IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/jintbs/v50y2019i1d10.1057_s41267-018-0206-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Comparing capitalisms and taking institutional context seriously

Author

Listed:
  • Gregory Jackson

    (Free University Berlin)

  • Richard Deeg

    (Temple University)

Abstract

A major limitation of existing international business (IB) research remains the rather thin view of institutional context. In this retrospective, we reflect upon and highlight different strategies for overcoming de-contextualized perspectives and developing thicker conceptions of institutions drawing on comparative research. Institutions shape firm behavior not only through their direct or additive effects, but have more complex influences by moderating relationships between firm-level variables or having interactive or configurational effects related to wider sets of institutions. These views can each be extended by adopting a dynamic perspective examining how multinational enterprise (MNE) agency contributes to processes of institutional change. Ultimately, a large gap remains in taking institutions seriously that IB scholars could fill by developing middle-range theories that link and compare how particular kinds of institutions or institutional configurations influence particular kinds of MNE activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Gregory Jackson & Richard Deeg, 2019. "Comparing capitalisms and taking institutional context seriously," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(1), pages 4-19, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jintbs:v:50:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1057_s41267-018-0206-0
    DOI: 10.1057/s41267-018-0206-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41267-018-0206-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41267-018-0206-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thomas Hutzschenreuter & Florian Gröne, 2009. "Product and geographic scope changes of multinational enterprises in response to international competition," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 40(7), pages 1149-1170, September.
    2. Rafael A Corredoira & Gerald A McDermott, 2014. "Adaptation, bridging and firm upgrading: How non-market institutions and MNCs facilitate knowledge recombination in emerging markets," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(6), pages 699-722, August.
    3. John B. Cullen & Jean L. Johnson & K. Praveen Parboteeah, 2014. "National Rates of Opportunity Entrepreneurship Activity: Insights from Institutional Anomie Theory," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 38(4), pages 775-806, July.
    4. Selin Dilli & Niklas Elert & Andrea M. Herrmann, 2018. "Varieties of entrepreneurship: exploring the institutional foundations of different entrepreneurship types through ‘Varieties-of-Capitalism’ arguments," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 51(2), pages 293-320, August.
    5. William Q Judge & Stav Fainshmidt & J Lee Brown III, 2014. "Which model of capitalism best delivers both wealth and equality?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(4), pages 363-386, May.
    6. Ioannis Ioannou & George Serafeim, 2012. "What drives corporate social performance? The role of nation-level institutions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 43(9), pages 834-864, December.
    7. Cornelia Storz & Bruno Amable & Steven Casper & Sébastien Lechevalier, 2013. "Bringing Asia into the comparative capitalism perspective," PSE - Labex "OSE-Ouvrir la Science Economique" hal-00809308, HAL.
    8. Marc van Essen & Pursey PMAR Heugens & Jordan Otten & J (Hans) van Oosterhout, 2012. "An institution-based view of executive compensation: A multilevel meta-analytic test," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 43(4), pages 396-423, May.
    9. Donal Crilly, 2011. "Predicting stakeholder orientation in the multinational enterprise: A mid-range theory," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(5), pages 694-717, June.
    10. Jonathan Doh & Suzana Rodrigues & Ayse Saka-Helmhout & Mona Makhija, 2017. "International business responses to institutional voids," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(3), pages 293-307, April.
    11. André van Hoorn & Robbert Maseland, 2016. "How institutions matter for international business: Institutional distance effects vs institutional profile effects," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(3), pages 374-381, April.
    12. Jackson, Gregory & Deeg, Richard, 2006. "How Many Varieties of Capitalism? Comparing the Comparative Institutional Analyses of Capitalist Diversity," MPIfG Discussion Paper 06/2, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies.
    13. Zaheer Khan & Oded Shenkar & Yong Kyu Lew, 2015. "Knowledge transfer from international joint ventures to local suppliers in a developing economy," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 46(6), pages 656-675, August.
