Title: Internationalisation and firm performance: state of empirical research efforts and need for improved approaches

Authors: Michael-Jörg Oesterle; Hannah Noriko Richta

Addresses: Department of International and Strategic Management, University of Stuttgart, Keplerstraße 17, D-70174 Stuttgart, Germany ' Oderstraße 26, D-64546 Mörfelden-Walldorf, Germany

Abstract: Despite the fact that the theories of internationalisation view cross-border activities of firms as a driver of their performance, empirical research trying to test the respective relationship has until now left us with heterogeneous results. The discussion on those studies and their results offers two approaches to deal with the contradictory research outcomes: some researchers argue that there might be no systematic internationalisation-performance relationship at all. Others find the 3-Stage Theory of Internationalisation to be a general theory. However, due to conceptual and methodological problems both approaches are up to now not satisfying. Based on a review of 38 empirical studies this paper attempts to introduce some critical considerations into the discussion and to define some new research avenues.

Keywords: internationalisation; firm performance; internationalisation-performance relationship; meta analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2013.052834

European Journal of International Management, 2013 Vol.7 No.2, pp.204 - 224

Published online: 10 Sep 2014 *

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