21902: Involuntary Internationalization: Internationalization Motives in Ecosystems (session 25990)

This study explores the interrelated nature of internationalization motives within interconnected ecosystems, highlighting how the motives of individual firms are intertwined with those of other ecosystem participants. Traditional research often focuses on firm-centric motives, overlooking the influence of ecosystem dynamics. By building on the internationalization motives literature, we explore how power structures and interdependencies within ecosystems shape internationalization motives. Using a case study of a digital well-being services ecosystem, we identify three distinct motives among the ecosystem’s digital platform members: subjugated, resource-disconnected, and piggybacking internationalization, each reflecting varying levels of reliance on the platform leader. These motives are characterized by involuntariness, driven by the ecosystem’s power dynamics. Methodologically, our research situates the investigation in the pre-internationalization phase, employing cognitive mapping, observations, and qualitative interviews to capture nuanced motives. By shifting the focus from firm-centric to ecosystem-driven internationalization motives, our study offers novel insights into the collective and power-laden nature of decision-making in modern business ecosystems.

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