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This study aims to advance a sub-national perspective within the OLI Paradigm by analyzing how and to what extent the Eclectic Paradigm can serve as a general model to capture region-specific aspects of the location determinants of FDI, encompassing institutional effects that extend beyond the quality of institutions.

The authors conducted a systematic literature review of 41 selected papers published between 1990 and 2019. Using inductive content analysis, they investigated the theoretical choices used to support analyses of the effects of institutional factors on MNEs' location decisions at the sub-national level.

It was found that, when changing from the national to the sub-national level of analysis, there is no need to change the main assumptions used in the literature, although a different perspective must be adopted. The Eclectic Paradigm permeates most of the studies revised and can serve as a general model to capture the sub-national perspective. It offers a foundation for new perspectives on the dynamics of institutional and political factors and their effects on location strategies and determinants at the sub-national level. Adopting the OLI Paradigm with a sub-national approach could widen the IB literature's prevailing focus on traditional economic factors and institutional quality.

The authors contribute to extant International Business literature Their paper enhances the literature on FDI location determinants by providing a more specific approach to development of a sub-national perspective within the OLI Paradigm, extending the institutional effects to capture more region-specific factors influencing the location of FDI. Study limitations are related to our analytical focus on the location dimension, excluding motives for FDI or firm-level location strategies. Rather than limiting analysis to quantitative studies, future research that includes qualitative studies and also covers the other dimensions of the OLI Paradigm could open additional new research avenues for advancing the sub-national perspective within the field of IB.

The authors’ main findings suggest that MNEs' location strategies should include a sub-national perspective, which means that firms need to assess different levels of the location and understand their interaction with nationwide constraints and limitations, as it may affect firms' ability to effectively conduct their value-adding activities. They also contribute elements that can support sub-national governments' actions and policies aiming to enhance locational advantages to attract and retain FDI.

This review specifically analyzes the location determinants of FDI at the sub-national level, in studies published in a broad set of journals, from a variety of fields, prioritizing articles that investigate sub-national institutional determinants. The authors derive implications for the International Business literature and propose that the sub-national dimension should be incorporated into the Eclectic paradigm in order to better understand the influence of institutional sub-national determinants.

This study aims to identify to what extent the economic factor effect is more salient in shaping inward foreign direct investment (IFDI) than are institutional factors in G-20 inflow patterns.

Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method was applied using the World Bank Governance and Development Indicators, followed by a panel data technique over the period 2005-2015 to estimate the connections between the different dimensions of economics, institutions and IFDI in the G-20.

Results showed that countries with better economic performance contrasting with the governance indicators are more effective at attracting IFDI. However, the correlation between FDI intensity and governance indicators has been found relatively weak, which may suggest a more controversial role of institutions as determinants of IFDI.

This quantitative approach uses a country-level set of variables; therefore, the authors suggest the development of more firm-level analysis of the impact of institutions. Also, the limitation of the TOPSIS method itself is based on heuristic assumptions.

The main findings point to a relatively low impact of institutions on IFDI. The authors suggest that the global financial crisis has changed the rationale of decision-making by multinational companies.

The originality of the present study was to apply a multi criteria decision-making technique on FDI’s analysis combined with institutional data.

This study investigates how the degree of internationalization (DOI) affects the financial performance of emerging market companies by making the distinction between export intensity and multinationality (i.e. foreign direct investment). The authors argue that the different DOI-performance patterns in the literature relate to different internationalization approaches, which are moderated in distinct ways by formal institutions in the home country.

Based on data of Brazilian firms in several industries and with different internationalization patterns including 100 exporting firms and 30 multinational companies with varying degrees of multinationality over a period of five consecutive years, the authors test their hypotheses using an unbalanced panel data with 346 firm-year observations. In order to test how the quality of formal institutions moderate the DOI-performance relationships, the authors estimate the changes in the slope of the regression line by adding and subtracting one standard deviation to the Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) variables.

A positive and linear association between export intensity-performance (EI-P) highlights the location specific comparative advantages of exporting Brazilian firms, while the multinationality-performance (M-P) relationship points to a horizontal S-shape pattern which conforms to the theoretical assumptions of the three-stage internationalization process. Formal institutions moderate positively the EI-P relationship, but moderate negatively each of the three stages of the M-P relationship.

The findings from this study provide critical insights that contribute to the ongoing debate on how formal institutions in the home country affect the DOI-performance relationship of emerging market companies (EMCs). However, the authors consider that it has limitations as they focused exclusively on formal institutions captured by governance institutions in the Brazilian context.

This study provides relevant insights to managers and policy makers. Findings reveal that strong formal institutions in the home country make it easier (cheaper) for EMCs to invest abroad, and, at the same time, increase the efficiency of exporting firms and positively influence financial performance. Moreover, results show that during downturns in their domestic markets, multinational EMCs outperform domestic firms. In that sense, while policy makers can promote the internationalization and competitiveness of EMCs by implementing more supportive formal institutions, managers should consider a proactive approach and invest abroad when conditions in the home country are favorable.

