IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/intman/v28y2022i4s1075425322000436.html

Digital Transformation and International Strategies

Author

Listed:
  • Strange, Roger
  • Chen, Liang
  • Fleury, Maria Tereza Leme

Abstract

This paper reflects on the implications of digital transformation for international business (IB) theory and research. We briefly discuss its potential impact and stress that how digitalization affects traditional firms' international strategies remains under-studied. We provide an overview of the papers in this Special Issue which aspire to answer this important question through various angles. Finally, we shed light on avenues for future research, focusing specifically on how the Internet of Things and demand-side innovation in ecosystems offer opportunities to extend internalization theory.

Suggested Citation

  • Strange, Roger & Chen, Liang & Fleury, Maria Tereza Leme, 2022. "Digital Transformation and International Strategies," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(4).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:intman:v:28:y:2022:i:4:s1075425322000436
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intman.2022.100968
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1075425322000436
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.intman.2022.100968?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Denicolai, Stefano & Zucchella, Antonella & Magnani, Giovanna, 2021. "Internationalization, digitalization, and sustainability: Are SMEs ready? A survey on synergies and substituting effects among growth paths," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    2. Liu, Yihui & Wu, Aiqi & Song, Di, 2022. "Exploring the Impact of Cross-side Network Interaction on Digital Platforms on Internationalization of Manufacturing Firms," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(4).
    3. Jean-François Hennart, 2019. "Digitalized service multinationals and international business theory," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(8), pages 1388-1400, October.
    4. Satish Nambisan, 2017. "Digital Entrepreneurship: Toward a Digital Technology Perspective of Entrepreneurship," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(6), pages 1029-1055, November.
    5. Keith D. Brouthers & Liang Chen & Sali Li & Noman Shaheer, 2022. "Charting new courses to enter foreign markets: Conceptualization, theoretical framework, and research directions on non-traditional entry modes," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(9), pages 2088-2115, December.
    6. Giovanna Magnani & Stefano Denicolai & Bent Petersen, 2022. "Internationalization, value-chain configuration, and the adoption of additive manufacturing technologies [On vertical relations and the timing of technology adoption]," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 31(3), pages 762-782.
    7. Jacobides, Michael G. & Knudsen, Thorbjorn & Augier, Mie, 2006. "Benefiting from innovation: Value creation, value appropriation and the role of industry architectures," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(8), pages 1200-1221, October.
    8. Yong Kyu Lew & Rudolf R Sinkovics & Mo Yamin & Zaheer Khan, 2016. "Trans-specialization understanding in international technology alliances: The influence of cultural distance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(5), pages 577-594, June.
    9. Ghauri, Pervez & Strange, Roger & Cooke, Fang Lee, 2021. "Research on international business: The new realities," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(2).
    10. Keith D Brouthers & Kim Dung Geisser & Franz Rothlauf, 2016. "Explaining the internationalization of ibusiness firms," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(5), pages 513-534, June.
    11. Liang Chen & Pengxiang Zhang & Sali Li & Scott F. Turner, 2022. "Growing pains: The effect of generational product innovation on mobile games performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(4), pages 792-821, April.
    12. Nicole Coviello & Liena Kano & Peter W Liesch, 2017. "Adapting the Uppsala model to a modern world: Macro-context and microfoundations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(9), pages 1151-1164, December.
    13. Shaheer, Noman Ahmed & Li, Sali, 2020. "The CAGE around cyberspace? How digital innovations internationalize in a virtual world," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(1).
    14. André O Laplume & Bent Petersen & Joshua M Pearce, 2016. "Global value chains from a 3D printing perspective," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(5), pages 595-609, June.
    15. Jiatao Li & Liang Chen & Jingtao Yi & Jiye Mao & Jianwen Liao, 2019. "Ecosystem-specific advantages in international digital commerce," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(9), pages 1448-1463, December.
    16. Oliveira, Luis & Fleury, Afonso & Fleury, Maria Tereza, 2021. "Digital power: Value chain upgrading in an age of digitization," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(6).
    17. Lu, Yang & Papagiannidis, Savvas & Alamanos, Eleftherios, 2018. "Internet of Things: A systematic review of the business literature from the user and organisational perspectives," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 285-297.