    14. Jean-Luc Arregle & Toyah Miller & Michael Hitt & Paul Beamish, 2016. "How does Regional Institutional Complexity Affect MNE Internationalization?," Post-Print hal-02313366, HAL.
    15. Nikolas Rathert, 2016. "Strategies of legitimation: MNEs and the adoption of CSR in response to host-country institutions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(7), pages 858-879, September.
    16. Amable, Bruno, 2016. "Institutional complementarities in the dynamic comparative analysis of capitalism," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(1), pages 79-103, March.
    17. Doh, Jonathan & Husted, Bryan W. & Matten, Dirk & Santoro, Michael, 2010. "Ahoy There! Toward Greater Congruence and Synergy Between International Business and Business Ethics Theory and Research," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(3), pages 481-502, July.
    18. Fligstein, Neil & Zhang, Jianjun, 2011. "A New Agenda for Research on the Trajectory of Chinese Capitalism," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 7(1), pages 39-62, March.
    19. John Geary & Roberta Aguzzoli, 2016. "Miners, politics and institutional caryatids: Accounting for the transfer of HRM practices in the Brazilian multinational enterprise," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(8), pages 968-996, October.
    20. Horak, Sven & Restel, Katja, 2016. "A Dynamic Typology of Informal Institutions: Learning from the Case of Guanxi," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(3), pages 525-546, September.
    21. Grazia D Santangelo & Klaus E Meyer, 2011. "Extending the internationalization process model: Increases and decreases of MNE commitment in emerging economies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(7), pages 894-909, September.
    22. Han Smit & Enrico Pennings & Sjoerd Bekkum, 2017. "Real options and institutions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(5), pages 620-644, July.
    23. Jean-Luc Arregle & Toyah L Miller & Michael A Hitt & Paul W Beamish, 2016. "How does regional institutional complexity affect MNE internationalization?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(6), pages 697-722, August.
    24. Michael A Witt & Arie Y Lewin, 2007. "Outward foreign direct investment as escape response to home country institutional constraints," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(4), pages 579-594, July.
    25. Fortwengel, Johann & Jackson, Gregory, 2016. "Legitimizing the apprenticeship practice in a distant environment: Institutional entrepreneurship through inter-organizational networks," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(6), pages 895-909.
    26. Wade M Danis & Dan S Chiaburu & Marjorie A Lyles, 2010. "The impact of managerial networking intensity and market-based strategies on firm growth during institutional upheaval: A study of small and medium-sized enterprises in a transition economy," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(2), pages 287-307, February.
    27. Martin R Schneider & Conrad Schulze-Bentrop & Mihai Paunescu, 2010. "Mapping the institutional capital of high-tech firms: A fuzzy-set analysis of capitalist variety and export performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(2), pages 246-266, February.
    28. García-Cabrera, Antonia M. & Durán-Herrera, Juan J., 2016. "MNEs as institutional entrepreneurs: A dynamic model of the co-evolutionary process," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 550-563.
    29. Sheila M. Puffer & Daniel J. McCarthy & Max Boisot, 2010. "Entrepreneurship in Russia and China: The Impact of Formal Institutional Voids," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 34(3), pages 441-467, May.
    30. Tony Edwards & Rocío Sánchez-Mangas & Patrice Jalette & Jonathan Lavelle & Dana Minbaeva, 2016. "Global standardization or national differentiation of HRM practices in multinational companies? A comparison of multinationals in five countries," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(8), pages 997-1021, October.
    31. James Faulconbridge & Daniel Muzio, 2016. "Global Professional Service Firms and the Challenge of Institutional Complexity: ‘Field Relocation' as a Response Strategy," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(1), pages 89-124, January.
    32. Florian Becker-Ritterspach & Tico Raaijman, 2013. "Global Transfer and Indian Management," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 141-166, February.
    33. Christopher Kobrak & Michael-Jörg Oesterle & Björn Röber, 2018. "Escape FDI and the Varieties of Capitalism: Why History Matters in International Business," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 58(3), pages 449-464, June.
    34. Heather Berry & Mauro F Guillén & Nan Zhou, 2010. "An institutional approach to cross-national distance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(9), pages 1460-1480, December.
    35. Jones, Chris & Temouri, Yama, 2016. "The determinants of tax haven FDI," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 237-250.
