Home Country Institutions Research Articles

How Home Country’s Development Can Work against Its Best and Brightest: The Case of Korean Electronics Industry

In economic development, high-skilled migration has been at the forefront of scholarly discourse. Despite the interest, what is still missing in the discussion is the impact that home-country institutions play when foreign-educated elites return to home country. To fill this gap, we employ a case-study method to analyze the careers of South Korean engineering PhDs who studied at U.S. universities. The conventional wisdom in economic development literature is that a home-country’s development reaching a level to attract back overseas talent would count as an unequivocal success. However, what we found is that the benefit of job-creation by home-country institutions is uneven across the population, and may possibly have a surprisingly unintentional detrimental effect in the case of top talents. A concrete lesson here is that creating institutions that encourage the maximum knowledge output from the nation’s the best and the brightest is extremely difficult. This research aims to serve as a cautionary tale to the policymakers, academics and managers in the APEC region, as many nations are attempting to replicate Korea’s success in knowledge sectors.

Cross-Border M&A Motives and Home Country Institutions: Role of Regulatory Quality and Dynamics in the Asia-Pacific Region

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between home country institutions and cross-border merger and acquisition (M&A) motives of MNEs from the Asia-Pacific region, with a focus on the role of regulatory quality and dynamics. We empirically examine how M&A motives are affected by elements related to risk of the institutional environment of the acquiring firm’s home country regulatory quality over time. The study is grounded in the general theory of springboard MNEs, and the institutional views of cross-border operations, namely the institutional escapism and institutional fostering perspectives. Using data on over 700 cross-border M&As of European firms by Asia-Pacific MNEs in 2007–2017, we analyze the rationales for these deals and their relationship to the institutional characteristics of the buyers’ home countries including regulatory quality and voice and accountability. We found that the quality of home country regulatory environment is significantly related to domestic firms’ motivation for international M&As. However, the significance and sign of the effects differ for different types of motives and over time. Our findings contribute to the literature on general versus emerging MNE-specific internationalization theories (particularly the theory of springboard MNEs) by expounding on the types and dynamics of cross-border M&A motives.

Immigrant Entrepreneurship: The Joint Effect of Host and Home country Institutions

In this paper, we examine the joint effect of immigrant entrepreneurs’ human capital, their home country’s entrepreneurial culture and their host country’s sub-national institutional environment on their entrepreneurial success. Using a comprehensive dataset constructed from multiple sources for 2012 to 2017, we show that the effect of human capital on immigrant entrepreneurship is dependent on their institutional environment. We find that entrepreneurial culture at origin is highly significant and positively associated with the likelihood of starting an incorporated business across migrants. Mandatory E-Verify reporting has a positive and significant effect on immigrants’ decision to run an incorporated businesses but discourages immigrants from running unincorporated businesses. In showing persistent and lasting impact of institutional mind-maps from immigrants’ home environments, we provide a more nuanced understanding on the effect of human capital than that depicted in the prior entrepreneurial research. The results of this study inform immigration policy on how to augment the contributions of immigrant entrepreneurs and enhance the positive spillovers coming from innovation and business creation.

International opportunity development of born global firms: the role of institutions

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to investigate the international opportunity development process of born global firms embedded in two different institutional contexts: China, an emerging economy and Italy, a developed country. Drawing on the entrepreneurial opportunity literature and institutional theory, this study explores and draws insights into how home country institutions of born globals can influence the international opportunity development process of the firms.Design/methodology/approachThis paper adopts a qualitative case study approach with in-depth, semi-structured interviews of six born global companies from China and Italy. In doing so, this study uses a flexible pattern matching design, which is consistent with the qualitative research design of the paper.FindingsThe findings of the study indicate that home institutions play an influential, yet differential role in the international opportunity development processes of Chinese and Italian born global firms. While the Italian firms shape their opportunities mainly through product innovation, their Chinese counterparts develop opportunities primarily through networks embedded in their home institutional context.Originality/valueThe key contributions of the paper relate to an integrated analysis of the international opportunity development process of born globals in China and Italy based on institutional theory, which has received limited attention in the international entrepreneurship literature. In addition, the study advances the similarities and differences in the international opportunity development process in two different countries, thus providing valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners to enter international markets successfully.

A co-evolution perspective of EMNE internationalization and institutions: An integrative framework of 5Cs

While significant progress has been made on the contextual role of institutions, scholarly research on the dynamic process of emerging economy multinational enterprises’ (EMNEs) international activities interacting with home country and host country institutions still seems to be in its infancy. Therefore, in order to move the current academic debate forward, we examine the intersection between the internationalization of EMNEs and their institutional environments by undertaking a critical review of the existing literature, given that institutional forces not only shape organizational behavior but also affect EMNEs’ internationalization strategies and organizational outcomes. We propose an integrative framework of 5Cs (context, capability, change, concomitance and configuration) underlying the co-evolution of EMNEs’ internationalization and institutions, and position all the papers included in this Special Issue within this framework in order to point towards a number of directions for future scholarship.

