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Challenges in the Era of Globalization - iaabd

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Proceed<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 12th Annual Conference © 2011 IAABD<br />

A Conceptual Model <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Internationalization Strategies <strong>of</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>ese State and Private Sector<br />

Enterprises <strong>in</strong> Africa<br />

Abstract<br />

Xiaohua L<strong>in</strong>, hl<strong>in</strong>@ryerson.ca<br />

Carlyle Farrell, farrellc@ryerson.ca<br />

Global Management Studies DepartmentTed Rogers School <strong>of</strong> Management<br />

Ryerson University, Ryerson Bus<strong>in</strong>ess Build<strong>in</strong>g, Toronto Ontario<br />

This paper presents a conceptual model <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternationalization strategies <strong>of</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>ese state and private sector<br />

enterprises. Specifically we present a framework to better understand <strong>the</strong> strategic decisions and performance<br />

outcomes <strong>of</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>ese state-owned enterprises (CSOEs) and Ch<strong>in</strong>ese privately owned enterprises (CPOEs) as <strong>the</strong>y<br />

pursue <strong>in</strong>vestment opportunities <strong>in</strong> Africa. For future empirical <strong>in</strong>vestigations, we <strong>of</strong>fer a set <strong>of</strong> testable propositions<br />

compar<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> two types <strong>of</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>ese enterprises enter<strong>in</strong>g African markets: <strong>in</strong> comparison to CSOEs, CPOEs are<br />

more likely to be driven by economic rationality and take a diversified orientation, to have weaker corporate<br />

governance and engage local African communities <strong>in</strong> bus<strong>in</strong>ess process to a lesser extent, and to become pr<strong>of</strong>itable<br />

quicker but lack stability <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> longer term. The paper concludes with a discussion <strong>of</strong> managerial and policy<br />

implications.<br />

Introduction<br />

This paper presents a conceptual model <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternationalization strategies <strong>of</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>ese state and private<br />

sector enterprises. Specifically we present a framework to better understand <strong>the</strong> strategic decisions and<br />

performance outcomes <strong>of</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>ese state-owned enterprises (CSOEs) and Ch<strong>in</strong>ese privately owned<br />

enterprises (CPOEs) as <strong>the</strong>y pursue <strong>in</strong>vestment opportunities <strong>in</strong> Africa. It should be recognized that much<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> literature on Ch<strong>in</strong>ese foreign direct <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> Africa has focused on <strong>the</strong> strategies and tactics <strong>of</strong><br />

state owned enterprises (see for example Kapl<strong>in</strong>sky and Morris, 2009). To date little has been written on<br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>volvement <strong>of</strong> privately owned Ch<strong>in</strong>ese enterprises on <strong>the</strong> African cont<strong>in</strong>ent, despite <strong>the</strong>ir <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g<br />

importance (Gu, 2009; Wang, 2007). Appeal<strong>in</strong>g to Dunn<strong>in</strong>g’s OLI framework and notions <strong>of</strong> path<br />

dependency (Nelson and W<strong>in</strong>ter, 1982) we <strong>of</strong>fer a number <strong>of</strong> propositions to expla<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> strategies,<br />

governance structures and performance outcomes <strong>of</strong> CSOEs and CPOEs as <strong>the</strong>y pursue<br />

<strong>in</strong>ternationalization opportunities <strong>in</strong> Africa.<br />

Ch<strong>in</strong>a’s <strong>in</strong>volvement <strong>in</strong> Africa dates back to <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>g dynasty (1368-1644) when Ch<strong>in</strong>a launched<br />

maritime expeditions to countries now known as Somalia, Kenya and Madagascar <strong>in</strong> search <strong>of</strong> exotic<br />

treasures (le Pere, 2007; Broadman, 2009). With <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Second World War and <strong>the</strong> birth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

People’s Republic <strong>of</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>a (PRC) <strong>in</strong> 1949 S<strong>in</strong>o-African relations entered a new phase with Ch<strong>in</strong>a<br />

provid<strong>in</strong>g material support to several African countries <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir struggle for <strong>in</strong>dependence. Contemporary<br />

S<strong>in</strong>o-African relations, however, date back to <strong>the</strong> 1955 Bandung Conference – a meet<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> Asian and<br />

African nations designed to promote economic and cultural collaboration. Beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> early 1960s a<br />

number <strong>of</strong> high-level Ch<strong>in</strong>ese <strong>of</strong>ficials visited African nations <strong>in</strong> an attempt to consolidate diplomatic and<br />

762

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