The early and rapid internationalization of Asian emerging MNEs

The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrated framework that conceptualizes multifaceted antecedents pertaining to international expansion of Asian emerging multinational enterprise (MNEs) in relation to firm performance. The author argues that the accelerated process of Asian emerging MNEs internationalization appears to be a historically significant change in the way business is conducted.

The paper tests how internationalization expansion path, geographic scope, industry and firm characteristics affect Asian emerging MNEs performance in a sample of 115 Asian MNEs over the period 2003‐2006.

The results indicate that an emerging MNE's institutional heritage and its own internationalization strategy are likely to create specific preference for operating in differing geographic regions. On the other hand, the results also indicate that domestic growth rate, global market growth rate and R&D investment influence the degree of internationalization of Asian emerging MNEs.

Future studies may apply time series data and require additional empirical research using samples from other emerging markets such as Eastern European, Russia and South America. Addressing industry‐specific effects, and/or examine the influence of company characteristics would clearly add to this study.

Asian merging MNEs have certain advantages over large developed country's MNEs, including greater flexibility, efficiency, quality and advantage‐seeking behavior, which allow an emerging multinational enterprise MNE to develop capabilities to succeed in the international markets.