Positive Theories of Multinational Banking: Eclectic Theory versus Internalisation Theory.

The choice of an appropriate paradigm to consider banks' motivation to enter a new market and their subsequent performance is an important issue in multinational banking. This paper discusses this issue within the context of two competing theories of the multinational enterprise and the special theories of banking as applied to the multinational enterprise. The conclusion of this paper is that while it may not be possible to empirically distinguish between the propositions of Eclectic theory and Internalisation theory, Internalisation theory offers a framework with greater internal consistency for the study of the multinational bank. Further, any empirical studies must be conducted within the framework of the appropriate special theories consistent with internalisation theory. These special theories have developed over time in an unstructured fashion, and the application of internalisation theory provides a cohesive framework within which to analyse these theories. Copyright 1997 by Blackwell Publishers Ltd