Abstract
Information and communication technologies have given rise to a new type of firm, the ibusiness firm. These firms offer a platform that allows users to interact with each other and generate value through user co-creation of content. Because of this, ibusiness firms face different challenges when they internationalize compared with traditional firms, even those online. In this article we extend existing internationalization theory to encompass this new type of organization. We theorize that because ibusiness firms produce value through the creation and coordination of a network of users, these firms tend to suffer greater liabilities of outsidership when expanding abroad and therefore concentrate on network and diffusion-based user adoption processes as they internationalize. Based on a multi-case investigation of a sample of ibusiness firms, we develop new theory and testable hypotheses. Thus, we make an important contribution by expanding internationalization theory to a new set of firms.
Abstract
Les technologies de l'information et de la communication ont donné naissance à un nouveau type d’entreprise, l’entreprise ibusiness. Ces entreprises offrent une plate-forme qui permet aux utilisateurs d'interagir les uns avec les autres et d’engendrer de la valeur grâce à la co-création de contenu par les utilisateurs. Pour cette raison, les entreprises ibusiness - comparées aux entreprises traditionnelles, même celles qui sont en ligne - sont confrontées à différents défis quand elles s’internationalisent. Dans cet article, nous élargissons la théorie d'internationalisation actuelle pour englober ce nouveau type d'organisation. Nous faisons l’hypothèse que, parce que les entreprises ibusiness produisent de la valeur par le biais de la création et de la coordination d'un réseau d'utilisateurs, ces entreprises ont tendance à avoir plus de difficultés liées à l’extranéité lors de leur expansion à l'étranger et, par conséquent, qu’elles se concentrent sur le réseau et les processus d’adoption des utilisateurs fondés sur la diffusion quand elles s’internationalisent. A partir d’une étude multi-cas d’un échantillon d’entreprises ibusiness, nous développons de nouvelles perspectives théoriques et des hypothèses vérifiables. Nous apportons ainsi une contribution importante en élargissant la théorie d'internationalisation à un nouvel ensemble d’entreprises.
Abstract
Las tecnologías de la información y comunicación le han dado lugar a un nuevo tipo de empresa: la empresa ibusiness. Estas compañías ofrecen una plataforma que permite a los usuarios interactuar entre ellos y generar valor a través de contenido co-creado por los usuarios. Debido a esto, las empresas ibusiness afrontan diferentes desafíos a la hora de internacionalizarse, si se comparan con las empresas tradicionales, e incluso con las empresas en línea. En este artículo, ampliamos la teoría de internacionalización existente para incluir este nuevo tipo de organización. Planteamos la teoría de que, debido a que las empresas ibusiness generan valor a través de la creación y coordinación de una red de usuarios, estas empresas tienden a sufrir mayores dificultades asociadas a su condición de marginalidad (liability of foreigness) cuando se expanden a otros países y, debido a esto, se concentran en procesos de red y adopción de usuarios basada en la difusión al momento de internacionalizarse. Basados en una investigación de varios casos de una muestra de empresas ibusiness, desarrollamos una nueva teoría e hipótesis comparables. De esta manera, hacemos una importante contribución al expandir la teoría de la internacionalización a un nuevo tipo de empresas.
Abstract
Tecnologias de informação e comunicação têm dado origem a um novo tipo de empresa, a empresa iBusiness. Essas empresas oferecem uma plataforma que permite que usuários interajam uns com os outros e gerem valor por meio de cocriação de conteúdo. Por essa razão, as empresas iBusiness enfrentam desafios diferentes ao se internacionalizam quando comparadas com empresas tradicionais, mesmo aquelas online. Neste artigo, ampliamos a teoria de internacionalização existente para abranger este novo tipo de organização. Nós teorizamos que visto que as empresas iBusiness geram valor através da criação e coordenação de uma rede de usuários, essas empresas tendem a sofrer maiores desafios de outsidership ao se expandirem para o exterior e, portanto, quando se internacionalizam, elas se concentram em processos de adoção de usuários de rede e baseados na difusão. Com base numa investigação multicaso de uma amostra de empresas iBusiness, desenvolvemos nova teoria e hipóteses testáveis. Assim, fazemos uma importante contribuição ao expandir a teoria de internacionalização para um novo conjunto de empresas.
Abstract
信息和通信技术的发展促进了一种新型公司的产生——汇网企业。这些公司提供了一个允许用户相互影响并通过用户共同创造内容来产生价值的平台。因此, 与传统企业相比, 汇网企业在国际化的过程中面临不同的挑战, 即使它们是在线的。在这篇文章中, 我们扩展了现有的国际化理论以涵盖这种新型组织。我们推论: 因为汇网企业通过创造和协调用户网络来产生价值, 这些公司在向海外扩张的过程中将会面临更大的局外者劣势, 因此它们在国际化时会专注于网络和基于扩散的用户采纳过程。基于对汇网企业样本的多案例调查, 我们发展了新的理论并提出了可检验的假设。因此, 鉴于将国际化理论扩展到一系列新的公司, 我们做出了重要的贡献。
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Accepted by John Cantwell, Editor-in-Chief, 15 June 2015. This article has been with the authors for three revisions.
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Brouthers, K., Geisser, K. & Rothlauf, F. Explaining the internationalization of ibusiness firms. J Int Bus Stud 47, 513–534 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2015.20
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2015.20