Home country institutions and exports of firms in transition economies: Does innovation matter?

We draw on institutional theory and the resource-based view to analyze the relation between home-country governance imperfections and the export intensity of firms in transition economies, including an examination of the moderating role of innovation. We propose that greater governance imperfections result in lower export intensity and that innovation mitigates the constraints of operating with weak home-country institutions. Analyses of panel data from the Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey (BEEPS) on firms from transition economies provide support for our arguments. Our findings allow us to conclude that although firms from transition economies face difficulties to export due to the regulatory constraints of their home countries, a strategy based on innovation represents a viable way of overcoming these limitations.

Are foreign companies a blessing or a curse for local development in Brazil? It depends on the home country and host region's institutions

AbstractLatin America is an important destination for foreign direct investment (FDI). The debate on whether FDI is beneficial or harmful to the region is ongoing. Our study investigates how institutions from the home country and the host region affect the FDI‐human development nexus in Brazil. Specifically, we employ a unique data set comprising 92 municipalities and companies from 52 countries. We use threshold regressions to scrutinize the heterogeneous effects of FDI on the municipalities' income, education, health, and productivity levels. Our results indicate that locations with a high concentration of companies from countries with well‐developed institutions tend to experience a more positive effect of FDI on local development than regions with a high concentration of companies from emerging economies with less developed institutions. This effect is nonlinear, though, and more significant in institutionally weak regions. Our findings suggest that the FDI‐human development nexus is neither always positive or negative. Instead, it varies depending on which human development aspect is being analyzed and on institutions. Finally, we discuss policy implications for Brazil and Latin America.

Home Country Institutions and Outward FDI: An Exploratory Analysis in Emerging Economies

Although the internationalization of economies is driven by specific industry conditions or business-specific differences, the institutions that exist as background conditions directly determine firms’ strategies and interactions in the international environment. This paper contributes to the discussion on the relationship between institutional quality and outward FDI (OFDI). We used 30 indicators in 48 emerging economies in the period 2007–2017; we collected the indicators from alternative secondary sources. After we applied Factor Analysis, six factors were retained. We named the components as follows: “Transparency of government” (F1), “Research, development and innovation, R&D+I” (F2), “Inequality” (F3), “Rules on inward FDI (IFDI)” (F4), “Education and training” (F5), and “Financial market” (F6). The panel data model outcomes suggest that Factor 2, Research, development and innovation, has a significant and positive effect on OFDI. Factor 6, the Financial market, has a significant and negative effect on OFDI. When we include lagged values of OFDI stocks the results also show that the government measures transparency positively and significantly affects OFDI stocks. These findings imply that the institutional environment creates two streams of OFDI: leverage and escapism.

Multinational Enterprises and Home Country Institutional Pressure

This qualitative research explores how multinational enterprises (MNEs) respond to institutional pressure at home. Focusing on the case of China, a major source of outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) in the world, we analyze and theorize the meanings of firm actions within a policy regime designed for global competition. We find, in a country where its governments (both national and regional) seek OFDI development through policymaking, that domestic firms will confront these regulative interventions with four types of strategies—institutional compromise, institutional innovation, institutional manipulation, and institutional defiance—as they pursue value creation from internationalization. More importantly, these responses are driven by two key enabling conditions: the flexibility of the institutional arrangements and the actor’s position in the field. Our findings provide valuable insights for international business research surrounding the theme of home country institutional pressure and MNE agency.

The Impact of Home and Host Country Institutions on the Exit of Chinese Foreign Subsidiaries

Purpose - This study aims to examine the impact of host country institutions on the exit of foreign subsidiaries, and tries to figure out how the home country institutions moderate the relationship between host country institutions and subsidiary exit. Design/Methodology/Approach - The sample of this study includes 7,098 foreign subunits established by 2,401 Chinese listed manufacturing firms in 121 countries. This study used Logit Regression to measure the effect of home and host country institutions on the exit of foreign subsidiaries. Findings - The results show that when entering countries with better institutional profile than China, the host country institutions negatively affect the exit of Chinese foreign subsidiaries and home country institutions have positive moderating effect. While, when entering countries with worse institutional profile than China, the host country institutions positively affect the exit of Chinese foreign subsidiaries and home country institutions have no moderating effect. Research Implications - This study makes a new attempt to empirically examines the moderating effect of home country institutions on foreign subsidiary’s exit decision while being subject to the host country institutions, which helps fill the gap in this area. Moreover, this study offers a certain understanding of the impact of both home and host country institutions on the survival of foreign subsidiaries in host countries, which may be helpful for future policy development and firms’ internationalization strategy development.

