The Impact of Home Country Institutional Effects on the Internationalization Strategy of Chinese Firms

Mainland Chinese firms have become important international investors. Many have gained their capabilities to internationalize in a domestic institutional environment characterised by significant market imperfections. In this study, we argue that the imperfections affect firm behavior depending on firm size, ownership form, and location. We find preliminary support for the notion that large, well-connected Chinese firms benefit most from institutional advantages, but that smaller firms internationalize because of institutional constraints. This represents a more nuanced view of the determinants of Chinese firm internationalization than is evident in prior research, with consequences for future theorising and empirical research on Chinese MNEs.