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This paper aims to verify that additive manufacturing technology could be used for the redesign and rapid manufacturing of tools and determine whether the mechanical performance of such tools can satisfy the practical operating requirements.

A special key was selected as the research object in this paper. The special key was innovatively redesigned and manufactured directly using selective laser melting (SLM). The function and critical geometries of the special key were first analysed, which was followed by discussions on the geometrical constraints in the manufacturing of typical geometrical features using SLM technology. Next, the special key was redesigned based on the SLM geometrical constraints and the functional requirements. Finally, the key was manufactured using SLM, and the mechanical performance characteristics of the key were determined.

The minimal geometrical feature was 0.2 mm when manufacturing thin walls using SLM. The reliable building angle of an overhanging surface was 40°. The top surface quality of the part could be greatly improved through laser surface re-melting. The volume of the redesigned special key based on the SLM process was only one-third to one-fourth of the original key. The mechanical properties, such as tensile strength and micro-hardness, of the samples manufactured using SLM were able to reach the practical operating requirements.

It is completely feasible to redesign and manufacture precision tools based on the innovative approach of SLM. The advantages of the redesigned tools includes the lack of design restrictions that hinder traditional manufacturing methods, material savings, ability to produce tools that cannot be easily copied and rapid production speed for a small number of tools.

Most previous research assumes that the outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) decisions of multinational corporations (MNCs) are made independently of the actions or characteristics of their peers. Therefore, the important influence of peer effects on the OFDI strategy is often neglected. The purpose of this paper is to identify two broad categories of peer effects, i.e. learning-based and profit-driven imitations and examine the important influence of peer effects on MNCs’ internationalization strategy.

Using Chinese manufacturing firms as the empirical sample, the authors employ an econometric method (logit regression) to test the relationship between peer effects and an internationalization strategy.

Learning-based and profit-driven imitations are positively associated with a focal MNC’s OFDI decision. Policy uncertainty also positively moderates the relationship between peer effects and the OFDI strategy. Moreover, both peer effects are amplified when a firm is equipped with a dense export network.

The study offers researchers and practitioners a detailed view of interorganizational imitation behavior in terms of an internationalization strategy.

The emergence and rapid expansion of global value chains (GVCs) have profoundly changed and reshaped the global trade regime. Although many determinants of GVC participation of enterprises have been discussed extensively in extant literature, the important influence of local institutional profile on GVC participation is often neglected. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of local institutional profile on GVC participation.

Taking the World Bank Enterprise Survey as the empirical sample, it is used an econometric method (propensity score matching technique) to test the relationship between local institutional profile and GVC participation.

Local institutional quality is positively related to GVC participation. Moreover, GVC participants display better innovation performance than non-participants. Innovation benefit from GVC participation is contingent upon the abilities of the participants, namely, absorptive capacity and research and development collaboration experience. GVC participants who only either export or import is compared with those who export and import; the findings show that the latter benefits more than the former.

This study offers researchers and practitioners a detailed view of local institutional profile and GVC participation.

Two types of institutional constraints, namely, institutional voids and policy uncertainty, have been recognised and elaborated, including their influence on new venture performance. However, not enough attention has been paid to the multidimensional attribute of institutional transformation. By hinting at a relatively underexplored third type of institutional constraints, i.e. institutional fragility, this paper aims to build a comprehensive framework of institutional constraints to analyse how innovative start-up performance is influenced by institutional constraints.

Using Chinese manufacturing firms as the empirical sample, the authors use an econometric method to test the relationship between institutional constraints and the performance of innovative start-ups.

On the basis of a uniquely constructed database from 2005 to 2007, the authors find that institutional constraints are negatively associated with innovative start-up performance proxied by return on assets, sales growth and new product sales.

The study offers researchers and practitioners a detailed view of institutional constraints and innovative start-up performance.

Extant literature has indicated that government support is one of the main drivers of international expansion of Chinese multinational enterprises. However, research on the influence of governors on firm internationalization is still limited. Drawing upon the institution-based view, we theorize a novel concept of institutional enablement to illustrate the influence of a governor's pro-market ideology on Chinese firms' internationalization.

We analyze the relationship between a governor's pro-market ideology (consisting of a pro-market political ideology, an overseas educational background and a business background) and firm internationalization with a sample of Chinese public companies during 2014–2017.

We find a direct and positive effect of a governor's pro-market ideology on firm internationalization. We also find an indirect and positive effect of a governor's pro-market ideology through regional, inward foreign direct investment.

To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first to investigate an underexplored question of the impact of governors on firm internationalization and to develop a novel concept of institutional enablement, based on discursive institutionalism.