55064414
Entry mode and emerging market MNEs : an analysis of Chinese greenfield and acquisition FDI in the United States.
A growing theoretical literature on emerging market MNEs argues they use aggressive acquisitions, often to psychically distant, developed host countries, to obtain strategic assets. The use of acquisitions as the dominant entry mode for strategic asset seeking, therefore, stands at heart of current EM MNE theorizing. To date, however, systematic empirical testing of the motivations for different entry modes by EM MNEs is limited. We address this gap by exploring the motivations for Chinese greenfield and acquisition investments in the United States. Our results are broadly supportive of the growing theoretical literature on EM MNEs, arguing acquisitions are the primary mode of strategic asset seeking in developed markets. We also find state ownership impacts strategic assets seeking and strategic asset seeking intensified in the post global financial crisis period.
154968094
China's outward foreign direct investment: Location choice and firm ownership
Abstract This article evaluates the international location decisions made by public listed Chinese firms during the period 2006–2008, using a Poisson count data regression model. Further, we categorize the firms into state-controlled and privately owned according to majority ownership. We find that the determinants of internationalization differ based on ownership. State-controlled firms are attracted to countries with large sources of natural resources and risky political environments. Private firms are more market seekers. Although all firms have strategic intent, the attraction is commercially viable technology rather than core research content. Our findings also show that existing theories can sufficiently explain the actions of private Chinese firms, but adjustments are needed to understand the behavior of state-controlled multinationals.
153838429
Historic and Emergent Trends in Chinese Outward Direct Investment
Abstract and Key ResultsRecent expansion of Chinese outward direct investment is analysed at two levels: at the aggregate level using Chinese Ministry of Commerce data and at the level of the individual FDI project using data compiled by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.Project level analysis reveals wholly-owned projects are increasingly displacing joint ventures as the predominant mode of entry.Changes to the investment motivations are discernable in market-seeking FDI: with defensive and offensive FDI increasingly supplanting trade-related investment activity, and in strategic asset-seeking FDI: with improved access to foreign-owned technologies, brands, and distribution channels gaining importance.
167999803
International expansion of emerging market enterprises: A springboard perspective
In this article, we present a springboard perspective to describe the internationalization of emerging market multinational corporations (EM MNEs). EM MNEs use international expansion as a springboard to acquire strategic resources and reduce their institutional and market constraints at home. In so doing, they overcome their latecomer disadvantage in the global stage via a series of aggressive, risk-taking measures by aggressively acquiring or buying critical assets from mature MNEs to compensate for their competitive weaknesses. We discuss unique traits that characterize the international expansion of EM MNEs, and the unique motivations that steer them toward internationalization. We further delineate peculiar strategies and activities undertaken by these firms in pursuit of international expansion, as well as internal and external forces that might compel or facilitate their propulsion into the global scene. We finally explain the risks and remedies associated with this international ‘springboarding’ strategy and highlight major issues meriting further investigation.
153616520
Foreign acquisitions by Chinese firms: A strategic intent perspective
This article presents a strategic intent perspective (SIP) to analyze the foreign acquisitions made by Chinese firms. It suggests that Chinese firms strategically use cross-border acquisitions to achieve goals, such as acquiring strategic capabilities to offset their competitive disadvantages and leveraging their unique ownership advantages, while making use of institutional incentives and minimizing institutional constraints. The SIP is supported by the evidence from three firms that we studied, where dozens of interviews were conducted, including the one with the founder of Lenovo. This study contributes to extant international business theories by incorporating the SIP to examine internationalization strategies of firms from developing countries.
