Center for Emerging Markets

Global brands increasingly set sustainability standards for their first-tier suppliers in emerging market countries and expect them to ensure that similar standards are met by their lower-tier suppliers. This cascading approach encourages sustainability practices to be adopted throughout the supply chain.

Sponsored by the Center for Emerging Markets, the International Business Club (IBC) held its inaugural International Business & Emerging Markets Case Competition on campus on Saturday, October 28, 2023.

In China, NGOs often collaborate with multinational companies to promote sustainability among their suppliers. This “two-step influence model” allows NGOs to indirectly influence local firms. The success of these collaborations depends on alignment with government priorities, with stronger impacts where the environment is a lower priority. Multinationals benefit from local knowledge and networks through these partnerships but must carefully manage trust and expectations. Moreover, collaboration with NGOs can help achieve sustainability goals but also invites scrutiny.

Multinational corporations (MNCs) often have less power over their emerging market suppliers than is commonly believed. New research suggests that MNCs can use various strategies to influence their suppliers' behavior, but these strategies have complex and paradoxical effects on their performance and reputation. MNCs should consider the goals and interests of their suppliers when creating sustainability strategies for their global value chains.

Sand is a vital material for construction, but it is being depleted faster than nature can replenish it. This poses serious environmental and social problems, such as habitat loss, water pollution, and conflicts over resources. To address this issue, researchers have explored sustainable alternatives to sand, but there are no easy solutions because of availability, performance, price, and demand-related considerations, particularly in emerging markets where population growth and economic priorities will place increasing pressure on this limited resource.

On Saturday, October 28, 2023, the Center for Emerging Markets at Northeastern University held the second annual India summit: India – The Next Startup Nation? to explore India's vibrant startup ecosystem.

Managers operating in emerging markets face a delicate balance between risks and opportunities. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) holds the key to navigating these complexities, and recent research shows its significance in securing competitiveness and credibility. Managers are advised to embrace global CSR standards, engage with local stakeholders, adapt flexible strategies, monitor suppliers, and seek collective action to leverage the opportunities of these fast-growing markets.

How do leaders of global companies face Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) challenges in their supply chains? Recent research by Sheila Puffer and colleagues at Northeastern University presents a typology of four archetypes of CSR responses and analyzes the benefits and drawbacks of each archetype using real-world examples.

The Center for Emerging Markets sponsored two Northeastern University students, Brecker Ferguson and Radhika Barot, to attend the 2023 World Trade Organization Public Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, in September 2023. Both students reflected on their experiences and shared insights into the role of emerging markets in global trade.