The Legality Acquisition Mechanism for Grain and Oil Enterprises “Going Out” within the Scope of the Belt and Road Initiative: A Case Study of Xi’an Aiju Group

The “Belt and Road” initiative has afforded Chinese grain and oil enterprises significant opportunities for global expansion. However, these enterprises encounter considerable challenges in securing organizational legitimacy within host countries. This paper utilizes a three-level coding method grounded in theory, employing Xi’an Aiju Group as a case study. The research refines an “institutional-social-operational-sustainable four-dimensional synergistic legitimacy dynamic model”, unveiling the evolutionary trajectory of legitimacy from “compliance entry” to “symbiotic integration”. The findings suggest that attaining organizational legitimacy is a dynamic process that balances institutional breakthroughs, social symbiosis, capability demonstrations, and strategic bindings. This perspective contributes to a novel theoretical understanding of the mechanisms by which Chinese enterprises secure legitimacy during their global expansion. Furthermore, it provides valuable insights into other enterprises’ international practices in countries along the “Belt and Road” route.