限制性行业中企业战略行为合法性研究:以中国汽车行业为例

基于战略的制度基础观,本文认为在中国限制性行业中,企业战略行为的变化主要受制于其所在的制度环境,企业在制度框架下所具备的合法性高低决定了其战略行为的变化情况。依照历史发展的脉络,我们采用离散事件历史分析方法,对我国20多家汽车企业在1980年代到1990年代之间的轿车合资行为进行了考察,发现企业的声望和能力是汽车企业取得合法性的两个重要因素。研究发现,限制性行业中影响企业合法性的因素与其它行业有所不同,而合法性高的汽车企业成为行业中战略行为改变的先行者。

A Study on the Legitimacy of the Firms' Strategic Ac-tions in a Restricted Industry

From the perspective of institution-based view of business strategy, the authors argue that a firm's strategic actions is mainly restricted by its institutional environment in a restricted industry. A firm's legitimacy in institution framework determines a firm's stra-tegic action. After the reform and opening-up, China's auto demand is growing so fast that the domestic supply can not keep pace with the demand. Recognize that the automobile industry is an important driver of economic growth; many local governments and firms take various means to obtain the approval of the central government for their car joint venture projects. Faced with this situation, the central government sets restrictions on the entry policy. This article tries to answer these questions: what are the factors affecting the permis-sion for a joint-venture project? What are the reasons for some firms can firstly take related strategic actions? Is or isn't same the reasons of first mover and followers to obtain permission. According to the trace of history, examining the joint venture attempt of China's 22 car makers during 1980's to 1990's, logistic regression models is used to identify factors explaining the likelihood of success to form joint venture and we find reputation and capability are two impor-tant factors in gaining legitimacy. The result shows: (1) the higher a firm's reputation and capability, the more likely the success of a car joint venture project. Although a firm's conduct in a restricted in-dustrial sector is constrained by government rules, but we also find that the corporate strategic action is not entirely passive, it can take some proactive measures, for example, to develop and demonstrate its ability to make cars on one's own, to raise the legitimacy; (2) the higher a firm's reputation and capability, the more likely the early success of a car joint venture project. We also find that the institu-tional pressure changes over time, thereby the followers may need less legitimacy to take action to form joint venture.