168129301
International venturing by emerging economy firms: the effects of firm capabilities, home country networks, and corporate entrepreneurship
Past literature on foreign direct investment generally supports an economics perspective that there is a direct relationship between firm-specific ownership advantages and international expansion. However, in emerging economies, with their institutional environment context characterized by low resource munificence and continuous economic liberalization, a theoretical extension of the current perspective is needed. This paper introduces new parameters by focusing on specific ownership advantages and strategic actions that firms have to develop in response to the institutional characteristics of the emerging economies when they decide to pursue outward FDI. The focus here is on international venturing that requires a firm to engage in activities for new business creation in a foreign country rather than simply seek to distribute a product in another nation. It is shown empirically that the relationship between firm-specific ownership advantages and international venturing is moderated by the degree of home industry competition and export intensity. In addition, such a relationship is mediated by the intensity of corporate entrepreneurial transformation in the form of innovation, new business creation, and strategic renewal.
39417169
The determinants of Chinese outward foreign direct investment
This study investigates the determinants of Chinese outward direct investment (ODI) and the extent to which three special explanations (capital market imperfections, special ownership advantages and institutional factors) need to be nested within the general theory of the multinational firm. We test our hypotheses using official Chinese ODI data collected between 1984 and 2001. We find Chinese ODI to be associated with high levels of political risk in, and cultural proximity to, host countries throughout, and with host market size and geographic proximity (1984–1991) and host natural resources endowments (1992–2001). We find strong support for the argument that aspects of the special theory help to explain the behaviour of Chinese multinational enterprises.
152770649
Extending theory by analyzing developing country multinational companies: Solving the Goldilocks debate
I analyze how the study of developing country multinational companies (DMNCs) can help extend theory. The renewed interest in DMNCs has generated a ‘Goldilocks’ debate, with one camp arguing that the analysis of DMNCs is ‘hot’ and requires new theory, another camp arguing that it is ‘cold’ and no new theory is required, and a third camp arguing that it is ‘just right’ and it can be used to extend theory. I follow this third camp and argue that the unique conditions of developing countries influence the internationalization of DMNCs, creating a laboratory for extending theory. I illustrate this idea by reviewing some of the key theories and models of the multinational company and explaining how they can be extended with the study of DMNCs.
54979382
Emerging market multinationals and the theory of the multinational enterprise
Does Dunning's OLI model really explain the pattern of foreign direct investments by emerging market multinationals (EMMs)? I argue that it suffers from the basic flaw of assuming that location advantages (CSAs) are properties of a country and freely available to all firms operating there. But some CSAs have owners, usually local firms, who can sometimes derive significant gains from the monopoly control of these resources. They can use this monopoly power to finance intangible-seeking investments in developed countries to obtain the firm-specific advantages (FSAs) they lack and, hence. compete with FSA-rich MNEs in their own market, and then internationally.
167549223
Exploring the role of government involvement in outward FDI from emerging economies
We explain the mechanisms through which government impacts the internationalization of emerging-market enterprises (EMEs). Rather than merely viewing internationalization as the result of differences in resource positions, we demonstrate that an important source of variation is the idiosyncratic manner in which EMEs are affiliated with government agencies. Although government involvement has a strong effect on international expansion, this effect is contingent upon the level at which the firm is affiliated with government and the degree of state ownership. Different types and levels of governments have different objectives, exert different institutional pressures on EMEs, and impact their willingness and ability to internationalize differently. Government involvement influences the level of overseas investment, its location (developed vs developing countries) and its type (resource- vs market-seeking). These effects depend on firms’ own resources and capabilities, suggesting that not all firms possess equal ability to internalize government-related advantages and respond to institutional pressures. By demonstrating that resource-based and institutional constructs are highly dependent on one another, we enhance understanding of how EMEs succeed in expanding overseas, and why governments matter.
153668246
The Literature on Chinese Outward FDI
Since China initiated its “go global” policy that promotes its overseas investment, China’s Outward Foreign Direct Investment (OFDI) has increased almost twenty times during the last 10 years, reaching $55.9 billion in 2008. The issue of internationalization of Chinese OFDI has attracted increasing attention of researchers from a business perspective. This article systematically reviews the previous studies on overseas investments by Chinese MNEs and discusses the characteristics of Chinese internationalization behavior at both firm level and country level. The internationalization of Chinese companies cannot be understood as a simple game of “catch up” with established MNEs, and more firm‐level empirical studies should be carried out on how these characteristics influence firms’ strategic decisions.
