Book excerpt: ïVerbeke and Merchant have assembled a remarkable collection of brand new essays by the whoÍs-who of international business. It will become a standard reference for both junior and senior scholars working in this increasingly important area.Í _ Ravi Ramamurti, Northeastern University, US ïLeading thinkers about the multinational enterprise offer both concise syntheses and critical reflections of the state of the art on international strategic management research. They in particular highlight the potential of internalization theory as a central paradigm for the field, and critically examine pertinent issues such as the complex notion of distance in international business. Refreshingly, they do not shy away from naming flaws in recent work, while offering avenues to improve the quality and impact of future research.Í _ Klaus Meyer, University of Bath, UK The Handbook provides an impressive state-of-the-art overview of the international strategic management field as an area of scholarly inquiry. The great strength of the work is the thoughtfulness of the messages conveyed by the expert team of authors. The implications for future international strategy research and for international management practice are profound and will influence the next generation of scholars in international strategy as well as senior level managers. Corporate executives will continue to operate in a world that is far from flat and will use this volume as a reliable compass, in the form of powerful conceptual frameworks, to navigate uncharted territory in the global economy. The Handbook presents a collection of 24 original research papers that should serve international strategy scholars and reflective MNE managers alike.