Significance of location factors for Singapore transnational construction corporations

Abstract

Dunning’s eclectic paradigm of international production, which focuses on the ownership, location and internalisation factors, presents a useful framework to explain the foreign value‐added activities of transnational corporations. “Eclectic paradigm” means a general framework or model chosen from what is preferred from various theories, systems or doctrines. The present study extends the eclectic paradigm to a study of Singapore transnational construction corporations (STCCs) and examines what location factors are viewed as the most significant for STCCs engaged in foreign value‐added construction‐related activities in their major international construction market. This study examines if these location factors vary significantly according to firm‐specific contextual variables in the STCCs, such as size, international age, multinationality and extent of specialisation/diversification, as well as the major reasons for STCCs to export their services overseas. The most important host location factors identified by STCCs operating in other Southeast Asian countries are: the host governments’ attitudes, policies and regulatory framework; the social, political, cultural and geographic factors; and the cost of doing business factors.

Citation

Cuervo, J.C. and Sui Pheng, L. (2003), "Significance of location factors for Singapore transnational construction corporations", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. 10 No. 5, pp. 342-353. https://doi.org/10.1108/09699980310502955