本研究計畫擬規劃二年的研究進度，以台灣廠商赴中國大陸進行海外投資為對象，在交易 成本理論的基礎上，探討我國廠商對外投資進入模式選擇(entry mode choice)的決定因素，以及 進入模式與廠商績效的關聯性。本計畫的研究內容有三個重點：第一，本計畫擬建構一追蹤資 料來進行獨資(wholly-owned subsidiary)與合資(joint venture)的動態二元進入模式選擇分析 (dynamic binary choice)，考慮進入模式選擇的狀態依賴效果(state dependence)。第二，不僅著重 於解釋觀察到的進入模式選擇是否符合交易成本理論的預期，本計畫進一步要瞭解進入模式與 廠商績效的關連性。運用計量工具處理進入模式內生決策與自我選擇(self-selection)的問題，檢 驗當進入模式符合交易成本理論的原則時，是否就會為廠商帶來較佳的績效；亦或當廠商選擇 某一種進入模式，如果改以另一種模式，是否就會產生較差的績效。第三，本計畫除了著重嚴 謹的計量分析外，資料來源是採用經濟部「製造業對外投資實況調查」問卷資料，此調查資料 可以提供信賴度高、樣本數多的研究樣本。據了解，國內尚未有研究運用此問卷資料來分析海 外投資進入模式選擇，我預期適當使用此問卷資料來進行變數設計，可以為我國海外投資進入 模式選擇的議題，提供很好的研究結果，期能對學術研究與實務探討提供建言。 Using the sample of foreign direct investment made by Taiwanese manufacturing firms in China, this study plans to examine the determinants of entry mode choice and the relationship between entry mode choice and firm performance based on the perspective of the transaction cost theory. This study has three main points. Firstly, I will construct a panel data set to make a dynamic binary choice analysis on the entry mode choice between wholly-owned subsidiaries and joint ventures. A dynamic specification where the effect of lagged mode choice, or the effect of habit persistence, is taken into account in a binary panel model, is necessary since state dependence is likely to be important for a firm’s entry mode choice. Second, not only focusing on whether the observed choice of entry mode coincides with the prediction of the transaction cost theory, I also pay attention on how the entry mode choice affects firm performance. The main issue is whether the firms that follow the transaction cost theory to determine the entry mode choice perform better than their counterpart. A panel data self-selection model will be employed to deal with the endogeneity of the decision making on the choice of the entry mode. Third, this study will provide the first large sample econometric study of the entry mode choice in Taiwan. It uses the annual survey data on foreign investment of manufacturers conducted by Ministry of Economic Affairs of Taiwan. The official questionnaire certainly provides a complete and reliable data source for the activities of foreign investment firms. I expect the empirical framework and results of this study to give a more comprehensive picture of the foreign market entry mode choice of Taiwanese manufacturing firms than has been available to date in Taiwan.
