Au lendemain de son accession à l’indépendance le 17 août 1960, le Gabon fonde sa stratégie de développement sur l’exploitation des ressources naturelles et principalement les ressources du sous-sol, aux mains d’entreprises privées étrangères. Au nombre de celles-ci, il y a la COMUF. Constituée en 1958 à l’initiative du CEA auquel s’associent des groupes industriels, chimiques et bancaires français, la COMUF acquiert dès sa naissance le monopole de l’exploitation de l’uranium. À la fois entreprise privée étrangère et exploitation minier, la COMUF est considérée par les pouvoirs publics comme une entreprise prioritaire, une entreprise susceptible de favoriser le processus de développement. D’où dans cette étude la question centrale : la COMUF a-t-elle été, pendant toute son histoire, un puissant levier de développement économique et social au Gabon ? Pour y répondre, l’étude est menée suivant une progression thématique avec des emboîtements chronologiques. Et, elle est divisée en deux parties de trois chapitres chacune. La première aborde les conditions de la naissance et l’évolution de l’activité productive et commerciale de la compagnie. La seconde analyse l’impact de l’activité de la compagnie sur le processus de développement économique et social du Gabon. / After its independence on August 17th, 1960, Gabon would definitely base its development strategy on the exploitation of its natural resources and especially on its rich subsoil controlled by foreign private companies such as COMUF. Indeed, right after its creation in 1958 under the initiative of a group of French industrials, chemists, and bankers; COMUF gained the monopoly on uranium exploitation in Gabon. Though it is a foreign and private company, COMUF is considered by Gabonese authorities as a priority company which is able to favor development process. Accordingly, a fundamental question is to be raised: has COMUF been a powerful leverage in Gabon's social and economic development? To answer this question, the following study is organized according to a thematic and chronological progression. The study will be presented in two parts made of three chapters each. The first deals with the conditions around the creation and the evolution of the productive activity of the company. And the second analyzes the impact of the company on the economic and social development of the country.

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.

Yes / The aim of the study is to investigate two relatively underexplored factors, namely, the R&D (research and development) capabilities of target firms and the strength of intellectual property (IP) institutions in target economies, that influences the choice of equity ownership in cross border acquisitions (CBAs) undertaken by multinational enterprises (MNEs) from BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) economies. We develop our key hypothesis on foreign market entry through CBAs by incorporating insights from transaction costs economics, the resource-based view and institutional theory to investigate the determinants of full versus partial equity ownership. Using logistic regression estimation methods to a sample of 111 CBA deals of BRICS MNEs in 22 European countries, we find that BRICS MNEs are likely to pursue full rather than partial acquisition mode when target firms have high R&D capabilities. However, the greater the degree of strength of IP institutions in target economies and higher the target firms’ R&D capabilities, the more likely it is for BRICS MNEs to undertake partial, rather than, full acquisition mode. We provide interesting theoretical insights and managerial implications that might underlie some of the key findings on CBAs by emerging market MNEs.

