Lusophone-African Multinational Enterprises Internationalization Mode

Several internationalization theories have made great contributions in explaining MNE's internationalization process. It has been suggested that the determinants of entry mode choice of MNEs from emerging and frontier markets differ from those of comparable enterprises from advanced economies. Studies suggest there is a need to expand the framework for entry mode strategies to accommodate the expansion issues MNEs from emerging and frontier countries face in the global marketplace. Nevertheless, not much information and acceptable conclusions have been made on how these MNEs internationalize. This study investigates the internationalization strategies of Lusophone Africa MNEs from Angola and Mozambique. The results suggest most MNEs opt for equity-based investment strategies, mainly joint venture and M&A, as their preferred mode of entry when internationalizing. Others rely on e-commerce, exports and greenfield. A few of these MNEs could be classified as born global/INV. This research also presents a conceptual framework for analyzing entry mode choices for MNEs from Lusophone African frontier markets and proposes alternatives to understand the determinants of such strategies.