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Institutional and Economic Determinants of Transnational Retailer Expansion and Performance: A Comparative Analysis of Wal-Mart and Carrefour

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  • Cédric Durand

    (Centre d'Économie de Paris Nord, 99 avenue Jean-Baptiste Clément, F 93430 Villetaneuse, France)

  • Neil Wrigley

    (School of Geography, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, England)

Abstract

In the context of a wave of retail foreign direct investment and increasing recognition across many disciplines of the profound developmental implications of transnational retail within the global economy, this paper examines the institutional and economic factors determining the performance of transnational retailers via a comparative analysis of the two global leaders in the industry, Wal-Mart and Carrefour. A conceptual framework is offered for explaining the heterogeneity of retailer performance in international markets, and three types of explanation are considered: the timing and mode of market entry and subsequent expansion, factors that allow the exercise of upstream market power, and sensitivity to issues of labour organization and standards. The two retailers are found to be differentially impacted by those factors, indicating the need to consider a process of institutional hybridization as central to the explanation of transnational retail performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Cédric Durand & Neil Wrigley, 2009. "Institutional and Economic Determinants of Transnational Retailer Expansion and Performance: A Comparative Analysis of Wal-Mart and Carrefour," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 41(7), pages 1534-1555, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:41:y:2009:i:7:p:1534-1555
    DOI: 10.1068/a4137
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    Cited by:

    1. Gordon L Clark & Ashby H B Monk, 2014. "The Geography of Investment Management Contracts: The UK, Europe, and the Global Financial Services Industry," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 46(3), pages 531-549, March.
    2. Céline Baud & Cédric Durand, 2021. "Making profits by leading retailers in the digital transition: A comparative analysis of Carrefour, Amazon and Wal-Mart (1996-2019)," Working Papers hal-03332318, HAL.
    3. Michelle Lowe & Neil Wrigley, 2010. "The “Continuously Morphing” Retail TNC During Market Entry: Interpreting Tesco’s Expansion into the United States," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 86(4), pages 381-408, October.
    4. Song, Sangcheol, 2014. "Unfavorable Market Conditions, Institutional and Financial Development, and Exits of Foreign Subsidiaries," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 279-289.
    5. Chassagnon, Virgile & Dubrion, Benjamin, 2015. "Responsabilité sociale de l’entreprise et manipulation des salariés au travail : un éclairage institutionnaliste à partir d’une analyse de la littérature sur les codes de conduite," Revue de la Régulation - Capitalisme, institutions, pouvoirs, Association Recherche et Régulation, vol. 17.
    6. Steve Wood & Jonathan Reynolds, 2011. "The Intrafirm Context of Retail Expansion Planning," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 43(10), pages 2468-2491, October.
    7. Rosado-Serrano, Alexander & Paul, Justin & Dikova, Desislava, 2018. "International franchising: A literature review and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 238-257.
    8. repec:hal:cepnwp:hal-03332318 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Baines, Joseph, 2015. "Encumbered Behemoth: Wal-Mart, Differential Accumulation and International Retail Restructuring," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, pages 149-166.
    10. repec:hal:cepnwp:hal-00611862 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Cédric Durand & Antonia Lòpez-Villavicencio, 2011. "On the link between distribution's margins and exchange rates: the role of globalization," Working Papers hal-00611862, HAL.
    12. Lisa Qixun Siebers, 2017. "Hybridization practices as organizational responses to institutional demands: The development of Western retail TNCs in China," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 17(1), pages 1-29.
    13. Jonathan Matusitz & Elizabeth Minei, 2011. "Cultural Adaptation of an MNC in Mexico: A Success Story," Transition Studies Review, Springer;Central Eastern European University Network (CEEUN), vol. 18(2), pages 418-429, December.
    14. Steve Wood & Jonathan Reynolds, 2014. "Establishing Territorial Embeddedness within Retail Transnational Corporation (TNC) Expansion: The Contribution of Store Development Departments," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(8), pages 1371-1390, August.
    15. Baines, Joseph, 2014. "Wal-Mart's Power Trajectory: A Contribution to the Political Economy of the Firm," Review of Capital as Power, Capital As Power - Toward a New Cosmology of Capitalism, vol. 1(1), pages 79-109.
    16. Neil M Coe & Yong-Sook Lee & Steve Wood, 2017. "Conceptualising contemporary retail divestment: Tesco's departure from South Korea," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 49(12), pages 2739-2761, December.

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