A transferência de conhecimento internacional é fonte fundamental de vantagem competitiva das empresas multinacionais. Em razão do pressuposto tradicional de que a matriz da multinacional é a principal fonte de conhecimento, a maioria dos estudos tem-se centrado na transferência de conhecimento da matriz para as subsidiárias. Entretanto, a importância estratégica da subsidiária tem crescido nas últimas dédadas, em razão de seus recursos e de suas capacidades que podem contribuir ativamente para a geração de valor e o subsequente ganho de vantagem competitiva para toda a corporação multinacional. Este estudo investiga os fatores determinantes da transferência de conhecimento tecnológico que parte da subsidiária para a matriz (transferência reversa), em empresas multinacionais brasileiras, procurado integrar as contribuições da visão baseada no conhecimento e da teoria das redes. Para testar os pressupostos, foi conduzido um survey eletrônico com 78 subsidiárias, de um universo de 240 subsidiárias no exterior em 63 empresas multinacionais brasileiras. O método para a análise dos dados foi a modelagem de equações estruturais com estimação partial least esquare. Os resultados mostram que, ainda que em média extensão, as subsidiárias brasileiras transferem conhecimento tecnológico para a matriz, sobretudo os relacionados a produtos. Com relação aos fatores determinantes da transferência reversa de conhecimento tecnológico, os associados positivamente foram: características do conhecimento (complexidade), características das subsidiárias (ambiente institucional, autonomia e integração externa com os fornecedores) e características da interação matriz/subsidiárias (integração interna com a matriz e mecanismos de socialização via comunicação pessoal). O único fator associado negativamente foi a integração externa com instituições de C&T. Conclui-se que a matriz precisa elaborar uma estratégia de compartilhamento de conhecimento interno, a fim de motivar e incentivar, de forma deliberada, o fluxo do conhecimento gerado nas subsidiárias. Por sua vez, as subsidiárias devem tornar claro aos seus funcionários, os benefícios de melhorar a eficácia da transferência de conhecimento para, inclusive, melhorar seu posicionamento estratégico dentro da rede corporativa. / Knowledge transfer is key source of international competitive advantage of multinational companies. Due to the traditional assumption that the headquarter of the multinational is the main source of knowledge, most studies have focused on the transfer of knowledge from headquarters to subsidiaries. However, it has grown considerably in recent times the strategic importance of subsidiary, due to their resources and capabilities that can actively contribute to the generation of value and the subsequent gain of competitive advantage for the entire multinational corporation. This study investigates the determinants of technological knowledge transfer from the subsidiary to the parent company in Brazilian multinational companies, and sought to integrate the contributions of vision of the knowledge-based and networks theory. To test the assumptions we carried out an electronic survey with 78 subsidiaries, of a universe of 240 overseas subsidiaries from 63 Brazilian multinationals. The method of data analysis was the structural equation modeling with Partial Least Esquare Estimation. The results show that the Brazilian subsidiaries knowledge transfer to the headquarter, although in medium extent. Regarding the determinants of technological knowledge reverse transfer, the positive factors: characteristics of knowledge (complexity), characteristics of subsidiaries (location-specific factors, external integration with the supplier\'s chain and autonomy) and characteristics of the interaction headquarter/subsidiaries (headquarter integration and socialization mechanisms). The only negative factor was the external integration with Science and Technology Research. We conclude that the headquarter may need to develop a strategy for internal knowledge sharing, in order to motivate and encourage deliberately knowledge flow generated at the subsidiaries. In the order hand, the subsidiaries should make clear the benefits of improving the effectiveness of knowledge transfer improve its strategic position within the corporate network.

Submitted by Mariana Dornelles Vargas (marianadv) on 2015-05-25T17:23:36Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ambiente_politico.pdf: 3222968 bytes, checksum: 06002c7d1adcffe21041573fe22ad095 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-25T17:23:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ambiente_politico.pdf: 3222968 bytes, checksum: 06002c7d1adcffe21041573fe22ad095 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Nenhuma / O objetivo deste trabalho é analisar a interferência do ambiente político e institucional da Argentina, do México e da China no investimento externo direto (IED) da empresa Artecola nesses países. Para atingir esse objetivo, o estudo buscou descrever os modos de entrada utilizados pela Artecola nesses países, sua percepção sobre o ambiente político e institucional dos mesmos, assim