IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/iburev/v11y2002i1p35-55.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Diversification and market entry choices in the context of foreign direct investment

Author

Listed:
  • Mudambi, R.
  • Mudambi, S. M.

Abstract

Multinational enterprises (MNEs) consider many factors when making decisions in the context of foreign direct investment (FDI). The MNE must decide whether to diversify or to concentrate on its main line of business (LOB). It must also decide whether to enter into a foreign market through a greenfield or acquisition strategy. This paper analyzes both decisions. The international business literature has generally treated these strategic choices as independent. This paper introduces a more realistic selection model, in which the diversification choice and the entry mode choice are made sequentially, and are therefore related. The model is tested using a data set of FDI into the United Kingdom by MNEs in engineering and related industries. The analysis indicates a strong relationship between the diversification choice and the entry mode decision. In virtually all cases, the statistical significance of the selection model is higher than that of the independent model, indicating an improvement over previous research. Overall, the results indicate that the decisions on product diversification and foreign mode of entry are related. Diversified firms are more likely to enter through acquisition. Firms focusing on their main LOB are more likely to enter through greenfield entry. The paper also identifies a number of managerially relevant factors affecting these relationships.

Suggested Citation

  • Mudambi, R. & Mudambi, S. M., 2002. "Diversification and market entry choices in the context of foreign direct investment," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 35-55, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:11:y:2002:i:1:p:35-55
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969593101000464
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    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. Erin Anderson & Hubert Gatignon, 1986. "Modes of Foreign Entry: A Transaction Cost Analysis and Propositions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 17(3), pages 1-26, September.
    2. Steve Werner & Lance Eliot Brouthers & Keith D Brouthers, 1996. "International Risk and Perceived Environmental Uncertainty: The Dimensionality and Internal Consistency of Miller's Measure," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 27(3), pages 571-587, September.
    3. Ram Mudambi, 1999. "Multinational Investment Attraction: Principal-Agent Considerations," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(1), pages 65-79.
    4. Charles W. L. Hill & Peter Hwang & W. Chan Kim, 1990. "An eclectic theory of the choice of international entry mode," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(2), pages 117-128, February.
    5. Lloyd, William P., 1975. "International portfolio diversification of real assets: An inquiry," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 3(2), pages 113-120, April.
    6. Jaideep Anand & Andrew Delios, 1997. "Location Specificity and the Transferability of Downstream Assets to Foreign Subsidiaries," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 28(3), pages 579-603, September.
    7. Sayan Chatterjee & Jagdip Singh, 1999. "Are Tradeoffs Inherent in Diversification Moves? A Simultaneous Model for Type of Diversification and Mode of Expansion Decisions," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 45(1), pages 25-41, January.
    8. Culem, Claudy G., 1988. "The locational determinants of direct investments among industrialized countries," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 885-904, April.
    9. Bruce Kogut & Harbir Singh, 1988. "The Effect of National Culture on the Choice of Entry Mode," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 19(3), pages 411-432, September.
    10. Stephen J. Kobrin, 1991. "An empirical analysis of the determinants of global integration," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(S1), pages 17-31, June.
    11. John H Dunning, 1980. "Towards an Eclectic Theory of International Production: Some Empirical Tests," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 11(1), pages 9-31, March.
    12. Devereux, Michael P. & Griffith, Rachel, 1998. "Taxes and the location of production: evidence from a panel of US multinationals," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(3), pages 335-367, June.
    13. J. Myles Shaver, 1998. "Accounting for Endogeneity When Assessing Strategy Performance: Does Entry Mode Choice Affect FDI Survival?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 44(4), pages 571-585, April.
    14. Jean-François Hennart & Young-Ryeol Park, 1993. "Greenfield vs. Acquisition: The Strategy of Japanese Investors in the United States," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(9), pages 1054-1070, September.
    15. William H Davidson, 1980. "The Location of Foreign Direct Investment Activity: Country Characteristics and Experience Effects," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 11(2), pages 9-22, June.
    16. Krishna Palepu, 1985. "Diversification strategy, profit performance and the entropy measure," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 6(3), pages 239-255, July.
    17. Heckman, James, 2013. "Sample selection bias as a specification error," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 31(3), pages 129-137.
    18. Gabriel R G Benito & Geir Gripsrud, 1992. "The Expansion of Foreign Direct Investments: Discrete Rational Location Choices or a Cultural Learning Process?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 23(3), pages 461-476, September.
    19. Jiatao Li & Stephen Guisinger, 1991. "Comparative Business Failures of Foreign-Controlled Firms in the United States," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 22(2), pages 209-224, June.
    20. Larimo, Jorma, 1995. "The foreign direct investment decision process: Case studies of different types of decision processes in finnish firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 25-55, May.
