Feng, L (2010) Sources of competitive advantage of western multinational construction companies in mainland china. PhD thesis, University of Leeds, UK.
Abstract
The Chinese economy has experienced radical growth as a result of China’s economic transition during last decades. The large demand for construction and China’s recent accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has attracted an increasing number of foreign construction companies to enter the Chinese construction market. This research studies how Western Multinational Construction Companies (WMCCs) achieve competitive advantages in the Chinese construction industry. Substantial literature in strategic management and in construction industry is critically reviewed and a theoretical mode is established to explore sources of competitive advantages of WMCCs. A modified grounded theory strategy is adopted to collect data and explore solutions to the research problem. Research results reveal two different models of sources of competitive advantages of WMCCs in mainland China due to different levels of economic transitions in different market sectors. Institutional forces play different roles according to the different levels of economic transitions. In some sectors, where the market is less developed, institutional forces make ‘the rules of the game’ for business activities. In other market sectors, where the market is well developed, institutional forces serve as ‘invisible background’ for business activities. Driven by different institutional impacts, WMCCs develop different sources of competitive advantages. Besides the institutional forces, firm-specific ownership advantages derived from market imperfections and firm resources, and country-specific national advantages derived from ‘national diamond(s)’ also provide sources of competitive advantages for WMCCs in mainland China.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | China; competitive advantage; grounded theory; market; ownership; strategic management |
| Index terms: | construction company, strategy, China, strategic management, grounded theory, multinational construction company, World Trade Organization, competitive advantage, construction market, construction industry, ownership |
| Subjects: | industry analysis, economics, management, institutional frameworks, market analysis, Geography, theoretical framing, organization, strategic management |
| Topics: | Geographical Context, Governance, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Organizational Design, International Construction |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here