155074697
EMNEs and Knowledge-seeking FDI
Knowledge is the preeminent resource of firms that wish to become and/or remain globally competitive. This is especially true for emerging market multinationals, whose ability to overcome their inherent disadvantages as latecomers relies heavily on their ability to seek knowledge outside of their home borders through foreign direct investment.Our conceptual framework explores drivers of knowledge-seeking foreign direct investment, the types of functional knowledge sought, and the impact on location choice and entry mode decisions.It is argued that EMNE knowledge-seeking outward FDI is not based on the traditional asset-exploitation model of FDI, but rather tends to be focused on asset-augmentation through the exploitation of EMNE unique circumstances.Specifically, this work posits that an EMNE’s strategic orientation predicts its propensity to engage in knowledge-seeking FDI and that the type of knowledge sought predicts location choice and entry mode.
55569733
Greenfield or Acquisition Entry: A Review of the Empirical Foreign Establishment Mode Literature
This paper reviews the empirical literature on the determinants of the choice by multinational enterprises between entering foreign countries through greenfields or acquisitions. We discuss and compare the main theoretical perspectives used, provide a detailed overview of the empirical findings, examine why these findings have often been inconsistent, and offer theoretical and methodological suggestions to guide future research.
55996680
Why do Chinese firms tend to acquire strategic assets in international expansion
More Chinese companies are using cross-border merger and acquisition (M&A) to access and source strategic assets so as to address their competitive disadvantage. However, there is lack of research on the rationale for such strategic-asset-seeking M&A. This paper intends to address this critical issue from an institutional perspective. Building on institutional theory, we propose a model of resource-driven motivation behind Chinese M&A. To shed light on the explanatory power of this institutional framework, we draw on a multiple-case study of three leading Chinese firms--TCL, BOE and Lenovo. By arguing that cross-border M&A from Chinese firms represents a means to acquire strategic assets is the logic of Chinese unique institutional environment, this study is of importance not only to stimulate possible theoretical extensions but also to draw implications to other emerging market firms.
121191469
The Internationalization of Chinese Firms: A Case for Theoretical Extension?
This paper examines the patterns of, and motives for, internationalization by prominent market-seeking Chinese firms. Case studies of these firms indicate that they are seeking technological and brand assets to create a competitive position in international markets. While mainstream theory tends to assume that firms internationalize to exploit competitive advantages, Chinese firms are generally making such investments in order to address competitive disadvantages. They are engaging in 'inward' internationalization by means of original equipment manufacture (OEM) and joint venture partnerships, and 'outward' internationalization by means of acquisition and organic expansion abroad. Each of these routes offers certain benefits coupled with its own challenges or risks. The paper concludes that the Chinese case offers an opportunity to extend present theorizing in four primary areas concerning the latecomer perspective and catch-up strategies, institutional analysis with reference to the role of government, the relations between entrepreneurs and institutions, and the liability of foreignness.
154757687
Boundaries of the Firm: Insights From International Entry Mode Research
Deciding on the boundaries of a firm as it expands abroad is a critical decision for managers. Despite the rapid growth in research addressing this issue, many questions remain unanswered. In this article, the authors review the international entry mode choice literature, identify weaknesses and shortcomings, and provide suggestions on how researchers can add to the knowledge of mode choice and help managers make better international boundary decisions.
