Is Dunning's Eclectic Framework Descriptive Or Normative?

Can Dunning's OLI (Ownership, Location, Internalization) framework be used to predict the best performing international entry modes or merely the most commonly selected modes? Using data from German and Dutch firms investing in Central and Eastern Europe, we investigate the relationship between Dunning's OLI variables, entry mode selection and managerial satisfaction with firm performance. We found empirical support for Dunning's framework as both a descriptive and a normative model.© 1999 JIBS. Journal of International Business Studies (1999) 30, 831–844