[go: up one dir, main page]
IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/iburev/v21y2012i3p425-438.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

What drives outward FDI of Chinese firms? Testing the explanatory power of three theoretical frameworks

Author

Listed:
  • Wang, Chengqi
  • Hong, Junjie
  • Kafouros, Mario
  • Boateng, Agyenim
Abstract
This study examines the forces driving outward FDI of emerging-market firms. Its contribution lies in integrating and testing insights from institutional theory, industrial organization economics and the resource-based view of the firm. This approach enables us to consider three different levels of analysis – firm, industry and country – and, thus, to distinguish between different sources of variation. Using a large firm-level Chinese dataset, we offer new evidence indicating that government support and the industrial structure of the home country of the investing firm play a crucial role in explaining outward FDI. By contrast, technological and advertising resources tend to be less important. The findings have important implications for theorizing. Although some firm-specific idiosyncrasies still play a role in explaining variations across firms in the same industry, the theoretical analysis and empirical results consistently indicate that foreign investment of Chinese firms is largely driven by their distinctive institutional and industrial environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Chengqi & Hong, Junjie & Kafouros, Mario & Boateng, Agyenim, 2012. "What drives outward FDI of Chinese firms? Testing the explanatory power of three theoretical frameworks," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 425-438.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:21:y:2012:i:3:p:425-438
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2011.05.004
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969593111000825
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2011.05.004?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Liu, Hong & Li, Kequan, 2002. "Strategic Implications of Emerging Chinese Multinationals:: The Haier Case Study," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 20(6), pages 699-706, December.
    2. Luo, Yadong & Tan, J. Justin, 1997. "How much does industry structure impact foreign direct investment in China?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 6(4), pages 337-359, August.
    3. Trevino, Len J. & Thomas, Douglas E. & Cullen, John, 2008. "The three pillars of institutional theory and FDI in Latin America: An institutionalization process," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 118-133, February.
    4. Suma Athreye & Sandeep Kapur, 2009. "The Internationalization of Chinese and Indian Firms: Trends, Motivations and Strategy," Birkbeck Working Papers in Economics and Finance 0904, Birkbeck, Department of Economics, Mathematics & Statistics.
    5. Kogut, Bruce & Chang, Sea Jin, 1991. "Technological Capabilities and Japanese Foreign Direct Investment in the United States," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 73(3), pages 401-413, August.
    6. Luo, Yadong & Xue, Qiuzhi & Han, Binjie, 2010. "How emerging market governments promote outward FDI: Experience from China," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 68-79, January.
    7. Buckley, Peter J. & Wang, Chengqi & Clegg, Jeremy, 2007. "The impact of foreign ownership, local ownership and industry characteristics on spillover benefits from foreign direct investment in China," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 142-158, April.
    8. H H Aswicahyono & Hal Hill, 1995. "Determinants of Foreign Ownership in LDC Manufacturing: An Indonesian Case Study," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 26(1), pages 139-158, March.
    9. Klevorick, Alvin K. & Levin, Richard C. & Nelson, Richard R. & Winter, Sidney G., 1995. "On the sources and significance of interindustry differences in technological opportunities," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 185-205, March.
    10. M Krishna Erramilli & Sanjeev Agarwal & Seong-Soo Kim, 1997. "Are Firm-Specific Advantages Location-Specific Too?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 28(4), pages 735-757, December.
    11. John Mathews, 2006. "Dragon multinationals: New players in 21 st century globalization," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 5-27, March.
    12. Mike Peng, 2005. "Perspectives—From China Strategy to Global Strategy," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 123-141, June.
    13. Girma, Sourafel & Gong, Yundan & Görg, Holger, 2009. "What Determines Innovation Activity in Chinese State-owned Enterprises? The Role of Foreign Direct Investment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 866-873, April.
    14. Cheng, Hsiang-Lin & Yu, Chow-Ming Joseph, 2008. "Institutional pressures and initiation of internationalization: Evidence from Taiwanese small- and medium-sized enterprises," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 331-348, June.
