Jane W. Lu

International Diversification and Firm Performance: The S-curve Hypothesis

A proposed theoretical framework for the study of multinationality and performance includes both benefits and costs of geographic expansion over different phases of internationalization. Data on 1,489 Japanese firms over 12 years show a consistent horizontal X S-shaped X relationship between multinationality and performance. Further, firms investing more heavily in intangible assets, such as technology and advertising, achieved greater profitability gains from growth in foreign direct investment. Our framework and findings highlight complexity and temporal dynamics.

Ownership Strategies and Survival of Foreign Subsidiaries: Impacts of Institutional Distance and Experience

This article integrates institutional theory and organizational learning perspective and proposes a contingency framework on the relationship between ownership strategies and subsidiary performance. Using a sample of Japanese subsidiaries worldwide, the article finds important main effects of ownership, institutional distance, and host country experience on subsidiary survival. Furthermore, the effect of ownership is contingent on institutional distance and host country experience. In institutionally distant countries, subsidiaries have better survival chances if foreign parents have more ownership. Host country experience has a negative impact on subsidiary survival, but the effect is weaker if foreign parents have larger ownership positions in the subsidiaries.

Growth and Survival of International Joint Ventures: An External-Internal Legitimacy Perspective

The authors examine the growth and survival of international joint ventures (IJVs) from a legitimacy perspective. In a sample of 291 Sino-Japanese joint ventures in China, they found that Chinese parent age, Chinese parent size, and IJV industry relatedness to either parent had a positive effect on IJV growth and/or survival. However, IJV industry relatedness to both parents led to lower rates of IJV growth and survival. The findings highlight the importance for IJVs to obtain both external and internal legitimacy, as well as the difficulties IJVs face in acquiring internal legitimacy from both parents simultaneously.

The evolving contributions in international strategic management research

In this study, I systematically investigate the evolving contributions and gaps that exist in the international strategic management (ISM) literature. The research I present here reviews leading international business and strategic management journals from 1991 through 2000. The research investigates the topics that have been examined in ISM research, theoretical perspectives employed, outlets for publication, and the breadth of contributions to ISM research. The article also highlights areas in the literature that may provide promising avenues for future research.

Organizational forms and multi-population dynamics: : Economic transition in China

To examine the transition from a planned to a market economy in China, this study uses census data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics from 1998–2006 to investigate multi-population dynamics across the three main organizational forms in China’s domestic sector: state-owned enterprises (SOEs), collectively owned enterprises (COEs), and privately owned enterprises (POEs). We conceptualize economic transition as a community-level change from an old, dominant organizational form (SOE), through a transitional form (COE), to a new form (POE). When the new organizational form conflicts with the prevailing identity codes represented by the old form, the transitional form—which has identity overlap with both the new and old forms—performs the critical tasks of transferring legitimacy to the new form and supporting its survival and proliferation. Our analysis showed that, though the existence of state-owned enterprises increased the exit rate of privately owned enterprises, collectively owned enterprises provided legitimation for privately owned enterprises. Meanwhile, privately owned enterprises crowded out both state-owned enterprises and collectively owned enterprises. We contribute to ecology theory by extending research that typically depicts a two-population scenario. Our framework accommodates cross-effects involving three organizational forms: old, transitional, and new.

Network Development and Firm Performance: A Field Study of Internationalizing Japanese Firms

This paper explores the potential competitive advantages from the development of an internal network of subsidiaries and external network of alliances. Given the broad scope and lack of systematic investigation in prior research, clinical field research was conducted in eleven Japanese subsidiaries in China. Our in‐depth interviews revealed that there are benefits and costs associated with the development of both subsidiary networks and alliance networks. While there are exploitation and exploration benefits from subsidiary network development, internationalizing firms (especially smaller firms) are subject to the liability of foreignness. Alliance network development is an effective way to mitigate this liability if internationalizing firms choose the right alliance strategy.

Incentive or Disincentive? A Socioemotional Wealth Explanation of New Industry Entry in Family Business Groups

We examine how controlling owners’ family considerations affect their new industry entry decisions in family business groups in emerging economies. Drawing on the socioemotional wealth (SEW) approach, we conceive the new industry entry decision as controlling owners’ response to pursue various family interests. In particular, we distinguish two aspects of SEW, focused SEW and broad SEW, and theorize their opposing effects on the new industry entry decision. We propose that controlling owners’ likelihood to pursue new industry entry is negatively influenced by the exercise of family influence (a representative of the focused SEW) but is positively associated with the succession of family dynasty (a typical form of the broad SEW). Furthermore, we argue that the effects of SEW preservation on such decisions are contingent on controlling owners’ generation, with the effects to be stronger when the founder generation is in control. We test these hypotheses with a sample of Taiwanese family business groups and find general support for our predictions.