Determinants of the internationalization-performance relationship [Elektronische Ressource] : an empirical examination of the influence of organizational and contextual variables / vorgelegt von Sebastian Sieler

Universität Augsburg
Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät

Determinants of the Internationalization-Performance
Relationship:
An Empirical Examination of the Influence of
Organizational and Contextual Variables

Dissertation
zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades eines
Doktors der Wirtschaftswissenschaften (Dr.rer.pol.)
an der Universität Augsburg

vorgelegt von
Sebastian Sieler

Erstgutachter: Prof. Dr. Dres. h.c. Adolf G. Coenenberg
Zweitgutachter: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schultze
Vorsitzender der mündlichen Prüfung: Prof. Dr. Otto Opitz
Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 24. Juli 2008
CURRICULUM VITAE
Persönliche Daten
Name: Sebastian Sieler
Geboren am: 06.07.1979in Karlsruhe
Nationalität: deutsch
Familienstand: ledig

Akademischer Werdegang und Schulbildung
Juni 1999 Abitur am Max-Planck Gymnasium Karlsruhe
Sep. 1999 - Mai 2003 International Partnership of Business Schools (IPBS),
deutsch-amerikanischer Doppeldiplom-Studiengang der ESB
Reutlingen und der Indiana University Bloomington, USA
Sep. 1999 - Jun. 2001 European School of Business (ESB), FH Reutlingen
Aug. 2001- Dez. 2001 Red McCombs School of Business, University of Texas, Austin, US
Jan. 2002 - Mai 2003 Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA
Abschluss: Dipl. Betriebswirt (FH); B.Sc. in Business
Juli 2008 Promotion an der wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Fakultät der
Universität Augsburg
Beruflicher Werdegang
Jul. 2000 - Sep. 2000 Merrill Lynch International Bank Ltd., Frankfurt
Praktikum im Bereich private Vermögensverwaltung und Portfolio
Management der International Private Client Group
Okt. 2000 - Feb. 2001 DaimlerChrysler AG, Stuttgart
Praktikum im Produktmanagement der A-Klasse
Jun. 2002 - Aug. 2002 Deloitte & Touche, München
Praktikum in den Bereichen „Transaction Services“ und „M&A“ der
Corporate Finance Group
Sep. 2002 - Dez. 2002 McKinsey&Company Inc., München
Praktikum innerhalb der Insurance Practice
Seit Sep. 2003 Consultant bei McKinsey & Company Inc., München -
Mitglied der deutschen und europäischen Pharma/Healthcare Practice

Preise und Auszeichnungen
Seit April 2002 Mitglied der Golden Key International Honour Society
Seit April 2003 Mitglied in der Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society

Publikationen
Kapitelbeitrag Salfeld, R./ Hehner, S./ Wichels, R.: Modernes
Krankenhausmanagement – Konzepte und Lösungen, Springer, Berlin
Heidelberg New York, 2008. Table of Contents V
TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES.............................................................................................................IX
LIST OF TABLES ..............................................................................................................XI
LIST OF EQUATIONS.................................................................................................... XIII
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................... XV
1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 1
2 THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS................................................................................ 5
2.1 Theories on the Benefits of Corporate Internationalization ............................................ 5
2.1.1 Economic Theories of Internationalization.............................................................. 5
2.1.1.1 Theory of Comparative Costs ........................................................................... 5
2.1.1.2 Theories of Foreign Direct Investment............................................................. 9
2.1.1.2.1 The International Product Life Cycle Theory............................................ 9
2.1.1.2.2 Theory of Monopolistic Advantages ....................................................... 12
2.1.1.2.3 Internalization Theory ............................................................................. 15
2.1.1.3 The Eclectic Theory of International Production............................................ 18
2.1.1.4 Portfolio Diversification Theory..................................................................... 20
2.1.2. Organizational Perspectives of Corporate Internalization .................................... 23
2.1.2.1 Resource Transmission Theory ...................................................................... 24
2.1.2.2 The Resource-Based View of the Firm and Organizational Learning............ 26
2.1.2.3 Theory of Operational Flexibility................................................................... 30
2.2 Theories on the Costs of Corporate Internationalization............................................... 32
2.2.1 Costs of Internationalization Arising from the External Business Environment... 32
2.2.2 Costs of Internationalization Arising from the Intra-Company Environment ....... 35
2.3 Summary of the Benefits and Costs of Corporate Internationalization......................... 38
3 THE INTERNATIONALIZATION-PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP............. 43
3.1 Outline of Empirical Studies on the Internationalization-Performance Relationship ... 43
3.2 Survey of Past Empirical Results .................................................................................. 46
3.3 Critique and Object of Investigation ............................................................................. 51
4 DEVELOPMENT OF HYPOTHESES ........................................................................ 55
4.1 Company-Level Variables Affecting the Internationalization-Performance
Relationship..................................................................................................................55
4.1.1 Development of International Strategies................................................................ 55
4.1.2 International Strategy Implementation................................................................... 59 VI Table of Contents
4.1.3 The Transnational Concept .................................................................................... 63
4.1.4 Hypotheses on Organizational and Managerial Variables ..................................... 65
4.1.4.1 Configuration of Value Chain Activities ........................................................ 66
4.1.4.2 Intra-Company Knowledge Flows.................................................................. 68
4.1.4.3 Social Control Mechanisms ............................................................................ 70
4.1.4.4 Subsidiary Autonomy ..................................................................................... 75
4.1.4.5 Organizational Slack....................................................................................... 77
4.2 Contextual Variables Affecting the Internationalization-Performance Relationship.... 81
4.2.1 Industry Membership ............................................................................................. 82
4.2.2 Geographic Origin.................................................................................................. 85
4.3 Overview of Hypotheses ............................................................................................... 91
5 CONCEPTUALIZATION OF MEASURES AND DATA COLLECTION............. 93
5.1 Definition and Measurement of Variables..................................................................... 93
5.1.1 Dependent (Endogenous) Variables....................................................................... 94
5.1.2 Independent (Exogenous) Variables ...................................................................... 99
5.1.3 Moderating Variables........................................................................................... 104
5.1.4. Control Variables ................................................................................................ 113
5.2 Data Collection............................................................................................................ 117
5.2.1 Research Site........................................................................................................ 117
5.2.2 Sampling Process ................................................................................................. 122
5.2.3 Survey .................................................................................................................. 123
5.2.3.1 Survey Design............................................................................................... 123
5.2.3.2 Survey Process.............................................................................................. 126
5.2.3.3 Survey Response Analysis............................................................................ 128
6 VALIDATION AND OPERATIONALIZATION OF CONSTRUCTS ................. 135
6.1 Conceptual Differences between Reflective and Formative Constructs ..................... 135
6.1.1 Procedures Used for Assessing the Reliability and Validity of Reflecti