Opportunity beliefs in internationalization: A microhistorical approach

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Leppaaho, Tanja; Mainela, Tuija; Paavilainen-Mantymaki, Eriikka
• 署名单位: Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT; University of Oulu; University of Turku
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STUDIES
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2506
• DOI: 10.1057/s41267-023-00599-x
• 发表日期: 2023
• 页码: 1298-1312
• 关键词: internationalization; firm internationalization; opportunity belief; context; Process

摘要

We propose the concept of opportunity belief as a means of understanding individuals as the interpreters of their contexts over the internationalization process of a firm. To illustrate the concept, we conducted a microhistorical analysis on one of the largest forest industry MNEs with an internationalization history of more than 150 years. Historical archival data and rich secondary material provided access to the reasonings of individuals over the firm's internationalization. This allowed depiction of different types of opportunity beliefs as the drivers of internationalization actions within particular historical contexts. We portray opportunity belief as a complementary lens to current internationalization models focusing primarily on firm-level development.