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Nonmarket strategies, domestic institutional development, and internationalization: evidence from MENA and sub-Saharan African regions

Nonmarket strategies, domestic institutional development, and internationalization: evidence from MENA and sub-Saharan African regions
Nonmarket strategies, domestic institutional development, and internationalization: evidence from MENA and sub-Saharan African regions

This study examines the impact of the adoption of nonmarket strategies in domestic markets that drive the internationalization of emerging multinationals (EMNCs) from the MENA and sub-Saharan African regions. In this study, we consider corporate political activity (CPA) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) of EMNCs and examine their role in the degree of internationalization. Using data from 219 non-financial multinational firms from 15 countries belonging to the MENA and sub-Saharan African regions for the period from 2012 to 2021, we find a positive effect of CSR (0.84%) and CPA (13.57%) on the degree of internationalization when both strategies are used individually. This effect is stronger when both strategies are used simultaneously (the complementary effect, i.e., 24.86%). Moreover, the individual and complementary effects are more pronounced in the presence of a lower domestic institutional development level. Our study highlights that the adoption of nonmarket strategies domestically helps firms to enhance their internationalization and overcome their liability of origin.

, Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Political Activity, Domestic Institutional Development, Internationalization, MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa
1740-4762
Ettalibi, Nouhaila
badefafc-8588-4268-bfae-c3b9f7d19ce6
Baloch, Muhammad Saad
0baa859e-4d0d-4dda-8433-d813655c88b5
Saeed, Abubakr
9b178710-8c61-4298-809a-0d3f0b674ab9
Aldawsari, Hamad
8baa7639-28eb-4597-b3b0-7ee9b702d19c
Alzughaibi, Faris
7a079f26-d5d4-4fd4-a3fa-8d6426231baf
Ettalibi, Nouhaila
badefafc-8588-4268-bfae-c3b9f7d19ce6
Baloch, Muhammad Saad
0baa859e-4d0d-4dda-8433-d813655c88b5
Saeed, Abubakr
9b178710-8c61-4298-809a-0d3f0b674ab9
Aldawsari, Hamad
8baa7639-28eb-4597-b3b0-7ee9b702d19c
Alzughaibi, Faris
7a079f26-d5d4-4fd4-a3fa-8d6426231baf

Ettalibi, Nouhaila, Baloch, Muhammad Saad, Saeed, Abubakr, Aldawsari, Hamad and Alzughaibi, Faris (2025) Nonmarket strategies, domestic institutional development, and internationalization: evidence from MENA and sub-Saharan African regions. European Management Review. (doi:10.1111/emre.70034).

Record type: Article

Abstract

This study examines the impact of the adoption of nonmarket strategies in domestic markets that drive the internationalization of emerging multinationals (EMNCs) from the MENA and sub-Saharan African regions. In this study, we consider corporate political activity (CPA) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) of EMNCs and examine their role in the degree of internationalization. Using data from 219 non-financial multinational firms from 15 countries belonging to the MENA and sub-Saharan African regions for the period from 2012 to 2021, we find a positive effect of CSR (0.84%) and CPA (13.57%) on the degree of internationalization when both strategies are used individually. This effect is stronger when both strategies are used simultaneously (the complementary effect, i.e., 24.86%). Moreover, the individual and complementary effects are more pronounced in the presence of a lower domestic institutional development level. Our study highlights that the adoption of nonmarket strategies domestically helps firms to enhance their internationalization and overcome their liability of origin.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 10 November 2025
e-pub ahead of print date: 30 November 2025
Published date: 30 November 2025
Keywords: , Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Political Activity, Domestic Institutional Development, Internationalization, MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 507516
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/507516
ISSN: 1740-4762
PURE UUID: 25701fd1-9c1e-4672-b2b0-738ffd96124e
ORCID for Muhammad Saad Baloch: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-0630-3841

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 10 Dec 2025 17:58
Last modified: 11 Dec 2025 03:06

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Contributors

Author: Nouhaila Ettalibi
Author: Muhammad Saad Baloch ORCID iD
Author: Abubakr Saeed
Author: Hamad Aldawsari
Author: Faris Alzughaibi

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