[AISWorld] Digital Innovation, Platforms, and Global Strategy: Special Issue - Call for Papers

[Faik, Isam]

Special Issue in Information & Organization: ***Digital Innovation, Platforms, and Global Strategy***


Call for Papers:

The widespread emergence of platforms and other digital technologies have had important implications for global strategies of both firms and social ventures in the next stage of globalisation. Contrary to claims by some commentators, however, these impacts are far from simple and straightforward. Early researchers, for example, often claimed that that digitalisation can readily enable firms to be "born-global" or seamlessly expand internationally. The reality, by contrast, is very different. This relationship between digital innovation and global strategy is a great deal more complex. We therefore believe it is timely to explore, in greater depth and from diverse perspectives, how digital innovation is impacting multiple aspects of global strategy, and how these are increasingly being facilitated by digital platforms.

Guest editors:

1. Dr. Michael Barrett
Cambridge University, CJBS, Cambridge, United Kingdom

2. Dr. Danielle Logue
UNSW Business School, Sydney, Kensington, Australia

3. Dr. Anna Roberts
Bath University, Business School, Bath, United Kingdom

4. Dr. Peter Williamson
Cambridge University, CJBS, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Special issue information:

The widespread emergence of digital firms has important implications for many aspects of international business, strategy and the process of globalisation. In particular, digital innovations such as digital platforms with network effects seem to bring many young digital companies, such as Airbnb and Uber, into the scale of the global market in a comparably short period of time. Contrary to claims by some commentators, however, these impacts are far from simple and straightforward as network effects have social and geographical factors (Guillen 2021) in addition to various digital innovations and strategies for business ecosystems (Barrett, Oborn, Orlikowski 2016), vertical integration, horizontal diversification (envelopment) or specific market positions and differentiations (Meyer and Williamson, 2020).

For example, early researchers often claimed that digitalisation can readily enable firms to be "born-global" such as international new ventures (INVs) (Knight and Cavusgil, 1996, 2004; Kudina, Yip and Barkema, 2008; Cannone and Ughetto, 2014; Hennart, 2014; Ferguson and Henrekson, 2019), or seamlessly expand internationally for "go-global"(Luo and Tung, 2007, 2018; Monaghan, Tippmann and Coviello, 2020). The reality, by contrast, is very different. Despite its size, clout, and growth potential, Amazon for example, still derives 61% of its revenue from the US market and its global market share in e-commerce remains only around 6%. Clearly the relationship between digital innovation and global strategy is a great deal more complex. It impacts on the approach of knowledge transfer, traditional firm-specific-advantages and the ownership-location-internalisation advantages of the eclectic paradigm (Alcácer, Cantwell and Piscitello, 2016; Nambisan, Zahra and Luo, 2019; Nambisan, 2020; Guillén, 2021).

In particular, how 'space' (or geography) matters in relation to 'born-global' INVs or 'go-global' MNEs with digital innovation is lacking in clear or more comprehensive understanding. Research has shown that digital platforms, digital infrastructure and digital ecosystems have a brand-new competition and alliance environment, as the competition level relies on platform systems rather than firms or industries. (Constantinides, Henfridsson and Parker, 2018; Cennamo, 2021) The spatial characteristics in the identities of digital-platform-based firms may impact on their global strategy and international limit, such as scale economy, single-/multi-homing, enveloping, differentiations, and entry barriers. The application of digital innovation and/or digital platforms may impact on MNEs' business models and spatial strategies in their internationalisation process. These spatial issues require further understanding in the competitive mechanisms of the emerging global and digital business environment.

We therefore believe it is timely to explore, in greater depth and from diverse perspectives, how digital innovation is impacting multiple aspects of global strategy, market power, and, in turn, reshaping the prevailing world order. While these impacts potentially cover a huge canvas, five areas where digitalisation is impacting global strategy, broadly defined, stand out.

