Parallel internationalization during radical industry transformations: the case of Telecom Finland

• 成果类型: Article; Early Access
• 署名作者: Cheung, Zeerim; Niittymies, Aleksi
• 署名单位: University of Sydney; University of Jyvaskyla; Aalto University
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STUDIES
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2506
• DOI: 10.1057/s41267-026-00871-w
• 发表日期: 2026
• 关键词: institutional change; ENVIRONMENTAL JOLTS; MODEL; strategies; HISTORY

摘要

We examine how radical industry transformations shape firms' internationalization, addressing the limited theorization of how industry-level dynamicsinfluence internationalization processes. Drawing on a historical case study of Telecom Finland's internationalization during two radical transformations in the European telecommunications industry (1987-1998), we show how industry transformation simultaneously orients firms toward parallel internationalization and constrains its execution through systemic industry uncertainty, leading to two contributions. First, we offer an industry-driven explanation for why firms internationalize into multiple markets in parallel. Industry transformation enables parallel entries by creating simultaneous opportunities and actively orienting firms toward parallelism, as industry conditions shape what managers interpret as viable responses. Second, we expand understanding of uncertainty in internationalization processes by introducing the concept of systemic industry uncertainty, a form of transformation-driven uncertainty originating at the industry level, shared across actors, interdependent across markets, and irreducible within the relevant decision windows. Distinct from the market-specific uncertainty emphasized in internationalization process literature, systemic industry uncertainty impedes established uncertainty-reduction mechanisms-learning, network-based knowledge, and diversification-showing that uncertainty shapes internationalization in previously unrecognized ways. Our findings suggest that managers should closely follow industry-level developments, as these play a more central role in shaping internationalization than existing models assume. Dans un effort de rem & eacute;dier & agrave; la th & eacute;orisation limit & eacute;e de la mani & egrave;re dont les dynamiques au niveau de l'industrie influencent les processus d'internationalisation, nous examinons comment les transformations radicales de l'industrie fa & ccedil;onnent l'internationalisation des entreprises. Nous appuyant sur une & eacute;tude de cas historique de l'internationalisation de Telecom Finland au cours de deux transformations radicales de l'industrie europ & eacute;enne des t & eacute;l & eacute;communications (1987-1998), nous montrons comment la transformation de l'industrie oriente les entreprises vers une internationalisation parall & egrave;le tout en en limitant la mise en oe uvre en raison de l'incertitude syst & eacute;mique qui r & egrave;gne dans le secteur, ce qui conduit & agrave; deux contributions. Premi & egrave;rement, nous apportons une explication ax & eacute;e sur l'industrie pour comprendre pourquoi les entreprises s'internationalisent sur plusieurs march & eacute;s en parall & egrave;le. La transformation sectorielle permet des entr & eacute;es parall & egrave;les en cr & eacute;ant des opportunit & eacute;s simultan & eacute;es et en orientant activement les entreprises vers le parall & eacute;lisme, car les conditions de l'industrie fa & ccedil;onnent ce que les managers interpr & egrave;tent comme des r & eacute;ponses viables. Deuxi & egrave;mement, nous & eacute;largissons la compr & eacute;hension de l'incertitude dans les processus d'internationalisation en introduisant le concept d'incertitude syst & eacute;mique sectorielle, d & eacute;fini comme une forme d'incertitude li & eacute;e & agrave; la transformation qui trouve son origine au niveau de l'industrie, se partage entre diff & eacute;rents acteurs, pr & eacute;sente une interd & eacute;pendance entre les march & eacute;s, et se montre irr & eacute;ductible dans les fen & ecirc;tres de d & eacute;cision pertinentes. Distincte de l'incertitude sp & eacute;cifique au march & eacute; mise en avant dans la litt & eacute;rature sur les processus d'internationalisation, l'incertitude syst & eacute;mique au niveau de l'industrie entrave les m & eacute;canismes de r & eacute;duction de l'incertitude pr & eacute;c & eacute;demment & eacute;tablis -apprentissage, connaissances bas & eacute;es sur les r & eacute;seaux et diversification -, montrant ainsi que l'incertitude fa & ccedil;onne l'internationalisation de mani & egrave;res jusqu'ici inexplor & eacute;es. Nos r & eacute;sultats sugg & egrave;rent que les managers devraient suivre de pr & egrave;s les & eacute;volutions au niveau de l'industrie, car celles-ci jouent un r & ocirc;le plus central dans la structuration de l'internationalisation que ne le supposent les mod & egrave;les existants. Examinamos c & oacute;mo las transformaciones radicales de la industria moldean la internacionalizaci & oacute;n de las empresas, abordando la limitada teorizaci & oacute;n sobre c & oacute;mo las din & aacute;micas a nivel de la industria influyen en los procesos de internacionalizaci & oacute;n. Bas & aacute;ndonos en un estudio de caso hist & oacute;rico sobre la internacionalizaci & oacute;n de Telecom Finland durante dos transformaciones radicales en la industria de las telecomunicaciones europeas (1987-1998), mostramos c & oacute;mo la transformaci & oacute;n de la industria simult & aacute;neamente orienta a las empresas hacia una internacionalizaci & oacute;n paralela y restringe su ejecuci & oacute;n a trav & eacute;s de la incertidumbre sist & eacute;mica de la industria, lo que conduce a dos contribuciones. Primero, ofrecemos una explicaci & oacute;n impulsada por la industria sobre por qu & eacute; las empresas se internacionalizan en m & uacute;ltiples mercados de manera paralela. La transformaci & oacute;n de la industria permite entradas paralelas al crear oportunidades simult & aacute;neas y orientar activamente a las empresas hacia el paralelismo, ya que las condiciones de la industria moldean lo que los gerentes interpretan como respuestas viables. Segundo, ampliamos la comprensi & oacute;n de la incertidumbre en los procesos de internacionalizaci & oacute;n al introducir el concepto de incertidumbre sist & eacute;mica de la industria, una forma de incertidumbre impulsada por la transformaci & oacute;n que se origina a nivel de la industria, es compartida entre los actores, es interdependiente entre los mercados y es irreductible dentro de las ventanas de decisi & oacute;n relevantes. Distinta de la incertidumbre espec & iacute;fica del mercado enfatizada en la literatura sobre procesos de internacionalizaci & oacute;n, la incertidumbre sist & eacute;mica de la industria dificulta los mecanismos establecidos de reducci & oacute;n de incertidumbre-aprendizaje, conocimiento basado en redes y diversificaci & oacute;n-mostrando que la incertidumbre moldea la internacionalizaci & oacute;n de maneras previamente no reconocidas. Nuestros hallazgos sugieren que los gerentes deber & iacute;an seguir de cerca los desarrollos a nivel de la industria, ya que estos desempe & ntilde;an un papel m & aacute;s central en la configuraci & oacute;n de la internacionalizaci & oacute;n de lo que los modelos existentes asumen. Examinamos como transforma & ccedil;& otilde;es radicais na ind & uacute;stria moldam a internacionaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o de empresas, abordando a limitada teoriza & ccedil;& atilde;o sobre como as din & acirc;micas a n & iacute;vel industrial influenciam os processos de internacionaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o. Com base em um estudo de caso hist & oacute;rico sobre a internacionaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o da Telecom Finland durante duas transforma & ccedil;& otilde;es radicais na ind & uacute;stria europeia de telecomunica & ccedil;& otilde;es (1987-1998), mostramos como a transforma & ccedil;& atilde;o da ind & uacute;stria simultaneamente orienta as empresas para uma internacionaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o paralela e restringe sua execu & ccedil;& atilde;o por meio da incerteza industrial sist & ecirc;mica, o que leva a duas contribui & ccedil;& otilde;es. Primeiro, oferecemos uma explica & ccedil;& atilde;o orientada pela ind & uacute;stria sobre porque empresas se internacionalizam em m & uacute;ltiplos mercados de forma paralela. A transforma & ccedil;& atilde;o da ind & uacute;stria possibilita entradas paralelas, criando oportunidades simult & acirc;neas e orientando ativamente as empresas para o paralelismo, enquanto as condi & ccedil;& otilde;es da ind & uacute;stria moldam o que os gestores interpretam como respostas vi & aacute;veis. Segundo, ampliamos a compreens & atilde;o da incerteza nos processos de internacionaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o ao introduzir o conceito de incerteza industrial sist & ecirc;mica, uma forma de incerteza impulsionada pela transforma & ccedil;& atilde;o que se origina no n & iacute;vel da ind & uacute;stria, & eacute; compartilhada entre os atores, interdependente entre mercados e irredut & iacute;vel dentro das janelas de decis & atilde;o relevantes. Distinta da incerteza espec & iacute;fica de mercado enfatizada na literatura sobre processos de internacionaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o, a incerteza industrial sist & ecirc;mica impede os mecanismos estabelecidos de redu & ccedil;& atilde;o de incerteza-aprendizado, conhecimento baseado em redes e diversifica & ccedil;& atilde;o-, mostrando que a incerteza molda a internacionaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o de formas at & eacute; ent & atilde;o n & atilde;o reconhecidas. Nossas descobertas sugerem que gestores devem acompanhar de perto os desenvolvimentos no n & iacute;vel da ind & uacute;stria, pois estes desempenham um papel mais central na forma & ccedil;& atilde;o da internacionaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o do que os modelos existentes sup & otilde;em. (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic). (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(Telecom Finland)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(1987-1998)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic). (sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic). (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic). (sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic); (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic). (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)--(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)--(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic). (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic), (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).