154668214
Dragon multinationals: New players in 21st century globalization
This review article starts from the question: how does the global business system appear to a challenger firm, and how have challenger Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) from formerly peripheral areas such as the Asia Pacific established themselves successfully, against the sometimes fierce resistance of incumbents? To answer this question, the review develops an argument concerning the pluralistic character of the process of globalization, as contrasted with the conventional account that sees global processes creating uniformity and convergence. This alternative account is based on a review of the experiences of latecomer and newcomer MNEs, particularly those from the Asia Pacific—such as Acer, Ispat International, Li & Fung and the Hong Leong Group—that are dubbed “Dragon Multinationals.” I argue that the innovative features that these MNEs share, such as their accelerated internationalization, strategic innovation and organizational innovation, fit particularly well with the characteristics of the emergent global economy as one of complex inter-firm linkages. The core proposition of the review is that this complementarity between the characteristics of the emergent global economy and latecomer and newcomer strategic and organizational innovations is what drives the remarkable success of these Asia Pacific firms in establishing themselves as serious international players. Such a proposition carries implications for the process of globalization as well as for the dominant frameworks utilized in International Business. The review argues that Dragon Multinationals adopt a different perspective to the resources accessed through internationalization, and that this requires a rethink of the criteria normally utilized in resource-based accounts of strategy. The challenger firm internationalizing in order to access resources also poses a challenge to the dominant OLI (ownership, locational, internalization) account of multinational advantage. Thus it is argued that the question posed at the outset goes to the core of the IB frameworks, and thereby counts as one of the ‘big questions’ that should guide research in IB in the 21st century.
189838591
Location and the Multinational Enterprise: A Neglected Factor?
This article first traces the changing world economic scenario for international business over the past two decades, and then goes on to examine its implications for the location of foreign direct investment and multinational enterprise activity. It suggests that many of the explanations of the 1970s and early 1980s need to be modified as firm-specific assets have become mobile across natural boundaries. A final section of the article examines the dynamic interface between the value-added activities of multinational enterprises in different locations.
16214813
The Internationalization Process of the Firm—A Model of Knowledge Development and Increasing Foreign Market Commitments
On the basis of empirical research, a model of the internationalization process of the firm is developed. The model focuses on the gradual acquisition, integration and use of knowledge about foreign markets and operations, and on the incrementally increasing commitments to foreign markets. In particular, attention is concentrated on the increasing involvement in the individual foreign country.
154662223
FDI entry mode choice of Chinese firms: A strategic behavior perspective
This study investigates the determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) entry mode choice between a wholly owned subsidiary and a joint venture by Chinese firms that invest overseas. We argue that the FDI entry mode choice of a Chinese firm is primarily influenced by the variables related to the firm's strategic fit in host industry and its strategic intent of conducting FDI. Using survey data of a sample of 138 Chinese firms, the results suggest that a Chinese firm prefers wholly owned subsidiary entry mode when it adopts a global strategy, faces severe host industry competition, and emphasizes assets seeking purposes in its FDI. A joint venture is preferred when the firm is investing in a high growth host market.
153525631
MNE linkages in international business: A framework for analysis
Empirical research demonstrates backward, forward and collaborative linkages between foreign subsidiaries and firms in host economies can have a major impact on the success of the development of these firms' capabilities and resources. However, there is insufficient conceptualisation of this phenomenon in the international business literature, which has either presented a list of determinants of the occurrence of inter-firm linkages without identifying underlying constructs, focused on aggregate impacts of specific types of linkages or explored individual firm case histories. Such approaches inhibit our understanding of linkages at the firm-level generally and how they impact both local and foreign participants, in particular. Drawing on insights from other disciplines, a framework for analysis and future research is developed in this paper. This framework identifies three underlying constructs that determine the efficacy of linkages. It is argued that potential for firm capability and resource development via foreign-local interaction depends on the scope, quantity and quality of linkages formed. This approach reinforces the notion that particular dimensions of linkages, such as type, depth or duration, cannot be considered in isolation. Further, the paper argues that the relative emphasis on linkage scope, quantity and quality will involve trade-offs between them and maintaining equilibrium between global and local considerations.
