The Role of Relational Embeddedness in Enhancing Absorptive Capacity and Relational Performance of Internationalized SMEs: Evidence From Mainland China

New internationalization paths of Chinese brands: A configurational study

Although several new international brands in the information technology services industry have emerged in China, most previous research on the paths of internationalization taken by Chinese brands has focused on the manufacturing industry. Further exploration of the diversity and novel characteristics of these paths remains necessary. Taking into account the different industries and the interactions among multiple factors that are relevant in this context, supplementary research on the paths of internationalization taken by Chinese brands is also needed. Simultaneously, more research on the mechanisms underlying brand empowerment during the internationalization process is necessary. Based on a theoretical framework for brand empowerment, this article analyzes 61 representative Chinese brands using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). This article reveals the following main findings: (1) brand penetration and brand acculturation are two key capabilities with regard to brand internationalization; (2) two modes of brand internationalization are evident in China, i.e., progressive internationalization and leapfrog internationalization; (3) four paths of internationalization can be observed with regard to Chinese brands, including two new paths, i.e., L-S-Cu and P-S-M; and (4) six additional paths are worthy of further exploration.

How do MNEs shape their international strategic alliances to facilitate higher alliance performance? Absorptive capacity as an antecedent

The international strategic alliance in international marketing is international social network to realize superior performance. This requires firms to increasingly consolidate international relationship with foreign partners. Knowledge acquisition and integration by absorptive capacity (AC) as an antecedent for international strategic alliance is understudied. This study aims to explore the relationship between AC and international strategic alliance, and their impact on the international performance of multinational enterprises (MNEs). This study empirically verifies the research framework from 223 Taiwanese MNEs. In terms of structural model, researchers conduct PLS-SEM to verify the hypotheses in this study. The results confirm previous studies that indicate a positive relationship among AC, international strategic alliance, and international performance. The results also indicate that international explorative and exploitative alliance fits mediate the relationship between AC and international performance.