The dual effects of digitalization on SMEs: export gains and learning losses

• 成果类型: Article; Early Access
• 署名作者: Gomes, Emanuel; Lehman, David W.; Vendrell-Herrero, Ferran
• 署名单位: Universidade Nova de Lisboa; University of Virginia; University of Edinburgh; University of Vaasa
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STUDIES
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2506
• DOI: 10.1057/s41267-026-00879-2
• 发表日期: 2026
• 关键词: model; INTERNATIONALIZATION; PRODUCTIVITY; management; economies; MARKET; trust

摘要

Longstanding debates persist about the impact of new technologies on firms, particularly as it relates to internationalization. Some scholars suggest that digitalization will enhance the benefits of export activity by facilitating connections with partners and customers. Others, however, suggest that digitalization will simply fail to live up to the hype-or perhaps even worse. This debate is especially relevant for SMEs given that export activity is the primary route to global markets for such firms. We propose that digitalization will exert dual effects on SMEs: on the bright side, larger investments in digital technologies will lead to greater export activity (i.e., higher export sales); on the dark side, however, digitalization-induced export activity will generate fewer learning opportunities from export partners (i.e., smaller productivity gains). The proposed hypotheses were tested and supported using detailed firm-level panel data from 20,133 Portuguese firms from 2010 to 2019. Additional analyses and case studies corroborate the proposed mechanisms and point to hybrid approaches as one possible way to balance these dual effects of digitalization. Taken together, the findings shed new light on the debate about the role of digitalization in internationalization efforts. Les d & eacute;bats de longue date persistent quant & agrave; l'impact des nouvelles technologies sur les entreprises, en particulier en ce qui concerne l'internationalisation. Certains chercheurs sugg & egrave;rent que la num & eacute;risation renforcera les avantages des activit & eacute;s d'exportation en facilitant les connexions avec les partenaires et les clients. D'autres, en revanche, estiment que la num & eacute;risation ne sera tout simplement pas & agrave; la hauteur des attentes, voire qu'elle aura des cons & eacute;quences encore plus n & eacute;fastes. Ce d & eacute;bat est particuli & egrave;rement pertinent pour les PME, & eacute;tant donn & eacute; que l'activit & eacute; d'exportation constitue pour elles la principale voie d'acc & egrave;s aux march & eacute;s mondiaux. Nous proposons que la num & eacute;risation exercera des effets doubles sur les PME : d'un c & ocirc;t & eacute; & laquo; lumineux & raquo;, des investissements plus importants dans les technologies num & eacute;riques conduiront & agrave; une activit & eacute; d'exportation accrue (c'est-& agrave;-dire des ventes & agrave; l'exportation plus & eacute;lev & eacute;es) ; d'un c & ocirc;t & eacute; & laquo; sombre & raquo;, cependant, l'activit & eacute; d'exportation induite par la num & eacute;risation g & eacute;n & eacute;rera moins d'opportunit & eacute;s d'apprentissage aupr & egrave;s des partenaires d'exportation (c'est-& agrave;-dire des gains de productivit & eacute; plus faibles). Les hypoth & egrave;ses propos & eacute;es ont & eacute;t & eacute; test & eacute;es et confirm & eacute;es & agrave; l'aide de donn & eacute;es d & eacute;taill & eacute;es au niveau de l'entreprise, issues d'un panel de 20133 entreprises portugaises entre 2010 et 2019. Des analyses suppl & eacute;mentaires et des & eacute;tudes de cas corroborent les m & eacute;canismes propos & eacute;s, et sugg & egrave;rent des approches hybrides comme une solution possible pour & eacute;quilibrer ces effets doubles de la num & eacute;risation. Ensemble, ces r & eacute;sultats apportent un & eacute;clairage nouveau sur le d & eacute;bat concernant le r & ocirc;le de la num & eacute;risation dans les efforts d'internationalisation. Persisten los debates de larga data sobre el impacto de las nuevas tecnolog & iacute;as en las empresas, particularmente en lo que respecta a la internacionalizaci & oacute;n. Algunos acad & eacute;micos sugieren que la digitalizaci & oacute;n mejorar & aacute; los beneficios de la actividad exportadora al facilitar las conexiones con socios y clientes. Otros, sin embargo, sugieren que la digitalizaci & oacute;n simplemente no estar & aacute; a la altura de las expectativas, o quiz & aacute;s incluso generar efectos adversos. Este debate es especialmente relevante para las PYMES, dado que la actividad exportadora es la principal v & iacute;a hacia los mercados globales para este tipo de empresas. Proponemos que la digitalizaci & oacute;n ejercer & aacute; efectos ambivalentes en las PYMES: por el lado positivo, mayores inversiones en tecnolog & iacute;as digitales conducir & aacute;n a una mayor actividad exportadora (es decir, mayores ventas de exportaci & oacute;n); por el lado negativo, sin embargo, la actividad exportadora inducida por la digitalizaci & oacute;n generar & aacute; menos oportunidades de aprendizaje derivado de los socios internacionales en los mercados de exportaci & oacute;n (es decir, menores ganancias en productividad). Las hip & oacute;tesis propuestas fueron probadas y respaldadas utilizando datos detallados a nivel de empresa de un panel de 20.133 empresas portuguesas entre 2010 y 2019. An & aacute;lisis adicionales y estudios de caso corroboran los mecanismos propuestos y se & ntilde;alan enfoques h & iacute;bridos como una posible forma de equilibrar estos efectos ambivalentes de la digitalizaci & oacute;n. En conjunto, los hallazgos arrojan nueva luz sobre el debate en torno al papel de la digitalizaci & oacute;n en los esfuerzos de internacionalizaci & oacute;n. Debates de longa data persistem sobre o impacto das novas tecnologias nas empresas, particularmente no que diz respeito & agrave; internacionaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o. Alguns acad & ecirc;micos sugerem que a digitaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o aumentar & aacute; os benef & iacute;cios da atividade exportadora ao facilitar conex & otilde;es com parceiros e clientes. Outros, no entanto, sugerem que a digitaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o simplesmente n & atilde;o corresponder & aacute; & agrave;s expectativas - ou talvez seja ainda pior. Esse debate & eacute; especialmente relevante para SMEs, dado que a exporta & ccedil;& atilde;o & eacute; a principal via de acesso aos mercados globais para essas empresas. Propomos que a digitaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o ter & aacute; efeitos duais sobre as SMEs: pelo lado positivo, maiores investimentos em tecnologias digitais levar & atilde;o a uma maior atividade de exporta & ccedil;& atilde;o, isto & eacute;, maiores vendas de exporta & ccedil;& atilde;o; pelo lado negativo, entretanto, a atividade de exporta & ccedil;& atilde;o induzida pela digitaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o gerar & aacute; menos oportunidades de aprendizagem com os parceiros de exporta & ccedil;& atilde;o, isto & eacute;, menores ganhos de produtividade. As hip & oacute;teses propostas foram testadas e confirmadas com base em dados detalhados em painel ao n & iacute;vel das empresas, abrangendo 20.133 empresas portuguesas entre 2010 e 2019. An & aacute;lises adicionais e estudos de caso corroboram os mecanismos propostos e apontam para abordagens h & iacute;bridas como uma poss & iacute;vel forma de equilibrar os efeitos duais da digitaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o. Em conjunto, os resultados esclarecem um pouco mais o papel da digitaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o nos esfor & ccedil;os de internacionaliza & ccedil;& atilde;o. 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