Internationalization Strategy of MNEs from Emerging Economies: The Case of Huawei

Abstract

With the current rise of multinational enterprises (MNEs) from emerging economies (EE), more attention is now being directed to EE MNEs and what drives the internationalization of these companies. In this article we aim to provide more insights into the strategies and development of EE MNEs by conducting an in-depth study of a Chinese high-tech company in the communications equipment industry: Huawei. Our case study proposes that EE MNEs (1) tend to nurture their capability in the domestic market as a base before internationalization; (2) prefer to enter markets with fewer barriers in cultural, technological, economic, and institutional distances to accumulate experience and move up the value curve; and (3) use inward and outward linkages to complement their strengths and offset their weaknesses in the global market. Our study on the internationalization patterns of EE MNEs enriches and broadens current MNE theory.

Keywords: Huawei, Internationalization, multinational enterprises, emerging economies, value curve