Born Again Globals and the Reconfiguration of Resources in the Internationalization Process

Internationalization has become an issue in most small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), and literature has emphasized the role of strategic choices focusing on several aspects, such as motivations, entry mode choices, internationalization process. Few studies have examined the social capital perspective in depth in the context of international new ventures (INVs) and particularly toward their marketing activities, but even fewer studies has research the very same in ”born-again” globals firms (Bell et al. 2001). Internationalization is recognized as a valuable strategy for organizations’ growth and expansion; however, little is known about the internationalization behavior in this type of firms. Using resource based view; the internationalization processes of an established Danish family firm from the foundation to the present time are examined. Some key determinants of the internationalization pathways taken by the family firm are identified eg. the level of commitment toward internationalization, the resources available, and the ability to commit and use those resources to develop the required capabilities. Furthermore, how the owner makes international decisions is explored and four propositions are analyzed. The implications for born-again business practitioners and ideas for future research are discussed.