    18. Elitsa R Banalieva & Charles Dhanaraj, 2019. "Internalization theory for the digital economy," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(8), pages 1372-1387, October.
    19. Peter J. Buckley & Mark Casson, 1991. "The Future of the Multinational Enterprise," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, edition 0, number 978-1-349-21204-0, March.
    20. Liang Chen & Sali Li & Jiang Wei & Yang Yang, 2022. "Externalization in the platform economy: Social platforms and institutions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(8), pages 1805-1816, October.
    21. Ron Adner & Phanish Puranam & Feng Zhu, 2019. "What Is Different About Digital Strategy? From Quantitative to Qualitative Change," Strategy Science, INFORMS, vol. 4(4), pages 253-261, December.
    22. Liang Chen & Noman Shaheer & Jingtao Yi & Sali Li, 2019. "The international penetration of ibusiness firms: Network effects, liabilities of outsidership and country clout," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(2), pages 172-192, March.
    23. Hannibal, Martin & Knight, Gary, 2018. "Additive manufacturing and the global factory: Disruptive technologies and the location of international business," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(6), pages 1116-1127.
    24. Bhatti, Waheed Akbar & Vahlne, Jan-Erik & Glowik, Mario & Larimo, Jorma Antero, 2022. "The impact of industry 4.0 on the 2017 version of the Uppsala model," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(4).
    25. Rong, Ke & Kang, Zhengyao & Williamson, Peter J., 2022. "Liability of ecosystem integration and internationalisation of digital firms," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(4).
    26. Barbieri, Paolo & Boffelli, Albachiara & Elia, Stefano & Fratocchi, Luciano & Kalchschmidt, Matteo, 2022. "How does Industry 4.0 affect international exposure? The interplay between firm innovation and home-country policies in post-offshoring relocation decisions," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(4).
    27. Liang Chen & Mengmeng Wang & Lin Cui & Sali Li, 2021. "Experience base, strategy‐by‐doing and new product performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(7), pages 1379-1398, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Chung, Leanne & Tan, Kim Hua & Yoshie, Osamu, 2025. "Sustainable circular economy: Unpacking the unintended consequences of digital transformation in Japanese SMEs," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    2. Lu Guo & Lei Wang & Fangyu Zhou & Mei Luo, 2026. "The High-Quality Employment Effects of Digital-Intelligent Economy: Evidence from the China Labor-Force Dynamics Survey," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 181(3), pages 1-32, February.
    3. Elena Borin & Fabio Donato, 2023. "Financial Sustainability of Digitizing Cultural Heritage: The International Platform Europeana," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-17, September.
    4. Qian Zhang, 2024. "The Impact of Digitalization on the Upgrading of China’s Manufacturing Sector’s Global Value Chains," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(4), pages 15577-15600, December.
    5. Nimmy Rose Jacob & Nisha Mary Thomas & Shalini Agarwal & Neha Saini & László Vasa, 2025. "What facilitates and impedes the adoption of sustainability in global value chains? A Grey-DEMATEL analysis," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(9), pages 21275-21303, September.
    6. Santos-Arteaga, Francisco J. & Di Caprio, Debora & Tavana, Madjid, 2023. "A combinatorial data envelopment analysis with uncertain interval data with application to ICT evaluation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    7. Wenqi Jing & Yi Zheng & Xiuqing Shen, 2024. "Does the establishment of Pilot Free Trade Zones promote international expansion of enterprises? Quasi-natural experimental evidence from China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(8), pages 1-22, August.
    8. Hahn, Eugene D. & Massini, Silvia, 2024. "Cross-border and domestic early-stage financial investment in 3D printing: An empirical perspective on drivers and locations," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(5).
    9. Sunny Kareem & Julia A. Fehrer & Timofey Shalpegin & Christina Stringer, 2025. "Navigating tensions of sustainable supply chains in times of multiple crises: A systematic literature review," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(1), pages 316-337, January.
    10. Ngoc Thang Doan & Ngoc Mai Tran & Van Ha Doan & Huong Giang Mai, 2026. "The Liability of Informality and De-internationalisation During the COVID-19: International Evidence," Foreign Trade Review, , vol. 61(1), pages 7-30, February.
    11. Buckley, Peter J & Cui, Lin & Chen, Liang & Li, Yi & Choi, Yoona, 2023. "Following their predecessors’ journey? A review of EMNE studies and avenues for interdisciplinary inquiry," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(2).
    12. Saumyaranjan Sahoo & Satish Kumar & Debmalya Mukherjee & Sascha Kraus & Marina Dabić & Raj V. Mahto, 2025. "Internationalization via industry 4.0 technologies: application areas and future roadmap for international business," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 75(4), pages 3443-3470, December.
