Technological capabilities and international expansion: the moderating role of family and non-family firms’ social capital

The dynamic growth of Asia Pacific markets has attracted US firms’ entry and expansion, aiming to exploit their resources and capabilities. This study empirically examines the effect of technological capabilities on these firms’ scale and scope of internationalization in this region. The results show that family firms have weaker technological capabilities compared to non-family firms and do not benefit as much from these capabilities in their internationalization efforts. Further, the results indicate that organizational social capital moderates the relationship between technological capabilities and the scale and scope of internationalization. The results highlight firm heterogeneity, signaling that family and non-family firms differ significantly in many of the relationships explored.