Setting the Boundaries

Early internationalizing firms (EIFs) represent a vast and various group of companies that share the main feature of beginning international activities soon after their foundation. The literature on early internationalization has progressed so fast that several theoretical and operational definitions emerged and have spread, leading to a proliferation of labels and categories that are only sometimes adopted coherently. Born globals, international new ventures, and early internationalizing firms are just the most renowned, but this aspect undermines the foundations of this research domain, making comparisons arduous and slowing down the progress of the field. This chapter critically appraises the argument and proposes suggestions for future research.