Title: Born Globals: (almost) 20 years of research and still not 'grown up'?

Authors: Beate Cesinger; Adriana Danko; Ricarda Bouncken

Addresses: University of Hohenheim, Wollgrasweg 49, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; Utrecht University School of Economics (USE), P.O. Box 80125, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands. ' Dutch Institute for Knowledge Intensive Entrepreneurship (NIKOS), School of Management and Governance, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, NL-7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands. ' University of Bayreuth, Prieserstr. 2, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany

Abstract: Born Globals, the phenomenon of rapidly internationalising firms is widely accepted and noted in literature. Yet, in review of 51 empirical articles we found disquieting discrepancies in: operationalisation of the phenomenon concerning age of firms surveyed, speed, intensity, and scope of their internationalisation process. Based upon our analysis and results we invoke new directions for further research.

Keywords: born global; new business ventures; internationalising firms; operationalisation; internationalisation speed; internationalisation intensity; internationalisation scope; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; entrepreneurs; international entrepreneurship; rapid internationalisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2012.045203

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2012 Vol.15 No.2, pp.171 - 190

Published online: 14 Aug 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article