Seminar (Dept. of General Management)

Title: Antitrust Legislation and Product Market Internationalization of SMEs From Developing Countries

Speaker: Huan Zhang (University of Sydney Business School)

Time：10:00am, Dec 28th, (Thursday), 2023

Venue：Room 1008, Mingde Business Building

Language：Chinese/English

ABSTRACT:

Previous research has recognized the role of pro-market reforms, but there has been less discussion on how a specific market-oriented institution—antitrust legislation—can influence SME internationalization. Drawing on the attention-based view, this study argues that antitrust legislation in developing countries leads SMEs to focus their product market attention and efforts on domestic markets, thereby reducing their inclination toward internationalization. Our analysis of a sample of 26,412 firms from developing countries indicates a significantly negative impact of antitrust laws on the product market internationalization of SMEs. The results also reveal that both group affiliation and domestic private ownership negatively moderate the relationship between antitrust laws and the product market internationalization of SMEs. The findings shed light on SME internationalization by exploring a previously under-explored antecedent - antitrust legislation.