Creation of Local Innovation by Foreign Subsidiaries from Specific Advantages of the Subnational Environment

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18568/internext.v16i1.600

Keywords:

Foreign subsidiaries, Subnational environment, Local innovation, Multiple linear regression

Abstract

Purpose - The study examines the effects of the (Brazilian) subnational competitive environment and relational embeddedness on the foreign subsidiary local innovation.

Method – Primary data are collected through a survey from 152 foreign subsidiaries located in thirteen states in Brazil. Secondary data are sourced from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys. The data are analyzed through multiple regression.

Main results - The results show a positive significant association between the subnational competitive environment and the local innovation of subsidiaries. However, there is no association between subnational external embeddedness and subsidiary local innovation. Furthermore, companies that enter through acquisitions are strongly associated with local innovation.

Relevance/Originality - The study adds to the existing exchanges on the effect of subnational environment on the subsidiary local innovation, taking Brazil as an empirical context. A subnational level analysis is important as it considers subnational institutional heterogeneity and reveals variations that could be disregarded where a national level analysis is undertaken.

Theoretical/methodological contributions: Although there is evidence of the impact of the institutional environment on strategy and innovation, this study makes some contributions. First, while existing studies do focus on both the developed as well as emerging markets, the focus with regard to the latter is mainly on Asia, and other important contexts such as Latin American having specific idiosyncrasies are ignored. Second, the study contributes to the studies of Economic Geography, supporting that each subnational environment has its particularities, as demonstrated in the nature of subnational issues in Brazil.

Social / management contributions: In managerial terms, the study draws attention to the importance of knowledge of the subnational competitive dynamics regarding the participation of the informal economy and extends implications for public policies.

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Author Biographies

Cristina Doritta Rodrigues, Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing - ESPM

Doutoranda no Programa de Pós Graduação em Administração pela Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing  - PPGA/ESPM, (Bolsista CAPES Integral).

 

 

Felipe Mendes Borini, Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade da Universidade de São Paulo -FEA/USP.

Professor da Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade da Universidade de São Paulo -FEA/USP, São Paulo, (Brasil). Professor do MPGN da FIA. Doutor em Administração pela Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade da Universidade de São Paulo - FEA/USP. 

Muhammad Mustafa Raziq, National University of Sciences and Technology, H-12, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Professor Associado na NUST Business School, Universidade Nacional de Ciências e Tecnologia - NUST, Islamabad, (Paquistão). PhD em gestão estratégica pela Massey University, Nova Zelândia.

Manuel Portugal Ferreira, Departamento de Administração e Economia, Universidade Federal de Lavras - UFLA. Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Gestão, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Portugal.

Doutor em Administração pela Universidade de Utah com pós-doutorado pela Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade da Universidade de São Paulo - FEA/USP, São Paulo, (Brasil). Professor no Departamento de Administração e Economia, Universidade Federal de Lavras - UFLA, Campus Universitário, Minas Gerais, (Brasil).  

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Published

2021-01-01

How to Cite

Rodrigues, C. D., Borini, F. M., Raziq, M. M., & Ferreira, M. P. (2021). Creation of Local Innovation by Foreign Subsidiaries from Specific Advantages of the Subnational Environment. Internext - International Business and Management Review, 16(1), 75–88. https://doi.org/10.18568/internext.v16i1.600

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