167366000
Agglomeration economies, firm heterogeneity, and foreign direct investment in the United States
An overlooked aspect of agglomeration economies, which are positive externalities that stem from the geographic clustering of industry, is that firms contribute to the externality in addition to benefiting from the externality. This insight suggests that if firms are heterogeneous they will differ in the net benefits they receive from agglomerating. We argue that firms with the best technologies, human capital, training programs, suppliers, or distributors will gain little, yet competitively suffer when their technologies, employees, and access to supporting industries spill over to competitors. Therefore, these firms have little motivation to geographically cluster despite the existence of agglomeration economies. Conversely, firms with the weakest technologies, human capital, training programs, suppliers, or distributors have little to lose and a lot to gain; therefore, these firms are motivated to geographically cluster. As a result, when firms are heterogeneous we expect agglomeration to be characterized by adverse selection. We find supportive evidence of these arguments by examining the location choice and survival of foreign greenfield investments in U.S. manufacturing industries. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
96458915
Product Innovations in Emerging Economies: The Role of Foreign Knowledge Access Channels and Internal Efforts in Chinese Firms
In this paper, we theoretically and empirically investigate factors that contribute to product innovation by firms in emerging markets. Combining the innovation literature with the latecomer literature on ‘catch-up’ strategies of firms in newly industrialized economies, we posit that access to foreign knowledge is essential for fostering product innovation. In particular, we investigate how innovation clusters formed by inward foreign direct investments in an emerging market and export activities of a firm are effective channels for acquiring foreign knowledge. We also suggest firms that invest in research and development and marketing activities benefit further from access to foreign knowledge due to increased absorptive capacity. Empirically, we employ information on over 160,000 indigenous manufacturing firms in China in 2005–2006. We find strong empirical support for our theoretical framework and conclude by discussing the implications for both theory and managerial practice.
154577591
Greenfield vs. Acquisition: The Strategy of Japanese Investors in the United States
Multinational firms can enter a foreign market by taking over existing local firms acquisitions or by setting up new ventures greenfield investments. Surprisingly, there has been limited empirical work on this topic. This paper examines the determinants of this choice by looking at Japanese entries into the United States. By focusing on firms of one country entering a single market, we are able to separate the impact of a firm's strategy from that of the characteristics of the target industry or country. 
 
This paper tests simultaneously a number of competing hypotheses. The results suggest that acquisitions are used by Japanese investors with weak competitive advantages, while investors with strong advantages find that greenfield investments are a more efficient way to transfer these advantages to the U.S. Acquisitions are also chosen to enter industries with either very high or very low growth rates, when entry is at a scale that is large relative to the parent, and when entry is into a different industry. The Japanese investor's previous experience of the U.S. market, its financial situation, and its status as a follower in an oligopolistic industry have no statistically significant impact on the entry mode. Neither do U.S. stock market conditions.
154677910
How emerging market governments promote outward FDI: Experience from China
Large scale outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) by emerging market enterprises has become common in today's business world. Nested within the political economy perspective, this article elucidates why and how emerging market governments enthusiastically stimulate OFDI. Drawing upon our detailed analysis of the Chinese context, we developed the logic that OFDI promotion policies set by emerging market governments are economically imperative and institutionally complementary to offsetting competitive disadvantages of emerging market enterprises in global competition. This study presents the governmental institutions that impact Chinese OFDI, discusses evolutionary changes of OFDI policies, and describes current policies and measures that stimulate Chinese companies to expand into the global market. This article concludes with theoretical and managerial discussions wherein we call for convergence between two seemingly paradoxical views - institutional escapism and governmental promotion - presently used as an institutional logic explicating international expansion of emerging market enterprises.
153264770
Motives for Outward FDI of Chinese Private Firms Firm Resources, Industry Dynamics, and Government Policies
Using recent survey data, this study examines the impact of firm resources, industry dynamics, and government policies on the outward foreign direct investment (FDI) motives of Chinese firms, based on the integrated ‘strategy tripod’ framework. The results suggest that supportive government policies are important motivators for both strategic asset-seeking and market-seeking outward FDI. Firms' technology-based competitive advantages and a high level of industry research and development (R&D) intensity tend to motivate strategic asset-seeking outward FDI, whereas firm's export experience and higher level of domestic industry competition tend to induce market-seeking outward FDI.