Home-country institutions and corporate social responsibility of emerging economy multinational enterprises: The belt and road initiative as an example

This paper examines the impact of home country institutions on corporate social responsibility (CSR) of multinational enterprises from emerging markets (EM-MNEs). Taking the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as an example and using a sample with 2052 firm-year observations from China over the period 2008–2018, we find that the BRI exerts a positive and significant effect on overall CSR of Chinese MNEs involved in the BRI and the positive effect is stronger for Chinese state-owned MNEs. In addition, only two dimensions of CSR (Employee Relations and Products) are improved significantly under the pressure of BRI. Finally, we examine the interactive effect of home- and host- country institutions on Chinese MNEs’ CSR and find the positive impact of the BRI on MNEs’ CSR performance is stronger in host countries with a higher level of CSR related institutional pressure. These results provide practical suggestions for the Chinese government and MNEs to further improve CSR under the BRI, and enrich our understanding of the interactive effect between home- and host-country institutions on enhancing Chinese MNEs’ reputation and promoting regional cooperation with countries along the BRI.

Returnee entrepreneurship: how home-country institutions, estrangement and support influence entrepreneurial intentions

PurposePolicymakers, academics and practitioners have recognised the potential of returnee entrepreneurs for the transfer of advanced knowledge to emerging and developing countries. Yet what factors determine the decisions to start a business – and what type of business – upon returning to the home country is relatively unclear. This paper aims to reveal to what extent different contextual factors influence the intention to return home to start a venture. In addition to overall intentions to start a returnee business, this study covers intentions towards starting businesses with different orientations.Design/methodology/approachThis study builds upon a sample of 273 individuals originating from emerging economies who are on track to complete their overseas tertiary education in an advanced economy. Using primary survey data obtained from the participants, a structural equation model (SEM) based on our theoretical model was defined for hypothesis testing.FindingsFindings suggest that the perception of a stable institutional environment stimulates returnee entrepreneurship, and that the perception of estrangement negatively affects the intention to start a new venture in the home country. The results further show that the availability of support may reduce perceived estrangement, thereby exerting an indirect, positive effect on returnee entrepreneurship. Importantly, the findings confirm that these effects vary across intentions to start ventures with different orientations.Originality/valueThis study extends previous literature on the phenomenon of returnee entrepreneurs which has primarily investigated returnee-owned ventures that are already in operation. In particular, the authors provide theoretical links between institutions and other contextual factors affecting returnee entrepreneurial intentions, and this study highlights that it is meaningful to consider not only the strength but also different types of intentions. Thereby, this paper provides refined perspectives on the assumed beneficial impact of returnee entrepreneurs on the economic and societal development of emerging economies.

International Opportunity Discovery of Born Global Firms: The Role of Institutions

The study examines home-country institutions as contextual factors influencing the process of international opportunity discovery in the case of born global companies embedded in two different institutional contexts: an emerging economy, China, and a developed country, Italy. Drawing on the opportunity-based view and institutional theory, the study explores and draws comparative insights into how home country institutions of born global firms can influence the international opportunity discovery process. Using a case study approach, we examine the international opportunity discovery process of six born global firms from China and Italy and show how home-country institutions can influence the process of developing cross-border opportunities in born global firms. The findings reveal that home institutions played an influential, yet, differentiating role on the international opportunity discovery processes of the Chinese and Italian firms. The institutional context of the Italian firms shaped their opportunity discoveries through product innovation, whereas their Chinese counterparts discovered opportunities mainly through networks embedded their home institutional context.

What explains the degree of internationalization of early-stage entrepreneurial firms? A multilevel study on the joint effects of entrepreneurial self-efficacy, opportunity-motivated entrepreneurship, and home-country institutions

Integrating recent theories of entrepreneurship with new institutional economics, we develop a multilevel model to deepen our knowledge of how micro-level entrepreneurs’ personality and motivational antecedents interact with macro-level home-country institutions in determining internationalization by early-stage entrepreneurial firms. Data were collected from Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Adult Population Survey, GEM National Expert Survey, and the World Economic Outlook Database for the year of 2014. The results show that the personality trait of entrepreneurial self-efficacy contributes positively to the degree of internationalization via mobilizing opportunity-motivated entrepreneurship and that home-country formal institutions strengthen the above relationship of such young entrepreneurial firms.

