The curvilinear relationship between digitalization and export propensity: The role of home country corruption in emerging economies

Joan Lluís Capelleras; Victor Martin-Sanchez; Chao Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2025.124043

The curvilinear relationship between digitalization and export propensity: The role of home country corruption in emerging economies

Joan Lluís Capelleras, Victor Martin-Sanchez, Chao Zhang^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Strategy

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Abstract

Drawing on resource-based and institutional considerations, we suggest a curvilinear relationship between digitalization and the export propensity of emerging economy enterprises (EEEs), while also arguing that this association is influenced by the level of corruption in the home country. We run a multilevel analysis on a dataset of firm- and country-level characteristics for 35 emerging economies and 17,265 observations. Our predictions confirm an inverted U-shaped relationship between digitalization and export propensity. Additionally, we find that corruption steepens this curvilinear relationship. These insights contribute to a nuanced understanding of the interplay between digitalization, corruption, and the internationalization efforts of EEEs.

Original language	English
Article number	124043
Pages (from-to)	1-14
Number of pages	14
Journal	Technological Forecasting and Social Change
Volume	214
Early online date	22 Feb 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2025.124043
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 22 Feb 2025

Keywords

Digitalization
Export propensity
Corruption
Curvilinear relationship
Emerging economy enterprises (EEEs)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.techfore.2025.124043Licence: CC BY

1-s2.0-S0040162525000745-mainFinal published version, 827 KBLicence: CC BY

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AU - Capelleras, Joan Lluís

AU - Martin-Sanchez, Victor

AU - Zhang, Chao

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Y1 - 2025/2/22

N2 - Drawing on resource-based and institutional considerations, we suggest a curvilinear relationship between digitalization and the export propensity of emerging economy enterprises (EEEs), while also arguing that this association is influenced by the level of corruption in the home country. We run a multilevel analysis on a dataset of firm- and country-level characteristics for 35 emerging economies and 17,265 observations. Our predictions confirm an inverted U-shaped relationship between digitalization and export propensity. Additionally, we find that corruption steepens this curvilinear relationship. These insights contribute to a nuanced understanding of the interplay between digitalization, corruption, and the internationalization efforts of EEEs.

AB - Drawing on resource-based and institutional considerations, we suggest a curvilinear relationship between digitalization and the export propensity of emerging economy enterprises (EEEs), while also arguing that this association is influenced by the level of corruption in the home country. We run a multilevel analysis on a dataset of firm- and country-level characteristics for 35 emerging economies and 17,265 observations. Our predictions confirm an inverted U-shaped relationship between digitalization and export propensity. Additionally, we find that corruption steepens this curvilinear relationship. These insights contribute to a nuanced understanding of the interplay between digitalization, corruption, and the internationalization efforts of EEEs.

KW - Digitalization

KW - Export propensity

KW - Corruption

KW - Curvilinear relationship

KW - Emerging economy enterprises (EEEs)

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JO - Technological Forecasting and Social Change

JF - Technological Forecasting and Social Change

M1 - 124043

ER -

The curvilinear relationship between digitalization and export propensity: The role of home country corruption in emerging economies

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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