The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Influence on Born-digitals’ Internationalization and Performance

Abstract: In this qualitative research, the purpose is to explore the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on born-digital firms’ international expansions and performance. This is to fill in the gap in research where many other industries have been examined in relation to the pandemic but not the born-digital firms. To be able to answer the research question, a theoretical framework is used and a conceptual model is developed. This will be analyzed using interviews with six born-digital firms along with secondary data about them. The conceptual model displays the born-digital firms’ growth patterns in relation to the performance outcome where there are five contextual changes influencing the relation. These five contextual changes are consumer behavior, regulatory framework, acceleration of digitalization, crisis management, and turbulence. The results of this research show a variety of different outcomes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although, most of the firms don't seem to have been as negatively influenced in the midst of the turbulence as the need for digitalization surged. However, none of the firms felt that the pandemic created additional opportunities to internationally expand. The results also showed that all of the six firms managed the years 2020 and 2021 with positive results and where many had increased revenues and results as well. The findings of this research can then be of value to managers, employees as well as the rest of society since the surge of digitalization is becoming more apparent.