What do we know about internationalization strategies implementation and what are we missing?

Abstract

Internationalization is a particular kind of strategy that can be described as a complex and multidimensional decision process. However, good strategies do not guarantee business success unless they are successfully implemented. This study aims to investigate what are the key internal factors that impact the implementation of the internationalization strategy of the firm. We conducted a descriptive review of the literature, on articles in the ISI Web of Science database, followed by the use of categorical analysis technique. Results show that antecedents represent most of internationalization studies and little attention has been given to the key internal factors. In addition, most of the discussion focus on Internal Context issues (organizational structures, relationship between business units and people/leadership capabilities), but key factors concerning the Strategic Implementation Process (communication, commitment and control systems) have been neglected by researchers and compromise the holistic understanding of the internationalization process. In this study, we propose an analytical framework bridging the strategy and internationalization perspectives on the issue of implementation and indicate gaps in the internationalization body of research concerning the key internal facts. In doing so, we expect to contribute by providing a systematic understanding of the key factors influencing the implementation of internationalization strategies.