Internationalization of professional service firms as learning – a constructivist approach

Emerald - Tập 18 Số 2 - Trang 140-151 - 2007
MarkusReihlen1, BirgitAlexandra Apel1
1Department of General Management, Business Policy & Logistics, University of Cologne, Köln, Germany

Tóm tắt

PurposeInternationalization process research has conceptualized the cross‐border move of firms as a process of learning. Yet, little attempts have been made to develop a constructivist learning theory of the internationalizing firm. The aim of this paper is to apply a contemporary learning theoretical framework to analyze the internationalization of professional service firms.Design/methodology/approachA constructivist theory of learning is applied.FindingsThe paper explains learning during the internationalization process of professional service firms as a process of social interaction with the socio‐cultural environment. The paper outlines specific individual and social mechanisms through which firms acquire new knowledge when moving across borders and embed themselves into a new socio‐cultural market domain.Research limitations/implicationsThe argument is theoretical in nature and has particular implications for future empirical research, which may investigate the specific social learning mechanisms of the internationalizing firm in particular professional service industries and cultural settings.Originality/valueThe application of a constructivist theory of learning to the internationalization of professional service firms is unique until now to the research field.

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