    13. Edeh, Jude & Olarewaju, Adeniyi D. & Kusi, Samuel Yaw, 2025. "What drives SME export intensity in transition economies? The role of infrastructure, digitalisation and innovation capabilities," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fraccastoro, Dr Sara & Vanninen, Dr Heini & Gabrielsson, Prof Mika, 2025. "Two decades of research on digitalization, entrepreneurship, and internationalization: What foundations do they provide for research on digital entrepreneurial internationalization?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(4).
    2. Schmeisser, Björn & Saebi, Tina & Schotter, Andreas P.J. & Gooderham, Paul, 2026. "The digital transformation of international business: A conceptualization, multidisciplinary review, and research agenda," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 61(1).
    3. Yang, Bo & Bai, Wensong & Chen, Yantai & Rong, Ke, 2025. "Internationalization of digital firms: A systematic review and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    4. Shaheer, Noman & Kim, Kijong & Li, Sali, 2022. "Internationalization of Digital Innovations: A Rapidly Evolving Research Stream," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(4).
    5. Li, Jiatao & Surana, Ankit & Chavan, Meena & Kano, Liena & Schotter, Andreas & Chirico, Francesco, 2025. "The internationalization of digital platform-based firms: A systematic literature review and directions for future research," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 60(4).
    6. Kang, Zhengyao & Kou, Hongwei & Zhou, Di & Shi, Xinwei & Parente, Ronaldo & Rong, Ke, 2025. "Platform-based multinational corporations (PMNCs):A research agenda in the field of international business," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(3).
    7. Keith D. Brouthers & Liang Chen & Sali Li & Noman Shaheer, 2022. "Charting new courses to enter foreign markets: Conceptualization, theoretical framework, and research directions on non-traditional entry modes," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(9), pages 2088-2115, December.
    8. Rong, Ke & Kang, Zhengyao & Williamson, Peter J., 2022. "Liability of ecosystem integration and internationalisation of digital firms," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(4).
    9. George Saridakis & Zaheer Khan & Gary Knight & Bochra Idris & Jay Mitra & Huda Khan, 2024. "A Look into the Future: The Impact of Metaverse on Traditional Theories and Thinking in International Business," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 64(4), pages 597-632, August.
    10. Feliciano-Cestero, María M. & Ameen, Nisreen & Kotabe, Masaaki & Paul, Justin & Signoret, Mario, 2023. "Is digital transformation threatened? A systematic literature review of the factors influencing firms’ digital transformation and internationalization," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    11. Jingtao Yi & Jiatao Li & Liang Chen, 2023. "Ecosystem social responsibility in international digital commerce," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(1), pages 24-41, February.
    12. De Beule, Filip & Van Assche, Ari & Nevens, Joren, 2022. "Additive Manufacturing and Production Internationalization: An Internalization Perspective," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(4).
    13. Silva-Rêgo, Bernardo & Kogut, Clarice, 2026. "Digital IB risks: A systematic literature review through internalisation lenses," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(1).
    14. Jiatao Li & Liang Chen & Jingtao Yi & Jiye Mao & Jianwen Liao, 2019. "Ecosystem-specific advantages in international digital commerce," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(9), pages 1448-1463, December.
    15. Klaus E. Meyer & Jiatao Li & Keith D. Brouthers & Ruey-Jer ‘‘Bryan’’ Jean, 2023. "International business in the digital age: Global strategies in a world of national institutions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(4), pages 577-598, June.
    16. Sinéad Monaghan & Esther Tippmann & Nicole Coviello, 2020. "Born digitals: Thoughts on their internationalization and a research agenda," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(1), pages 11-22, February.
    17. Stallkamp, Maximilian & Hunt, Richard A. & Schotter, Andreas P.J., 2022. "Scaling, fast and slow: The internationalization of digital ventures," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 95-106.
    18. Zeng, Jing, 2022. "Orchestrating ecosystem resources in a different country: Understanding the integrative capabilities of sharing economy platform multinational corporations," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(6).
    19. Arindam Das, 2023. "Developing dynamic digital capabilities in micro-multinationals through platform ecosystems: Assessing the role of trust in algorithmic smart contracts," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 157-179, June.
    20. Tippmann, Esther & Ambos, Tina C. & Del Giudice, Manlio & Monaghan, Sinéad & Ringov, Dimo, 2023. "Scale-ups and scaling in an international business context," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(1).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:intman:v:28:y:2022:i:4:s1075425322000436. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/601266/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.