Imitation, performance feedback, and outward foreign direct investments by emerging market firms

Extending the rational-based perspective of imitation, this study investigates how emerging market firms (EMFs) selectively imitate the frequency of outward foreign direct investment from two theoretically connected role models, i.e., large firms in an industry and board-interlocked firms. We posit that large and board-interlocked firms have differential values in endowing legitimacy and providing information because of their differences in terms of visibility to outsiders and value of acquired information. Using performance feedback as a moderator, we also indicate that EMFs performing above aspiration level decrease their imitation of large firms and board-interlocked firms. We also find that EMFs performing below aspiration level are more likely to imitate interlocked firms but less likely to imitate large firms.