IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/reveco/v88y2023icp650-669.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Managerial foreign experience and outward foreign direct investment: Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Wen, Wen
  • Ke, Yun
  • Zhao, Tingyu
  • Zhang, Mengjiao

Abstract

We examine whether managerial foreign experience facilitates corporate outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) decision. Using hand-collected manager biography data from Chinese public companies, we find that there is a positive association between managerial foreign experience and OFDI. Mechanism analysis shows that returnee managers can improve corporate willingness of risk-taking, and thus promote the probability of OFDI. Moreover, the facilitation effect is greater when firms have managers with foreign experience obtained in the OFDI destination countries. While both foreign work and study experience promote OFDI, the effect is more significant when returnee managers hold senior positions. Lastly, managerial foreign experience is associated with improved performance of outward investments. This study enriches the emerging literature on cross-country knowledge transfer in international business by providing evidence on the economic consequences of managerial experience.

Suggested Citation

  • Wen, Wen & Ke, Yun & Zhao, Tingyu & Zhang, Mengjiao, 2023. "Managerial foreign experience and outward foreign direct investment: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 650-669.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:reveco:v:88:y:2023:i:c:p:650-669
    DOI: 10.1016/j.iref.2023.07.002
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1059056023002125
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.iref.2023.07.002?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andrzej Cieslik & Giang Hien Tran, 2019. "Determinants of outward FDI from emerging economies," Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 14(2), pages 209-231, June.
    2. Hadjikhani, Amjad, 1997. "A note on the criticisms against the internationalization process model," Working Papers 1997:2, Uppsala University, Department of Business Studies.
    3. David W Loree & Stephen E Guisinger, 1995. "Policy and Non-Policy Determinants of U.S. Equity Foreign Direct Investment," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 26(2), pages 281-299, June.
    4. Markusen, James R. & Trofimenko, Natalia, 2009. "Teaching locals new tricks: Foreign experts as a channel of knowledge transfers," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(1), pages 120-131, January.
    5. Jiangyong Lu & Xiaohui Liu & Mike Wright & Igor Filatotchev, 2014. "International experience and FDI location choices of Chinese firms: The moderating effects of home country government support and host country institutions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(4), pages 428-449, May.
    6. Peter J Buckley & L Jeremy Clegg & Adam R Cross & Xin Liu & Hinrich Voss & Ping Zheng, 2007. "The determinants of Chinese outward foreign direct investment," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(4), pages 499-518, July.
    7. D Sethi & S E Guisinger & S E Phelan & D M Berg, 2003. "Trends in foreign direct investment flows: a theoretical and empirical analysis," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 34(4), pages 315-326, July.
    8. Sahoo, Pravakar & Bishnoi, Ashwani, 2021. "Impact of outward foreign direct investment: Evidence from Asia," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 43(5), pages 1131-1148.
    9. Ajai S Gaur & Xufei Ma & Zhujun Ding, 2018. "Home country supportiveness/unfavorableness and outward foreign direct investment from China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(3), pages 324-345, April.
    10. Igor Filatotchev & Xiaohui Liu & Trevor Buck & Mike Wright, 2009. "The export orientation and export performance of high-technology SMEs in emerging markets: The effects of knowledge transfer by returnee entrepreneurs," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 40(6), pages 1005-1021, August.
    11. Laszlo Tihanyi & David A Griffith & Craig J Russell, 2005. "The effect of cultural distance on entry mode choice, international diversification, and MNE performance: a meta-analysis," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 36(3), pages 270-283, May.
    12. Tang, Ryan W. & Buckley, Peter J., 2022. "Outward foreign direct investment by emerging market multinationals: The directionality of institutional distance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 314-326.
    13. Klaus E Meyer & Yuan Ding & Jing Li & Hua Zhang, 2014. "Overcoming distrust: How state-owned enterprises adapt their foreign entries to institutional pressures abroad," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(8), pages 1005-1028, October.
    14. Weilei (Stone) Shi & Sunny Li Sun & Daying Yan & Zhu Zhu, 2017. "Institutional fragility and outward foreign direct investment from China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(4), pages 452-476, May.
    15. Xiaohui Liu & Jiangyong Lu & Igor Filatotchev & Trevor Buck & Mike Wright, 2010. "Returnee entrepreneurs, knowledge spillovers and innovation in high-tech firms in emerging economies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(7), pages 1183-1197, September.
    16. Lin Cui & Fuming Jiang, 2012. "State ownership effect on firms' FDI ownership decisions under institutional pressure: a study of Chinese outward-investing firms," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 43(3), pages 264-284, April.