    15. Boisot, Max & Meyer, Marshall W., 2008. "Which Way through the Open Door? Reflections on the Internationalization of Chinese Firms," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(3), pages 349-365, November.
    16. Kafouros, Mario I. & Buckley, Peter J., 2008. "Under what conditions do firms benefit from the research efforts of other organizations?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 225-239, March.
    17. Chiung-Hui Tseng & Patriya Tansuhaj & William Hallagan & James McCullough, 2007. "Effects of firm resources on growth in multinationality," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(6), pages 961-974, November.
    18. Ingemar Dierickx & Karel Cool, 1989. "Asset Stock Accumulation and Sustainability of Competitive Advantage," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 35(12), pages 1504-1511, December.
    19. Peter J Buckley & L Jeremy Clegg & Adam R Cross & Xin Liu & Hinrich Voss & Ping Zheng, 2007. "The determinants of Chinese outward foreign direct investment," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(4), pages 499-518, July.
    20. Bevan, Alan & Estrin, Saul & Meyer, Klaus, 2004. "Foreign investment location and institutional development in transition economies," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 43-64, February.
    21. Manolopoulos, Dimitris & Papanastassiou, Marina & Pearce, Robert, 2005. "Technology sourcing in multinational enterprises and the roles of subsidiaries: An empirical investigation," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 249-267, June.
    22. Yuan Lu & Jun Yao, 2006. "Impact of state ownership and control mechanisms on the performance of group affiliated companies in China," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 485-503, December.
    23. Mike W Peng & Denis Y L Wang & Yi Jiang, 2008. "An institution-based view of international business strategy: a focus on emerging economies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 39(5), pages 920-936, July.
    24. Stephen Hill & Max Munday, 1994. "The Regional Distribution of Foreign Manufacturing Investment in the UK," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-349-13101-3, March.
    25. Xiaohua Yang & Yi Jiang & Rongping Kang & Yinbin Ke, 2009. "A comparative analysis of the internationalization of Chinese and Japanese firms," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 141-162, March.
    26. White, Halbert, 1980. "A Heteroskedasticity-Consistent Covariance Matrix Estimator and a Direct Test for Heteroskedasticity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 48(4), pages 817-838, May.
    27. Peter Nolan, 2001. "China and the Global Economy," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-59928-4, March.
    28. Liu, Xiaohui & Buck, Trevor & Shu, Chang, 2005. "Chinese economic development, the next stage: outward FDI?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 97-115, February.
    29. Tuppura, Anni & Saarenketo, Sami & Puumalainen, Kaisu & Jantunen, Ari & Kyläheiko, Kalevi, 2008. "Linking knowledge, entry timing and internationalization strategy," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(4), pages 473-487, August.
    30. Chidlow, Agnieszka & Salciuviene, Laura & Young, Stephen, 2009. "Regional determinants of inward FDI distribution in Poland," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 119-133, April.
    31. Suma Athreye & Sandeep Kapur, 2009. "Introduction: The internationalization of Chinese and Indian firms: trends, motivations and strategy," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 18(2), pages 209-221, April.
    32. Child, John & Rodrigues, Suzana B., 2005. "The Internationalization of Chinese Firms: A Case for Theoretical Extension?1," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 1(3), pages 381-410, November.
    33. Mike Wright & Igor Filatotchev & Robert E. Hoskisson & Mike W. Peng, 2005. "Strategy Research in Emerging Economies: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(1), pages 1-33, January.
    34. Ingemar Dierickx & Karel Cool, 1989. "Asset Stock Accumulation and the Sustainability of Competitive Advantage: Reply," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 35(12), pages 1514-1514, December.
    35. Klaus E Meyer & Mike W Peng, 2005. "Probing theoretically into Central and Eastern Europe: transactions, resources, and institutions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 36(6), pages 600-621, November.
    36. Hooley, Graham J. & Greenley, Gordon E. & Cadogan, John W. & Fahy, John, 2005. "The performance impact of marketing resources," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 58(1), pages 18-27, January.
    37. Desbordes, Rodolphe, 2007. "The sensitivity of U.S. multinational enterprises to political and macroeconomic uncertainty: A sectoral analysis," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 16(6), pages 732-750, December.
