Artificial states, ethnicity, and the survival of private participation infrastructure projects in Africa

• 成果类型: Article; Early Access
• 署名作者: Zhang, Shuo; Lu, Jane W.
• 署名单位: China University of Political Science & Law; City University of Hong Kong
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STUDIES
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2506
• DOI: 10.1057/s41267-025-00772-4
• 发表日期: 2025
• 关键词: Artificial state; ETHNICITY; CONFLICT; Institution theory; AFRICA; PPI projects; Survival model

摘要

Despite increasing interest, research within the context of Africa, particularly in relation to its unique historical dynamics, remains relatively underexplored in international business (IB). Our paper explores how colonial-era historical legacies continue to shape the outcomes of present-day private participation infrastructure (PPI) projects in Africa. By analyzing 301 PPI projects across 102 ethnic groups in 32 African countries, we offer insights into how borders misaligned with pre-colonial ethnic boundaries contribute to conflicts that undermine project viability. The findings reveal that ethnic partitioning, defined as the division of ethnic groups across artificial national borders, negatively impacts PPI project survival, with conflict mediating this relationship. While higher institutional quality mitigates these adverse effects, its impact remains marginal. We incorporate historical perspectives and highlight the importance of considering the path dependence of contemporary institutional environments. It also addresses the growing demand for Africa-focused IB research. By incorporating ethnicity into institutional analyses, our study also challenges the traditional IB assumption regarding the primacy of national borders in business activities. Our study points to the importance of understanding historical backgrounds when doing business in Africa. Malgr & eacute; un int & eacute;r & ecirc;t croissant, la recherche dans le contexte de l'Afrique, en particulier en ce qui concerne sa dynamique historique unique, reste relativement peu explor & eacute;e dans le domaine des affaires internationales (International Business - IB). Notre article explore la mani & egrave;re dont les h & eacute;ritages historiques de l'& eacute;poque coloniale continuent de fa & ccedil;onner les r & eacute;sultats des projets d'infrastructures & agrave; participation priv & eacute;e (Private Participation Infrastructure - PPI) actuels en Afrique. En analysant 301 projets de PPI concernant 102 groupes ethniques dans 32 pays africains, nous mettons en lumi & egrave;re la mani & egrave;re dont les fronti & egrave;res mal align & eacute;es sur les fronti & egrave;res ethniques pr & eacute;coloniales contribuent aux conflits qui compromettent la viabilit & eacute; des projets. Les r & eacute;sultats r & eacute;v & egrave;lent que la partition ethnique, d & eacute;finie comme la division des groupes ethniques & agrave; travers des fronti & egrave;res nationales artificielles, a un impact n & eacute;gatif sur la survie des projets de PPI, avec les conflits jouant un r & ocirc;le m & eacute;diateur dans cette relation. Si une meilleure qualit & eacute; institutionnelle att & eacute;nue ces effets n & eacute;gatifs, son impact reste marginal. Nous int & eacute;grons des perspectives historiques, et soulignons l'importance de prendre en compte la d & eacute;pendance de sentier des environnements institutionnels contemporains. Cette recherche r & eacute;pond & eacute;galement & agrave; la demande croissante de recherches en IB ax & eacute;es sur l'Afrique. En int & eacute;grant l'ethnicit & eacute; dans les analyses institutionnelles, notre recherche remet & eacute;galement en question le postulat traditionnel de l'IB concernant la primaut & eacute; des fronti & egrave;res nationales dans les activit & eacute;s commerciales. Notre recherche souligne l'importance de comprendre le contexte historique lorsqu'on fait des affaires en Afrique. A pesar del creciente inter & eacute;s, la investigaci & oacute;n en el contexto de & Aacute;frica, particularmente en relaci & oacute;n con sus din & aacute;micas hist & oacute;ricas & uacute;nicas, permanece relativamente inexplorada en los Negocios Internacionales (IB por sus iniciales en ingl & eacute;s). Nuestro art & iacute;culo explora c & oacute;mo los legados hist & oacute;ricos de la era colonial contin & uacute;an moldeando los resultados de los proyectos actuales de infraestructura con participaci & oacute;n privada (IPP) en & Aacute;frica. Mediante el an & aacute;lisis de 301 proyectos IPP en 102 grupos & eacute;tnicos en 32 pa & iacute;ses africanos, ofrecemos perspectivas sobre c & oacute;mo las fronteras desalineadas con los l & iacute;mites & eacute;tnicos precoloniales contribuyen a conflictos que socavan la viabilidad de los proyectos. Los hallazgos revelan que la partici & oacute;n & eacute;tnica, definida como la divisi & oacute;n de grupos & eacute;tnicos a trav & eacute;s de fronteras nacionales artificiales, impacta negativamente en la supervivencia de los proyectos de infraestructura con participaci & oacute;n privada, siendo el conflicto un mediador de esta relaci & oacute;n. Si bien una mayor calidad institucional mitiga estos efectos adversos, su impacto permanece marginal. Incorporamos perspectivas hist & oacute;ricas y destacamos la importancia de considerar la dependencia de la trayectoria de los entornos institucionales contempor & aacute;neos. Tambi & eacute;n aborda la creciente demanda de investigaci & oacute;n en Negocios Internacionales enfocada en & Aacute;frica. Al incorporar la etnicidad en los an & aacute;lisis institucionales, nuestro estudio tambi & eacute;n desaf & iacute;a la suposici & oacute;n tradicional de Negocios Internacionales sobre la primac & iacute;a de las fronteras nacionales en las actividades empresariales. Nuestro estudio se & ntilde;ala la importancia de comprender los antecedentes hist & oacute;ricos al hacer negocios en & Aacute;frica. Apesar de crescente interesse, a pesquisa no contexto da & Aacute;frica, particularmente em rela & ccedil;& atilde;o & agrave;s suas & uacute;nicas din & acirc;micas hist & oacute;ricas, permanece relativamente pouco explorada no campo dos Neg & oacute;cios Internacionais (IB). Nosso artigo explora como legados hist & oacute;ricos da era colonial continuam a moldar hoje em dia os resultados de projetos de infraestrutura com participa & ccedil;& atilde;o privada (PPI) na & Aacute;frica. Ao analisar 301 projetos de PPI distribu & iacute;dos por 102 grupos & eacute;tnicos em 32 pa & iacute;ses africanos, oferecemos insights sobre como fronteiras desalinhadas com fronteiras & eacute;tnicas pr & eacute;-coloniais contribuem para conflitos que comprometem a viabilidade de projetos. Os resultados revelam que a fragmenta & ccedil;& atilde;o & eacute;tnica, definida como a divis & atilde;o de grupos & eacute;tnicos por fronteiras nacionais artificiais, impacta negativamente a sobreviv & ecirc;ncia de projetos PPI, e o conflito & eacute; um mediador dessa rela & ccedil;& atilde;o. Embora uma maior qualidade institucional mitigue esses efeitos adversos, seu impacto permanece marginal. Incorporamos perspectivas hist & oacute;ricas e destacamos a import & acirc;ncia de considerar a depend & ecirc;ncia de caminho de ambientes institucionais contempor & acirc;neos. O artigo tamb & eacute;m aborda a crescente demanda por pesquisas focadas na & Aacute;frica em IB. Ao incorporar etnia em an & aacute;lises institucionais, nosso estudo tamb & eacute;m desafia a suposi & ccedil;& atilde;o tradicional de IB sobre a primazia de fronteiras nacionais em atividades empresariais. Nosso estudo aponta a import & acirc;ncia de compreender contextos hist & oacute;ricos ao conduzir neg & oacute;cios na & Aacute;frica. 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