Home country institutional drivers and performance outcomes of export market orientation: the moderating role of firm resources

PurposeAnchored mainly on the institutional theory and resource-based view, this study endeavors to investigate the interplay between home country institutional environment (economic, regulatory and socio-cultural environment), export market orientation and export performance. Besides, this study also aims to examine the moderating role of firm resources (knowledge-based and managerial resources) in the associations between home country institutions and export market orientation.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on data from a sample of 221 exporting firms in Turkey, the conceptual model is empirically examined by structural equation modeling.FindingsThe findings reveal that regulatory environment is conducive to the improvement of export market orientation, which is instrumental in cultivating export performance. Importantly, empirical evidence also proves that higher levels of knowledge-based and managerial resources strengthen the linkage between home country institutions and export market orientation.Originality/valueIntegrating institutional theory with the resource-based view, this research considerably contributes to the current understanding of the export market orientation phenomenon by filling the knowledge gap on the differential impacts of home country’s economic, regulatory and socio-cultural environment on export market orientation. Moreover, this study provides worthwhile insights into the moderating effect of knowledge-based and managerial resources on home country institutions and export market orientation and the interrelationship between export market orientation and export performance in an emerging economy.

The international market selection of Chinese SMEs: How institutional influence overrides psychic distance

The purpose of this research is to contribute to the ongoing debate about whether psychic distance still plays a vital role in the internationalisation of SMEs from emerging markets. Drawing on the prior research which suggests the salient impact of institutional factors on internationalisation, we investigate the role of home country institutions in international market selection. Adopting a multi-case methodology, we collected semi-structured interview data from six small and medium-sized manufacturing firms in China. Our findings suggest that while psychic distance is still important in some circumstances, both formal institutions, such as government support, and informal institutions, such as business and political guanxi, enable Chinese SMEs to choose psychically distant markets. Our findings also indicate that informal institutions interact with formal institutions to further influence SMEs’ international market selection. This research contributes to SME internationalisation studies by revealing how formal and informal institutional factors override psychic distance in influencing international market selection.

Foreign Direct Investment, Home Country Institutions, and Local Human Development in Brazil

Multinational companies (MNCs) are influenced by their home country institutions. But how does the interaction between home country and host region institutions affect human development in countries with significant regional disparities? To address this question, we collected a unique dataset of FDI from 52 countries in 92 Brazilian municipalities and created a Home Country Institutional Index (HCII). Econometric analyses show that a higher share of foreign companies from countries with high levels of human development is positively associated with local education, health, and income. However, this effect is non-linear and more pronounced in institutionally weak regions.

Host country risk and foreign ownership strategy: Meta-analysis and theory on the moderating role of home country institutions

Empirical evidence for the relationship between host country risk and a firm’s ownership level in its foreign entry strategy is inconclusive. We revisit this relationship by integrating the internalisation logic with an institution-based view to examine the moderating effects of formal and informal institutions in the home country. By meta-analysing 64 empirical studies involving 52,229 ownership decisions on foreign market entry, this study gives support to theoretical arguments that the focal relationship is positively moderated by institutional constraints on policymakers and risk-taking tendencies in the home country but is negatively moderated by the joint effect of these two institutional factors. These findings shed new light on the literature of host country risk and foreign ownership strategy. Besides describing the implications of the findings for theory and practice, we discuss the agenda for future theory development in international business.

An integrated-dynamic mode of entry model: global MNEs entering into emerging markets

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model for the mode of entry in a particular case of global MNEs entering into emerging markets. Design/methodology/approach The conceptual model builds on institutional theory and follows an integrated approach of entry mode theories using bargaining theory, the liability of foreignness and local legitimacy. Findings The conceptual model introduces five propositions. Research limitations/implications The study has policy implications for emerging market institutions. Also, the model highlights the significance of long-term vision in global MNEs’ sustainability. However, the model excludes the MNEs’ internal institutions, home country institutions, as well as institutional and cognitive distances. Originality/value The conceptual model addresses the dynamics of MNEs’ entry decisions with long-term strategic vision. It helps to recognize the global MNEs’ internalization of the host country’s formal and informal institutions when the bargaining power is in imbalance.

Institutional Distance and Subsidiary Debt: The Spillover Effect of Home Country Institutional Quality

This study examines the spillover effects of home country institutional and cultural characteristics on the subsidiaries operating in France while they are in the process of making capital structure choices and debt maturity choices. We document that while subsidiaries financing choices are partially explained by standard determinants, at the same time, these choices are impacted by cultural distance factors such as economic, financial, and political distance. Namely, cultural distance is one of the essential determinants of the long-term debt proportion in the total amount of debt used for the financing of foreign subsidiaries in France.