The Regional Perspective of Studying International Firms: A Review, Synthesis, and Research Agenda
Type
working paper
Date Issued
2023
Author(s)
Abstract
After two decades of research of international companies from the regional perspective, this stream of literature is established but many issues remain insufficiently discussed. This article reviews and synthesizes the rich but fragmented studies from the regional perspective and organizes our existing knowledge in a framework with three key themes in the center: interregional diversification, intra-regional internationalization, and regional management. The synthesis shows that most of the existing studies tend to address these three aspects in an isolated manner and theorize at the firm-or institutional-level. Basing on the result of the review, I put forward a research agenda that calls for more research about the interface between inter-and intra-regional internationalization, the managers' role in companies' regional strategy, the institutional complexity as well as contextual contingencies, and the theorization of activities across the value chain. Studies focusing on these topics will contribute to our understanding regarding region as a crucial level of geography for international business activities and will complement the existing theories about firm internationalization that view countries as the major unit of geography.
Language
English
Subject(s)
Division(s)
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Name
Che Tang (2023) The Regional Perspective of Studying International Firms.pdf
Size
414.53 KB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
20222261426c6ef1d9d5574b1d2c4ce0