167808372
Perspectives on China's outward foreign direct investment
Recent economic data reveal that, at the infant stage, China's outward foreign direct investment (FDI) is biased towards tax havens and Southeast Asian countries and are mostly conducted by state-controlled enterprises with government sanctioned monopoly status. Further examination of China's savings rate, corporate ownership structures, and bank-dominated capital allocation suggests that, although a surge in China's outward FDI might be economically sensible, the most active players have incentives to conduct excessive outward FDI while capital constraints limit players that most likely have value-creating FDI opportunities. We then discuss plausible firm-level justifications for China's outward FDI, its importance, and promising avenues for further research.
157612657
What determines Chinese outward FDI
Chinese outward foreign direct investment (FDI) has increased substantially in recent years. Though this has generated considerable interest in the motivations and drivers of Chinese investment abroad, there have been few systematic empirical studies of these questions. This paper performs an econometric analysis of the host country determinants of Chinese outward FDI in the period 2003-2006. The focus is in particular on institutional and natural resource-related determinants, and their interaction. We find that Chinese outward FDI is attracted to large markets, and to countries with a combination of large natural resources and poor institutions. Disaggregation shows that the former effect is related to OECD countries, whereas the latter interaction effect holds for non-OECD countries.
59496552
China's Outward FDI and Resource-Seeking Strategy: A Case Study on Chinalco and Rio Tinto
The scale and frequency of foreign direct investment (FDI) in foreign mining companies by China's large state-owned enterprises (SOEs) is still not well explained by existing investment or international business theories. This paper advances and verifies two important theoretical propositions. First, the efforts of China's big businesses to “go global” can be thought of as being part of a national power-building globalisation strategy. Second, facilitated by extended protection from the state, reaching beyond China's national boundaries, China's large SOEs raise investment capital and take risks that their foreign competitors do not. This paper uses Chinalco as a case study to illustrate these propositions.
189899971
Locational Determinants of Japanese Foreign Direct Investment in China
This study examines 2,933 cases of Japanese investment in 27 provinces and regions in China to identify the role that policy determinants had in influencing the sub-national location decision of Japanese firms in China. The empirical results show that the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Opening Coastal Cities (OCCs) were a successful policy instrument initially, as SEZs and OCCs had a strong influence on Japanese foreign investment during the early years of China's liberalized foreign investment environment. Since the mid-1990s SEZs and OCCs have attracted proportionally less foreign investment as competition from other special investment zones has intensified in China. From these observations, we discuss the periodic influence of SEZs and OCCs and introduce and review the influence of newly emerging investment zones. We also draw inferences to the location choice literature in terms of understanding the variable influence of policy factors and traditional locational indicators as driven by temporal changes in investor motivations and preferences in a country.
153690848
Chinese Outward Direct Investment: Is There a China Model?
Chinese outward direct investment (ODI) appears to differ from that of advanced economies. Is there a unique China model? By reviewing industry distributions of ODI data for 2003–2009, we found that Chinese ODI was not concentrated in industries that performed well either in exporting or domestically. Statistical analyses also confirmed that traditional variables, such as market size, production cost and legal environment, did not impact Chinese investors' choice of location for ODI. Instead, investors selected places where they could either learn advanced technologies or secure stable commodity supplies. We have tentatively concluded that the main purpose of the China model of ODI has not been to expand production overseas but to strengthen industries at home.
57558339
Agglomeration, Adjustment, and State Policies in the Location of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States
Using U.S. state-level data we show that agglomeration externalities influence the level of foreign-invested capital in a location. Our empirical model allows the separation of agglomeration effects from the rate of capital stock adjustment, two forces that previous research has conflated. We estimate an agglomeration elasticity of investment of 0.11 to 0.15 with respect to same-source-country investment, lower than previous estimates. We also investigate the influence of state policies and find that although general investment incentives do not affect the location of FDI, targeted policies such as unitary taxation and state foreign offices influence investment.
