Liabilities of regionalization and the emerging market firm

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to revisit the causal relationships of the liabilities of inter-regional foreignness to show that the process of regionalization itself has affected firms’ strategic capabilities and focus. The constraints of these regions, a consequence of regionalization that limits the strategic options of multinational enterprises, are known as the liabilities of regionalization (LOR). Design/methodology/approach This study reviews previous literature and uses a mixture of theory and inference to make propositions regarding the existence of liabilities attributable to the regionalization process. The propositions discuss macro-level, and industry and firm-level strategic impact on firms of Triad and non-Triad regions. Findings It is argued specific emerging market attributes, in relation to the developed Triad regions, will influence strategic focus of those emerging market firms. This in turn will also influence global strategic behavior and capabilities in the future, creating additional LOR in some cases and reducing them in others. Originality/value Previous scholars have focused on the liabilities of inter-regional and regional foreignness and its effect on international diversification strategy both upstream and downstream. This study attempts to explain the formation of regions that shape the FSAs that limit global strategic diversification, which are characterized as the LOR. More importantly, it discusses them from perspective of emerging market firms, which on the outside of the Triad regions, may form their own regions and FSAs.