IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/worbus/v42y2007i4p418-434.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Institutional and transaction cost influences on MNEs' ownership strategies of their affiliates: Evidence from an emerging market

Author

Listed:
  • Demirbag, Mehmet
  • Glaister, Keith W.
  • Tatoglu, Ekrem

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of institutional, and transaction cost specific variables on MNEs' choice of equity ownership in their foreign affiliates. We consider the determinants of the choice of foreign investors between full ownership (setting up a wholly owned greenfield subsidiary or engaging in a full acquisition) and sharing ownership with a local firm (establishing a greenfield joint venture or making a partial acquisition). Drawing on both transaction cost and institutional theories, a number of hypotheses are developed. Based on a dataset of 6838 foreign affiliates in Turkey, the empirical analysis reveals that institutional variables are important in explaining the equity composition of foreign affiliates. Particularly important in determining equity ownership were found to be political risk, cultural distance, linguistic distance, agglomeration, location and the size of the affiliate. A distinguishing feature of the paper is that we examine the marginal effects of the independent variables in explaining ownership patterns of MNEs.

Suggested Citation

  • Demirbag, Mehmet & Glaister, Keith W. & Tatoglu, Ekrem, 2007. "Institutional and transaction cost influences on MNEs' ownership strategies of their affiliates: Evidence from an emerging market," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 42(4), pages 418-434, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:worbus:v:42:y:2007:i:4:p:418-434
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090951607000417
    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. Klaus Uhlenbruck, 2004. "Developing acquired foreign subsidiaries: the experience of MNES in transition economies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 35(2), pages 109-123, March.
    2. Stephen J Kobrin, 1979. "Political Risk: A Review and Reconsideration," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 10(1), pages 67-80, March.
    3. Keith D. Brouthers & Lance Eliot Brouthers, 2000. "Acquisition or greenfield start‐up? Institutional, cultural and transaction cost influences," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(1), pages 89-97, January.
    4. Farok J Contractor, 1990. "Ownership Patterns of U.S. Joint Ventures Abroad and the Liberalization of Foreign Government Regulations in the 1980s: Evidence from the Benchmark Surveys," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 21(1), pages 55-73, March.
    5. Zhao, Hongxin & Zhu, Gangti, 1998. "Determinants of ownership preference of international joint ventures: new evidence from Chinese manufacturing industries," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 7(6), pages 569-589, November.
    6. Charles Dhanaraj & Paul W. Beamish, 2004. "Effect of equity ownership on the survival of international joint ventures," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 295-305, March.
    7. Iavor Marangozov, 2005. "Characteristics of the International Joint Ventures in Bulgaria (1989-2003)," Industrial Organization 0509003, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Peter S Davis & Ashay B Desai & John D Francis, 2000. "Mode of International Entry: An Isomorphism Perspective," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 31(2), pages 239-258, June.
    9. Kent D Miller, 1992. "A Framework for Integrated Risk Management in International Business," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 23(2), pages 311-331, June.
    10. Prasad Padmanabhan & Kang Rae Cho, 1999. "Decision Specific Experience in Foreign Ownership and Establishment Strategies: Evidence from Japanese Firms," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(1), pages 25-41, March.
    11. Gatignon, Hubert & Anderson, Erin, 1988. "The Multinational Corporation's Degree of Control over Foreign Subsidiaries: An Empirical Test of a Transaction Cost Explanation," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 4(2), pages 305-336, Fall.
    12. Wei, Yingqi & Liu, Bo & Liu, Xiaming, 2005. "Entry modes of foreign direct investment in China: a multinomial logit approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 58(11), pages 1495-1505, November.
    13. Donald J Lecraw, 1983. "Performance of Transnational Corporations in Less Developed Countries," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 14(1), pages 15-33, March.
    14. 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.
    15. Daphne Yiu & Shige Makino, 2002. "The Choice Between Joint Venture and Wholly Owned Subsidiary: An Institutional Perspective," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 13(6), pages 667-683, December.
    16. Bevan, Alan & Estrin, Saul & Meyer, Klaus, 2004. "Foreign investment location and institutional development in transition economies," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 43-64, February.
    17. Witold Jerzy Henisz, 2004. "Political Institutions and Policy Volatility," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(1), pages 1-27, March.
    18. Habib, M. & Zurawicki, L., 2001. "Country-level investments and the effect of corruption -- some empirical evidence," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 10(6), pages 687-700, December.
    19. 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.
    20. Lawrence G Franko, 1989. "Use of Minority and 50–50 Joint Ventures by United States Multinationals During the 1970s: The Interaction of Host Country Policies Corporate Strategies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 20(1), pages 19-40, March.
    21. Shige Makino & Takehiko Isobe & Christine M. Chan, 2004. "Does country matter?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(10), pages 1027-1043, October.
    22. Root, Franklin R & Ahmed, Ahmed A, 1979. "Empirical Determinants of Manufacturing Direct Foreign Investment in Developing Countries," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 27(4), pages 751-767, July.
