Pub Date : 2026-02-05DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102560
Eunsuk Hong , Jae Chul Jung , In Hyeock (Ian) Lee , Shige Makino
Using a sample of 11,086 subsidiary-year cases from Japanese MNEs between 2002 and 2013, this study examines the heterogeneous impacts of social versus environmental commitment practices on employment levels at MNEs’ overseas subsidiaries from a signaling perspective, which are proposed to be contingent on the firms’ outbound foreign direct investment (FDI) motivations and geographic scopes. The empirical findings from the study are threefold: (1) both social and environmental commitment practices of MNEs positively relate to subsidiary employment in host countries, with the former’s effect stronger than the latter’s; (2) the positive impacts of social commitment practices on subsidiary employment are more pronounced for MNEs pursuing downstream market-seeking motivations with their outbound FDI projects and for those operating within their home region; however, (3) the positive impacts of environmental commitment practices on subsidiary employment are not significantly affected by MNEs’ outbound FDI motivations or geographic scopes. The study concludes with theoretical, empirical, and managerial implications for MNEs in the international business (IB) literature.
{"title":"Multinational enterprises (MNEs), heterogeneity in corporate social responsibility (CSR), and subsidiary employment in host countries: A signaling perspective","authors":"Eunsuk Hong , Jae Chul Jung , In Hyeock (Ian) Lee , Shige Makino","doi":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102560","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102560","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Using a sample of 11,086 subsidiary-year cases from Japanese MNEs between 2002 and 2013, this study examines the heterogeneous impacts of social versus environmental commitment practices on employment levels at MNEs’ overseas subsidiaries from a signaling perspective, which are proposed to be contingent on the firms’ outbound foreign direct investment (FDI) motivations and geographic scopes. The empirical findings from the study are threefold: (1) both social and environmental commitment practices of MNEs positively relate to subsidiary employment in host countries, with the former’s effect stronger than the latter’s; (2) the positive impacts of social commitment practices on subsidiary employment are more pronounced for MNEs pursuing downstream market-seeking motivations with their outbound FDI projects and for those operating within their home region; however, (3) the positive impacts of environmental commitment practices on subsidiary employment are not significantly affected by MNEs’ outbound FDI motivations or geographic scopes. The study concludes with theoretical, empirical, and managerial implications for MNEs in the international business (IB) literature.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51352,"journal":{"name":"International Business Review","volume":"35 3","pages":"Article 102560"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146122564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102564
Xianming Wu , Qi Ni , Victor Cui
With deepening international tensions and global disorder, geopolitical risk has become a key factor that multinational enterprises (MNEs) cannot ignore in their internationalisation process. In the context of cross-border mergers and acquisitions (CBM&As), the intensification of bilateral geopolitical risk (BGPR) exposes the firms to tougher legitimacy challenges. This study investigates the impact of BGPR on equity control in CBM&As by MNEs and distinguishes BGPR from global GPR, focusing on the specific interactions between two countries. Using Tobit regression models to analyse CBM&As panel data from Chinese listed companies between 2004 and 2022, this study finds that heightened BGPR leads to reduced equity control by Chinese MNEs, as they adopt strategies to mitigate asymmetric legitimacy penalties. Under the framework of institutional arbitrage, non-market strategies such as cross-listing, corporate reputation, and environmental disclosure are shown to offset the negative effects of BGPR on equity control. This study contributes to the international business literature by refining the categorisation of risks in corporate internationalisation, revealing the strategic use of non-market strategies under geopolitical pressure, and extending ownership strategy theory into the geopolitical context.
