Abstract

This study examines the influence of transnational institutions (i.e., bilateral investment treaties and preferential trade agreements) on multinational corporations’ (MNCs) location choices. It draws on institutional perspectives and insights from political economy to argue that the influence of transnational institutions on MNCs’ location choices varies depending on host country institutional uncertainty, home country formal institutional voids, and MNC multiple embeddedness. Using a sample of 13,011 foreign market entries from 1,129 parent MNCs in 73 host countries between 2005 and 2017, we find that the influence of transnational institutions is stronger when the levels of host country institutional uncertainty and home country formal institutional voids are higher, and that such an influence is weaker for MNCs with a high degree of multiple embeddedness.

About the Speaker

Christine M. Chan is a Professor of Management and Strategy at University of Hong Kong. She is currently Associate Dean (Outreach and Global Engagement) and was Assistant Dean (EMBA, MBA, and Tpg programmes) from 2013 to 2018. Her research analyzes the influences of institutions on multinational enterprises’ foreign market entry strategies and performance in developed and emerging economies. She teaches in HKU MBA Programme, HKU/Fudan University EMBA Programme and HKU/Peking University EMBA Programme. She also teaches executive education programs.

Christine M. Chan was the Senior Editor of Asia Pacific Journal of Management from 2012 to 2019 and serves on the Editorial Review Board of Global Strategy Journal. She has published in the Strategic Management Journal, Journal of International Business Studies, and Journal of Business Research. She has presented her papers at the Academy of Management Meeting, Academy of International Business Meeting and Asia Academy of Management Meeting. She received three Best Paper Awards at the Asia Academy of Management Meetings. She also received Best Paper Award and Barry M. Richman Best Dissertation Award and was the finalist of Douglas Nigh Best Paper Award at the Academy of Management Meeting.

· Best Paper Award, Asia Academy of Management Biennial Meeting, Seoul, 2012.

· Faculty Outstanding Teacher Award, Faculty of Business & Economics, the University of Hong Kong, 2011, 2019.

· Best Book of the Year, Japan Academy of International Business Studies, Japan, 2010

· Best Paper Award, Asia Academy of Management Biennial Meeting, Tokyo, 2006

· Best Paper Award, Asia Academy of Management Biennial Meeting, Shanghai, 2004

· Best Paper Award, Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Seattle, 2003

· Barry M. Richman Best Dissertation Award, Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Seattle, 2003

· Finalist of Douglas Nigh Best Paper Award, Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Seattle, 2003