Previous research has satisfactorily addressed two decisions regarding the entry mode in foreign markets: the choice of ownership level (wholly-owned subsidiary or joint-venture) and the choice of establishment mode (acquisition or greenfield investment). However, a third important decision, which refers to the choice of the subsidiary’s main activity, has been virtually ignored by academic literature. Based on extensive literature review, this study incorporates the choice of activity type (production or distribution) into the specific decisions to be made by companies when the entry mode involves the use of equity and proposes an eclectic conceptual model, unique in its formulation, in its scope and in the organization of its variables, to produce a new and comprehensive view about the choice of entry mode in foreign markets and its impact on the performance of subsidiaries of Brazilian multinational enterprises. From a sample of 280 operating subsidiaries located in 39 countries, empirical results indicate the existence of a positive and significant relationship between subsidiaries performance and the alignment of the entry mode (ownership level, establishment mode and activity type) to the eclectic model, suggesting that subsidiaries whose entry modes are aligned with the model tend to outperform, on average, those whose entry modes are not aligned with the model. Additional results of the empirical tests also contribute to a better understanding of the operation of Brazilian multinational enterprises in the international arena.