Title: Challenging foreign investments with digital transformation: a tribute to Yair Aharoni

Authors: Maria Teresa Cuomo; Rosa Maria Caprino; Orsola Salmista; Cinzia Genovino

Addresses: Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 138 Fisciano (SA), Italy ' Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 138 Fisciano (SA), Italy ' Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 138 Fisciano (SA), Italy ' Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 138 Fisciano (SA), Italy

Abstract: It is generally accepted that open and competitive markets are necessary to ensure economic growth and that the decision-making process of foreign investment involves 'an intricate structure of attitudes and opinion, social relationships both in and outside the firm, and the way such attitudes, opinions and social relationships are changing'. Therefore, the aim of the research is to explore the characteristics of Italian companies with increasing revenues during COVID-19 to explain if a higher level of innovation affects the survival/adaptability, as well as performance in terms of internationalisation. Based on a review of OECD data on business dynamism that highlights changes in economies and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the hypothesis is tested with a survey of a sample of 100 Italian SMEs. The results confirm that innovation investments helped maximise revenues in the pandemic period, thanks to foreign investments.

Keywords: internationalisation; digital transformation; innovation; COVID-19; SMEs.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2023.130384

European Journal of International Management, 2023 Vol.20 No.1, pp.89 - 108

Received: 08 Oct 2021
Accepted: 18 May 2022
Published online: 18 Apr 2023 *

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