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Regional strategic assets and the location strategies of emerging countries’ multinationals in Europe

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  • Riccardo Crescenzi
  • Carlo Pietrobelli
  • Roberta Rabellotti

Abstract

This paper explores the location strategies of multinational enterprises (MNEs) from emerging countries (EMNEs) in search for regional strategic assets. The analysis is based on a systematic comparison between EMNEs and multinationals from advanced countries (AMNEs) in order to unveil similarities and differences between these two major sources of foreign investment into the regions of the European Union. The empirical results suggest that EMNEs follow a distinctive logic in their location strategies. They are attracted by the availability of technological competences only when their subsidiaries pursue more sophisticated and technology-intensive activities. Conversely, EMNEs share some behavioural similarities with AMNEs in their response to the spatial agglomeration of investments.

Suggested Citation

  • Riccardo Crescenzi & Carlo Pietrobelli & Roberta Rabellotti, 2016. "Regional strategic assets and the location strategies of emerging countries’ multinationals in Europe," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(4), pages 645-667, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:eurpls:v:24:y:2016:i:4:p:645-667
    DOI: 10.1080/09654313.2015.1129395
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    4. Lv, Ping & Curran, Louise & Spigarelli, Francesca & Barbieri, Elisa, 2021. "One country, many industries: Heterogeneity of Chinese OFDI motivations at meso level," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    5. Bernhard Dachs & Georg Zahradnik, . "From few to many: main trends in the internationalization of business R&D," UNCTAD Transnational Corporations Journal, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
    6. Cristina Vaquero-Piñeiro, 2020. "A voyage in the role of territory: are territories capable of instilling their peculiarities in local production systems," Departmental Working Papers of Economics - University 'Roma Tre' 0251, Department of Economics - University Roma Tre.
    7. Rubini, Lauretta & Pollio, Chiara & Spigarelli, Francesca & Lv, Ping, 2021. "Regional social context and FDI. An empirical investigation on Chinese acquisitions in Europe," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 402-415.
    8. Baker, P. & Hawkes, C. & Wingrove, K. & Demaio, A. & Parkhurst, Justin & Thow, A.M. & Walls, H., 2018. "What drives political commitment for nutrition? A review and framework synthesis to inform the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 86630, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    9. Dachs, Bernhard, 2017. "Internationalisation of R&D: A Review of Drivers, Impacts, and new Lines of Research," MPRA Paper 83367, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Andrea Filippetti & Petros Gkotsis & Antonio Vezzani & Antonio Zinilli, 2020. "Are innovative regions more resilient? Evidence from Europe in 2008–2016," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 37(3), pages 807-832, October.
    11. Kirsten Martinus & Thomas Sigler & Iacopo Iacopini & Ben Derudder, 2019. "The role of tax havens and offshore financial centers in Asia-Pacific networks: evidence from firm-subsidiary connections," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(5), pages 389-411, November.
    12. Iammarino, Simona & McCann, Philip & Ortega-Argilés, Raquel, 2018. "International business, cities and competitiveness: recent trends and future challenges," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 86626, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    13. Riccardo Crescenzi & Simona Iammarino & Carolin Ioramashvili & Andres Rodriguez-Pose & Michael Storper, 2019. "The Geography of Innovation: Local Hotspots and Global Innovation Networks," WIPO Economic Research Working Papers 57, World Intellectual Property Organization - Economics and Statistics Division.
    14. Crescenzi, Riccardo & Iammarino, Simona & Ioramashvili, Carolin & Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés & Storper, Michael, 2020. "The geography of innovation and development: global spread and local hotspots," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 105116, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    15. Amendolagine, Vito & Crescenzi, Riccardo & Rabellotti, Roberta, 2022. "The geography of acquisitions and greenfield investments: firm heterogeneity and regional institutional conditions," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115597, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy

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