{"title":"Bilateral geopolitical risk and equity ownership in cross-border mergers and acquisitions by emerging-market firms: Non-market strategies as legitimacy buffers","authors":"Xianming Wu , Qi Ni , Victor Cui","doi":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102564","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102564","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With deepening international tensions and global disorder, geopolitical risk has become a key factor that multinational enterprises (MNEs) cannot ignore in their internationalisation process. In the context of cross-border mergers and acquisitions (CBM&As), the intensification of bilateral geopolitical risk (BGPR) exposes the firms to tougher legitimacy challenges. This study investigates the impact of BGPR on equity control in CBM&As by MNEs and distinguishes BGPR from global GPR, focusing on the specific interactions between two countries. Using Tobit regression models to analyse CBM&As panel data from Chinese listed companies between 2004 and 2022, this study finds that heightened BGPR leads to reduced equity control by Chinese MNEs, as they adopt strategies to mitigate asymmetric legitimacy penalties. Under the framework of institutional arbitrage, non-market strategies such as cross-listing, corporate reputation, and environmental disclosure are shown to offset the negative effects of BGPR on equity control. This study contributes to the international business literature by refining the categorisation of risks in corporate internationalisation, revealing the strategic use of non-market strategies under geopolitical pressure, and extending ownership strategy theory into the geopolitical context.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51352,"journal":{"name":"International Business Review","volume":"35 2","pages":"Article 102564"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146023007","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-17DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102562
Peter J. Buckley , Niron Hashai
Using a simple model, we analyse the effects on the global economy of unilaterally banning inward FDI (IFDI). Unilateral bans on IFDI may provoke retaliation from other countries (bilateral FDI ban), which further disrupts the global system. The most striking, unintended consequence of banning inward FDI revealed by our model is that in the scenario where both advanced and emerging countries impose bilateral inward FDI bans, the former gain little from banning inward FDI and bear the risk of losing much to the latter. This result is mainly driven by the prohibition on advanced country MNEs locating production activities of technology intensive products in emerging countries.
{"title":"The impact of inward foreign direct investment bans on the configuration of global value chains","authors":"Peter J. Buckley , Niron Hashai","doi":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102562","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102562","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Using a simple model, we analyse the effects on the global economy of unilaterally banning inward FDI (IFDI). Unilateral bans on IFDI may provoke retaliation from other countries (bilateral FDI ban), which further disrupts the global system. The most striking, unintended consequence of banning inward FDI revealed by our model is that in the scenario where both advanced and emerging countries impose bilateral inward FDI bans, the former gain little from banning inward FDI and bear the risk of losing much to the latter. This result is mainly driven by the prohibition on advanced country MNEs locating production activities of technology intensive products in emerging countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51352,"journal":{"name":"International Business Review","volume":"35 2","pages":"Article 102562"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145977331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102561
Ha Nguyen, Vikrant Shirodkar
Multinational enterprises (MNEs) often develop an extensive network of foreign subsidiaries within a host country. However, due to the limited attention capacity of managers at MNE headquarters (HQ), the degree to which each subsidiary in such a host market receives positive attention from the HQ is constrained. Our paper adopts the attention-based view to argue that greater subsidiary density of a focal MNE in a host market increases subsidiary mortality propensities. Additionally, we argue that this effect is moderated by important attention regulators such as the subsidiary's relatedness to the MNE HQ, the order of the subsidiary’s entry into the host market, and the subsidiary’s establishment mode. We test our hypotheses using a sample of 1718 foreign subsidiaries of 255 Finnish MNEs operating in 70 host countries. Overall, our paper contributes to the literature by conceptualising MNE-subsidiary density as an attention-based construct and studying its impact on subsidiary mortality.
{"title":"Multinational enterprises’ subsidiary density and subsidiary survival: An attention-based perspective","authors":"Ha Nguyen, Vikrant Shirodkar","doi":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102561","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102561","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Multinational enterprises (MNEs) often develop an extensive network of foreign subsidiaries within a host country. However, due to the limited attention capacity of managers at MNE headquarters (HQ), the degree to which each subsidiary in such a host market receives positive attention from the HQ is constrained. Our paper adopts the attention-based view to argue that greater subsidiary density of a focal MNE in a host market increases subsidiary mortality propensities. Additionally, we argue that this effect is moderated by important attention regulators such as the subsidiary's relatedness to the MNE HQ, the order of the subsidiary’s entry into the host market, and the subsidiary’s establishment mode. We test our hypotheses using a sample of 1718 foreign subsidiaries of 255 Finnish MNEs operating in 70 host countries. Overall, our paper contributes to the literature by conceptualising MNE-subsidiary density as an attention-based construct and studying its impact on subsidiary mortality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51352,"journal":{"name":"International Business Review","volume":"35 2","pages":"Article 102561"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145977329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102559
Piyush Ranjan , Shivam Rai
While cooperation among competitors is a potential strategy for ventures seeking sustainability in unpredictable institutional conditions, there is less evidence of the impact of competition on sustainable performance during the international expansion of digital ventures. This research addresses the knowledge gap by creating a conceptual model to determine the differentiating effects of coopetiton on environmental and economic performance. The model also examines the mediating influence of digital innovation in the link between coopetition and sustainable performance and investigates the moderating role of institutional environments. The PLS-SEM analysis is performed on two-wave survey data collected from 496 Indian high-tech ventures. Our empirical results demonstrate coopetition has a dual impact on sustainable performance, with a positive significant effect on environmental performance and a non-significant effect on economic performance. Interestingly, digital innovation has a full mediating influence on the relationship between coopetition and economic performance. Moreover, regulatory turbulence was found to attenuate the positive effect of coopetition on digital innovation, while policy support amplifies it. These findings present both theoretical and managerial implications for coopetition in the internationalization of digital ventures context.
