Portfolios of Political Ties and Business Group Strategy in Emerging Economies

Using data on 290 business groups, this study examines how ties with rival political parties maintained by Taiwanese firms from 1998 through 2006 affected business strategies, specifically the unrelated diversification into new industries. Taiwan’s recent democratization and emerging economy provide an ideal setting for studying the economic impact of firms’ ties with rival political parties. By focusing on a firm’s entire portfolio of ties …