Introduction and Overview

Concerns have recently been publicly raised about the impact of emerging market multinationals. The expansion of China’s multinationals into Europe and the Belt and Road Initiative have been greeted positively in some quarters but have also led to increasing awareness of the potential long-term implications. This chapter serves as an introduction to the edited volume, addressing opportunities and concerns relating to these developments. While there is already much literature on foreign direct investment in emerging economies and emerging multinationals per se, this book focuses on the neglected issue of the (potential) impact of the expansion of emerging market multinationals into Europe. By including long-term and interdisciplinary insights, it opens up a fresh perspective on a highly controversial issue. Starting with a call for a new theoretical understanding which is based on a multilevel (economic) view, which incorporates politics and power and takes questions of sustainability seriously, the chapter introduces key ideas and findings. Bridge-building efforts to cross-fertilize ideas developed in various fields enhance our understanding of the nature and role of emerging market multinational companies (EMNCs) in Europe. They are intended to facilitate the development of criteria for sustainable strategies in dealing with emerging market multinationals in Europe.