{"title":"Coopetition, digital innovation, and sustainable performance in international digital ventures: Moderating role of institutional environment","authors":"Piyush Ranjan , Shivam Rai","doi":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102559","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102559","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>While cooperation among competitors is a potential strategy for ventures seeking sustainability in unpredictable institutional conditions, there is less evidence of the impact of competition on sustainable performance during the international expansion of digital ventures. This research addresses the knowledge gap by creating a conceptual model to determine the differentiating effects of coopetiton on environmental and economic performance. The model also examines the mediating influence of digital innovation in the link between coopetition and sustainable performance and investigates the moderating role of institutional environments. The PLS-SEM analysis is performed on two-wave survey data collected from 496 Indian high-tech ventures. Our empirical results demonstrate coopetition has a dual impact on sustainable performance, with a positive significant effect on environmental performance and a non-significant effect on economic performance. Interestingly, digital innovation has a full mediating influence on the relationship between coopetition and economic performance. Moreover, regulatory turbulence was found to attenuate the positive effect of coopetition on digital innovation, while policy support amplifies it. These findings present both theoretical and managerial implications for coopetition in the internationalization of digital ventures context.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51352,"journal":{"name":"International Business Review","volume":"35 2","pages":"Article 102559"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145977330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102558
Weiwei Zheng , Xi Zhong , Xinming He
This study investigates how positive innovation quality feedback (PIQF) influences firms’ overseas R&D geographic scope. By integrating the behavioral theory of the firm (BTOF) with institutional theory, the paper argues that as PIQF increases, slack search motivation is strengthened, and firms are more likely to expand their overseas R&D geographic scope. Furthermore, the study investigates the moderating effects of formal and informal institutional factors in the home country on this relationship. Specifically, regional innovation policy support — through a series of R&D funding and technological support initiatives — weakens the positive relationship between PIQF and overseas R&D geographic scope. In contrast, Confucian culture strengthens this positive effect by fostering an open strategic vision in corporate decision-making. On the basis of panel data from Chinese listed firms between 2011 and 2022, the empirical analysis strongly supports the proposed hypotheses. This study is the first to focus on the relationship between PIQF and the overseas R&D geographic scope, offering new theoretical insights and empirical evidence for both behavioral theory and the field of overseas R&D.
{"title":"From spark to sphere: The impact of positive innovation quality feedback on firms’ overseas R&D geographic scope","authors":"Weiwei Zheng , Xi Zhong , Xinming He","doi":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102558","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102558","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates how positive innovation quality feedback (PIQF) influences firms’ overseas R&D geographic scope. By integrating the behavioral theory of the firm (BTOF) with institutional theory, the paper argues that as PIQF increases, slack search motivation is strengthened, and firms are more likely to expand their overseas R&D geographic scope. Furthermore, the study investigates the moderating effects of formal and informal institutional factors in the home country on this relationship. Specifically, regional innovation policy support — through a series of R&D funding and technological support initiatives — weakens the positive relationship between PIQF and overseas R&D geographic scope. In contrast, Confucian culture strengthens this positive effect by fostering an open strategic vision in corporate decision-making. On the basis of panel data from Chinese listed firms between 2011 and 2022, the empirical analysis strongly supports the proposed hypotheses. This study is the first to focus on the relationship between PIQF and the overseas R&D geographic scope, offering new theoretical insights and empirical evidence for both behavioral theory and the field of overseas R&D.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51352,"journal":{"name":"International Business Review","volume":"35 2","pages":"Article 102558"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145926043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2025.102556
Arindam Mondal , Somnath Lahiri
This study investigates whether and how business group (BG)-affiliation impacts multinationality of family firms. Drawing on the resource-based and socioemotional wealth (SEW) perspectives, we theorize that BG-affiliated family firms conduct greater multinationality compared to standalone family firms. We further theorize that affiliated firms, compared to their standalone counterparts, exhibit greater preference for developing economies to locate their wholly-owned subsidiaries. In addition, we argue that within affiliated firms those which belong to BGs that possess higher professionalization demonstrate preference for developed economy locations compared to the affiliates whose BGs possess lower professionalization. Finally, we theorize that similar preference for developed economy locations is exhibited by affiliated firms whose BGs possess higher internationalization compared to the affiliates whose BGs possess lower internationalization. Our analysis of a sample of Indian family firms provides support to our hypotheses and illustrates that heterogeneity at two levels (firm and BG) should be considered to fully comprehend family firm’s multinationality.
