Previous literature suggested that MNEs tend to deploy in-house cross-border R&D linkages in host countries rich in advanced technologies as such strategy not only facilitates cross-border knowledge transfer and integration, but also provides intra-firm dependence and control for knowledge protection overseas. However, to compensate for the high management cost of internal R&D linkages, MNEs tend to use them to create and transfer high-value knowledge, the misappropriation of which could be particularly damaging. In addition, the costly strategy usually indicates high organizational commitment in the host country, putting MNEs at risk in the world with dynamic geopolitical landscape. Our empirical analysis of 145,272 Sino-foreign R&D linkages made by 1,353 MNEs between 2008 and 2022 finds that MNEs used fewer rather than more internal R&D linkages connecting China in technology areas where China has higher relative technological competence. This negative relationship is exacerbated by the IP litigation risks in such technology area in China and the bilateral political tensions between China and MNEs’ home countries. These findings contribute to extant literature on MNEs’ global R&D strategy and that on trends towards the new globalization logic.

Participation in international technology licensing represents a challenge for periphery country firms, in part because of uncertainty about these firms’ trustworthiness and their ability to put licensed technology to good use. Having been more licensor- than licensee-focused, prior literature may have therefore underestimated the selection stage, in which some partners are chosen while others are overlooked. A more realistic theory of technology licensing incorporates how foreign firms need to assess their potential partners ex ante under conditions of uncertainty. Whereas recent work has started to open this ‘black box’ of selection based on signaling mechanisms, I aim to make their theory increasingly complete through consideration of signals directly under firms’ control. In addition to being observable, I argue that the signal also needs to be credible for foreign firms, and this credibility is shaped by whether potential licensees’ characteristics and activities are congruent with the message of the signal. I test my framework in a context of 46 periphery countries in Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East, with data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey, and find support for my hypotheses, thereby shedding light on the conditions under which ability signals are effective for access to international technology licensing.

Digital Multinational Corporations (DMNCs), such as Meta and Alphabet, arose as new organizational form and can be defined as an organization that seeks to derive a competitive advantage from digitalization and datafication by monetizing human behavior and public value through its global infrastructure, services, and products. Yet, this organizational form is lacking a clear categorization, which is a prerequisite for understanding an organizational form, their consequences, and governance. This paper provides a categorization of various kinds of DMNCs based on a fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis. By analyzing combinations of four conditions: (1) industry digital intensity; (2) user-generated content; (3) product diversification; (4) real-time advertisement bidding, this paper presents four types of DMNCs: generic, sectorial, tool-based and not-for-data-profit DMNCs. Our analysis shows that real-time advertisement bidding is the necessary condition for DMNCs, while industry digital intensity (sectorial) or the combination between product diversity and user-generated content (tool-oriented) are leading to DMNCs. Not-for-data-profit DMNCs, despite the absence of real-time advertisement bidding, is included in this categorization as these organizations has potential to shift towards other types of DMNCs. In conclusion, this paper contributes by presenting a definition and categorization of DMNCs creating a theoretical foundation for further research into these organizations.

Information technologies (IT) transform organizational processes in multinational enterprises (MNEs). In this paper, we investigate the role of Shadow IT, i.e. the use of non-authorized IT systems, devices, software, applications and services, in cross-border acquisitions. We built a single case study of a German MNE in the biotechnology industry, who has expanded globally through cross-border acquisitions. The empirical study is based on 19 semi-structured interviews conducted with managers in the acquiring and target companies. Our findings highlight how IT can support the integration process in cross-border acquisitions. We provide novel insights into the ambivalent role played by Shadow IT, which can facilitate the integration process despite the risks inherent to unauthorized IT systems and tools. Our study also shows how MNEs can deal with Shadow IT in cross-border acquisitions.

In an era of technological advancements and de-globalization, this study examines the impact of digital transformation on the internationalization speed of Chinese Multinational Enterprises (CMNEs). Drawing on internalization theory, we propose a U-shaped relationship where digital transformation initially slows but then accelerates internationalization. Empirically testing 1,262 firm-year observations from 2010 to 2020, our findings reveal that digital transformation facilitates and complicates international expansion due to increased transaction costs and market complexities. Additionally, the study highlights the significant role of inter-regional ratios and de-globalization in influencing this relationship, underscoring the importance of strategic digital transformation management for CMNEs. Contributing to both internalization theory and digital transformation literature, our research provides nuanced insights into how CMNEs navigate global challenges and leverage digital capabilities for effective international growth, offering valuable managerial implications in an increasingly fragmented global market.