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Do exits proxy a liability of foreignness?: The case of Japanese exits from the US

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  • Hennart, Jean-François
  • Roehl, Thomas
  • Zeng, Ming

Abstract

Progress in understanding the liability of foreignness requires accurate measurement of this concept. This paper investigates whether exits of foreign affiliates from a given host market provide a reliable measure. We tackle this question by investigating 32 exits of Japanese manufacturing affiliates from the US. Our goal is to assess the extent to which exits are driven by a liability of foreignness and thus whether exits can serve as a reliable measurement of this liability. We find that less than half of our exits are attributable to a liability of foreignness. We conclude that while the data confirm a liability of foreignness for Japanese early entrants into the US, the presence of many other motives for exit suggests caution when inferring such a liability from exits, especially when exit costs are low.

Suggested Citation

  • Hennart, Jean-François & Roehl, Thomas & Zeng, Ming, 2002. "Do exits proxy a liability of foreignness?: The case of Japanese exits from the US," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 8(3), pages 241-264.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intman:v:8:y:2002:i:3:p:241-264
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