como as interferências percebidas pela empresa em função destes ambientes no IED. A análise ainda conta com o entendimento da experiência da empresa no Brasil sobre o processo de adaptação nos países de destino. Para alcançar esse objetivo, o estudo visitou os principais construtos teóricos capazes de suportarem a análise. Esta dissertação foi elaborada através de um estudo qualitativo descritivo, utilizando estudo de caso único. A análise foi realizada com base na coleta de dados documentais e entrevistas em profundidade. De acordo com a análise, foi constatado que os ambientes institucionais da Argentina e do México interferiram diretamente na operação, principalmente com relação ao sistema de cobrança do país e às instituições ambientais e sociais. Essas interferências exigiram flexibilidade estratégica e operacional da empresa para se adaptar ao ambiente. Com relação aos ambientes políticos desses países, a interferência foi considerada positiva e não causou estranheza por parte da Artecola. Em relação à China, a internacionalização só pode ser levada adiante em função da JV formada com a parceira Orisol, que auxiliou na redução do risco percebido a priori. Atribui-se a capacidade de adaptação da Artecola à vivência da empresa no Brasil, onde atuou sobre ambientes políticos voláteis e incertezas institucionais. / The objective of this work is to analyse the interference of political and institutional environment of Argentina, Mexico and China in outside direct investment (FDI) of the Artecola company in these countries. For achieving this goal, the study sought to describe the entry modes used by Artecola in those countries, its perception about the political and institutional environment of the referred countries, as well as the interference perceived by the company because of these environments in FDI. The analysis also includes the understanding of the company’s experience in Brazil about the adaptation process in the destination countries. To achieve this aim, the study visited the main theoretical constructs able to support the analysis. This work was performed using a qualitative descriptive study using a single case study. The analysis was based on the documental data collect and in depth interviews. According to the analysis, it was found out that Argentina and Mexico’s institutional environments directly interfered in the operation, especially with regard to the country collection system and environmental and social institutions. The interferences demanded strategic and operational flexibility of the company to adapt to the environment. Regarding the political environments of these countries, the interference was considered positive and was not unexpected by Artecola. Regarding China, internationalization was only carried forward due to the joint venture formed with the partner Orisol, which helped to reduce the perceived risk a priori. Artecola’s adaptation capacity is attributed to its experience in Brazil, where it acted in volatile political environments and institutional uncertainties.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T16:45:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Wilson Roberto Iscaro Muller.pdf: 513819 bytes, checksum: fe61ac1a4ad25a8ab752915c82aca133 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-10-20 / The aim of this paper is analyze whether, compared with domestic companies, the internationalization of brazilian companies created value to their shareholders, through the better market return as well as through the reduction of investment risk, considering the total risk and the systematic risk, or through the risk return relationship. Using the IBX-100 index as data base, we create a portfolio with brazilian multinational companies and other portfolio with brazilian domestic companies, then we compared the performance of each portfolio by monthy average return, total risk, systematic risk, Sharpe Ratio, Treynor Ratio and Jensen s Alpha. Basing on these first samples, we create two other groups of portfolios, one group composed by portolofios with only private companies and other group composed by portfolios with only companies of the same industry. The performance of these three groups of portfolios had compared for three diferent periods, first from 1996 to 2007 including controlled exchange rate period (from 1996 to 1998), free floating exchange rate period with depreciation of brazilian Real (from 1999 to 2002) and free floating exchange rate period with appreciation of brazilian Real (from 2003 to 2007); the second period from 1999 to 2007 comprise the free floating exchange rate era it included a free floating exchange rate period with depreciation of brazilian Real (from 1999 to 2002) and a free floating exchange rate period with appreciation of brazilian Real (from 2003 to 2007); and the thirth period from 2003 to 2007 comprise only the free floating exchange rate period with appreciation of brazilian Real. The findings show that internationalization created value to shareholders for all portfolios and periods, except when we compared the portfolios of multinational and domestic companies of the same industry during the period