Resumo

There is a significant interest in digital technologies, their potential to transform organizations, and in their impact on globalization. Academic research has explored how digital technology enhances value creation, improves competitive advantage, and facilitates new business models and ecosystems. However, the role of digital technology in the success or failure of internationalization efforts, especially for companies from emerging markets, remains under-explored. This paper aims to clarify how digital maturity and lean internationalization contribute to the success of internationalization

This research investigates the relationship between digital maturity, lean internationalization practices, and internationalization success. The main objective is to assess how the degree of digital technology impacts companies' ability to enter new markets and succeed in internationalization. The research question addressed is: How do digital technology maturity and lean internationalization practices, when combined, contribute to leveraging the internationalization success of a company?

Globalization and digitalization are intertwined phenomena. Digital technologies have reduced barriers and facilitated international business operations. Theoretical frameworks suggest that digitalization lowers spatial transaction costs and enhances scalability and market entry strategies. Lean internationalization focuses on rapid and flexible expansion, particularly for "born global" firms that bypass traditional incremental internationalization processes. Digital transformation theories emphasize the role of digital capabilities in creating competitive advantages and enabling new business

A qualitative multiple case study approach was adopted, focusing on Brazilian companies at various stages of digitalization and internationalization. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and questionnaires assessing digital maturity across four dimensions: resources, information systems, organizational structure, and culture. The analysis involved building individual case histories, creating open codes, and developing second-order and aggregated codes to compare lean internationalization capabilities and internationalization success across cases.

The analysis revealed the relationship between digital maturity and lean internationalization capability. Companies with higher digital maturity demonstrated better communication, networking, planning, scalability, learning, and product fit, which facilitated successful internationalization. Three Brazilian companies were studied: Alfa (education and innovation services), Beta (trade marketing solutions), and Gama (digital marketing SaaS). Each exhibited varying degrees of digital maturity and lean internationalization practices, influencing their internationalization success differently.

The study concluded that higher digital maturity enhances the likelihood of developing lean internationalization capabilities, which in turn increases the probability of internationalization success. Companies with advanced digital capabilities can reduce entry barriers, improve communication, and foster growth in new markets. This research contributes to understanding the role of digital maturity in international business strategies and highlights the importance of integrating digital technologies into global expansion plans.

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