A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Re-thinking research on born globals
Authors: Nicole Coviello
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Publication year: 2015
Journal: Journal of International Business Studies
Volume: 46
Issue: 1
First page : 17
Last page: 26
Number of pages: 10
ISSN: 0047-2506
eISSN: 1478-6990
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2014.59
Knight and Cavusgil's Journal of International Business Studies Decade Awardwinning article offers numerous contributions to international business research. As one example, it advances cross-disciplinary conversation about entrepreneurial internationalization. A critical review of their study reveals, however, that certain findings require reinterpretation. This commentary does so, discussing the resultant implications and the question of when it is (in)appropriate to use the term "born global". Parts of Knight and Cavusgil are then used as a foundation to identify research questions at the level of the firm. Finally, points from Cavusgil and Knight's retrospective are used to argue that we need greater understanding of the individual(s) that are central to the firm's internationalization behaviour. Suggestions for research are made by drawing on concepts and theory from the entrepreneurship, innovation and psychology literatures.