Knowledge trajectories in the internationalization of the firm
International Marketing Review
ISSN: 0265-1335
Article publication date: 24 January 2023
Issue publication date: 11 April 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze how the internationalizing firm accumulates knowledge from different domains throughout time, during entry and post-entry moves in a foreign market. This paper focuses on market, institutional, internationalization and technological knowledge.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses a comparative case study method, relying on three longitudinal cases of multinational firms' (MNEs) internationalization processes, particularly concerning MNEs' entry and post-entry moves in one foreign market (Brazil).
Findings
Throughout the internationalization processes, the internationalizing firms unevenly developed experiential knowledge within Brazil. As a result, the market, internationalization, institutional and technological knowledge followed different accumulation patterns, distinguished based on precedence, simultaneity and speed. More specifically, (1) the market and institutional knowledge trajectories evolved simultaneously; (2) the market knowledge trajectory preceded that of technological knowledge and (3) the accumulation of internationalization knowledge happened faster than that of the market, institutional and technological knowledge.
Originality/value
This paper shows how knowledge accumulation in internationalization processes varies throughout time and according to the type of knowledge involved. While most of the literature relies on cross-sectional studies that discount the changing nature of knowledge, this paper shows that the internationalizing firm accumulates market, internationalization, institutional and technological knowledge following three temporal dimensions: precedence, simultaneity and speed.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful for the financial support received by the Minas Gerais Research Funding Foundation (Fapemig). The authors also thank editor Susan Freeman and three anonymous reviewers for their guidance and feedback.
Citation
Barbosa, S.L., Rezende, S.F.L., Versiani, A. and Galdino, K.M. (2023), "Knowledge trajectories in the internationalization of the firm", International Marketing Review, Vol. 40 No. 2, pp. 313-337. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMR-12-2021-0357
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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