Old Risks, New Reference Points? An Organizational Learning Perspective into the Foreign Market Exit and Re-entry Behavior of FIRMS

Abstract

Going back into previously exited markets is a significant management risk. But, how are re-entry risks managed? By adding strategic reference point (SRP) rationales to the risk management literature, this chapter examines re-entry after initial entry and divestment on a sample of 654 multinational enterprise (MNE) re-entrants. The authors move away from narrow risk management lenses according to which risks happen in isolation and theorize that MNEs simultaneously manage international risk by exploiting the trade-offs among external and internal sources of risk. The authors explain that, for re-entrants, exit may become the SRP for evaluating future strategic choices. The results suggest that re-entrants tend to manage re-entry risk by choosing partner-based modes that enable them to maintain strategic flexibility at re-entry. Surprisingly perhaps, market-specific experience acquired during the initial market foray does not provide strategic flexibility, in that highly experienced firms still experience risk trade-offs.

Citation

Surdu, I. and Ipsmiller, E. (2021), "Old Risks, New Reference Points? An Organizational Learning Perspective into the Foreign Market Exit and Re-entry Behavior of FIRMS", Verbeke, A., van Tulder, R., Rose, E.L. and Wei, Y. (Ed.) The Multiple Dimensions of Institutional Complexity in International Business Research (Progress in International Business Research, Vol. 15), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 239-262. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1745-886220210000015014