International involvement of managed ecosystems: a quasi-experiment of foreign user traffic to e-commerce platforms amid geopolitical conflicts

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Yang, Rui; Wang, Xinran; Yu, Rongjian; Zhan, Crystal
• 署名单位: Tongji University; City University of New York (CUNY) System; Baruch College (CUNY); Zhejiang Gongshang University; University of South Carolina System; University of South Carolina Columbia
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STUDIES
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2506
• DOI: 10.1057/s41267-025-00815-w
• 发表日期: 2026
• 关键词: search-engine; COMPETITOR ORIENTATIONS; Internalization theory; UNCERTAINTY INCREASES; Market orientation; performance; KEYWORDS; differentiation; CUSTOMER; position

摘要

E-commerce platforms can utilize managed ecosystems to integrate diverse, often globally dispersed participants, including users, sellers, and intermediaries. As key ecosystem participants, search engines play a critical role in channeling user traffic across borders. Through algorithmic matching of user queries with relevant product offerings, search engines enable managed ecosystems to adapt to cross-border demand shifts. Using the Russia-Ukraine conflict as an exogenous shock, we employ a difference-in-differences (DiD) design to analyze changes in foreign user traffic to e-commerce platforms in neighboring and non-neighboring countries. We find that neighboring countries' platforms received a notable increase in international user traffic following the geopolitical conflict. This effect was particularly pronounced for e-commerce platforms that effectively optimized product keywords to target user search queries. Specifically, platforms can increase niche focus by targeting unique keywords that competitors neglect, or increase mass appeal by targeting popular keywords to reach a broad audience. Our findings highlight cross-border user traffic as a distinct form of international involvement, enabling e-commerce platforms to engage foreign users in cyberspace before transactions occur. By examining the pre-transactional user acquisition processes, this study advances the international business literature by introducing cross-border user traffic in managed ecosystems as a key pathway for digital internationalization. The rapid growth of digitalization has made e-commerce a key player in global trade. E-commerce connects buyers and sellers online, eliminating the need for physical stores. In 2023, e-commerce sales hit $5.82 trillion, making up nearly 20% of retail sales worldwide. Cross-border e-commerce is expanding at 17% annually, with a projected value of $2.25 trillion by 2026. Despite its importance, little research exists on how e-commerce platforms internationalize digitally. A recent study introduces managed ecosystems, where platforms expand globally by leveraging other participants in their ecosystem, unlike traditional models that rely on physical presence. This study focuses on how these ecosystems attract international user traffic, especially through search engines like Google, which drive a significant portion of e-commerce visits. This article examines how e-commerce platforms attract foreign user traffic during disruptions, using the Russia-Ukraine conflict as a case study. The conflict serves as a quasi-experiment to analyze changes in user traffic to e-commerce platforms in neighboring countries compared to non-neighboring ones. The study uses a difference-in-differences (DiD) design to track these changes. It finds that platforms in neighboring countries saw increased foreign traffic when they could supply products around the conflict zone. The study also explores how platforms can actively shape their visibility on search engines through keyword strategies. Two strategies are identified: niche focus, which targets specific keywords for unique queries, and mass appeal, which targets popular keywords for broader reach. Both strategies enhanced the impact of the conflict on cross-border traffic. The study concludes that managed ecosystems play a crucial role in digital internationalization by focusing on user acquisition through search engines. It highlights the importance of search engines in connecting global buyers and sellers, facilitating international involvement of e-commerce platforms. The research also shows that geopolitical conflicts can create opportunities for platforms to expand their reach by adjusting their search engine strategies. Future implications include the potential for platforms to further optimize their search visibility and explore other digital channels for international expansion.This text was initially drafted using artificial intelligence, then reviewed by the author(s) to ensure accuracy. Les plateformes de commerce & eacute;lectronique peuvent utiliser des & eacute;cosyst & egrave;mes g & eacute;r & eacute;s pour int & eacute;grer divers participants, souvent dispers & eacute;s & agrave; l'& eacute;chelle mondiale, notamment les utilisateurs, les vendeurs et les interm & eacute;diaires. En tant que participants cl & eacute;s de l'& eacute;cosyst & egrave;me, les moteurs de recherche jouent un r & ocirc;le crucial en canalisant le trafic des utilisateurs au-del & agrave; des fronti & egrave;res. Gr & acirc;ce & agrave; un appariement algorithmique des requ & ecirc;tes des utilisateurs avec des offres de produits pertinentes, les moteurs de recherche permettent aux & eacute;cosyst & egrave;mes g & eacute;r & eacute;s de s'adapter aux changements de la demande transfrontali & egrave;re. En utilisant le conflit entre la Russie et l'Ukraine comme un choc exog & egrave;ne, nous employons une m & eacute;thode des diff & eacute;rences de diff & eacute;rences (Difference-in-Differences - DiD) pour analyser les changements dans le trafic des utilisateurs & eacute;trangers vers les plateformes de commerce & eacute;lectronique dans les pays voisins et non voisins. Nous constatons que les