    36. John Cantwell & John H Dunning & Sarianna M Lundan, 2010. "An evolutionary approach to understanding international business activity: The co-evolution of MNEs and the institutional environment," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(4), pages 567-586, May.
    37. Michael R King, 2015. "Political bargaining and multinational bank bailouts," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 46(2), pages 206-222, February.
    38. Da Teng & Douglas B. Fuller & Chengchun Li, 2018. "Institutional change and corporate governance diversity in China’s SOEs," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(3), pages 273-293, May.
    39. Ayse Saka-Helmhout & Mike Geppert, 2011. "Different Forms of Agency and Institutional Influences within Multinational Enterprises," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 51(5), pages 567-592, October.
    40. Elitsa R Banalieva & Charles Dhanaraj, 2013. "Home-region orientation in international expansion strategies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 44(2), pages 89-116, February.
    41. Fainshmidt, Stav & Judge, William Q. & Aguilera, Ruth V. & Smith, Adam, 2018. "Varieties of institutional systems: A contextual taxonomy of understudied countries," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(3), pages 307-322.
    42. Giovanni Sartori, 1991. "Comparing and Miscomparing," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 3(3), pages 243-257, July.
    43. Simon Yu Kit Fung & Gaoguang (Stephen) Zhou & Xindong (Kevin) Zhu, 2016. "Monitor objectivity with important clients: Evidence from auditor opinions around the world," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(3), pages 263-294, April.
    44. Klaus E Meyer & Mike W Peng, 2016. "Theoretical foundations of emerging economy business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(1), pages 3-22, January.
    45. Hartmann, Julia & Uhlenbruck, Klaus, 2015. "National institutional antecedents to corporate environmental performance," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 729-741.
    46. David Detomasi, 2015. "The Multinational Corporation as a Political Actor: ‘Varieties of Capitalism’ Revisited," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 128(3), pages 685-700, May.
    47. Michael A. Witt & Gregory Jackson, 2016. "Varieties of Capitalism and institutional comparative advantage: A test and reinterpretation," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(7), pages 778-806, September.
    48. Elaine Farndale & Chris Brewster & Paul Ligthart & Erik Poutsma, 2017. "The effects of market economy type and foreign MNE subsidiaries on the convergence and divergence of HRM," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(9), pages 1065-1086, December.
    49. Charles JP Chen & Yuan Ding & Chansog (Francis) Kim, 2010. "High-level politically connected firms, corruption, and analyst forecast accuracy around the world," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(9), pages 1505-1524, December.
    50. Miriam Koning & Gerard Mertens & Peter Roosenboom, 2018. "Drivers of institutional change around the world: The case of IFRS," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(3), pages 249-271, April.
    51. Johann Fortwengel, 2017. "Understanding When MNCs can Overcome Institutional Distance: A Research Agenda," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 57(6), pages 793-814, December.
    52. Estrin, Saul & Meyer, Klaus E. & Pelletier, Adeline, 2018. "Emerging Economy MNEs: How does home country munificence matter?," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(4), pages 514-528.
    53. Andreas Nölke & Heather Taylor, 2011. "Indian Multinationals, Comparative Capitalism and Implications for Global and Host Country Economic Institutions," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Louis Brennan (ed.), The Emergence of Southern Multinationals, chapter 17, pages 317-330, Palgrave Macmillan.
    54. Ming Hua Li & Lin Cui & Jiangyong Lu, 2014. "Varieties in state capitalism: Outward FDI strategies of central and local state-owned enterprises from emerging economy countries," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(8), pages 980-1004, October.
    55. Patrick Regnér & Jesper Edman, 2014. "MNE institutional advantage: How subunits shape, transpose and evade host country institutions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(3), pages 275-302, April.
    56. Weilei (Stone) Shi & Sunny Li Sun & Daying Yan & Zhu Zhu, 2017. "Institutional fragility and outward foreign direct investment from China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(4), pages 452-476, May.
    57. Zhi Cao & Yuan Li & Jayanth Jayaram & Yi Liu & Fabrice Lumineau, 2018. "A meta-analysis of the exchange hazards–interfirm governance relationship: An informal institutions perspective," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(3), pages 303-323, April.
    58. Deephouse, David L. & Newburry, William & Soleimani, Abrahim, 2016. "The effects of institutional development and national culture on cross-national differences in corporate reputation," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 463-473.
