Multinationals are subject to questioning about organizational legitimacy issues by foreign governments when expanding overseas. This issue has become more prevalent over the past two decades with the rapid development of emerging countries and the exponential expansion in outward foreign direct investments from the firms of these emerging countries. Many emerging-country multinationals, particularly Chinese ones, confront political challenges in overseas. Accordingly, the global marketing economy is increasingly politicized, however previous research on consumer behavior has not paid attention to this political element. Against this background, this thesis draws on signaling theory to investigate the effect of overseas political challenges suffered by Chinese multinationals on domestic consumer purchase willingness, through shaping brand awareness and brand image in the home country. This study adopts a quantitative approach and administers an online questionnaire-based survey to assess Chinese people's willingness to purchase products made by Huawei (a Chinese national brand). Through PLS-SEM analysis of the survey data consisting of 314 valid questionnaires, our results reveal that the overseas political challenges faced by Chinese multinationals does not directly influence domestic consumer purchase willingness. Instead, awareness of this international political pressure can exert a directly positive effect on brand awareness and brand image in the home country, which in turn triggers domestic consumer purchase willingness. Our study suggests that overseas political challenge delivers a positive signaling effect and is conducive to domestic consumer purchase willingness. By building a theoretical link between overseas political challenge and consumer purchase willingness, uncovering the bright side of the challenging overseas environment faced by many multinationals, this study advances research on consumer behavior and gains deeper insight into the effect of these political challenges as well as extending the application of signaling theory.

Cette thèse porte sur les stratégies d’internationalisation des firmes chinoises, particulièrement celles qui s’implantent en Europe. À travers une série d’études empiriques nous visons à traiter plusieurs aspects au regard des stratégies employées par ces firmes chinoises. À travers une première étude de cas, nous avons identifié différents parcours internationaux adoptés par les firmes chinoises en référence avec les théories existantes. Par la suite, nous avons conduit à travers une deuxième étude de cas, une analyse comparative de deux cadres théoriques distincts (modèle OLI et LLL). Cela nous a permis de souligner le pouvoir explicatif important de ces deux théories durant des périodes et des contextes différents dans lesquels les firmes chinoises se sont situées. Troisièmement, nous avons visé plus spécifiquement les partenariats entre les multinationales chinoises et les PME françaises. Ce travail a souligné comment ces deux types de firmes, par la combinaison de leurs asymétries réciproques, peuvent surmonter diverses difficultés de leur développement respectif. Au final, selon le concept de distance psychique proposé par le modèle d’Uppsala, nous avons analysé l’impact de la distance psychique dans le cas des multinationales chinoises. Sur la base d’une étude quantitative, cette fois-ci, nous avons proposé qu’en raison de diverses évolutions sociétales (avancement des technologies d’information ; amélioration des moyens de transport, etc.) et de certaines capacités de ces firmes chinoises, les difficultés liées à la distance psychique rencontrée par ces firmes sont inférieures à celles envisagées par le modèle d’Uppsala. / This PhD focuses on the internationalization strategies of Chinese companies, specifically those that are setting up in Europe. Through a series of empirical studies, we aim to treat several aspects with regard to the strategies employed by these Chinese companies. In our first case study, we have identified various international development paths adopted by Chinese firms in reference to existing theories. Subsequently, we conducted, through a second case study, a comparative analysis of two distinct theoretical frameworks (OLI and LLL model). This allowed us to highlight the important explanatory potential of these two theories during different times and contexts in which Chinese firms are embedded. Thirdly, we focused more specifically on partnerships between Chinese multinationals and French SMEs. This work revealed how these two types of firms may overcome various difficulties in combining their reciprocal asymmetries. In the end, according to the concept of psychic distance proposed by the Uppsala model, we addressed the impact of psychic distance in the case of Chinese multinationals. Through a quantitative study, we proposed that due to various societal evolution (advancement of information technologies, improvement of the transport, etc.)and to certain capabilities of Chinese multinationals, the psychic distance related difficulties faced by Chinese multinationals are less than those presumed by the Uppsala model.

Cette thèse a pour objet d’effectuer une étude approfondie des IDE chinois et d’analyser la stratégie et l’organisation des entreprises chinoises en France. Pour cela, nous étudions les principales motivations d’investissement des entreprises chinoises en France, leurs modes d’entrée sur le marché français ainsi que les différentes façons de contrôler leurs filiales en France. Nous utilisons la méthodologie qualitative pour cette recherche. Au total, nous avons interviewé dix-sept entreprises chinoises ayant réalisé des IDE en France. Nos résultats montrent que la recherche de marchés et d’actifs stratégiques sont les principales motivations des IDE chinois en France. Le gouvernement chinois joue un rôle de promoteur dans le processus d’internationalisation des entreprises chinoises en France. Les entreprises chinoises préfèrent entrer en France par une filiale en propriété exclusive. Les cadres locaux jouent un rôle clé dans la gestion des filiales des entreprises chinoises en France. / This thesis aims to carry out an in-depth study on Chinese FDI, to analyse the strategy and organization of Chinese companies in France. For this, we study the main investment motivations for Chinese companies in France, their entry modes into the French market, and the different ways of controlling their subsidiaries in France. We used a qualitative methodology for this research. In total, we interviewed seventeen Chinese companies that carried out FDI in France. Our empirical findings indicate that market-seeking and strategic assets seeking are the main motivations for Chinese FDI in France. The Chinese government plays a role of promoter in the process of internationalization of Chinese companies in France. Chinese companies prefer to enter into France through wholly owned subsidiaries. Local managers play a key role in the management of the subsidiaries of Chinese firms in France.