Economic complexity and the global asset-seeking strategies of Chinese multinationals

This article investigates the role of economic complexity in capturing asset-seeking motives and strategies of global knowledge accumulation by analysing the location decisions of Chinese multinationals. Using data on 14,873 Chinese subsidiaries in 78 countries for 2007–2015, we find that investment is associated with locations with lower economic complexity. This applies especially for destination countries within the OECD and MNCs in knowledge-intensive industries, whereas firms with a strong knowledge base may instead seek out locations with high economic complexity. Results are consistent with a strategy of accessing relatively low-complexity capabilities that can be accumulated to build and reinforce the international advantage and competitiveness of the multinational.