Chapter 18: Impact Investment Firms and Institutionalization in Emerging Countries

The authors examine the effect of impact investments – investments made with the intent to generate social and environmental impact alongside financial returns – on emerging countries. The authors argue that impact investment is effective in fostering positive social and environmental outcomes through institutionalization in host countries. The authors assess their hypotheses on a sample of European impact investment firms in Africa, using a unique hand-collected dataset of investments from 2000 to 2019. The authors find empirical support for their hypotheses. This study extends the international business literature by answering the growing calls among scholars for greater attention to the role of social enterprises in addressing complex social and environmental challenges.