu, kao što su Europian Union (EU), proučava način funkcionisanja izvoznih aktivnosti
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), preduzeća, kao i mere putem kojih države pružaju
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) i pomoć domaćim preduzećima u cilju povećanja izvoza.
druge. Odluke o organizaciji proizvodnje, nabavke i logistike
 J. Golo, Prikaz knjige: International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace 75

na globalnom nivou, koje su predmet razmatranja u cilju njihovog rasta i razvoja, može se istaći da su
narednom odeljku, predstavljaju jedan od ključnih razmatranja u knjizi relevantna, aktuelna i primenljiva
faktora za ostvarivanje konkurentske prednosti i imaju u praksi. Naučna i akademska dostignuća autora, od
znatno viši nivo kompleksnosti u međunarodnom kojih se izdvajaju objavljeni naučni radovi u časopisima
preduzeću, u odnosu na domaće. Uticaj globalizacije Academy of Management Review i Academy of Management
istraživan je i sa aspekta funkcije marketinga, gde Journal, kao i saradnja sa brojnim međunarodnim
su detaljno analizirane odluke u procesu kreiranja kompanijama (Microsoft, Boeing, AT&T), ukazuju
strategije proizvoda, cene, promocije i distribucije na naučne i stručne kompetencije autora u oblasti
na međunarodnim tržištima. Upravljanje ljudskim međunarodnog poslovanja. Knjiga ima mnoštvo
resursima je od posebnog strategijskog značaja u praktičnih primera kao i prikaza realnih poslovnih
međunarodnom poslovanju, ali ujedno sadrži i brojne situacija, kojima počinje svaki deo knjige i koji
izazove koji nastaju prilikom obavljanja aktivnosti kao olakšavaju razumevanje analiziranih koncepata. Pored
što su selekcija, obuka i nagrađivanje radnika, kako toga, knjiga obiluje statističkim podacima i tabelarnim
zbog multikulturalnog sastava zaposlenih, tako i zbog prikazima, a dostupni su i online interaktivni sadržaji
brojnih regulativa koje se moraju poštovati u različitim koji dopunjuju sadržaj knjige.
zemljama. Poslednji odeljak knjige ima u fokusu
računovodstveni i finansijski aspekt poslovanja, sa U analizi problematike međunarodnog poslovanja,
osvrtom na razlike u nacionalnim računovodstvenim autor prevashodno primenjuje deskriptivni pristup
standardima i načinu na koji je donošenje investicionih u predstavljanju trenutnog stanja, najznačajnijih
odluka uslovljeno različitim fiskalnim i poreskim segmenata i tokova međunarodnog poslovanja,
regulativama zemalja. izostavljajući kritički osvrt na značaj relacija između
elemenata ovog kompleksnog sistema, kao i na
Imajući u vidu aktuelne procese globalizacije, kao načine prevazilaženja brojnih problemskih situacija
i izraženu neophodnost uključivanja preduzeća koje mogu nastati usled uključivanja preduzeća u
u savremene međunarodne tokove poslovanja, u međunarodne tokove.

Primljeno 1. aprila 2015,

nakon revizije,
prihvaćeno za publikovanje 6. aprila 2015.
Elektronska verzija objavljena 21. aprila 2015.

Jovana Golo je asistent na Ekonomskom fakultetu Univerziteta u Kragujevcu, na nastavnim

predmetima Međunarodno poslovanje i Međunarodni marketing. Student je doktorskih akademskih
studija na Ekonomskom fakultetu Univerziteta u Kragujevcu. Glavne oblasti naučnog istraživanja su
međunarodno poslovanje i međunarodni marketing.