Gilbert Kofi Adarkwah

Adarkwah, Gilbert Kofi & Petersen Malonæs, Tine (2020)

Firm-specific advantages: a comprehensive review with a focus on emerging markets

Asia Pacific Journal of Management Doi: 10.1007/s10490-020-09737-7

We consolidate and comprehensively review the international business (IB) literature on the firm-specific advantages (FSAs) of emerging market multinational enterprises (EM MNEs). We do so through a systematic examination of 88 empirical and conceptual articles published in top-ranked IB journals between 2011 and 2018. The results reveal that in the past decades, EM MNEs have acquired several of the same FSAs as their counterparts in developed countries (developed country enterprises or DC MNEs) financial resources, technologies, marketing capabilities, brand equity, R&D intensity, and management competencies. However, more recently, EM MNEs have developed additional unique FSAs in the form of managerial capabilities - to cope with competition in uncertain and constantly changing environments; easy access to cheaper capital; a stronger commitment to networks, such as those with diaspora communities; and, political connections. These additional FSAs have catalyzed the internationalization of EM MNEs. Our study also shows that some hurdles remain in the IB literature on FSAs. For instance, while IB scholars agree that EM MNEs have different investment motives depending on whether they invest in other emerging economies or developed economies, scholars are silent on the exact FSAs necessary to make EM MNEs investments in the respective economies successful. To advance the IB literature, we present some promising future research areas and challenge scholars to pursue further empirical studies on the FSAs of EM MNEs.

Adarkwah, Gilbert Kofi (2015)

Fattige land får regningen

Vårt Land [Avis]

Adarkwah, Gilbert Kofi & Benito, Gabriel R G (2019)

Dealing with high risk environments-Multinational firms in developing countries

[Academic lecture]. AIB 2019 Annual Meeting Copenhagen, Denmark June 24-27, 2019.

Adarkwah, Gilbert Kofi & Benito, Gabriel R G (2019)

Dealing with high risk environments: Multinational firms in developing countries

[Academic lecture]. Academy of International Business UK & Ireland 2019 Chapter Conference.

We discuss why multinational firms continue to invest billions of dollars in host countries characterized by severe policy uncertainty and lack of market-supporting institutions, as evidenced by the increasing flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Africa. We argue that multinational firms that expand into developing countries replete with institutional voids do not have a special appetite for risk. Rather, they reduce risk through a variety of mechanisms that potentially alleviate and offset the risks of investing in developing countries. Specifically, we describe and discuss the following key types of arrangements: International Investment Agreements (IIAs) negotiated between the home country and the host country, home country backed International Investment Insurance (III), Investment Contracts (IC), and Portfolio Investment Guarantees (PIG).

Adarkwah, Gilbert Kofi (2018)

Protecting investment in Emerging Markets

[Article in business/trade/industry journal]. Risk Consulting Magazine, 10(1)

Adarkwah, Gilbert Kofi; Grøgaard, Birgitte & Tomassen, Sverre (2018)

The Effect of Institutional Distances and Government Assistance on Ownership Levels in Sub-Saharan African Countries

[Academic lecture]. 38th Annual Conference of the Strategic Management Society in Paris 2018.

We follow the prevalence of MNEs into Africa to examine the impact of institutional distance and governmental assistance on ownership levels across multiple home and host countries. Although recent studies have increasingly heightened the influence of institutional contextual factors on the ownership levels, we know very little about such decisions from the African context. This paper fills this gap by looking at ownership decisions within the uniqueness of the African context. We contribute to the international business literature by testing the theoretical boundaries of ownership decisions when MNEs expand into high risk areas. With 54 countries in our sample, this study throws light on the role of different institutional complexities on ownership decisions.