Foreign location decisions through an institutional lens: A systematic review and future research agenda

A key strategic decision in international business (IB) is where to locate. While there is general agreement that institutions influence location decisions, less is known about the specific levels and mechanisms of institutional influence. To address these gaps, we systematically review and synthesize 106 articles published in 19 general management and IB journals from 1998 to 2019. We examine institutions at different levels (e.g. regional, national or subnational). We also examine the characteristics and experiences of multinational corporations, as well as the industry conditions that determine the boundaries of institutional influence. Key findings from descriptive and thematic analyses reveal both theoretical tensions and empirical gaps. From our organizing framework, we identify four research avenues that can unify future research.