Andrei Panibratov

This paper unpacks the dominant concepts of international students, a demographic of increasing significance within the global talent pool. This study explore how past research identifies international students to reveal the contradictory nature of terminology that could serve as a barrier for talent identification and development within organizational settings. We propose the definition and introduce five criteria for discussing who international students are from the talent development lens. We also suggest avenues for future research. Clarifying the concept of international students is crucial for identifying and understanding their nature and characteristics, which in turn facilitates their development into valuable talent.

Regional economic disparities and unbalanced economic growth have led to a lack of essential capabilities and cohesion among individual economies. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) serves as a driver for host countries' leadership to align their national development programs with the Chinese initiative. This paper applies the China‐Kazakhstan context, which is particularly interesting to explore due to Kazakhstan's central position as the main hub of the BRI economic corridors. Building on the theoretical perspectives of legitimacy and bargaining power, the research shows how geopolitics influence the bargaining power of China and the host country at the country, firm, and SEZ levels, creating spillover effects for third countries involved. The BRI has become an important enabler for government and institutional initiatives, such as the supranational cross‐border development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), inter‐organizational cooperative projects, and others, improving Kazakhstan's relative position in the region, attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), and transforming the country into a strong regional player. Based on a cross‐level analysis of the BRI and Kazakhstan's economic growth, the research develops a conceptual framework supported by a set of propositions. The study proposes that Chinese investments have had a considerable impact on Kazakhstan's development, even though there are some challenges, particularly those linked to the negative public perception of the BRI.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has garnered significant attention over the past decade. This expansive project promises lucrative opportunities and a potential boost to global trade. However, infrastructure, policy, and strategic challenges pose risks to its international success. This study examines the forces driving the growth of e-commerce supply chain companies participating in the BRI, focusing on China and Russia as research context. Using the Value Chain theory, we explain how combination of its primary and support activities influences the development of international supply chains within the BRI. We employ a multilinear regression model to test the proposed framework, with an ANOVA model to verify the robustness of our findings. The results reveal that primary and support activities have different significance within BRI collaboration. Exogenous factors, particularly industrial and municipal policies, as well as infrastructural development, are the key drivers of e-commerce success in the BRI supply chains. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on the BRI by providing empirical evidence of the factors influencing e-commerce growth in participating countries. Our findings offer insights for firms and policymakers seeking to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the BRI and highlight the areas requiring attention to ensure its long-term viability and success.