    23. Orr, Dale, 1974. "The Determinants of Entry: A Sudy of the Canadian Manufacturing Industries," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 56(1), pages 58-66, February.
    24. Ekrem Tatoglu & Keith W. Glaister & Fuat Erdal, 2003. "Determinants of Foreign Ownership in Turkish Manufacturing," Eastern European Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(2), pages 5-41, March.
    25. Jane W Lu, 2002. "Intra- and Inter-organizational Imitative Behavior: Institutional Influences on Japanese Firms' Entry Mode Choice," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 33(1), pages 19-37, March.
    26. Jean-François Hennart & Jorma Larimo, 1998. "The Impact of Culture on the Strategy of Multinational Enterprises: Does National Origin Affect Ownership Decisions?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 29(3), pages 515-538, September.
    27. Vito Tanzi, 1998. "Corruption Around the World: Causes, Consequences, Scope, and Cures," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 45(4), pages 559-594, December.
    28. Mike Wright & Igor Filatotchev & Robert E. Hoskisson & Mike W. Peng, 2005. "Strategy Research in Emerging Economies: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(1), pages 1-33, January.
    29. 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.
    30. Klaus E Meyer & Mike W Peng, 2005. "Probing theoretically into Central and Eastern Europe: transactions, resources, and institutions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 36(6), pages 600-621, November.
    31. Klaus E Meyer, 2001. "Institutions, Transaction Costs, and Entry Mode Choice in Eastern Europe," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 32(2), pages 357-367, June.
    32. Nakiye Boyacigiller, 1990. "The Role of Expatriates in the Management of Interdependence Complexity and Risk in Multinational Corporations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 21(3), pages 357-381, September.
    33. J. Scott Long & Jeremy Freese, 2006. "Regression Models for Categorical Dependent Variables using Stata, 2nd Edition," Stata Press books, StataCorp LP, edition 2, number long2, March.
    34. Mr. Vito Tanzi, 1998. "Corruption Around the World: Causes, Consequences, Scope, and Cures," IMF Working Papers 1998/063, International Monetary Fund.
    35. Shang-Jin Wei, 2000. "How Taxing is Corruption on International Investors?," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 82(1), pages 1-11, February.
    36. J Child & L Chung & H Davies, 2003. "The performance of cross-border units in China: a test of natural selection, strategic choice and contingency theories," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 34(3), pages 242-254, May.
    37. Hu, Michael Y. & Chen, Haiyang, 1993. "Foreign ownership in Chinese joint ventures: A transaction cost analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 149-160, February.
    38. Ashish Arora & Andrea Fosfuri, 2000. "Wholly Owned Subsidiary Versus Technology Licensing in the Worldwide Chemical Industry," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 31(4), pages 555-572, December.
    39. Padmanabhan, Prasad & Cho, Kang Rae, 1995. "Methodological issues in International Business Studies: The case of foreign establishment mode decisions by multinational firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 4(1), pages 55-73, March.
    40. W H Davidson & Donald G McFetridge, 1985. "Key Characteristics in the Choice of International Technology Transfer Mode," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 16(2), pages 5-21, June.
    41. Yadong Luo, 1998. "Timing of Investment and International Expansion Performance in China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 29(2), pages 391-407, June.
    42. Gomes-Casseres, Benjamin, 1989. "Ownership structures of foreign subsidiaries : Theory and evidence," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 1-25, January.
    43. Douglas Dow & Amal Karunaratna, 2006. "Developing a multidimensional instrument to measure psychic distance stimuli," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 37(5), pages 578-602, September.
    44. Kent D Miller, 1993. "Industry and Country Effects on Managers′ Perceptions of Environmental Uncertainties," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 24(4), pages 693-714, December.
    45. Mohsin Habib & Leon Zurawicki, 2002. "Corruption and Foreign Direct Investment," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 33(2), pages 291-307, June.
    46. Keith D Brouthers, 2002. "Institutional, Cultural and Transaction Cost Influences on Entry Mode Choice and Performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 33(2), pages 203-221, June.
    47. Srivastava, Rajendra K & Green, Robert T, 1986. "Determinants of Bilateral Trade Flows," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 59(4), pages 623-640, October.
    48. Miller, K.D., 1993. "Industry and Country Effects on Manager's Perceptions of Environmental Uncertainties," Papers 93-105, Purdue University, Krannert School of Management - Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER).
    49. Brent D Wilson, 1980. "The Propensity of Multinational Companies to Expand Through Acquisitions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 11(1), pages 59-64, March.
    50. Rugman,Alan M., 2005. "The Regional Multinationals," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521842655.
    51. Mutinelli, Marco & Piscitello, Lucia, 1998. "The entry mode choice of MNEs: an evolutionary approach," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 491-506, September.
    52. Weijian Shan, 1991. "Environmental Risks and Joint Venture Sharing Arrangements," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 22(4), pages 555-578, December.
    53. Klaus E Meyer, 2004. "Perspectives on multinational enterprises in emerging economies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 35(4), pages 259-276, July.
