Beyond manufacturing: Assessing theory adequacy in service firm’s internationalization entry mode choice

Abstract

Purpose – This study aims to determine the suitability of main theories in studying the internationalization of service firm’s entry mode by analyzing academic viewpoints. Design/methodology/approach – We analyze 307 articles in the domain of service internationalization through a combination of bibliometric and content analysis, focusing on the internationalization of service firms and their entry mode choices over four decades of literature. Findings – The results show that the debate on the adequacy of extant internationalization theories to the study of service firms is still not cut-and-dried. We provide insights on scholars’ positioning regarding the suitability of existing theoretical frameworks. Specifically, scholars support the adaptation of existing frameworks to study service firms, although there is little knowledge on how this adaptation should be tackled. Therefore, there is a clear interest in identifying, adjusting and creating frameworks that fit the particularities of the internationalization of service firms. Research limitations/implications – There is a clear overall interest in the literature in identifying, adjusting and creating frameworks that fit the particularities of the internationalization of service firms. Practical implications – The findings provide valuable insights for future researchers in selecting the most appropriate theoretical lens for studying the entry modes of service firms. Originality/value – This study examines scholars’ perspectives on the appropriateness of traditional theories for investigating the internationalization of service firms. Consequently, we shed light on the ongoing debate regarding the adequacy of international business theories in service firm research. To our knowledge, no other recent work has analyzed this issue from this particular standpoint.