Research Themes

Digitalization and the Internationalisation of firms, including the implications for: successful strategies and sources of competitive advantage and disadvantage in spatial expansion (such as network effects, multi-homing, differentiations, entry barriers) (Cusumano, Gawer and Yoffie, 2019; Cennamo, 2021; Rietveld and Schilling, 2021); internationalisation processes with new business models for digital and spatial strategies (Nambisan, 2020; Guillén, 2021; Stallkamp and Schotter, 2021); implications for the internationalisation of professional and other types of services through digital platforms or other digital innovation; the role of complementary partner networks and business ecosystems in underpinning competitive success for innovation, information and/or transaction (Parente, Geleilate and Rong, 2018; Nambisan, Zahra and Luo, 2019; Meyer and Williamson, 2020); the implications of digitisation for innovation and innovation processes through international networks; the implications of a sequential approach of internationalisation expansion for digital firms over different geographies (Guillén, 2021: 51).

Platform Envelopment and Diversification, by which firms can enter into adjacent markets, increase the scope of services and products with adaption for different spatial contexts, or/and consolidate their distinctiveness from local competitors (Eisenmann, Parker and Van Alstyne, 2011; Guillén, 2021). Digital platforms create platform conglomerates that offer a bundle of services that not only leverage their platform of users into other related markets, but also can be of help in the quest for global leadership. For instance, firms can take over a complementary digital platform in a foreign country through which they can counteract the network effects of a rival platform in this and other countries while increasing its global appeal.

Global digital organisations, including how they can be structured and managed; the processes required; implications for human resource management and virtual teams; the roles of the headquarters and subsidiaries; the structure and operation of global value chains. For example, global digital platforms can help to match firms with micro-service-providers, from software development to copywriting and graphic design, located in emerging-economy countries which are not necessarily associated with offshoring/outsourcing country images. (Lehdonvirta et al., 2018)

Global governance of digital firms, including how they can best be regulated; the need for global standards, governance models, institutional infrastructure, and new, international institutions; implications for cybersecurity, data security, and data privacy; the ownership of data and rights in its exploitation; tensions between global reach, national sovereignty, and geopolitical rivalries. For example, MNEs of digital platforms need to develop nonmarket strategies at the subsidiary level in order to fit in between a global market strategy and a local nonmarket framework. Digital interdependence, information security and regulatory complexity are also identified as significant risks that challenge the digitization of international business (Curchod, Patriotta and Wright, 2019; Luo, 2021)

Social impacts of global digitalisation, including opportunities for social enterprise and new 'social-mission platforms' (Logue & Grimes, 2019); the implications for inequality and social exclusion; impacts of strategies for economic and social development, especially in less-developed regions; the role of digital firms in climate action and ESG. These issues have drawn attention from different social sciences. For example, Law scholar Khan (Khan, 2017) has raised that the monopoly issue of Amazon cannot be addressed in the current anti-trust legal framework. Sociologists Kenny and Zysman have raised the issues derived from the application of digital platforms, big data, new algorithms and cloud computing, which have resulted in the changing nature and structure of work and the economy (Kenny and Zysman, 2016).

Key Questions

The goal of the conference is to bring together primarily business school scholars from across different disciplines (strategy and international business, digital innovation and transformation, organization studies, global governance, social entrepreneurship) to debate these important emerging themes concerning digitalisation and globalisation. Where digital meets global continues to be of critical importance in shaping the business landscape of contemporary society.

Invited papers for presentation at the conference would subsequently be eligible for consideration for submission and publication in a special issue of Information and Organisation devoted to the global impacts of digitisation.

Example Topics, including but not limited to: (possible topics that relate to global business environment and internationalization processes)

Digitalization and the Internationalisation of firms

What are the relationships between different types of digital platforms and their geographical capacity/ advantages?
How do different types of traditional companies apply digitalization with their internationalisation strategy?
What are the main advantages of different types of born-digital firms for developing their international markets and competing with local competitors?
What are the main geographical factors that frame or limit the 'spatial' spread of digital firms with a business platform strategy?
Platform Envelopment, Diversification and Vertical Integration

How do different types of digital companies apply platform envelopment strategy to deliver internationalisation?
How do the strategies of platform envelopment and multi-homing interplay with the internationalisation process within the global environment?
How does the platform envelopment rely on local ecosystems with the internationalisation process?
How does the digital platform diversification and vertical integration in the home country help to penetrate international barriers? (ex. Amazon global selling)
Global governance of digital firms

What are the main global political, regulatory and cybersecurity challenges for the internationalisation of a digital firm?
What are the impacts of the characteristics of local resources such as labour market/ culture and digital and physical infrastructure on a digital firm's internationalisation strategies?
What are the (dis)advantages of a digital platform company in acquiring local knowledge for its global governance?
Social impacts of global digitalisation

