استراتژی شرکت در یک اقتصاد کوچک آزاد : کاهش محصول تنوع بخشی به هنگام افزایش تنوع بخشی بین المللی

This study has investigated the changes in corporate strategy and performance in 20 large Swedish MNC's between 1985, 1994 and 1998. It has found a strong pattern of product focusing, increased internationalisation, and a strong increase in accounting-based performance. This development seems to be contrary to former empirical evidence, that international diversification pays off better for more product diversified firms than for less product diversified. This might be due to a country effect; Swedish MNC's having substantial international experience might have created unique internationalising capabilities compared to many other countries' large firms.

This study has investigated the changes in corporate strategy and performance in 20 large Swedish MNCs between 1985, 1994 and 1998. It has found a strong pattern of product focusing (less product diversification) and increased internationalisation (more international diversification) during this time period. At the same time accounting-based performance measures indicate a strong increase in performance between 1985 and 1994 which seems to be sustained from 1994 until 1998 if we adjust for inflation levels and currency variations. As we have not investigated longer term performance measures and due to the small sample size we cannot draw any definite conclusions regarding the links between product diversification, international diversification and performance. However, as the sample must be regarded as representative of the group of large Swedish MNCs, it must accurately reflect the changes in this group and perhaps also the larger group of large MNCs coming from small open economies like Sweden.