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When Born Globals Grow Up: A Review and Agenda for Research on the Performance of Maturing Early Internationalizers

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Abstract

Born globals (BG)’ post-entry evolution is a process characterized by superior growth opportunities, but also higher risks of failure. These concerns lead to the fundamental question regarding the factors that may play a role in BGs’ post-entry performance and survival. To provide a comprehensive picture on this issue, this paper critically examines 185 articles that have appeared in 39 academic journals over the past three decades. Drawing on complexity theory, we map a dynamic complex system comprising the interplay of six components relating to system inputs, managerial and firm-level capabilities – e.g., innovativeness, learning, and experience – , networks and system outputs – e.g., international growth and survival. Our review also suggests that strategic choices and orientations may act as change catalysts that bring BGs’ complex systems to the next stages of evolution, with further consequences on firm expansion. Our review contributes to the extant literature by taking stock of the present state of knowledge, and providing a taxonomy on the components of the dynamic system that influences the post-entry performance and survival of BGs. Furthermore, this paper and the resulting taxonomy unpacks the various sources of BGs’ heterogeneity, based on factors such as their different resources, capabilities, and strategies. In doing so, the paper uncovers significant gaps and contradictions in the literature, which opens important opportunities for future research. The paper concludes with a discussion of managerial and public policy implications.

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Notes

  1. The Edwards-Venn diagram counts the number of articles on each research theme. For example, it shows that seven articles examine the effects solely of networks, six examine networks and firm capabilities, three investigate networks and managers’ characteristics, and so on.

  2. Although Kocak and Abimbola (2009) define learning orientation based on managers’ open-mindedness and commitment to learning, we have included this element within strategic orientations (and not managers’ characteristics) because these authors define and analyze it as an organizational feature. That is, they examine how managers render firm learning oriented through their activities and attitudes.

  3. Furnari et al. (2021) suggest using a “fact-foil” approach to identify equifinal configurations. This approach involves that a set of factors theorized or observed to explain a phenomenon (“the fact”) is compared to a similar set of attributes that did not lead to that phenomenon (the “foil”), with the idea of the comparison being that a potential reason may be found where the causal histories of the fact and the foil differ. In other words, this process entails answering the question, ‘Why X [fact] rather than Y [foil]?’.

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  1. Graduate School of Management, Saint Petersburg University, Volkovskiy Pereulok, 3, 199004, Saint Petersburg, Russia

    Joan Freixanet

  2. Universitat de Les Illes Balears, Campus Cra. Valldemossa. Km 7, 07122, Palma, Spain

    Ryan Federo

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Freixanet, J., Federo, R. When Born Globals Grow Up: A Review and Agenda for Research on the Performance of Maturing Early Internationalizers. Manag Int Rev 62, 817–857 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11575-022-00485-y

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