Center for Emerging Markets

As a Spring 2023 recipient of the Srinivasan Family Awards for Projects in Emerging Markets, Alex Chang, a fourth-year Biology and Political Science student at Northeastern University, is bringing portable medical sampling technology to rural communities in Kenya.

The Center for Emerging Markets is supported by a generous gift from Venkat and Pratima Srinivasan that allows Northeastern University students to pursue innovative projects that addresses pressing problems in emerging markets. This fall, CEM awarded seven grants to students to pursue projects around the world.

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.