Innovation and valuation of Chinese born-global firms
Open Access
- 27 June 2025
- journal article
- physical sciences
- Published by Public Library of Science (PLoS) in PLOS ONE
- Vol. 20 (6) , e0325214
Abstract
With the advancement of corporate globalization, an increasing number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have leveraged globalized resources to achieve accelerated growth mode that significantly depart from the traditional gradual development trajectories of large enterprises. Notably, the emergence and evolution of born-global (BG) firms have attracted substantial scholarly attention in international business research. This paper studies the innovation and valuation of Chinese born-global (BG) firms, based on dynamic capabilities theory and resource-based view, explores the determinant factors of becoming BG firms, and explores an empirical analysis of changes in the value of BG firms. This paper utilizes the OLS model and panel model, as well as Heckman two-stage, propensity score matching (PSM), and heterogeneity analyzes. We conducted some empirical tests on financial data from 2007 to 2021. The empirical results show that the implementation of the BG mode by enterprises contributes to the growth of corporate value and innovation plays a positive moderating role in this relationship. In addition, the determinant factors for a company to adopt the BG mode are total assets, ownership, and the rate of the largest shareholder. Heterogeneity analysis indicates greater impact on private, foreign, and eastern regional firms. The Heckman two-stage selection model effectively addressed the identification requirements for exclusion restriction variables, while the PSM methodology demonstrated improved covariate balance distributions across matched groups. This dual approach collectively mitigated endogeneity concerns and enhanced the robustness of estimation outcomes. Finally, this study provides business managers with a valuation model for enterprise internationalization, which helps small and medium-sized enterprises choose BG mode to start the internationalization process in their initial stage. Furthermore, this study has significantly enriched the existing literature concerning innovation, corporate value, and equity characteristics of BG firms, while establishing novel theoretical perspectives and methodological avenues for subsequent research investigations.Keywords
Funding Information
- BK21 FOUR Program by Jeonbuk National University Research Grant
This publication has 71 references indexed in Scilit:
- Economic policy uncertainty and common prosperity within the enterprise: Evidence from the Chinese marketPLOS ONE, 2024
- Are born global firms really a “new breed” of exporters? Empirical evidence from an emerging marketJournal of International Entrepreneurship, 2022
- Relational ownership, institutional context, and internationalization of state‐owned enterprises: When and how are multinational co‐owners a plus?Global Strategy Journal, 2020
- Getting the facts right on born globalsSmall Business Economics, 2019
- University-industry collaborations and product innovation performance: the moderating effects of absorptive capacity and innovation competenciesThe Journal of Technology Transfer, 2017
- Growth of born globals: the role of the entrepreneur’s personal factors and venture capitalInternational Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 2015
- Business Model Innovation in Emerging Economies: Leveraging Institutional Voids2014
- The global strategy of emerging multinationals from ChinaGlobal Strategy Journal, 2012
- Institutions, resources, and entry strategies in emerging economiesStrategic Management Journal, 2008
- A fundamental approach to strategy developmentLong Range Planning, 1976