of the brazilian Real appreciation, when we find a divergence between a lower premium for multinationals relating to the systematic risk Treynor Ratio and Jensen s Alpha and a higher premium for multinationals relating to the total risk Sharpe Ratio / O objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar se, em comparação com as empresas domésticas, a internacionalização de empresas brasileiras criou valor para o acionista, tanto pelo melhor desempenho de mercado quanto pela redução do risco do investimento, considerando o risco total e o risco sistêmico, bem como pelo arranjo de ambos através da relação risco e retorno. Tomando o Índice IBX-100 como base amostral, foi composta uma carteira de ações de empresas brasileiras multinacionais e outra carteira de ações de empresas brasileiras domésticas para, então, se comparar o desempenho de ambas através do retorno médio mensal, do risco total, do risco sistêmico, do Índice de Sharpe, do Índice de Treynor e do Índice de Jensen. Deste par de carteiras iniciais, foram criados dois outros pares, um composto apenas por empresas privadas e outro composto apenas por empresas do mesmo setor econômico. A comparação do desempenho destes três pares de carteiras foi realizada em três períodos: o primeiro período foi de 1996 a 2007 período com regime de câmbio administrado (1996 a 1998) e regime de câmbio flutuante com tendência de desvalorização do Real (1999 a 2002) e de valorização do Real (2003 a 2007); o segundo período, apenas de câmbio flutuante, foi de 1999 a 2007 período de regime de câmbio flutuante com tendência de desvalorização do Real (1999 a 2002) e de valorização do Real (2003 a 07); e, o terceiro período foi de 2003 a 2007 período de câmbio flutuante somente com valorização do Real. Os resultados mostraram que a internacionalização gerou valor para os acionistas em todas as amostras para todos os períodos, exceto quando se comparou as multinacionais às empresas domésticas de mesmos setores no período da valorização do Real (2003 a 2007), caso em que se constatou uma divergência entre o prêmio sobre o risco sistêmico ( Índices de Treynor e Jensen), menor para as multinacionais, e o prêmio sobre o risco total (Índice de Sharpe), maior para as multinacionais

Dans un contexte où le rôle de l’entreprise en matière de pauvreté est de plus en plus questionné, ce travail de recherche explore la manière dont les grandes entreprises traitent leurs clients pauvres en France. Sur le plan théorique, cette thèse articule principalement la théorie néo-institutionnelle, afin de comprendre les modalités d’action des entreprises, avec la théorie des capacités d’Amartya Sen pour cerner les contours de la pauvreté. Sur un plan empirique, ce travail s’est déroulé dans le cadre d’une CIFRE (Convention Industrielle de Formation par la Recherche) au sein du cabinet de conseil BearingPoint. Via une recherche qualitative qui nous a amené à étudier les dispositifs mis en place par huit grandes entreprises à l’égard de leurs clients pauvres, nous obtenons trois résultats principaux. Premièrement, nous identifions cinq modes de traitement qui diffèrent selon leur impact sur l’autonomisation des clients pauvres. Deuxièmement, nous montrons que les modes de traitement particulièrement adaptés à la réduction de la pauvreté sont liés soit à l’intervention publique – réglementation ou contrat de service public –, soit à une culture d’entreprise marquée par un fort degré de préoccupation à l’endroit des plus démunis. Troisièmement, enfin, nous proposons un ensemble d’éléments clés susceptibles d’améliorer le traitement réservé aux clients pauvres. Pour cela, nous nous adressons aux entreprises ainsi qu’au régulateur qui sont, sans conteste, les deux acteurs les mieux à même de corriger les écueils identifiés. / As the role of companies in addressing poverty is increasingly highlighted, this thesis focuses on how large companies in France serve poor customers. On a theoretical level, this work builds on neo-institutional theory to understand the practices of companies on the one hand, and draws on Amartya Sen’s concept of capabilities to comprehend poverty’s dimensions on the other hand. On a practical level, this research has been conducted as part of a CIFRE (university-industry partnership) sponsored by the consulting firm BearingPoint. Our research has primarily been informed by qualitative research on the practices of eight large corporations in France. Three main results emerged. First, we identified five ways in which companies deal with poor customers according to their impact on customers’ empowerment. Second, we demonstrated that the approaches that seemed most effective in alleviating poverty are either linked to state intervention – through regulation or public service contracts– or linked to cases where values of solidarity are strongly embedded in the corporate culture. Third and finally, we present a number of key elements that could help improve customer service to vulnerable populations. To that effect, we are directing our message to companies and policy makers, both of which are undoubtedly in the best position to address obstacles we have identified.