153864806
Agglomeration Benefits and Location Choice: Evidence from Japanese Manufacturing Investment in the United States
Recent theories of economic geography suggest that firms in the same industry may be drawn to the same locations because proximity generates positive externalities or 'agglomeration effects.' Under this view, chance events and government inducements can have a lasting influence on the geographical pattern of manufacturing. However, most evidence on the causes and magnitude of industry localization has been based on stories, rather than statistics. This paper examines the location choices of 751 Japanese manufacturing plants built in the U.S. since 1980. Conditional logit estimates support the hypothesis that industry-level agglomeration benefits play an important role in location decisions.
153473660
FDI location choice of Chinese multinationals in East and Southeast Asia: Traditional economic factors and institutional perspective
Abstract This paper investigates the factors determining foreign direct investment (FDI) location choices of Chinese multinational firms. We developed a conceptual framework that synthesizes traditional economic factors and institutional perspective. Then several hypotheses were developed in line with the framework and empirically tested using panel data of Chinese outward FDI to eight economies in East and Southeast Asia across a time period of thirteen years. Our findings suggest that institutional factors demonstrate a higher level of significance, complexity and diversity in determining FDI location choice in comparison with economic factors, while both types of factors influence the FDI location choice of Chinese multinational firms. We also found that the FDI location choices of Chinese firms have a dynamic nature, as statistical evidence indicates a heterogeneous response of Chinese FDI towards different economic groups and during different time periods.
153785186
The determinants of China's outward foreign direct investment
Globalisation has led to a rapid increase in the growth of foreign direct investment (FDI) globally. Over the last decade China has become the largest recipient of FDI whilst simultaneously increasing its outward FDI dramatically. The growth in China's outward FDI has attracted little attention from scholars in mainstream research publications. The motivation behind this paper is to investigate the factors driving this growth from both economic and strategic backgrounds. The paper employs panel data analysis covering the period 2003–2009 where we quantify the main drivers of China's outward FDI across a range of variables including bi lateral and multi lateral trade, market size, GDP growth, openness and resource endowment.
16990567
Firm Heterogeneity and Location Choice of Chinese Multinational Enterprises (NNEs)
Using data on 194 location choices in 32 countries for a decade, we investigated locational determinants of Chinese Multinational Enterprises (MNEs). We found that State-Owned MNEs, compared to their peers without controlling state equity, are less concerned about political risk of the host country, but more responsive to favorable exchange rate between Chinese RMB and the host currency. Strategic intent of Chinese MNEs affects their location choice in a way that manufacturing oriented investment, compared to trading subsidiaries, is more attracted to countries with large market size and more deterred by high cost structure of the host country.
154300881
WHAT ATTRACTS FOREIGN MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS? EVIDENCE FROM BRANCH PLANT LOCATION IN THE UNITED STATES
ABSTRACT. The location decisions of foreign multinational corporations (FMNCs) are analyzed using a conditional logit model with states as the choice set. We consider the establishment of new manufacturing plants and separately analyze the site selection of all MNCs, Japanese MNCs, and European MNCs. The results indicate that access to markets, labor market conditions, state promotional efforts to attract foreign investment, and state and local personal taxes are significant fadors in the location decision. The decision determinants for Japanese and European MNCs are found to be different.
167753121
State government effects on the location of foreign direct investment
The paper attempts to produce a generalization concerning the impact of taxes and fiscal incentives on the location of foreign direct investment. The present analysis provides some noteworthy findings. For 1981, it is clear that taxes, measured in various ways, have negative effects on the location of foreign direct investment. Second, states providing tax incentives, financial assistance, and employment assistance did not receive larger numbers of foreign direct investments.