By making the distinction between export intensity and multinationality this study contributes to the literature on the DOI-performance of EMCs providing a more nuanced view on how formal institutions in the home country moderate the EI-P and M-P relationships in different ways.

Wearing clothes requires specifications for feeling comfortable, derived from the fibres, fabrics and finishing properties. This study aims to deal with the effect of economic blends containing hollow fibres, bamboo and cotton/polyester waste on the mechanical properties of the produced fabrics and the appropriate end use.

This research included two blends: one consisted of cotton/polyester wastes blended with bamboo and the other to which Chorisia fibres were added. Two weft counts 10,6/1 Ne were made from each blend, which were used to produce four fabric samples (S1 Chorisia-free and S2 with Chorisia); additionally, another two samples were dyed that contain Chorisia (S3) from each count. The six samples were tested by Kawabata Evaluation System (KES).

The samples gave a good total hand value (THV) for use as men's winter suits, where the thicker count 6/1, with and without Chorisia had better properties, also both counts 6, 10/1 with dye. The hollow fibres affected the fabrics’ properties, including thickness, shear, bending, thermal conductivity and weight. Both blends had a positive effect on THV.

Cotton/polyester waste, Chorisia and bamboo fibres were tested, and 2% Remazol Yellow GNL dye was used.

The ratio of blending, weft counts and dye affected the fabric’s properties, with consequences for the use of the Kawabata system and its applications.

The fabrics used in this research may be considered to be economical and have good THV.

The study proved the usefulness of fabrics made of two blends. The Chorisia component may be seen as a good alternative to cotton fibres to reduce the cost of producing high-consumption winter suit fabrics.

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the debate on the impact of globalization on the competitiveness of firms in least developed countries (LDCs). Two main research questions will be addressed. How does globalization affect the competitiveness of small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in LDCs? How can SMEs handle opportunities and challenges emerging from globalization?

The methodology for this study is a conceptual attempt to review the existing literature and make some propositions about how SMEs can handle the opportunities and challenges emerging from globalization.

Building on a developed operational framework affecting the competitiveness of firms, some of the expected results are that firms' capabilities with regards to innovation, learning, and internationalization, which increase their competitiveness, are enhanced by institutional setups. Second, establishing relationships with governmental and non‐governmental institutions is crucial in terms of accessing resources, innovating, and entering into foreign markets.

The paper represents a contribution to the debate on the impact of globalization on the competitiveness of firms, particularly SMEs, in LDCs. Although globalization has brought considerable benefits to many actors worldwide, its impact on competitiveness of (SMEs) are controversial. We suggest that globalization's effects depend on the capability of firms to learning, to innovate, and also on the institutional setup in LDCs.

The main objective of the present chapter is to address empirically the impacts of institutional distance (ID) on the multinationality level of firms from developing countries and interpret how the interaction between ID and firm resources affects firms from developing countries. Using data of firms from developing countries, we estimated an empirical cross-section model. The results show that while cultural distance was not found statistically significant, ID, on the other hand, was statistically significant. The higher the distance between home and host country, the higher the multinationality of firms from developing countries. We also found a positive and statistically significant correlation between intangible resource and multinationality, which suggests a tendency toward new pattern in the internationalization of firms from emerging economies.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the determinants of the internationalization of small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). More specifically, it is to test the effects of entrepreneurship and networking relationship on the internationalization pattern of SMEs from an emerging economy, Brazil.

The study was designed to be qualitative, using a sample of three companies from the manufacturing industries, with significant involvement in foreign markets.

The study has shown that the importance of entrepreneurs and network relationship are important factors for the understanding of the internationalization's pattern of SMEs. Furthermore, the performance of internationalization depends largely on the ability of companies to relate innovative and proactive international behavior to learning's process through the maintenance of national and international networking.

Most empirical studies have been concentrated to evaluate and address this phenomenon of SMEs internationalization based on the experiences of developed countries. Although there is a growing interest on the internationalization of SMEs in less developed countries, they are still very limited empirical studies in this field. This research intends to fill this gap in two manners. First, in terms of focusing more specifically on the internationalization of the case of companies from a developing country, using a qualitative multi case analysis. Second, using a framework, which relates entrepreneurship and networking and how they affect the internationalization's strategy of SMEs.

Internationalisation became an important component of science parks (SPs) practices. In recent years, they have started to include, among the portfolio of their services, the support and fostering of their tenant firms’ internationalisation, such as soft-landing programmes and international immersion experiences for start-ups. Thus, the main aim of this chapter is to analyse these internationalisation practices in the light of the network and internationalisation theories. Based on an exploratory multiple case study the authors conducted in three Brazilian SPs located in the South of Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul State) – Tecnopuc in Porto Alegre, Tecnosinos in São Leopoldo and Feevale Techpark in Campo Bom. The authors provide evidences on how cohesive internal and external ties, networks as well as the level of specialisation are the key drivers of the internationalisation process of SPs and their tenant firms.