Knowledge trajectories in the internationalization of the firm

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyze how the internationalizing firm accumulates knowledge from different domains throughout time, during entry and post-entry moves in a foreign market. This paper focuses on market, institutional, internationalization and technological knowledge. Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses a comparative case study method, relying on three longitudinal cases of multinational firms' (MNEs) internationalization processes, particularly concerning MNEs' entry and post-entry moves in one foreign market (Brazil). Findings: Throughout the internationalization processes, the internationalizing firms unevenly developed experiential knowledge within Brazil. As a result, the market, internationalization, institutional and technological knowledge followed different accumulation patterns, distinguished based on precedence, simultaneity and speed. More specifically, (1) the market and institutional knowledge trajectories evolved simultaneously; (2) the market knowledge trajectory preceded that of technological knowledge and (3) the accumulation of internationalization knowledge happened faster than that of the market, institutional and technological knowledge. Originality/value: This paper shows how knowledge accumulation in internationalization processes varies throughout time and according to the type of knowledge involved. While most of the literature relies on cross-sectional studies that discount the changing nature of knowledge, this paper shows that the internationalizing firm accumulates market, internationalization, institutional and technological knowledge following three temporal dimensions: precedence, simultaneity and speed.