Internationalisation as Institutional Escape for Family Businesses in Conflict Zones: Evidence from Afghanistan

Objective: The objective of this article is to investigate the use of internationalisation to “escape” the institutional voids present in conflict economic systems, through interviews with fifteen Afghan family business leaders who run businesses in Kabul. Research Design & M...

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Main Authors: Muska Hanify, Omar Al Serhan, Sarath W.S.B. Dasanayaka, Kimberly Catherine Gleason
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cracow University of Economics 2019-12-01
Series:Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eber.uek.krakow.pl/eber/article/view/613
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author Muska Hanify
Omar Al Serhan
Sarath W.S.B. Dasanayaka
Kimberly Catherine Gleason
author_facet Muska Hanify
Omar Al Serhan
Sarath W.S.B. Dasanayaka
Kimberly Catherine Gleason
author_sort Muska Hanify
collection DOAJ
description Objective: The objective of this article is to investigate the use of internationalisation to “escape” the institutional voids present in conflict economic systems, through interviews with fifteen Afghan family business leaders who run businesses in Kabul. Research Design & Methods: Relying on grounded theory, we explore the role of internationalisation in providing security and stability for family businesses in conflict zones. In total, fifteen family business leaders were interviewed by three members of the research team working in pairs, after an analysis of transcripts subsequently described over the course of the interview process. Findings: We find that Afghan family business leaders demonstrate interest in internationalisation as a method of escaping institutional voids in the domestic environment, and that their most commonly cited motive in doing so is to obtain legitimacy in foreign markets through the establishment of quality standards. Implications & Recommendations: The appropriate way to proceed with internationalisation is to follow a stepwise process, so that family business leaders can draw upon both strengths inherent in their family and also engage in organisational learning through relationships with family businesses in neighbouring countries with similar cultures. Contribution & Value Added: We contribute to institutional theory by advancing our understanding of how insecurity, lawlessness, and tribalism play a role in the internationalisation of family businesses in conflict zones and to the family business literature by documenting how family business internationalisation is a response to domestic institutional voids.
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publisher Cracow University of Economics
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spelling doaj-art-b8b8ef9e74494d42a4ebd6dea82d6dc62025-08-20T01:57:35ZengCracow University of EconomicsEntrepreneurial Business and Economics Review2353-88212019-12-017410.15678/EBER.2019.070406Internationalisation as Institutional Escape for Family Businesses in Conflict Zones: Evidence from AfghanistanMuska Hanify0Omar Al Serhan1Sarath W.S.B. Dasanayaka2Kimberly Catherine Gleason3American University of AfghanistanHigher Colleges of Technology- UAEDepartment of Industrial Management in the University of MoratuwaAmerican University of Sharjah Objective: The objective of this article is to investigate the use of internationalisation to “escape” the institutional voids present in conflict economic systems, through interviews with fifteen Afghan family business leaders who run businesses in Kabul. Research Design & Methods: Relying on grounded theory, we explore the role of internationalisation in providing security and stability for family businesses in conflict zones. In total, fifteen family business leaders were interviewed by three members of the research team working in pairs, after an analysis of transcripts subsequently described over the course of the interview process. Findings: We find that Afghan family business leaders demonstrate interest in internationalisation as a method of escaping institutional voids in the domestic environment, and that their most commonly cited motive in doing so is to obtain legitimacy in foreign markets through the establishment of quality standards. Implications & Recommendations: The appropriate way to proceed with internationalisation is to follow a stepwise process, so that family business leaders can draw upon both strengths inherent in their family and also engage in organisational learning through relationships with family businesses in neighbouring countries with similar cultures. Contribution & Value Added: We contribute to institutional theory by advancing our understanding of how insecurity, lawlessness, and tribalism play a role in the internationalisation of family businesses in conflict zones and to the family business literature by documenting how family business internationalisation is a response to domestic institutional voids. https://eber.uek.krakow.pl/eber/article/view/613entrepreneurshipbusiness internationalisationfamily businessconflict zonesAfghanistaninstitutional theory
spellingShingle Muska Hanify
Omar Al Serhan
Sarath W.S.B. Dasanayaka
Kimberly Catherine Gleason
Internationalisation as Institutional Escape for Family Businesses in Conflict Zones: Evidence from Afghanistan
Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review
entrepreneurship
business internationalisation
family business
conflict zones
Afghanistan
institutional theory
title Internationalisation as Institutional Escape for Family Businesses in Conflict Zones: Evidence from Afghanistan
title_full Internationalisation as Institutional Escape for Family Businesses in Conflict Zones: Evidence from Afghanistan
title_fullStr Internationalisation as Institutional Escape for Family Businesses in Conflict Zones: Evidence from Afghanistan
title_full_unstemmed Internationalisation as Institutional Escape for Family Businesses in Conflict Zones: Evidence from Afghanistan
title_short Internationalisation as Institutional Escape for Family Businesses in Conflict Zones: Evidence from Afghanistan
title_sort internationalisation as institutional escape for family businesses in conflict zones evidence from afghanistan
topic entrepreneurship
business internationalisation
family business
conflict zones
Afghanistan
institutional theory
url https://eber.uek.krakow.pl/eber/article/view/613
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AT omaralserhan internationalisationasinstitutionalescapeforfamilybusinessesinconflictzonesevidencefromafghanistan
AT sarathwsbdasanayaka internationalisationasinstitutionalescapeforfamilybusinessesinconflictzonesevidencefromafghanistan
AT kimberlycatherinegleason internationalisationasinstitutionalescapeforfamilybusinessesinconflictzonesevidencefromafghanistan