Submitted by Sandra Pereira (srpereira@ufrrj.br) on 2017-05-02T12:52:14Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Priscilla Grimberg.pdf: 3182045 bytes, checksum: 404e911b71bd7ead3810d1c03107f59e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-02T12:52:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Priscilla Grimberg.pdf: 3182045 bytes, checksum: 404e911b71bd7ead3810d1c03107f59e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-01-28 / The without precedents pressure over mineral resources expected for the forthcoming decades, added to the energy demand, both motivated by the consumption of almost 10 billion habitants expected for the year 2050, shall make more than double the historic investment rate of the oil and gas extractive sector, for instance. These industries and their respective chains represent approximately 5% of the Global GDP and figure in three among the ten largest world companies; however, more than half of their known reserves are located at non OECD countries, marked by inequality and low human development indexes. These forecasts also intensify the occurrence of a relationship that is not been working: the one of large private investments in territories of their operations. Economic benefits coming from the of large enterprise?s installation are most of times unable to reach local populations and the enormous flow of money and operations of large industrial scale tension the territories? economic, political and social institutions in such manner that that local populations are left in worse situation after the enterprise?s installation . Conflicts are the usual result of such scenario and emblematic cases like the Belo Monte?s Hydroelectric Plant and Rio de Janeiro Petrochemical Complex ? COMPERJ are a constant. The growth of ?non-technical risks? is recently valued by the private sector and evidences the companies? impacts of your bad relationship with the local community, among which: duplication of the time needed for the capital project?s implantation, chronogram delays and cost excess in 50% of large metal mining projects, only in the last decade. Companies invest voluntarily but these investments are not a guarantee of a good relationship and consequent inexistency of conflicts. In the past two decades innumerous publications have been launched by the sector with the common speech that the companies? favorable outcome is directly associated to the thriving development of the businesses operating territories. Such publications have been orienting businesses? policies, however, the social license to operate still figuring as the main risk and challenge for enterprises which operations have greater socio environmental risk. On the other side, the development promotion itself has been object of different explaining apparatus that alone have not been able to explain it. Only in 2012 is made available the conceptual model that evidences in which conditions prosperous territorial dynamics can be promoted. That study intends to interrogate the causes for the failure of the company-territory relationship, directly related to the failure of the territorial development, using the sector?s references for community investment strategies in comparison to the conceptual model for the promotion of successful territorial development. The general hypothesis is that the main blocking for the successful relationships between companies and society, as well as to the territorial development itself, remains in the reproduction of inequality traps that companies foment, based upon a utilitarian mentality and as the main local economic drivers. As a consequence, they promote the perpetuation of unequal situations, of conflicts and failure for both involved. The conditions for the transformation of such scenario are not emphasized and / or followed by the strategies that orient the sector. / A press?o sem precedentes sobre os recursos minerais nas pr?ximas d?cadas, aliada ? demanda de energia, ambas motivadas pelo consumo de quase 10 bilh?es de habitantes previstos para 2050, far? com que a taxa hist?rica de investimento mais que dobre para o setor extrativo e de ?leo e g?s, por exemplo. Essas ind?strias e suas cadeias representam aproximadamente 5 % do PIB global, sendo que tr?s delas figuram entre as dez maiores companhias mundiais. Entretanto, mais da metade de suas reservas conhecidas se encontram em pa?ses n?o integrantes da OECD, marcados pela desigualdade e baixos ?ndices de desenvolvimento humano. Estas previs?es intensificam tamb?m a ocorr?ncia de uma rela??o que n?o vem dando certo: a de grandes investimentos privados com seus territ?rios de opera??o. Benef?cios econ?micos oriundos da instala??o de grandes empreendimentos n?o conseguem, na grande maioria das vezes, atingir as popula??es locais e o enorme fluxo de dinheiro e de opera??es de grande escala industrial tensionam as institui??es econ?micas, pol?ticas e sociais dos territ?rios de tal forma