New internationalization paths of Chinese brands: A configurational study

Abstract

Although several new international brands in the information technology services industry have emerged in China, most previous research on the paths of internationalization taken by Chinese brands has focused on the manufacturing industry. Further exploration of the diversity and novel characteristics of these paths remains necessary. Taking into account the different industries and the interactions among multiple factors that are relevant in this context, supplementary research on the paths of internationalization taken by Chinese brands is also needed. Simultaneously, more research on the mechanisms underlying brand empowerment during the internationalization process is necessary. Based on a theoretical framework for brand empowerment, this article analyzes 61 representative Chinese brands using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). This article reveals the following main findings: (1) brand penetration and brand acculturation are two key capabilities with regard to brand internationalization; (2) two modes of brand internationalization are evident in China, i.e., progressive internationalization and leapfrog internationalization; (3) four paths of internationalization can be observed with regard to Chinese brands, including two new paths, i.e., L-S-Cu and P-S-M; and (4) six additional paths are worthy of further exploration.