Different perspectives on internationalization research: a bibliometric review

Authors

  • João Carvalho Santos School of Technology and Management globADVANTAGE – Center of Research in International Business & Strategy Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Portugal
  • Hortênsia Karl Barandas Faculdade de Economia da Universidade do Porto
  • Francisco Vitorino Martins Faculdade de Economia da Universidade do Porto

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5585/ijsm.v14i4.2263

Keywords:

Internationalization approaches, international business journals, bibliometric review

Abstract

A wealth of research has addressed the internationalization of firms using different theories and conceptual perspectives. This paper examines the extant research on internationalization specifically delving into seven streams of research: Market Power, Evolutionary Model, Internalization & Transaction Cost, Eclectic Paradigm, Resource-Based View, Institutional and International New Ventures & Born Global. Methodologically we conduct a bibliometric review in six leading journals recognized for publishing International Business (IB) research, during a forty one year period, from 1970 to 2010. Using citations and co-citations analyses on a sample of 1,459 articles, we sought to better understand the internationalization approaches and how they are interconnected, by examining its growth over time, the most used approaches, the works that have had the greatest impact, and the intellectual interconnections among authors. We conclude that there is no dominant approach in International Business research, albeit the Evolutionary Model has been the most cited - in almost 26% of the extant research, specially the paper– “The internationalization process of the firm: A model of knowledge development and increasing foreign market commitment”, by Johanson and Vahlne (1977). We present a broad discussion and point out limitations and directions for future research.

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Author Biography

João Carvalho Santos, School of Technology and Management globADVANTAGE – Center of Research in International Business & Strategy Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Portugal

Professor e investigador nas áreas de estratégia e gestão internacional. Professor na Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Gestão do Instituto Politécnico de Leiria, Portugal. Doutorando em Ciências Empresariais na Faculdade de Economia da Universidade do Porto e Licenciado em Gestão de Empresas pelo Instituto Politécnico de Leiria. Membro associado do centro de investigação: globADVANTAGE - Center of Research in International Business & Strategy (Centro de Pesquisa em Estratégia e Negócios Internacionais). Apresentações em conferências nacionais e internacionais e autor de artigos científicos em revistas como o Journal of Business Research e Revista de Administração de Empresas. Co-autor dos livros 'Gestão empresarial', 'Ser empreendedor: Pensar, criar e moldar a nova empresa', 'Gestão Empresarial: Casos de estudo'. A sua pesquisa é centrada em estratégia e em negócios internacionais, em especial com foco no modelo evolucionário da Escola de Uppsala.

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Published

2015-12-01

How to Cite

Santos, J. C., Barandas, H. K., & Martins, F. V. (2015). Different perspectives on internationalization research: a bibliometric review. Revista Ibero-Americana De Estratégia, 14(4), 93–118. https://doi.org/10.5585/ijsm.v14i4.2263

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 4 (2015): October/December

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2015 Iberoamerican Journal of Strategic Management

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