    21. Jack N Behrman, 1981. "Transnational Corporations in the New International Economic Order," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 12(1), pages 29-42, March.
    22. Sashi, C. M. & Stern, Louis W., 1995. "Product differentiation and market performance in producer goods industries," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 115-127, June.
    23. Dong-Jae Kim & Bruce Kogut, 1996. "Technological Platforms and Diversification," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 7(3), pages 283-301, June.
    24. C Patrick Woodcook & Paul W Beamish & Shige Makino, 1994. "Ownership-Based Entry mode Strategies and International Performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 25(2), pages 253-273, June.
    25. McCloughan, Patrick & Stone, Ian, 1998. "Life duration of foreign multinational subsidiaries: Evidence from UK northern manufacturing industry 1970-93," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 16(6), pages 719-747, November.
    26. Dass, Parshotam, 2000. "Relationship of Firm Size, Initial Diversification, and Internationalization with Strategic Change," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 135-146, May.
    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. Chenxi Wan & Carlos M. P. Sousa & Jorge Lengler & Qun Tan, 2023. "Entry Mode Choice: A Meta-Analysis of Antecedents and Outcomes," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 63(2), pages 193-246, April.
    2. Javalgi, Rajshekhar (Raj) G. & Deligonul, Seyda & Ghosh, Amit K. & Lambert, Douglas M. & Cavusgil, S. Tamer, 2010. "Foreign market entry mode behavior as a gateway to further entries: The NAFTA experience," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 209-222, June.
    3. Piaskowska, D., 2005. "Essays on firm growth and value creation," Other publications TiSEM 89053610-79c6-4c52-9d1c-6, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    4. Bell, J.H.J., 1996. "Joint or Single Venturing? : An Electric Approach to Foreign Entry Mode Choice," Other publications TiSEM 06f84735-3cf5-432f-8bc8-c, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    5. Chen, Haiyang & Hu, Michael Y., 2002. "An analysis of determinants of entry mode and its impact on performance," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 11(2), pages 193-210, April.
    6. Drogendijk, H.J., 2001. "Expansion patterns of Dutch firms in Central and Eastern Europe : Learning to internationalize," Other publications TiSEM 18571cef-0dd0-46ff-82aa-3, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    7. Mehmet Demirbag & Ekrem Tatoglu & Keith W. Glaister, 2008. "Factors affecting perceptions of the choice between acquisition and greenfield entry: The case of Western FDI in an emerging market," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 5-38, February.
    8. Ortiz-de-Urbina-Criado, Marta & Montoro-Sánchez, Ángeles & Mora-Valentín, Eva-María, 2014. "Impact of growth strategy on mode of governance in alliances," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 838-848.
    9. Youngok Kim & Sidney J. Gray, 2008. "The impact of entry mode choice on foreign affiliate performance: The case of foreign MNEs in South Korea," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 48(2), pages 165-188, April.
    10. Arjen H. L. Slangen & Jean‐François Hennart, 2008. "Do Foreign Greenfields Outperform Foreign Acquisitions or Vice Versa? An Institutional Perspective," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(7), pages 1301-1328, November.
    11. Konopaske, Robert & Werner, Steve & Neupert, Kent E., 2002. "Entry mode strategy and performance: the role of FDI staffing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 55(9), pages 759-770, September.
    12. Demirbag, Mehmet & Tatoglu, Ekrem & Glaister, Keith W., 2007. "Factors influencing perceptions of performance: The case of western FDI in an emerging market," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 310-336, June.
    13. Parente, Ronaldo & Choi, Byeongyong Paul & Slangen, Arjen H.L. & Ketkar, Sonia, 2010. "Distribution system choice in a service industry: An analysis of international insurance firms operating in the United States," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 275-287, September.
    14. Wang, Yi & Larimo, Jorma, 2020. "Survival of full versus partial acquisitions: The moderating role of firm’s internationalization experience, cultural distance, and host country context characteristics," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(1).
    15. Manuel Portugal Ferreira & Stephen Tallman & Dan Li, 2007. "Do we buy more or less when we want to learn? The knowledge strategies and structural forms of US cross-border acquisitions," Working Papers 6, globADVANTAGE, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria.
    16. Chung, Chris Changwha & Beamish, Paul W., 2005. "Investment mode strategy and expatriate strategy during times of economic crisis," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 331-355, September.
    17. Surdu, Irina & Mellahi, Kamel, 2016. "Theoretical foundations of equity based foreign market entry decisions: A review of the literature and recommendations for future research," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 1169-1184.
    18. repec:dgr:rugsom:05g07 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Daphne Yiu & Garry D. Bruton & Yuan Lu, 2005. "Understanding Business Group Performance in an Emerging Economy: Acquiring Resources and Capabilities in Order to Prosper," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(1), pages 183-206, January.
    20. Sanchez-Peinado, Esther & Pla-Barber, Jose, 2006. "A multidimensional concept of uncertainty and its influence on the entry mode choice: An empirical analysis in the service sector," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(3), pages 215-232, June.
    21. Georgopoulos, Antonios & Preusse, Heinz Gert, 2009. "Cross-border acquisitions vs. Greenfield investment: A comparative performance analysis in Greece," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(6), pages 592-605, December.

    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:eee:iburev:v:11:y:2002:i:1:p:35-55. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/133/description#description .

    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.