    38. Hitt, Michael A. & Harrison, Jeffrey S. & Ireland, R. Duane, 2001. "Mergers and Acquisitions: A Guide to Creating Value for Stakeholders," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195112856.
    39. Deng, Ping, 2009. "Why do Chinese firms tend to acquire strategic assets in international expansion?," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 74-84, January.
    40. Jefferson, Gary H. & Su, Jian, 2006. "Privatization and restructuring in China: Evidence from shareholding ownership, 1995-2001," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 146-166, March.
    41. John Dunning & Sarianna Lundan, 2008. "Institutions and the OLI paradigm of the multinational enterprise," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 573-593, December.
    42. Yadong Luo & Rosalie L Tung, 2007. "International expansion of emerging market enterprises: A springboard perspective," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(4), pages 481-498, July.
    43. Bruce Blonigen, 2005. "A Review of the Empirical Literature on FDI Determinants," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 33(4), pages 383-403, December.
    44. Wladimir Andreff, 2003. "The newly emerging TNCs from economies in transition: a comparison with Third World outward FDI," Post-Print halshs-00274654, HAL.
    45. Dwight H. Perkins, 1994. "Completing China's Move to the Market," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 8(2), pages 23-46, Spring.
    46. Max Boisot & Marshall W. Meyer, 2008. "Which Way through the Open Door? Reflections on the Internationalization of Chinese Firms," Management and Organization Review, The International Association for Chinese Management Research, vol. 4(3), pages 349-365, November.
    47. Christine Oliver, 1997. "Sustainable competitive advantage: combining institutional and resource‐based views," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(9), pages 697-713, October.
    48. Julie Juan Li & Kevin Zheng Zhou & Alan T Shao, 2009. "Competitive position, managerial ties, and profitability of foreign firms in China: an interactive perspective," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 40(2), pages 339-352, February.
    49. Majocchi Antonio & Zucchella Antonella, 2001. "Internationalization and Performance: findings from a set of Italian SMEs," Economics and Quantitative Methods qf0110, Department of Economics, University of Insubria.
    50. John Child & Suzana B. Rodrigues, 2005. "The Internationalization of Chinese Firms: A Case for Theoretical Extension?," Management and Organization Review, International Association of Chinese Management Research, vol. 1(3), pages 381-410, November.
    51. Liu, Xiaming & Xiao, Wen & Huang, Xianhai, 2008. "Bounded entrepreneurship and internationalisation of indigenous Chinese private-owned firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(4), pages 488-508, August.
    52. Pankaj Ghemawat, 2003. "Semiglobalization and international business strategy," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 34(2), pages 138-152, March.
    53. Marian Gorynia & Jan Nowak & Radoslaw Wolniak, 2007. "Poland and Its Investment Development Path," Eastern European Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(2), pages 52-74, April.
    54. Boter, Hakan & Holmquist, Carin, 1996. "Industry characteristics and internationalization processes in small firms," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 11(6), pages 471-487, November.
    55. Daphne W Yiu & ChungMing Lau & Garry D Bruton, 2007. "International venturing by emerging economy firms: the effects of firm capabilities, home country networks, and corporate entrepreneurship," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(4), pages 519-540, July.
    56. Jefferson, Gary H & Rawski, Thomas G & Yuxin, Zheng, 1992. "Growth, Efficiency, and Convergence in China's State and Collective Industry," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 40(2), pages 239-266, January.
    57. Fahy, John, 2002. "A resource-based analysis of sustainable competitive advantage in a global environment," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 57-77, February.
    58. Peter J Buckley & Jeremy Clegg & Chengqi Wang, 2007. "Is the relationship between inward FDI and spillover effects linear? An empirical examination of the case of China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(3), pages 447-459, May.
    59. Chengqi Wang & Jeremy Clegg & Mario Kafouros, 2009. "Country-of-Origin Effects of Foreign Direct Investment," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 49(2), pages 179-198, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wei, Yingqi & Zheng, Nan & Liu, Xiaohui & Lu, Jiangyong, 2014. "Expanding to outward foreign direct investment or not? A multi-dimensional analysis of entry mode transformation of Chinese private exporting firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 356-370.
