Scaling, the process of resource-efficient rapid growth of companies, is gaining increasing attention from both academia and practitioners. Scaleup companies consistently outperform their counterparts, generating a greater impact on society in terms of jobs, value creation, and diffusion of innovation.
Internationalization serves as a powerful strategy for scaling, despite challenges such as rising costs or adaptation dilemmas, which emphasize the need for strategizing and resource-efficient ways to international expansion.
Notwithstanding the relevance of the topic, there is a considerable lack of theorizing and of empirical evidence on scaling, particularly regarding the resources and strategies that emerge during the scaling process. This lack of knowledge is even more pronounced in the field of international business and entrepreneurship, where the discussion mainly revolves around the impact of digitalization and the scalability of digital firms, or the standardization/adaptation debate focused on (digital) business models.
We therefore adopt a holistic approach to comprehend international scaling along strategies, processes, and, importantly, related resource dynamics. Our research begins with a comprehensive literature review, including adjacent fields, to take stock, bridge knowledge, and identify triggers and dimensions of viable and sustainable scaling. Subsequently, a longitudinal multiple-case study methodology will be adopted, supported by secondary data gathered from diverse sources (e.g., CrunchBase, LexisNexis), to deepen our understanding of the interrelations and dynamics among triggers, the dimensions of strategies, and the scaling process.
The phenomenological nature of international scaling, together with the lack of theorizing and empirical substantiation, does not provide ground for both a significant theoretical contribution and an impact on practitioner and policymaker communities. Through our ‘multi-perspective’ approach, which integrates insights from adjacent research fields and diverse stakeholders, we anticipate outputs that include academic publications, more readily accessible reports tailored for a wider audience, commentaries in industry publications, blogs, and case studies. In addition, workshop organization and conference participation aim at facilitating collaboration and knowledge.
Project Responsible
Birgit Hagen
Project Members
- Enrico Cotta Ramusino
- Pervez N. Ghauri
- Marica Grego
- Maurizio Maccarini
- Magdalena Meusburger
- Margherita Milotta
- Giuseppe Pirrone