Born Global or traditional: Can companies decide their own internationalization path? A mixed method research of the internationalization processes of Danish textile and clothing companies
Authors
Nørgaard, Tobias ; Andersen, Lars Marco
Term
4. Term
Publication year
2017
Pages
150
Abstract
This thesis investigates whether and how Danish textile and clothing firms follow a Born Global or a traditional, incremental path to internationalization, and which factors shape that trajectory. Addressing globalization’s influence and a research gap in low-tech industries, it synthesizes fragmented literature to identify eight key attributes that affect internationalization: resources and capabilities, market knowledge, market commitment, adaptability, business networks, founder’s experience, and global market orientation. A mixed-methods design combines five qualitative case studies based on face-to-face interviews using the critical incidents technique with a survey of 106 respondents. Different paradigms guide each stage (interpretive for the qualitative analysis; functionalist for the quantitative analysis). The configuration of these attributes appears to influence whether firms internationalize early and rapidly or more gradually. The case evidence strongly supports the relevance of Born Global attributes in the sector, while the survey results are ambiguous and statistically insignificant, largely due to limited sample size. To enhance validity, the study used an interview guide, pilot-tested the questionnaire, and targeted the industry population; it primarily reports insights from the qualitative analysis, offering an industry-specific understanding of how Danish firms pursue international expansion.
Dette speciale undersøger, om og hvordan danske tekstil- og beklædningsvirksomheder følger en Born Global- eller en traditionel, trinvis internationaliseringsvej, og hvilke faktorer der former forløbet. Med afsæt i globaliseringens betydning og et videnshul i lavteknologiske brancher syntetiseres fragmenteret litteratur for at identificere otte centrale attributter for internationalisering: ressourcer og kapabiliteter, markedskendskab, markedscommitment, tilpasningsevne, forretningsnetværk, stifterens erfaring og global markedsorientering. Studiet anvender et mixed-methods design med fem kvalitative casestudier baseret på personlige interviews og critical incidents-teknikken samt en spørgeskemaundersøgelse med 106 respondenter. To forskellige paradigmer anvendes i de to faser (et fortolkningsparadigme i den kvalitative del og et funktionalistisk i den kvantitative). Konfigurationen af de identificerede attributter ser ud til at påvirke, om virksomheder internationaliserer tidligt og hurtigt eller mere gradvist. Casematerialet giver stærk støtte til Born Global-attributterne i branchen, mens surveyresultaterne er tvetydige og statistisk ikke-signifikante, primært på grund af begrænset stikprøvestørrelse. Specialet redegør for tiltag for at styrke validiteten (interviewguide, pilottest, målrettede invitationer) og præsenterer primært indsigter fra den kvalitative analyse, som giver en branchespecifik forståelse af, hvordan danske virksomheder går til international ekspansion.
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