    54. Chen, Shih-Fen S. & Hennart, Jean-Francois, 2004. "A hostage theory of joint ventures: why do Japanese investors choose partial over full acquisitions to enter the United States?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 57(10), pages 1126-1134, October.
    55. Andrew Delios & Paul W. Beamish, 1999. "Ownership strategy of Japanese firms: transactional, institutional, and experience influences," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(10), pages 915-933, October.
    56. Thomas P. Murtha & Stefanie Ann Lenway, 1994. "Country capabilities and the strategic state: How national political institutions affect multinational Corporations' Strategies," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(S2), pages 113-129, June.
    57. Joaquim Oliveira Martins & Tristan Price, 2004. "How Market Imperfections and Trade Barriers Shape Specialisation: South-America vs. OECD," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 395, OECD Publishing.
    58. Zejan, Mario C, 1990. "New Ventures of Acquisitions. The Choice of Swedish Multinational Enterprises," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(3), pages 349-355, March.
    59. Yigang Pan, 1996. "Influences on Foreign Equity Ownership Level in Joint Ventures in China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 27(1), pages 1-26, March.
    60. Henisz, Witold J, 2000. "The Institutional Environment for Multinational Investment," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 16(2), pages 334-364, October.
    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. Demirbag, Mehmet & Tatoglu, Ekrem & Glaister, Keith W., 2009. "Equity-based entry modes of emerging country multinationals: Lessons from Turkey," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 44(4), pages 445-462, October.
    2. Mehmet Demirbag & Ekrem Tatoglu & Keith W. Glaister, 2010. "Institutional and Transaction Cost Influences on Partnership Structure of Foreign Affiliates," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 50(6), pages 709-745, December.
    3. Erdener Kaynak & Mehmet Demirbag & Ekrem Tatoglu, 2007. "Determinants of ownership-based entry mode choice of MNEs: Evidence from Mongolia," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 47(4), pages 505-530, October.
    4. 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.
    5. Canabal, Anne & White III, George O., 2008. "Entry mode research: Past and future," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 267-284, June.
    6. Mehmet Demirbag & Martina McGuinness & Hüseyin Altay, 2010. "Perceptions of Institutional Environment and Entry Mode," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 50(2), pages 207-240, April.
    7. Morschett, Dirk & Schramm-Klein, Hanna & Swoboda, Bernhard, 2010. "Decades of research on market entry modes: What do we really know about external antecedents of entry mode choice?," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 60-77, March.
    8. Anil, Ibrahim & Tatoglu, Ekrem & Ozkasap, Gaye, 2014. "Ownership and market entry mode choices of emerging country multinationals in a transition country: evidence from Turkish multinationals in Romania," Journal of East European Management Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 19(4), pages 413-452.
    9. 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.
    10. Anthony Goerzen & Stephen Sapp & Andrew Delios, 2010. "Investor Response to Environmental Risk in Foreign Direct Investment," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 50(6), pages 683-708, December.
    11. Larimo, Jorma & Arslan, Ahmad, 2013. "Determinants of foreign direct investment ownership mode choice: Evidence from Nordic investments in Central and Eastern Europe," Journal of East European Management Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 18(2), pages 232-263.
    12. Zdolsek, Daniel & Kolar, Iztok, 2013. "Management disclosure practices for disaggregated (financial) information in Slovenian unlisted companies," Journal of East European Management Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 18(2), pages 232-263.
    13. Ahmad Arslan, 2012. "Impacts of institutional pressures and the strength of market supporting institutions in the host country on the ownership strategy of multinational enterprises: theoretical discussion and proposition," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 16(1), pages 107-124, February.
    14. Kedia, Ben L. & Bilgili, Tsvetomira V., 2015. "When history matters: The effect of historical ties on the relationship between institutional distance and shares acquired," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 921-934.
    15. Chen, Ming-Yuan & Chang, Jing-Yun, 2011. "The choice of foreign market entry mode: An analysis of the dynamic probit model," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 439-450.
    16. Li, Peng-Yu & Meyer, Klaus E., 2009. "Contextualizing experience effects in international business: A study of ownership strategies," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 44(4), pages 370-382, October.
    17. Chen, Ming-Yuan & Chang, Jing-Yun, 2011. "The choice of foreign market entry mode: An analysis of the dynamic probit model," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 28(1-2), pages 439-450, January.
    18. Anne-Wil Harzing & Markus Pudelko, 2016. "Do We Need to Distance Ourselves from the Distance Concept? Why Home and Host Country Context Might Matter More Than (Cultural) Distance," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 1-34, February.
    19. Tsang, Eric W.K., 2005. "Influences on foreign ownership level and entry mode choice in Vietnam," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 14(4), pages 441-463, August.
    20. Caterina Moschieri & Roberto Ragozzino & Jose Manuel Campa, 2014. "Does Regional Integration Change the Effects of Country-Level Institutional Barriers on M&A? The Case of the European Union," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 54(6), pages 853-877, 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:worbus:v:42:y:2007:i:4:p:418-434. 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/620401/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.