The goal of this paper is analyse the internationalisation strategies of major multinational enterprises (MNEs) based in Flanders and Brussels. The analysis focuses in particular on three case studies, selected among a subset of Flemish and Brussels’ companies and analyses their expansion path in the period from 1995 to 2007. In order to assess the path followed by the selected companies, a deep analysis of their strategies was carried out, also using a longitudinal database of the subsidiaries in the above-mentioned period.

It is worth noting that this is the first time that a comprehensive, longitudinal database on the international activities of Belgian multinational enterprises was constructed. Previous studies for example of the Belgian Federal Planning Bureau had only established cross-sectional databases
of foreign affiliates at different points in time, with the oldest dating from 1995. These studies give us valuable insights in the geographical and sectoral spread of international activities of Belgian enterprises. Yet, they do not make it possible to analyze the expansion path of Belgian enterprises over longer periods of time.

The methodology used to select the companies to analyse is based on the construction of the “Expansion Paths Database” that contains information on companies of Flanders and Brussels that appeared at least at one point in time in the BEL20 index of Euronext Brussels. The development of
a unique, longitudinal database of the foreign activities of these three Flemish and Brussels based MNE helps us to improve our insights in their internationalisation process.

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