515 The International Business Management Environment in the BRIC(S) Bloc Российский журнал менеджмента Russian Management Journal Том 15, № 4, 2017. С. 515–536 Vol. 15, No. 4, 2017, pp. 515–536 THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENT IN THE BRIC(S) BLOC R. F. LITTRELL * National Research University Higher School of Economics at St. Petersburg, Russia a P. RAMBURUTH UNSW Business School, University of New South Wales, Australia b The BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) were identi ied as the fastest growing emerging economies by the economist Jim O’Neill in 2001. He created the acronym BRIC (which became BRICS in 2010 to include South Africa) and raised their proiles. Some researchers viewed the rise of BRIC(S) as phenomenal, others were more cautious. Scholars such as [Sinha, Dorschner, 2010] noted the disparate nature of the BRIC countries, being separated geographically, culturally and politically. Others (e.g. [Armjo, Burges, 2007; Tudoroiu, 2012]) noted a lack of conceptualization of BRIC(S) as a group, that is having an array of similar characteristics. This article reviews the international business management environment in the BRIC(S) bloc, inding uncertainties about the sustainability of their upward trajectories. Historically and statistically, emerging economies that secure rapid economic growth seem unable to sustain it after a decade, evident in the decline of the economic fortunes of BRIC(S). This paper provides statistical insights into BRIC(S) individual and bloc performance and discusses alternate clusters of emerging economies and predictions (e. g. FIG, MINT, MIST, etc.). The discussion briely considers the role of the New Development Bank (2015), provision of development inance to BRIC(S) and other emerging economies, and positioning in relation to existing inancial institutions. The paper concludes with suggestions for a more considered assessment of emerging economies and their role in the global economy. Keywords: international business management environment, emerging economies, BRIC(S), the Next Eleven, New Development Bank. JEL: M16, M21, N20, N30, O15, O30, O57, P30, P52. * Corresponding author: rlittrell@hse.ru This article has been prepared within the framework of a subsidy granted to the National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, by the Government of the Russian Federation for the implementation of the Global Competitiveness Program. a Postal Address: 3 Kantemirovskaya ul., National Research University Higher School of Economics at Saint Petersburg, St. Petersburg, 194100, Russia. b Postal Address: College Rd, UNSW Business School, University of New South Wales, Kensington NSW 2052, Sydney, Australia. © R. F. Littrell, P. Ramburuth, 2017 https://doi.org/10.21638/11701/spbu18.2017.407