Publication Type
PhD Dissertation
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
3-2025
Abstract
As globalization advances, international expansion has become a key strategy for firms to enhance their competitive edge. Nevertheless, current literature predominantly centers on developed countries, often overlooking the distinct obstacles and prospects encountered by companies from emerging markets. This gap is particularly evident in the apparel sector, where the impact of branding strategies on internationalization outcomes remains underexplored. This paper constructs an analytical framework of “internationalization context - internationalization pathway selection - internationalization performance”, combines case studies and empirical analysis to explore this research issue in depth, and applies the results of the research to enterprise practice.
This paper analyzes two emerging - economy apparel firms (Anta and Shein) and two developed - economy firms (Nike and Uniqlo) through case studies to reveal their internationalization pathways under the combined influence of firm’s advantageous resources and overseas market selection. The study reveals that when firms from emerging economies encounter liability of origin and greater cultural distance, if their first and second advantageous resources are financial and technological innovation capability, respectively, they should choose the M&A entry mode and implement brand isolation strategy based on host - country image. Those with supply chain and financial capability, they should choose the export entry mode and implement brand imitation strategies based on host - country image.For firms from developed economies enjoying advantage of origin, when they face lower cultural distance and their first and second advantageous resources are marketing and technological innovation capabilities, they should choose the contract and greenfield investment entry modes and adopt a brand positioning strategy based on home-country brand image; while when they face higher cultural distance and their first and second advantageous resources are technological innovation capabilities and supply chain capabilities, it is more appropriate to choose the greenfield investment entry mode and implement a brand positioning strategy based on home-country brand image.The empirical analysis finds that: first, the firm's technological innovation capability, financial capability and supply chain capability can significantly enhance the firm's level of internationalization;And for firms with stronger financial capability, they usually choose the M&A entry mode; for firms with stronger supply chain capability, they usually choose the export entry mode. The results of empirical analysis initially verify the case study conclusions. Finally, this paper combines the research conclusions to provide targeted suggestions for Bosideng's internationalization development.
Keywords
enterprise internationalization, institutional theory, resource advantage, international market entry mode, brand strategy
Degree Awarded
Doctor of Bus Admin (CKGSB)
Discipline
Asian Studies | Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
Supervisor(s)
WANG, Heli
First Page
1
Last Page
187
Publisher
Singapore Management University
City or Country
Singapore
Citation
GAO, Xiaohong.
A study on paths and effectiveness of internationalization of Chinese apparel enterprises. (2025). 1-187.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/etd_coll/749
Copyright Owner and License
Author
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.