EMERGING ECONOMY MULTINATIONALS: THE ROLE OF BUSINESS GROUPS
NEELAM SINGHABSTRACT. The early/rapid internationalization through outward FDI (OFDI) by firms from emerging nations is a well-recognized phenomenon. This study posits that an important explanation for it is the Corporate Business Group affiliation of many of the emerging economy multinational enterprises, EMNEs, as the Business Group affiliation enhances the effective resources of the firm. This study analyzes the potential role of Group strengths in facilitating OFDI by the firm. Further it attempts to illustrate this through an intensive case study of Tata Motors, a flagship company in the Tata Group, one of India’s largest conglomerates. Tata Motors itself is a Business Group. The Group resources and competencies are examined here in terms of the competitive assets of the Tata Group as a whole, as well as particularly those of the domestic subsidiaries and substantial-equity associates of Tata Motors which operate in automotive or allied sectors. This study relates the OFDI by Tata Motors to its standalone competencies combined with the Group-derived strengths. pp. 142–181
JEL: F21, F23, L14, L22
Keywords: outward FDI, EMNEs, corporate business groups, OFDI case study, automotive sector, India