plateformes des pays voisins ont enregistr & eacute; une augmentation notable du trafic des utilisateurs internationaux & agrave; la suite du conflit g & eacute;opolitique. Cet impact & eacute;tait particuli & egrave;rement marqu & eacute; pour les plateformes de commerce & eacute;lectronique qui optimisaient efficacement les mots-cl & eacute;s des produits afin de cibler les requ & ecirc;tes des utilisateurs. Plus pr & eacute;cis & eacute;ment, les plateformes peuvent accro & icirc;tre leur sp & eacute;cialisation sur un cr & eacute;neau sp & eacute;cifique en ciblant des mots-cl & eacute;s uniques n & eacute;glig & eacute;s par les concurrents, ou augmenter leur attrait de masse en ciblant des mots-cl & eacute;s populaires pour atteindre un large public. Nos r & eacute;sultats mettent en & eacute;vidence le trafic transfrontalier des utilisateurs comme une forme distincte d'engagement international, permettant aux plateformes de commerce & eacute;lectronique d'engager des utilisateurs & eacute;trangers dans le cyberespace avant que les transactions n'aient lieu. En examinant les processus d'acquisition des utilisateurs avant la transaction, cette recherche fait progresser la litt & eacute;rature en affaires internationales en introduisant le trafic transfrontalier des utilisateurs dans les & eacute;cosyst & egrave;mes g & eacute;r & eacute;s comme une voie cl & eacute; pour l'internationalisation num & eacute;rique. Las plataformas de comercio electr & oacute;nico pueden utilizar ecosistemas gestionados para integrar diversos participantes, a menudo dispersos globalmente, incluidos usuarios, vendedores e intermediarios. Como participantes clave del ecosistema, los motores de b & uacute;squeda desempe & ntilde;an un papel fundamental al canalizar el tr & aacute;fico de usuarios a trav & eacute;s de fronteras. Mediante el emparejamiento algor & iacute;tmico de las consultas de usuarios con ofertas de productos relevantes, los motores de b & uacute;squeda permiten que los ecosistemas gestionados se adapten a los cambios en la demanda transfronteriza. Utilizando el conflicto Rusia-Ucrania como un choque ex & oacute;geno, empleamos un dise & ntilde;o de diferencias-en-diferencias (DiD) para analizar los cambios en el tr & aacute;fico de usuarios extranjeros hacia plataformas de comercio electr & oacute;nico en pa & iacute;ses vecinos y no vecinos. Encontramos que las plataformas de pa & iacute;ses vecinos recibieron un aumento notable en el tr & aacute;fico internacional de usuarios tras el conflicto geopol & iacute;tico. Este efecto fue particularmente pronunciado para las plataformas de comercio electr & oacute;nico que optimizaron efectivamente las palabras clave de productos para orientarse hacia las consultas de b & uacute;squeda de usuarios. Espec & iacute;ficamente, las plataformas pueden aumentar su enfoque de nicho al orientarse hacia palabras clave & uacute;nicas que los competidores descuidan, o aumentar su atractivo masivo al orientarse hacia palabras clave populares para alcanzar una audiencia amplia. Nuestros hallazgos destacan el tr & aacute;fico de usuarios transfronterizo como una forma distintiva de involucramiento internacional, permitiendo que las plataformas de comercio electr & oacute;nico involucren usuarios extranjeros en el ciberespacio antes de que ocurran las transacciones. Al examinar los procesos de adquisici & oacute;n de usuarios previos a la transacci & oacute;n, este estudio contribuye a la literatura de negocios internacionales introduciendo el tr & aacute;fico de usuarios transfronterizo en ecosistemas gestionados como una v & iacute;a clave para la internacionalizaci & oacute;n digital. Plataformas de e-commerce podem utilizar ecossistemas gerenciados para integrar participantes diversos, frequentemente dispersos globalmente, incluindo usu & aacute;rios, vendedores e intermedi & aacute;rios. Como participantes-chave desse ecossistema, motores de busca desempenham um papel cr & iacute;tico ao direcionar o tr & aacute;fego de usu & aacute;rios atrav & eacute;s de fronteiras. Motores de busca permitem que ecossistemas gerenciados se adaptem a mudan & ccedil;as na demanda transfronteiri & ccedil;a por meio do pareamento algor & iacute;tmico de consultas de usu & aacute;rios com ofertas de produtos relevantes. Utilizando o conflito entre R & uacute;ssia e Ucr & acirc;nia como um choque ex & oacute;geno, empregamos um modelo de diferen & ccedil;a-em-diferen & ccedil;as (DiD) para analisar mudan & ccedil;as no tr & aacute;fego de usu & aacute;rios estrangeiros para plataformas de e-commerce em pa & iacute;ses vizinhos e n & atilde;o vizinhos. Descobrimos que plataformas de pa & iacute;ses vizinhos receberam um aumento not & aacute;vel no tr & aacute;fego internacional de usu & aacute;rios ap & oacute;s o conflito geopol & iacute;tico. Esse efeito foi particularmente pronunciado em plataformas de e-commerce que otimizaram de forma eficaz palavras-chave de produtos para direcionar consultas de busca dos usu & aacute;rios. Especificamente, plataformas podem aumentar o foco em nichos ao direcionar palavras-chave & uacute;nicas que concorrentes negligenciam, ou aumentar o apelo de massa ao direcionar palavras-chave populares para atingir um p & uacute;blico amplo. Nossas descobertas destacam o tr & aacute;fego transfronteiri & ccedil;o de usu & aacute;rios como uma forma distinta de envolvimento internacional, permitindo que plataformas de e-commerce engajem usu & aacute;rios estrangeiros no ciberespa & ccedil;o antes que transa & ccedil;& otilde;es ocorram. Ao examinar os processos de aquisi & ccedil;& atilde;o de usu & aacute;rios pretransacionais, este estudo avan & ccedil;a a literatura de neg & oacute;cios internacionais ao introduzir o tr & aacute;fego transfronteiri & ccedil;o de usu & aacute;rios em ecossistemas gerenciados como um caminho-chave para a internacionaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o digital. 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