Born global : The potential of job creation in new international businesses

Traditional theory about international business suggests that companies first establish a solid home market and go global only in later stages of their life cycle. However, this view is challenged by research that shows that some firms internationalise quickly after start-up – so-called ‘born globals’. These firms are assumed to be strongly innovative and growth-oriented, and hence could well contribute to the economic and labour market recovery Europe is seeking after the global financial crisis. So far, little is known about the full economic potential of these companies and how best to support them. This study aims to close this knowledge gap by providing a summary of literature and secondary data to characterise born globals and pinpoint their main strengths and weaknesses as well as economic and labour market potential.