154430277
Attracting foreign manufacturing: Investment promotion and agglomeration
Abstract We study Japanese investments between 1980 and 1992 to assess the effectiveness of US state promotion efforts in light of strong agglomeration effects in Japanese investment. The provision of foreign trade zones, lower taxes, and job-creation subsidies have statistically significant effects on the location of investment. Simulations indicate that unilateral withdrawal of promotion would have caused individual states to lose substantial amounts of Japanese investment. However, because state promotional policies tended to offset each other, their impact on the geographic distribution of Japanese investment appears small.
189840623
Institutional, Cultural and Transaction Cost Influences on Entry Mode Choice and Performance
In this study, we examine foreign market entry mode choice and firm performance for a sample of European Union firms. Examining both financial and non-financial performance measures, we attempt to determine if firms that select their entry mode based on transaction cost, institutional context, and cultural context variables perform better than firms that make other mode choices. We found that mode choice did matter. Firms whose mode choice could be predicted by the extended transaction cost model performed significantly better, on both financial and non-financial measures, than did firms whose mode choice could not be predicted by the extended transaction cost model. Implications for future research are discussed.
155038727
Globalization of Chinese Firms Theoretical Universalism or Particularism
Research on the globalization of Chinese and other emerging markets' companies has only just begun and is on the verge of taking off. As it does so, additional thought should be given to the ontological and epistemological underpinnings of the theories attempting to capture the phenomenon. Should Western-centric theory prevail? Be adapted? Or abandoned in favour of new indigenous approaches to theorizing, based on context? Finally, should the context itself be the basis of theorizing? While the debate will not stop here, the future may hold a multiplicity of approaches, both indigenous and internationalized, for explaining emerging markets' contexts and, more specifically, for understanding internationalization of their economies and their multinationals. This article provides an overview of the debate on Chinese Theory of Business vs. Theory of Chinese Business, and highlights the contribution of three key articles utilizing a hybrid approach of adapted theory, controlling for the various multinational contexts. We conclude that no theory has a monopoly on explanation and a multi-levelj multidisciplinaiy, and, perhaps, Eastern-centric theory may prove to show great potential in future theories of emerging markets' multinationals.
168112279
What is really different about emerging market multinationals
As growth has picked up in emerging markets and slowed in advanced economies, firms everywhere have had to rethink their global strategies. Developed country MNEs (DMNEs) have had to gear up to exploit new opportunities and resources in emerging markets, and emerging market firms have had to figure out how to take advantage of opportunities and resources in the rest of the world. The article in this issue by de la Torre and Chacar (2012) looks at the first kind of challenge, through an empirical analysis of DMNE responses to regional integration in Latin America, while that by Madhok and Keyhani (2012) looks at the second kind of challenge, through a conceptual analysis of how and why emerging market MNEs (EMNEs) internationalize. In this commentary, I will focus on the second kind of challenge, asking specifically whether existing theories, developed principally from studying DMNEs, are adequate to explain the behavior of EMNEs. In the literature, there are two extreme views of this question: one is that EMNEs are a new species of MNEs that can be understood only with new theory (Mathews, 2002); the other, mirroring Vernon’s quote above, is that existing theory, such as the OLI model, is quite adequate to explain EMNEs (Narula, 2006). I suspect the truth is somewhere in between and that the real challenge is to discover which aspects of existing theory are universally valid, which aspects are not, and what to do about the latter. One way to discover areas in which existing theory is inadequate is to look deliberately for situations in which reality appears to be at odds with it—in other words, to look for situations in which the behavior of EMNEs appears to be strange or inexplicable based on what we know about DMNEs. Having identified such situations, one can strive to explain them and hope eventually to develop better theory. I will identify two such puzzles in the discussion that follows.
153949512
Is China Buying the World
No, answers the author. Despite its progress, it has no substantial presence in the world's high income countries. And for all the talk about its dollar reserves, the quantity is far too small to buy up any significant share of the world's largest companies.