    17. Peter J Buckley & L Jeremy Clegg & Hinrich Voss & Adam R Cross & Xin Liu & Ping Zheng, 2018. "A retrospective and agenda for future research on Chinese outward foreign direct investment," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(1), pages 4-23, January.
    18. Robert Grosse & Len J Trevino, 1996. "Foreign Direct Investment in the United States: An Analysis by Country of Origin," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 27(1), pages 139-155, March.
    19. Nicholas Athanassiou & Douglas Nigh, 2000. "Internationalization, Tacit Knowledge and the Top Management Teams of MNCs," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 31(3), pages 471-487, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Du, Kunhai & Zhao, Qicheng & Yin, Yugang & Zhang, Tiancheng, 2024. "Marketing executives and corporate performance: From the perspective of marketing digitalization," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PA), pages 631-644.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dylan Sutherland & Jean-Francois Hennart & John R. Anderson, 2019. "How does the routing of FDI to and via tax havens confound our understanding of Chinese MNE identity? A critical review of the empirical literature on Chinese MNEs," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(5), pages 337-359, November.
    2. Birgitte Grøgaard & Asmund Rygh & Gabriel R. G. Benito, 2019. "Bringing corporate governance into internalization theory: State ownership and foreign entry strategies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(8), pages 1310-1337, October.
    3. Dong, Yan & Tian, Jinhuan & Wen, Qiang, 2022. "Environmental regulation and outward foreign direct investment: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    4. Renfei Gao, 2023. "Inward FDI spillovers and emerging multinationals’ outward FDI in two directions," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 265-293, March.
    5. Lisha He & Ronghao Jiang & Mia M. Bennett, 2020. "The rise of Chinese foreign direct investment in the United States: Disentangling investment strategies of state‐owned and private enterprises," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(4), pages 1562-1587, December.
    6. Ling Feng & Lulan Ge & Zhiyuan Li & Ching‐Yi Lin, 2022. "Financial development and natural resources: The dynamics of China’s outward FDI," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(3), pages 739-762, March.
    7. Buckley, Peter J & Cui, Lin & Chen, Liang & Li, Yi & Choi, Yoona, 2023. "Following their predecessors’ journey? A review of EMNE studies and avenues for interdisciplinary inquiry," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(2).
    8. Xu, Kai & Hitt, Michael A. & Brock, David & Pisano, Vincenzo & Huang, Lulu S.R., 2021. "Country institutional environments and international strategy: A review and analysis of the research," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1).
    9. Yuanyuan Huang & Lu Shen & Chuang Zhang, 2022. "Home-country government support, the belt and road initiative, and the foreign performance of Chinese state-owned subsidiaries," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(3), pages 1023-1049, September.
    10. Fu, Xiaolan & Buckley, Peter J. & Fu, Xiaoqing Maggie, 2020. "The Growth Impact of Chinese Direct Investment on Host Developing Countries," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(2).
    11. Anderson, John & Sutherland, Dylan & Hurst, Jamie, 2024. "Measuring Chinese MNE activity: The challenge of corporate inversions and capital in transit related FDI," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(PA).
    12. Lin Cui & Yi Li & Klaus E. Meyer & Zijie Li, 2015. "Leadership Experience Meets Ownership Structure: Returnee Managers and Internationalization of Emerging Economy Firms," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 55(3), pages 355-387, June.
    13. Xie, En & Li, Fanshu & Wu, Zhan & Kumar, Vikas, 2024. "State ownership and Chinese private firms’ OFDI in developed economies," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 59(3).
    14. Huiying Luo & Xiaohui Liu & Aiqi Wu & Xiaotong Zhong, 2021. "Is it possible to escape? Local protectionism and outward foreign direct investment by Chinese privately-owned enterprises," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 38(4), pages 1499-1524, December.
    15. Wang, Xiaoying & Anwar, Sajid, 2022. "Institutional distance and China's horizontal outward foreign direct investment," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 1-22.
    16. Fu, Xialoan & Hou, Jun & Sanfilippo, Marco, 2017. "Highly skilled returnees and the internationalization of EMNEs: Firm level evidence from China," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 579-591.
    17. Lebedev, Sergey & Sun, Sunny Li & Markóczy, Lívia & Peng, Mike W., 2021. "Board political ties and firm internationalization," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(3).
    18. Chidlow, Agnieszka & Wang, Jue & Liu, Xiaohui & Wei, Yingqi, 2021. "A co-evolution perspective of EMNE internationalization and institutions: An integrative framework of 5Cs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(4).
    19. Ryan W. Tang & Chengli Shu & Kevin Z. Zhou, 2022. "State ownership of Chinese firms and their outward foreign direct investment: Political and economic contingencies," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(3), pages 1097-1123, September.
    20. Dan Li & Li-Qun Wei & Qing Cao & Deqiu Chen, 2022. "Informal institutions, entrepreneurs’ political participation, and venture internationalization," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(6), pages 1062-1090, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:reveco:v:88:y:2023:i:c:p:650-669. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/620165 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.