Internationalization of Firms: Mitigating Liability of Foreignness in the Singapore Context

Internationalization of Firms: Mitigating Liability of Foreignness in the Singapore Context

Purpose: This study explores the level of relevance of liability of foreignness (LOF) in foreign firms’ decision to relocate or to expand their regional headquarters (RHQ) in Singapore. Research design, data and methodology: The research question is: what are the mitigating factors of LOF for RHQs operating in Singapore? This explorative study uses various resources from the government agencies: Singapore Economic Development Board such as annual reports between 2012 and 2022, investment programs and published interviews with RHQ’s CEOs, Singapore Department of Statistics such as economic, socio-economic and investment data. Results: My study shows that years of nation-building toward a world-class infrastructure, identifying key-industries and conscientiously enhancing workforce skills and competency, developing and reviewing investment programs to attract and retain RHQs were the mitigating factors of LOF. Conclusion: This implies a low level of relevance of LOF in foreign firms’ strategic choice to relocate or to expand their regional headquarters to Singapore. As such, the steady growth of multinational enterprises’ (MNEs) RHQs in Singapore presents a challenge to the theoretical postulation of LOF positing that foreign firms are discriminated in host country-environment. As a result, incurring additional costs operating in an unfamiliar environment manifested by varying responses from the local actors. Singapore is a case in point.