The National Origin of the Ownership Advantages of Firms

Abstract

This study is designed to examine the extent to which home countries affect the nature of the ownership advantages of firms and subsequently their competitive position in the international market. The empirical analysis is based on a comparison of the ownership advantages of US, UK and French advertising agencies and examination of their possible origin in specific characteristics of the home countries. The findings suggest that the impact of home countries is essential, but it provides only partial explanation for the nature of the ownership advantages which advertising agencies develop. Some of these advantages re related to the attributes of individual advertising agencies and they vary in line with their unique characteristics rather than in response to the characteristics of their home countries.