que as popula??es locais s?o deixadas em pior situa??o ap?s a instala??o desses empreendimentos. Conflitos s?o o resultado deste cen?rio e casos emblem?ticos como da Usina hidrel?trica de Belo Monte e do Complexo Petroqu?mico do Rio de Janeiro ? COMPERJ - s?o uma constante. O crescimento dos ?riscos n?o t?cnicos? ? recentemente valorado pelo setor privado e evidencia os impactos para as empresas dessa m? rela??o com a comunidade local. Dentre os quais: duplica??o, na ?ltima d?cada, do tempo necess?rio para a implanta??o de projetos vindouros para as principais empresas internacionais do petr?leo e atrasos no cronograma e / ou excesso de custos em 50% dos grandes projetos de minera??o e metais. As empresas investem voluntariamente, mas esses investimentos n?o s?o garantia de uma boa rela??o e consequente inexist?ncia de conflitos. Nas ?ltimas duas d?cadas, in?meras publica??es s?o lan?adas pelo setor, com discurso comum de que o sucesso do empreendimento est? diretamente associado ao desenvolvimento exitoso dos territ?rios de suas opera??es empresariais. Essas publica??es t?m orientado as pol?ticas empresariais. Entretanto, a licen?a social para operar se mant?m como principal risco e desafio para empreendimentos cujas opera??es possuem maior risco de impactos socioambientais. Por outro lado, a promo??o do desenvolvimento em si tem sido objeto de diferentes aparatos explicativos que, sozinhos, n?o foram capazes de explic?-lo. Somente em 2012, ? disponibilizado um modelo conceitual que evidencia em que condi??es din?micas territoriais exitosas podem ser promovidas. Este estudo procura interrogar as causas para o fracasso da rela??o empresa e territ?rio, vinculadas diretamente ao fracasso do desenvolvimento territorial, utilizando-se das refer?ncias do setor para estrat?gias de investimento comunit?rio em compara??o com o modelo conceitual para promo??o de desenvolvimento exitoso. A hip?tese geral ? que o principal bloqueio ?s rela??es exitosas entre empresas e sociedade e ao pr?prio desenvolvimento territorial est? na reprodu??o de armadilhas de desigualdade, que as empresas - baseadas em uma mentalidade utilitarista e enquanto principais motores econ?micos locais - fomentam. Como consequ?ncia, promovem a perpetua??o de situa??es desiguais, de conflitos e insucesso para ambos envolvidos. As condi??es para transforma??o desse cen?rio n?o s?o enfatizadas e/ ou seguidas pelas estrat?gias que orientam o setor.

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.

This dissertation investigates emerging multinational enterprises (EMNEs)’s acquisitions of firms in developed economies (DE) through three distinctive but interrelated essays. Despite costs EMNEs must offset from the obvious cultural distance (CD) they encounter with limited exploitable advantages, EMNEs have continued to aggressively acquire firms in DE, suggesting there are ways for the EMNEs to effectively overcome CD. In Essay 1, using insights from the symbolic interaction paradigm in sociology, I developed the Dynamic Socio-Cultural Model (DSCM), to uncover the general process of cultural creation and change. At the core of the DSCM is the process of collective learning and adaptive interaction in every social system. Viewing EMNEs’ acquisitions in DE as a cultural event that leads to new shared cultural resources, DSCM shows culture is not as rigid as was typically conceptualized in the cross-cultural management literature. While the negative effect of CD may initially impede EMNEs, CD may be positively moderated by certain conditions of the involved cultures. In Essay 2, I extended DSCM and combined it with insights from the organizational learning literature to focus on EMNE’s choices of control mode and their performance implications. Performing event study and endogenous switching regression on 1157 EMNE’s acquisitions in 21 advanced economies, I found EMNEs have, on average, a positive post-acquisition performance. I also found being an EMNE from an emerging economy that underwent rapid industrialization and targeting a high-tech firm increases the probability for choosing a low-control mode. Moreover, EMNE acquirers choose control mode by strategically considering their unique characteristics to optimize performance. In Essay 3, using the same theoretical approach, I examined the target firms’ sources of value creation. Applying an event study on 167 acquisitions in North America made by EMNEs from 11 countries, I found EMNEs’ partial acquisitions in DE generate, on average, a positive target’s cumulative abnormal returns (CAR). There is also empirical support for several determinants of target’s value creation and moderation effects. In particular, I found target’s international experience attenuates the negative effect of CD on target CAR, while acquirer’s state-owned status exacerbates it. Overall, the three essays collectively contribute to research streams in EMNEs, seller’s view of M&A, and cultural change.