Understanding Chinese Corporate Internationalization:a Strategy For Chinese Firms "Going Out" Into Europe

As the largest Chinese enterprises are increasing their global footprints with headline-grabbing investments in overseas markets and established Western brands, the next wave of Chinese corporate expansion is expected to be conducted in private, as China’s increasingly powerful myriad SMEs internationalize.This thesis predicts the scale of this expected phenomenon based on an analysis of China’s overseas direct investment (ODI) patterns and a range of economic indicators which are combining to increase the economic imperative of the internationalization process. It also considers the likely methods of expansion and suggests that the European Union will be a key market as an investment recipient. Finally, the thesis demonstrates a "best practice" approach to internationalization for Chinese firms considering expansion into Europe, by utilizing an Isle of Man company as a gateway into the market.