    2. Buckley, Peter J. & Munjal, Surender & Enderwick, Peter & Forsans, Nicolas, 2016. "Cross-border acquisitions by Indian multinationals: Asset exploitation or asset augmentation?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 986-996.
    3. Ilan Alon & John Anderson & Ziaul Haque Munim & Alice Ho, 2018. "A review of the internationalization of Chinese enterprises," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 35(3), pages 573-605, September.
    4. Buckley, Peter J. & Munjal, Surender & Enderwick, Peter & Forsans, Nicolas, 2016. "Do foreign resources assist or impede internationalisation? Evidence from internationalisation of Indian multinational enterprises," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 130-140.
    5. Alessia Amighini & Claudio Cozza & Elisa Giuliani & Roberta Rabellotti & Vittoria Scalera, 2015. "Multinational enterprises from emerging economies: what theories suggest, what evidence shows. A literature review," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 42(3), pages 343-370, September.
    6. Sun, Sunny Li & Peng, Mike W. & Lee, Ruby P. & Tan, Weiqiang, 2015. "Institutional open access at home and outward internationalization," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 234-246.
    7. Ajai S Gaur & Xufei Ma & Zhujun Ding, 2018. "Home country supportiveness/unfavorableness and outward foreign direct investment from China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(3), pages 324-345, April.
    8. Stoian, Carmen, 2013. "Extending Dunning's Investment Development Path: The role of home country institutional determinants in explaining outward foreign direct investment," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 615-637.
    9. Li, Jian & Strange, Roger & Ning, Lutao & Sutherland, Dylan, 2016. "Outward foreign direct investment and domestic innovation performance: Evidence from China," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 1010-1019.
    10. Buckley, Peter J. & Munjal, Surender & Enderwick, Peter & Forsans, Nicolas, 2016. "The role of experiential and non-experiential knowledge in cross-border acquisitions: The case of Indian multinational enterprises," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(5), pages 675-685.
    11. Lin Cui & Fuming Jiang, 2010. "Behind ownership decision of Chinese outward FDI: Resources and institutions," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 27(4), pages 751-774, December.
    12. Gloria Ge & Hugh Wang, 2013. "The impact of network relationships on internationalization process: An empirical study of Chinese private enterprises," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 30(4), pages 1169-1189, December.
    13. Lu, Jiangyong & Liu, Xiaohui & Filatotchev, Igor & Wright, Mike, 2014. "The impact of domestic diversification and top management teams on the international diversification of Chinese firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 455-467.
    14. Vukicevic, Jelena & Fallon, Grahame & Ott, Ursula F., 2021. "A theoretical and empirical investigation into investment activities of technologically-intensive Chinese state-owned enterprises in the UK," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(1).
    15. Weilei (Stone) Shi & Sunny Li Sun & Daying Yan & Zhu Zhu, 2017. "Institutional fragility and outward foreign direct investment from China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(4), pages 452-476, May.
    16. Wei, Tian & Clegg, Jeremy & Ma, Lei, 2015. "The conscious and unconscious facilitating role of the Chinese government in shaping the internationalization of Chinese MNCs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 331-343.
    17. Guillermo Cardoza & Gaston Fornes, 2011. "The internationalisation of SMEs from China: The case of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 28(4), pages 737-759, December.
    18. Luo, Yadong & Zhang, Huan, 2016. "Emerging Market MNEs: Qualitative Review and Theoretical Directions," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 333-350.
    19. Irina Jormanainen & Alexei Koveshnikov, 2012. "International Activities of Emerging Market Firms," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 52(5), pages 691-725, October.
    20. Yoo, Dasun & Reimann, Felix, 2017. "Internationalization of Developing Country Firms into Developed Countries: The Role of Host Country Knowledge-Based Assets and IPR Protection in FDI Location Choice," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 242-254.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:21:y:2012:i:3:p:425-438. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/133/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.