How does global digitalisation respond to different labour markets and social responsibilities in different countries?
How does a digital firm organise its market-side and resource-side activities with relevant ecosystems in terms of global spatial locations, and why?
How do 'social mission platforms' challenge and change market, geographic, and institutional boundaries? How do social mission platforms redistribute or circumvent responsibility and resources for public good and local development?
References

Alcácer, J., Cantwell, J. and Piscitello, L. (2016) 'Internationalization in the information age: A new era for places, firms, and international business networks?', Journal of International Business Studies, 47(5), pp. 499-512. doi: 10.1057/jibs.2016.22.

Barrett, M., Oborn, E., & Orlikowski, W. (2016). Creating value in online communities: The sociomaterial configuring of strategy, platform, and stakeholder engagement. Information Systems Research, 27(4), 704-723.

Cannone, G. and Ughetto, E. (2014) 'Born Globals: A Cross-country Survey on High-tech Start-ups', International Business Review, 23(1), pp. 272-283. doi: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2013.05.003.

Cennamo, C. (2021) 'Competing in Digital Markets: A Platform-based Perspective', Academy of Management Perspectives. Academy of Management, 35(2), pp. 265-291. doi: 10.5465/amp.2016.0048.

Constantinides, P., Henfridsson, O. and Parker, G. G. (2018) 'Platforms and Infrastructures in the Digital Age', Information Systems Research, 29(2), pp. 381-400. doi: 10.1287/isre.2018.0794.

Curchod, C., Patriotta, G. and Wright, M. (2020) 'Self-categorization as a Nonmarket Strategy for MNE Subsidiaries: Tracking the International Expansion of an Online Platform', Journal of World Business, 55(3). doi: 10.1016/j.jwb.2019.101070.

Cusumano, M. A., Gawer, A. and Yoffie, D. B. (2019) The Business of Platforms: Strategy in the Age of Digital Competition, Innovation, and Power, Harper Business. New York: Harper Business.

Eisenmann, T., Parker, G. and Van Alstyne, M. (2011) 'Platform Envelopment', Strategic Management Journal, 32(12), pp. 1270-1285. doi: 10.1002/smj.935.

Ferguson, S. and Henrekson, M. (2019) 'The Long-Run Performance of Born Globals in Computing: The Role of Digital Platforms', International Review of Entrepreneurship, 17(3), pp. 257-280. Available at: www.ifn.se (Accessed: 5 September 2021).

Guillén, M. F. (2021) The Platform Paradox: How Digital Businesses Succeed in an Ever-Changing Global Marketplace. Philadelphia: Wharton School Press.

Hennart, J.-F. (2014) 'The Accidental Internationalists: A Theory of Born Globals', Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 38(1), pp. 117-135. doi: 10.1111/etap.12076.

Kenny, M. and Zysman, J. (2016) 'The Rise of the Platform Economy', Issues in Science and Technology, 32(3), pp. 61-69.

Khan, L. M. (2017) 'Amazon's Antitrust Paradox ', The Yale Law Journal, 126(3), pp. 564-907. Available at: http://perma.cc/C8Q (Accessed: 28 September 2021).

Knight, G. A. and Cavusgil, S. T. (1996) 'The Born Global Firm: A Challenge to Internationalization Theory', Advances in International Marketing, 8, pp. 127-137.

Knight, G. A. and Cavusgil, S. T. (2004) 'Innovation, organizational capabilities, and the born-global firm', Journal of International Business Studies, 35, pp. 124-141. doi: 10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400071.

Kudina, A., Yip, G. S. and Barkema, H. G. (2008) 'Born Global', Business Strategy Review, 19(4), pp. 38-44. doi: 10.1111/J.1467-8616.2008.00562.X.

Lehdonvirta, V. et al. (2018) 'The Global Platform Economy: A New Offshoring Institution Enabling Emerging-Economy Microproviders':, https://doi-org.ezp.lib.cam.ac.uk/10.1177/0149206318786781. SAGE PublicationsSage CA: Los Angeles, CA, 45(2), pp. 567-599. doi: 10.1177/0149206318786781.

