Interactive Branding and Internationalization: Cases of Three Born Global firms

Interactive Branding in business networks presents a strategy that firms are using to position themselves in domestic and foreign webs of business actors. Internationalization plays an important role in this interactive and sensemaking process by providing a new lens where different networks are covering large distances, different countries, regions and business markets. A part of rapid international development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) thus concerns branding activities embedded into internal, external and mutual dimensions of connected firms. Newly started international SME-firms, defined as Born Globals (BGs), are facing challenges in implementing their branding strategies and reputation building while positioning themselves in relevant international networks. Existing literature about Born Global firms is mostly focused on understanding the reasons underlying their nature and formation, and examining aspects concerning their specific international entry and performance. However, a comprehensive analysis of actual internationalization processes, in conjunction with corporate branding in business networks is largely unexplored. The paper addresses this gap by developing a methodological framework and analyzing three cases of Nordic Born Global firms in the medical and life science industries. The paper uses process research by scrutinizing critical events and interactive episodes in the case studies. Internationalization processes of the case firms in relation to networks and the notion of interactive branding is analyzed. Based on the findings from the study the paper suggests conceptual and managerial implications for Born Global firms.