Abstract

Late-movers are enterprises from the Large Emerging Economies, or BRICS , which recently installed plants abroad. The relative importance of those firms is increasing, signalling that a new phenomenon in international business and especially in international manufacturing is taking shape. Among the new research questions, one of the most important concerns the analytical framework to capture the core dimensions of that phenomenon. More specifically: is it possible to apply the classical theories and analytical frameworks, or is it necessary to develop new approaches? The arguments to be presented will address those questions, both from the conceptual as well as the empirical perspectives, based on field research among Brazilian late-movers.