International Experience in International Business Research: A Conceptualization and Exploration of Key Themes
回顾了国际商务文献中国际经验的概念化，提出其包含长度、范围、多样性和强度四个维度，并区分了地点绑定与非地点绑定经验，对研究企业国际化有重要参考价值。
International experience, the experience that firms accrue from operating internationally, is a key concept in explaining firm internationalization. This paper reviews the conceptualization of international experience in the international business literature. It highlights how prior research has identified three dimensions of the international experience construct (length, scope and diversity), thereby demonstrating that international experience should be treated as a multidimensional construct. In addition, intensity is presented as a fourth and novel dimension of international experience. The importance of this multidimensional conceptualization is highlighted in an explanation of why the international diversification and international experience constructs are not synonymous. In light of the importance of international experience in explaining firm internationalization, the authors explore how the source of the firm's international experience will determine the limits to its application in foreign markets. In particular, the authors distinguish between location‐bound international experience and non‐location‐bound international experience as sources of firm‐specific advantages (FSAs). The FSAs that the firm develops from its experience with equity and non‐equity entry modes are presented as examples of specific FSAs developed within the firm's bundle of FSAs concerning internationalization. The paper concludes with some implications of the conceptualization of international experience for several issues of international business research as well as providing managerial implications.