    59. Valentina Marano & Tatiana Kostova, 2016. "Unpacking the Institutional Complexity in Adoption of CSR Practices in Multinational Enterprises," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(1), pages 28-54, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sarianna M. Lundan & Jiatao Li, 2019. "Adjusting to and learning from institutional diversity: Toward a capability-building perspective," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(1), pages 36-47, February.
    2. Xu, Kai & Hitt, Michael A. & Brock, David & Pisano, Vincenzo & Huang, Lulu S.R., 2021. "Country institutional environments and international strategy: A review and analysis of the research," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1).
    3. Ruth V. Aguilera & Birgitte Grøgaard, 2019. "The dubious role of institutions in international business: A road forward," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(1), pages 20-35, February.
    4. Saka-Helmhout, Ayse, 2020. "Institutional agency by MNEs: A review and future research agenda," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 26(2).
    5. Huang, Yuanyuan & Xie, En & Wu, Zhan, 2021. "Portfolio characteristics of outward foreign direct investment and dynamic performance of emerging economy firms: An option portfolio perspective," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(4).
    6. Chidlow, Agnieszka & Wang, Jue & Liu, Xiaohui & Wei, Yingqi, 2021. "A co-evolution perspective of EMNE internationalization and institutions: An integrative framework of 5Cs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(4).
    7. Song, Ji-Won, 2021. "How MNE subsidiaries transfer HRM practices in distant environments: A tale of two IKEA subsidiaries," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(2).
    8. Jane W. Lu & Hao Ma & Xuanli Xie, 2022. "Foreignness research in international business: Major streams and future directions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(3), pages 449-480, April.
    9. Johann Fortwengel, 2017. "Understanding When MNCs can Overcome Institutional Distance: A Research Agenda," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 57(6), pages 793-814, December.
    10. Huiying Luo & Xiaohui Liu & Aiqi Wu & Xiaotong Zhong, 2021. "Is it possible to escape? Local protectionism and outward foreign direct investment by Chinese privately-owned enterprises," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 38(4), pages 1499-1524, December.
    11. Luis Alfonso Dau & Aya S. Chacar & Marjorie A. Lyles & Jiatao Li, 2022. "Informal institutions and international business: Toward an integrative research agenda," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(6), pages 985-1010, August.
    12. Pisani, Niccolò & Kourula, Arno & Kolk, Ans & Meijer, Renske, 2017. "How global is international CSR research? Insights and recommendations from a systematic review," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(5), pages 591-614.
    13. Peter Tashman & Valentina Marano & Tatiana Kostova, 2019. "Walking the walk or talking the talk? Corporate social responsibility decoupling in emerging market multinationals," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(2), pages 153-171, March.
    14. Fainshmidt, Stav & Judge, William Q. & Aguilera, Ruth V. & Smith, Adam, 2018. "Varieties of institutional systems: A contextual taxonomy of understudied countries," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(3), pages 307-322.
    15. Mike W. Peng & Joyce C. Wang & Nishant Kathuria & Jia Shen & Miranda J. Welbourne Eleazar, 2023. "Toward an institution-based paradigm," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 40(2), pages 353-382, June.
    16. Sjoerd Beugelsdijk, 2022. "Capitalizing on the uniqueness of international business: Towards a theory of place, space, and organization," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(9), pages 2050-2067, December.
    17. Ilgaz Arikan & Oded Shenkar, 2022. "Neglected elements: What we should cover more of in international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(7), pages 1484-1507, September.
    18. Rana, Mohammad B. & Morgan, Glenn, 2019. "Twenty-five years of business systems research and lessons for international business studies," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 513-532.
    19. Danchi Tan & Weichieh Su & Joseph T. Mahoney & Yasemin Kor, 2020. "A review of research on the growth of multinational enterprises: A Penrosean lens," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(4), pages 498-537, June.
    20. Michael A. Witt, 2019. "De-globalization: Theories, predictions, and opportunities for international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(7), pages 1053-1077, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:jintbs:v:50:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1057_s41267-018-0206-0. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.