The changing geopolitical landscape and the trend of de-globalization present firms with unique challenges and opportunities, requiring firms’ strategic adaptations to manage competing demands. This study explores how firms manage these tensions through a seven-year longitudinal case study of Haitian, a global leader in the injection molding industry. Using paradox theory, the research identifies key tensions arising from de-globalization, reflected in firms’ managerial orientations, organizational configurations, and strategic internationalization actions. It highlights response strategies—realigning top management orientation, restructuring organizational configurations, and relocating value chain activities—that firms employ to manage these paradoxes and achieve sustained international growth. By examining the interplay between internationalization strategies and geopolitical shifts, this study offers novel insights into how firms reconfigure their international business operations in a fragmented yet interconnected world, contributing to the literature on internationalization and paradox management.
