Effects of International Diversity and Product Diversity on the Performance of Multinational Firms

Abstract

This study examined the relationships among international diversity, product diversity, and firm performance. For a sample of large American industrial multinational enterprises (MNEs), it showed a consistent quadratic relationship between product diversification and MNE performance but minimal performance differences across different measures of international diversity. Analysis of the interactions of international diversity and product diversity indicates a weak effect from increasing internationalization on the performance effect of product diversity.