Logue, D. and Grimes, M. (2019). 'Platforms for the people: Enabling civic crowdfunding through the cultivation of institutional infrastructure'. Strategic Management Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.3110

Luo, Y. (2021) 'A General Framework of Digitization Risks in International Business', Journal of International Business Studies. doi: 10.1057/s41267-021-00448-9.

Luo, Y. and Tung, R. L. (2007) 'International Expansion of Emerging Market Enterprises: A Springboard Perspective', Journal of International Business Studies, 38(4), pp. 481-498. doi: 10.1057/PALGRAVE.JIBS.8400275.

Luo, Y. and Tung, R. L. (2018) 'A General Theory of Springboard MNEs', Journal of International Business Studies, 49(2), pp. 129-152. doi: 10.1057/s41267-017-0114-8.

Meyer, A. de and Williamson, P. J. (2020) Ecosystem Edge: Sustaining Competitiveness in the Face of Disruption. Stanford: Stanford Business Books.

Monaghan, S., Tippmann, E. and Coviello, N. (2020) 'Born digitals: Thoughts on their internationalization and a research agenda', Journal of International Business Studies. Palgrave Macmillan Ltd., 51(1), pp. 11-22. doi: 10.1057/S41267-019-00290-0.

Nambisan, S. (2020) 'Digital Innovation and International Business', Innovation: Organization & Management, pp. 1-10. doi: 10.1080/14479338.2020.1834861.

Nambisan, S., Zahra, S. A. and Luo, Y. (2019) 'Global platforms and ecosystems: Implications for international business theories', Journal of International Business Studies, 50, pp. 1464-1486. doi: 10.1057/s41267-019-00262-4.

Parente, R. C., Geleilate, J. M. G. and Rong, K. (2018) 'The Sharing Economy Globalization Phenomenon: A Research Agenda', Journal of International Management. Elsevier, 24(1), pp. 52-64. doi: 10.1016/J.INTMAN.2017.10.001.

Rietveld, J. and Schilling, M. A. (2021) 'Platform Competition: A Systematic and Interdisciplinary Review of the Literature', Journal of Management, 47(6), pp. 1528-1563. doi: 10.1177/0149206320969791.

Stallkamp, M. and Schotter, A. P. J. (2021) 'Platforms without borders? The international strategies of digital platform firms', Global Strategy Journal, 11(1), pp. 58-80. doi: 10.1002/gsj.1336.

Regular submission to Information and Organization, as well as submissions to the Research Impact and Contributions to Knowledge (RICK) section will be considered. Authors are encouraged to review the aims and scope statement for the journal (https://www.journals.elsevier.com/information-and-organization) and review abstracts of recent publications via the Science Direct link on the website to better understand the journal's focus and publication genre. Regular submissions should have the potential for a substantive contribution to theory that complements empirical results or case studies reports. RICK submissions are briefer (approx. 8000 words) and address the impact or translation of scholarly knowledge broadly. Authors considering a RICK submission should review the overview of RICK genre on the website and recent RICK publications (https://www.journals.elsevier.com/information-and-organization/call-for-papers/special-section-call-for-papers-research-impact-and-contribt).

Important Dates:

First-round submissions: April 15, 2023

First-round decisions: August 1, 2023

Second Round submissions: November 1, 2023

Second Round Decisions: January 25, 2024

Final Round Decisions and Publication: February 2024

Manuscript submission information:

The Information and Organization's submission system will be open for submissions to our Special Issue from 15 April 2023. When submitting your manuscript please select the article type "VSI: Digital Innovation and Global Strategy". Please submit your manuscript before 15 April 2023.

All submissions deemed suitable to be sent for peer review will be reviewed by at least two independent reviewers. Once your manuscript is accepted, it will go into production, and will be simultaneously published in the current regular issue and pulled into the online Special Issue. Articles from this Special Issue will appear in different regular issues of the journal, though they will be clearly marked and branded as Special Issue articles.

Please ensure you read the Guide for Authors before writing your manuscript. The Guide for Authors and link to submit your manuscript is available on the Journal's homepage: https://www.elsevier.com/journals/information-and-organization/1471-7727/guide-for-authors.

Inquiries, including questions about appropriate topics, may be sent electronically to Danielle Logue: danielle.logue at unsw.edu.au