A bargaining and property rights perspective on the Belt and Road Initiative: Cases from the Italian port system

Author(s)
Cristian Luise, Peter J. Buckley, Hinrich Voss, Maria Emmanouela Plakoyiannaki, Elisa Barbieri
Abstract

Infrastructural assets are vital for a country’s economic and social development. Governments typically provide the regulation and administration of these assets, while multinational enterprises (MNEs) develop, construct, finance, and operate them. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) promises infrastructure projects that deliver economic and social benefit for both the host country and the MNE, however, the foreign market entry activities of Chinese MNEs in infrastructure projects might not always be successful. By bridging the bargaining power literature with the economics of property rights perspective, we examine how and why host-country actors at different governance levels influence foreign direct investment. Using a comparative case study approach, we interrogate four attempts by Chinese firms to negotiate access to Italian ports. In particular, we show that for a BRI port investment to take place, there has to be an alignment between the various actors of the property rights nexus regarding the allocation of rights. Chinese investors need to understand the bargaining position and property rights of actors across multiple levels, across space, and be mindful of changes over time when negotiating an infrastructure investment. Host-country governments need to have a clear port infrastructure strategy to avoid wasting resources in lengthy negotiations and useless infrastructure.

Organisation(s)
Department of Marketing and International Business
External organisation(s)
University of Leeds, HEC Montréal, Universita Ca' Foscari, Venezia
Journal
Journal of International Business Policy
Volume
5
Pages
172-193
No. of pages
22
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1057/s42214-021-00122-9
Publication date
11-2021
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
502016 SME-research
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Management of Technology and Innovation, Business and International Management
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
Portal url
https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/a-bargaining-and-property-rights-perspective-on-the-belt-and-road-initiative-cases-from-the-italian-port-system(ef11b3c1-3ad7-449c-ab2a-c8af9b8d99c7).html