The internationalization of hidden champions from Germany and the UK : an extension to the Born-Again Global path

Abstract

Although internationalization has been extensively studied, the majority of analyses have focused on motives and enablers, also known as triggers, with less attention paid to internationalization paths. To add to the internationalization paths debate, we explore global niche players dubbed as Hidden Champions from Germany and Britain. Our findings show that a large portion of these firms experience an international ‘rebirth’ by adopting a more accelerated approach to internationalization after already gaining first international experience. This is mainly through exporting activity, which is a variation of the Born-Again Global phenomenon. Due to their unique internationalization path, we call these firms Re-Born-Again Globals. Furthermore, we uncover the critical incidents for the internationalization of these firms, namely changes in management, technology advances, and product diversification.