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The purpose of the paper is to examine the role of institutional distance as a determinant of outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) from India. The study combines a nuanced view of institutional distance, with traditional location factors to analyze Indian OFDI flows to developed and emerging economies (EEs) during the period 2009 to 2017.

The paper employs fixed effects panel regression model on an unbalanced panel data set.

The findings suggest that India's OFDI is undeterred by the isomorphic pressures caused by regulatory and normative institutional distance, but cognitive institutional distance acts as a deterrent in developed economies. Indian MNEs engage in institutional arbitrage as they simultaneously engage in strategies of institutional escapism and institutional exploitation. The study also finds that emerging economies have emerged as an important destination for strategic asset seeking FDI, in addition to developed economies.

The findings of the study present important implications for policymakers and corporate managers. For policymakers, the study points toward the need for improving the general business environment at home to prevent escapist OFDI and trade enhancement as a tool to overcome cognitive barriers and behavioristic stereotypes. For corporate managers, the study's findings underline the importance of adopting different strategies for dealing with different isomorphic pressures in developed and emerging economies.

The study adds value to the sparse literature using the IBV in the emerging markets context, to supplement and enrich existing theoretical frameworks. It is a pioneering study in its use of institutional distance as an explanatory factor for Indian OFDI and provides evidence of institutional arbitrage.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the phenomenon of the born global firm (BGF) in the Indian context. Specifically, the paper explores firm‐level characteristics (from the Indian IT industry) which act as initiating forces for firms which have made cross‐border acquisitions within five years of incorporation.

The paper uses inductive reasoning to derive a theoretical framework of analysis, using constructs from the resource‐based view and institutional theory.

The paper posits that firm resources, personal and network characteristics of its founders, age of the firm and institutional factors act as the initiating factors for a BGF.

This is the first study on the phenomenon of the BGF from India, which is an important emerging market, and has pioneering value, contributing to the growing literature on the topic.