{"title":"Multinationality of family firms: The impact of business group affiliation","authors":"Arindam Mondal , Somnath Lahiri","doi":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2025.102556","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2025.102556","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates whether and how business group (BG)-affiliation impacts multinationality of family firms. Drawing on the resource-based and socioemotional wealth (SEW) perspectives, we theorize that BG-affiliated family firms conduct greater multinationality compared to standalone family firms. We further theorize that affiliated firms, compared to their standalone counterparts, exhibit greater preference for developing economies to locate their wholly-owned subsidiaries. In addition, we argue that within affiliated firms those which belong to BGs that possess higher professionalization demonstrate preference for developed economy locations compared to the affiliates whose BGs possess lower professionalization. Finally, we theorize that similar preference for developed economy locations is exhibited by affiliated firms whose BGs possess higher internationalization compared to the affiliates whose BGs possess lower internationalization. Our analysis of a sample of Indian family firms provides support to our hypotheses and illustrates that heterogeneity at two levels (firm and BG) should be considered to fully comprehend family firm’s multinationality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51352,"journal":{"name":"International Business Review","volume":"35 2","pages":"Article 102556"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145926109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102557
Shufeng Xiao , Byung Il Park , Zaheer Khan
Why do some firms outperform others in technological innovation? This study addresses this question by developing a novel theoretical framework that integrates the extended resource-based view (ERBV) with the organizational capability development perspective. Specifically, we examine how two key attributes of international networks, breadth and depth, influence the development of distinct organizational capabilities: ordinary and dynamic. Using survey data from 198 Chinese manufacturing firms, we find that network breadth significantly contributes to both ordinary and dynamic capabilities, supporting incremental and radical innovations. In contrast, network depth primarily strengthens ordinary capabilities, facilitating incremental innovation but offering limited support for radical innovation. These findings suggest that network breadth is crucial for accessing diverse knowledge and resources to develop both capability types, whereas network depth plays a more specialized role in reinforcing existing capabilities. This study advances theoretical understanding and provides practical guidance for managers seeking to leverage international networks to develop both incremental and radical innovation by elucidating the relationships among international network configuration, capability development, and innovation outcomes, particularly within the resource-constrained and institutionally challenging context of an emerging economy.
{"title":"Managing resource constraints through international networks: Capability development and incremental and radical innovation in emerging markets","authors":"Shufeng Xiao , Byung Il Park , Zaheer Khan","doi":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102557","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2026.102557","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Why do some firms outperform others in technological innovation? This study addresses this question by developing a novel theoretical framework that integrates the extended resource-based view (ERBV) with the organizational capability development perspective. Specifically, we examine how two key attributes of international networks, breadth and depth, influence the development of distinct organizational capabilities: ordinary and dynamic. Using survey data from 198 Chinese manufacturing firms, we find that network breadth significantly contributes to both ordinary and dynamic capabilities, supporting incremental and radical innovations. In contrast, network depth primarily strengthens ordinary capabilities, facilitating incremental innovation but offering limited support for radical innovation. These findings suggest that network breadth is crucial for accessing diverse knowledge and resources to develop both capability types, whereas network depth plays a more specialized role in reinforcing existing capabilities. This study advances theoretical understanding and provides practical guidance for managers seeking to leverage international networks to develop both incremental and radical innovation by elucidating the relationships among international network configuration, capability development, and innovation outcomes, particularly within the resource-constrained and institutionally challenging context of an emerging economy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51352,"journal":{"name":"International Business Review","volume":"35 2","pages":"Article 102557"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145926042","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-26DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2025.102555
Anisur R. Faroque , Peter Gabrielsson , Tomi Seppälä , Mika Gabrielsson , Jukka Partanen
Drawing on resource-dependence theory, this study investigates the relationship between international entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) and the time-lagged performance of traditionally internationalized small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through their networking with external market partners and government entities. Using a sample of 243 traditionally internationalized SMEs in Finland, we examine how different types of networking influence the IEO-performance relationship. Our results reveal that government export support significantly enhances the IEO-performance link, while market networking does not contribute in the same way. Interestingly, as IEO levels rise, government networking becomes increasingly crucial for performance enhancement, while market networking holds more relevance for SMEs with lower levels of IEO. This configuration-based finding highlights the importance of aligning networking strategies with a firm’s entrepreneurial orientation. Taken together, these results provide a configuration-based explanation of how external ties shape the value of IEO. Notably, the negative moderating effect of market networking on the IEO-performance relationship becomes statistically significant only when governmental export support is included, underscoring the configuration-dependent nature of this substitution effect. The study also has practical implications for policymakers and managers, emphasizing the importance of government support for high-IEO firms and targeted market networking for those with lower IEO.
