The Internationalization Process of Emerging Market Multinationals. How institutional distance, cross-listing and absorptive capacity affect the scope and speed of the EMNE’s Internationalization Process

Abstract

This study examines the effects of institutional distance, cross-listing and absorptive capacity on the internationalization process of EMNEs. In trying to find an answer to this question, this study relied on data the Orbis database. This resulted in data from 197 Multinational Enterprises stemming from 12 different emerging countries. The research question was tested by means of a Multiple Regression Analysis. The results of this analysis indicate that institutional distance is positively related to both the scope and speed of the EMNEs internationalization process. Additionally, the results show a positive relationship between cross-listing and the scope of the EMNEs internationalization. However, when looking at the moderation effect of institutional distance on this relationship between cross-listing and the EMNEs scope, this study found that this relationship only upholds in cases of high institutional distance. This study did not find support for a relationship between absorptive capacity and the EMNEs internationalization process.