This study enriches the discourse surrounding the location choice decisions made by internationalizing firms by redirecting attention from consolidated firm-level factors to the microfoundations that underpin these decisions. This research conceptually elucidates firms' internationalization process and explores the macro-micro determinants of internationalizing firms' location choice decisions. While conventional theories advocate for an incremental internationalization path commencing in proximal markets and advancing gradually to distant ones, recent studies posit that strategic considerations may drive firms to engage distant markets directly. Employing the microfoundations perspective, this study scrutinizes location choice decisions at the decision-makers' level. This investigation contends that a comprehensive understanding of firms' internationalization location decisions necessitates examining decision-makers' dynamic capabilities, subject to contextual influences. The microfoundations perspective, grounded in institutional theory, provides insights into the interplay between macro-level institutional factors and micro-level managerial capabilities. Recognizing the varied impact of national contexts on decision-makers, the paper employs the Coleman bathtub framework to propose a mechanism governing internationalization location choice decisions. The proposition posits that decision-makers' dynamic capabilities, shaped by their environmental context and the attractiveness of the host location, exert influence on location choice decisions of decision maker’s, thereby delineating the path of internationalization for Multinational Enterprise (MNEs).

We build upon the international business and the international trade finance literatures to examine the direct effects of corporate policy of trade finance, and product, marketing, and organizational innovation on the export intensity of foreign subsidiaries of multinational enterprises (MNEs), defined as a share of exports over total sales. We analyse the moderating effect of export knowledge on the relationship between corporate policy of trade finance and export intensity. We hypothesize that foreign subsidiaries utilise corporate policy of trade finance, defined as a set of payment contracts (cash in advance, letter of credit, and open account) that facilitates trade and protects importers and exporters from trade-related risks, together with innovation and export knowledge, to drive their export intensity. We empirically test our hypotheses using a survey dataset with MNE foreign subsidiaries in manufacturing and service sectors operating in Southeast Asia, supplemented with parent-level archival data, and country-level data from public sources. We find that corporate policy of trade finance and innovation are positively associated with export intensity. Export knowledge strengthens the relationship between corporate policy of trade of finance and export intensity. We discuss the contribution of study for the subsidiary exporting literature and the strategic implications of our findings for practice.

Adjusting a company upstream value chain activities to embrace digitalization can drive significant improvements in the company’s performance and competitive advantages. The empirical evidence on the role and correlation of the digitalization and geographical distribution of both the upstream and downstream activities on a company’s international performance is limited, however.

The findings of this study obtained via quantitative methods on a sample of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) originating from Romania indicate that for internationalizing SMEs can better take advantage of digitalization, if they enable the activities of both parts of the value chain to use Internet technologies.

The present study contributes to the literature on international entrepreneurship and SME internationalization by extending the discussion on the implications of coordinating internationally digitalized value chain activities on international performance with a particular focus on born-digital companies.

This research has implications especially for low-digital companies that need to rethink operations considering adding two important correlated dimensions, digital technologies and foreign market selection, to their upstream and downstream value chain activities trying to ensure their international performance.

International new ventures (INVs)/Born Globals are firms that unlike traditional multinationals, start their international ventures soon after establishment. While the founder(s) competencies act as critical drivers for these organizations, there are several agencies that complements the efforts put by the entrepreneur in initiating the internationalization process of firms. We develop a conceptual model that discuss the various drivers of internationalization of INVs and also about the post-internationalization phase of these enterprises. We complement the model by including the use of various cross-disciplinary theories explaining the dynamics of the internationalization process of INVs holistically. Contributions of the study are discussed along with certain directions for future research.

Economic Grand Challenges refers to "complex problems with significant implications, unknown solutions, and intertwined and evolving technical and social interactions" MNEs independently or in conjunction with other actors: government, other MNEs, and non-profit organizations The document titled "What issues require MNEs to work alone, in conjunction with other MNEs, or in collaboration with non-profit and governmental collaborate partners to solve economic Grand Challenges The paper addresses various approaches of these collaborations, such as knowledge sharing, risk mitigation, and stakeholder engagement, and explores the strategic and ethical considerations involved. The discussion delves into theoretical models, exploring the intersection of stakeholder theory, ethics, capitalism, and social innovation and how these elements influence MNEs' decision-making processes in collaborative ventures. The paper also discusses the challenges and barriers MNEs face in collaboration, including cultural differences, conflicting goals, and organizational disparities. It underscores the importance of strategic solutions for successful global collaboration and competitive advantage. The document contributes to the theoretical understanding of MNE collaborations in addressing grand economic challenges, offering insights into these partnerships' benefits, outcomes, and ethical implications.