{"title":"Navigating networks: The differential impact of government and market ties on the performance of traditionally internationalized SMEs","authors":"Anisur R. Faroque , Peter Gabrielsson , Tomi Seppälä , Mika Gabrielsson , Jukka Partanen","doi":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2025.102555","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2025.102555","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Drawing on resource-dependence theory, this study investigates the relationship between international entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) and the time-lagged performance of traditionally internationalized small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through their networking with external market partners and government entities. Using a sample of 243 traditionally internationalized SMEs in Finland, we examine how different types of networking influence the IEO-performance relationship. Our results reveal that government export support significantly enhances the IEO-performance link, while market networking does not contribute in the same way. Interestingly, as IEO levels rise, government networking becomes increasingly crucial for performance enhancement, while market networking holds more relevance for SMEs with lower levels of IEO. This configuration-based finding highlights the importance of aligning networking strategies with a firm’s entrepreneurial orientation. Taken together, these results provide a configuration-based explanation of how external ties shape the value of IEO. Notably, the negative moderating effect of market networking on the IEO-performance relationship becomes statistically significant only when governmental export support is included, underscoring the configuration-dependent nature of this substitution effect. The study also has practical implications for policymakers and managers, emphasizing the importance of government support for high-IEO firms and targeted market networking for those with lower IEO.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51352,"journal":{"name":"International Business Review","volume":"35 2","pages":"Article 102555"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145841228","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-20DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2025.102553
Meng Zhao , Seung Ho Park , Marie K. Harder
Transferring headquarters’ (HQ) organizational values is crucial for multinational corporations (MNCs) to align subsidiary managers’ behavior with the global value system. However, subsidiary managers tend to reinterpret HQ values to advance local interests and agendas, potentially causing local behavior to deviate from global expectations. Drawing on a multiple-case study of value transfer activities in the Chinese subsidiaries of seven MNCs, we found that the impact of value reinterpretation on value transfer outcomes—whether constructive or destructive—depends on whether subsidiary managers, acting as either value senders or recipients, engage with one another to foster a co-evolved process of anchoring, calibrating, and accommodating value reinterpretation. This study reveals how intra-subsidiary interactions among subsidiary managers can transform value reinterpretation into a source of knowledge creation, enabling HQ values to continuously guide local behavior while adapting to local realities. Our findings also offer insights into how MNCs can reconcile competing demands in the internationalization process.
{"title":"Co-evolved value transfer: Managing subsidiary managers’ reinterpretation of headquarter values","authors":"Meng Zhao , Seung Ho Park , Marie K. Harder","doi":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2025.102553","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ibusrev.2025.102553","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Transferring headquarters’ (HQ) organizational values is crucial for multinational corporations (MNCs) to align subsidiary managers’ behavior with the global value system. However, subsidiary managers tend to reinterpret HQ values to advance local interests and agendas, potentially causing local behavior to deviate from global expectations. Drawing on a multiple-case study of value transfer activities in the Chinese subsidiaries of seven MNCs, we found that the impact of value reinterpretation on value transfer outcomes—whether constructive or destructive—depends on whether subsidiary managers, acting as either value senders or recipients, engage with one another to foster a <em>co-evolved</em> process of <em>anchoring, calibrating,</em> and <em>accommodating</em> value reinterpretation. This study reveals how intra-subsidiary interactions among subsidiary managers can transform value reinterpretation into a source of knowledge creation, enabling HQ values to continuously guide local behavior while adapting to local realities. Our findings also offer insights into how MNCs can reconcile competing demands in the internationalization process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51352,"journal":{"name":"International Business Review","volume":"35 2","pages":"Article 102553"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145791307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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