My research concerns the development of firms in developing countries. It is mainly the under-researched issue of the strategies and practices of the developing country firms that is in focus. I work on issues regarding the local factors which influences the development and growth potential of the developing country firms (or lack of same). It is particularly the firm internal conditions, but also industry, market and institutional (political, economic and socio-cultural) conditions. I also focus on issues regarding small and medium-sized firms (SMEs), corporate social and environmental responsibility (CSR) and which driving forces (or lack of same) that influence the strategies of SMEs in developing countries in engaging in CSR issues (or not engaging). Major research projects concern a) Youth, Entrepreneurship and Employment in Ghana, Uganda and Zambia in collaboration with University of Copenhagen, colleages from CBDS, african partners at University of Legon, Accra, Makerere University Business School, Kampala and University of Zambia, Lusaka and the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) - see http://geo.dk.dk/yemp and b) the strategies of South African textiles and clothing companies, including the importance of Codes of Conduct for the working conditions in the textiles and clothing industry in Southern Africa (South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland and Namibia). With regard to countries it is mainly South Africa and Southern Africa (Swaziland, Lesotho and Zambia) plus Uganda, which I deal with.

Coordinator of the IRN-BDS (International Research Network on Business, Development and Society):

http://bdsnetwork.cbs.dk/menu/home.asp

1. Making Industrial Policy work in an era of globalisation. The case of South Africa and the textiles and clothing industry. Chapter 9. Co-authored with Justin Barnes, University of Kwazulu-natal & B&M Analysts, South Africa. In: Rugraff, E. and Hansen, M.W. (eds.), Multinationals and Local Firms in emerging Markets, Amsterdam University Press, the Netherlands. 2011.

2. Special Issue on "New Perspectives on Business, Development and Society", Co-authored with Peter Lund-Thomsen, Editorial, pp. 139-142, Journal of Business Ethics, Volume 93, supplement 2 (online as: DOI 10.1007/s10551-010-0557-3). 2010.

3.  Taking Stock of CSR and SMEs in Development . Working Paper, no. 9. The International Research Network on Business, Development and Society, Copenhagen Business School: Copenhagen. www.bdsnetwork.cbs.dk. 2009.

4. Is the impact of FDI similar in all developing countries? South Africa and Mali compared. Co-authored with Assoc. Prof. Claire Mainguy, University of Strasbourg, France. Pp. 176-201 (Chapter 8). In: Rugraff, Eric, Diego Sanchez-Ancochea & Andrew Sumner (eds.): ‘Transnational Corporations and Development Policy. Critical Perspectives.’ Palgrave MacMillan publishers, Hampshire, UK. 2009.

5. (In Danish): Corporate Social Responsibility i ulandsbistanden – gammel vin på nye flasker? In: Politik, vol. 11(4): 59-69.2008.

6. Strengthening Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibilities in SMEs –Strengthening Developing Countries? Pp. 89-112, In: Pedersen, E. R. & Huniche, M. (eds.), Corporate Citizenship in Developing Countries. New Partnership Perspectives, Copenhagen Business School Press, Copenhagen, 2006.

7. Development strategy, industrial policy and cross-border inter-firm linkages. Pp. 311-338, Co-authored with Peter Wad. In: Hansen, Michael W. & Henrik Schaumburg-Müller (eds.), Transnational corporations and local firms in Developing Countries. Copenhagen, Copenhagen Business School Press. 2006.

8. Enhancing competitiveness and securing equitable development: can small, micro and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) do the trick? Development in Practice, vol. 15, no. 3-4, pp. 463-474, June 2005.

9. Environmental Practices and Greening Strategies in Small Manufacturing Enterprises in South Africa. A Critical Realist Approach.PhD Afhandling. PhD Series 11-2004. Department of Intercultural Communication and Management, Copenhagen Business School.

10. Environmental upgrading of third world enterprises through linkages to transnational corporations. Theoretical perspectives and preliminary evidence. Co-authored with Michael W. Hansen. In: Business Strategy and the Environment, vol. 13, pp. 261-274, 2004.