Fit for Purpose?
International Business Theories in a Changing World

The field of international business was built on a particular reading of the world. Its foundational theories, namely internalization theory, the eclectic paradigm, the Uppsala model, the integration–responsiveness framework, institutional theory, and the national-culture model, took shape in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Those decades were themselves turbulent with the oil shocks, stagflation, and the collapse of Bretton Woods, but their turbulence unfolded within a well-defined rule-based global order. That order is moving. The wars in Ukraine and Iran, the Venezuelan crisis, the tensions over Greenland, the U.S.–China technology and trade frictions, the reorganization of supply chains around blocs, the return of industrial policy in major economies, and the rise of domestic political movements whose reach extends well beyond their borders are not mere noise around a stable system. They are signs that the system itself is in transition.

The scholarly question this raises is not whether firms must adapt, but whether the assumptions encoded in our theories still describe the world those theories set out to explain. This matters for international business scholarship beyond the study of multinational enterprises. Domestic firms embedded in global value chains face the same reconfiguration of cross-border activity, and the institutional environment in which the field itself has developed is shifting alongside.

The AIB 2027 Annual Meeting invites the community to take stock. Our purpose is not to chronicle the geopolitical moment, but to ask, collectively and rigorously, what it implies for the theoretical inheritance of the field. Do the core assumptions of our foundational theories still hold? Where do they require qualification through new boundary conditions? Where must they give way to new constructs? We welcome empirical or conceptual work that interrogates the foundational assumptions of the field, drawing on international business, global strategy, or related traditions, including dynamic capabilities, microfoundations, ecosystems, and a behavioral international business perspective. Contributions from economics, political science and political economy, sociology, history, and geography are especially encouraged.

Example 1: Can firms still design their global architecture?

The integration–responsiveness framework rests on the assumption that firms choose their global architecture, weighing pressures for global integration against pressures for local responsiveness and settling on an arrangement that balances the two. External constraints figure as inputs to that choice, not as boundaries of the feasible set. The current environment stretches the assumption. Data-localization regimes, cross-border data-transfer restrictions, sanctions that reach deep into supplier networks, mandatory-sourcing rules tied to subsidies, and industrial policies that require domestic presence in several jurisdictions at once create a patchwork of partly conflicting requirements. Firms often cannot satisfy all of them simultaneously, and entire cells of the classic matrix may be foreclosed rather than suboptimal. What does strategy mean when the menu of feasible architectures is set, and continuously reset, by state action in multiple jurisdictions? Does the integration–responsiveness framework require new boundary conditions, or must it be recast as a theory of constrained feasibility rather than of strategic choice? Where does managerial discretion reside when states, not firms, shape the architecture of multinational activity?

Example 2: Is legitimacy still produced by conformity?

Institutional theory in its international business application rests on the idea that firms facing legitimacy pressures can strategically choose among responses (e.g., adaptation, decoupling, lobbying, signaling, partnering, compliance through CSR). The forced exit of Western firms from the Russian market after the invasion of Ukraine tested that premise. Firms that sought to adapt by remaining operational while rebranding, divesting assets to local buyers, or scaling back visibly often found that no repertoire of legitimacy-management moves was available: public opinion, home-country regulators, shareholder activists, and counter-sanction regimes each closed off otherwise standard options, and legitimacy came to mean alignment with a geopolitical stance rather than conformity with sector norms. Does institutional theory, as currently formulated, adequately capture legitimacy when it is produced through geopolitical alignment rather than through institutional conformity? Are our accounts of strategic responses to institutional pressures robust to contexts in which the menu of responses itself is constrained? Where, if anywhere, does managerial agency survive?

Multi-level and Multi-disciplinary

Interrogating the foundational assumptions of international business scholarship requires engagement across multiple levels of analysis and multiple disciplines. At the firm level, the questions that ground internalization, the eclectic paradigm, and the Uppsala model return under pressure: what counts as a firm boundary, what qualifies as a location advantage, and what knowledge a firm actually needs to hold.

At the industry level, the rise of strategic sectors (e.g., semiconductors, critical minerals, AI, green technologies, defense) invites reflection on industry-level contingencies alongside country-level contingencies. Country-level work can reassess the role of the state, not as part of the institutional environment but as an active shaper of cross-border activity. The institutional dimension prompts a rethink of legitimacy, isomorphism, and strategic response when alignment with state priorities becomes a condition of market access. The political dimension invites engagement with the domestic roots of international reordering driven by populism, migration politics, generational and subcultural cleavages. The cultural dimension calls for a fresh examination of the assumption of within-country homogeneity in an era of salient subcultural heterogeneity amplified by new communication channels. Across these levels, the full methodological range of the field, from qualitative to quantitative, historical, and comparative, is needed to bring evidence to bear on assumptions long held by default.

These questions cut across all areas of interest and tracks, but we have one track specifically focused on the conference theme. We encourage authors to submit their highest-impact work to the track of their choice.

Submission Information and Tracks

We welcome submissions of original research papers that offer practical insights, empirical evidence, and innovative perspectives on generational change and demographic diversity. As an organization, we are committed to non-discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, and other protected characteristics. We expect all panel submissions to ensure fair gender representation and reflect our dedication to diversity and inclusion. We expect panels to be interactive. There are several options here ranging from Oxford-style debates to Pro-Con and Q&A-type panels.

Please submit each of your papers or panel proposals to one of the following tracks. There is a strict “rule of three” limit on the number of papers or panels each author can submit. The rule of three applies to all authors who are associated with a paper or panel (not just those who submit). If you are listed as a co-author or panelist, you are subject to the rule of three. There will be no exceptions to this rule, so please make sure all your co-authors agree to a submission and are within the rule of three BEFORE you submit your paper or panel. We will prioritize submissions that demonstrate rigor, relevance, and impact.

A separate Submission Guide page will be posted on the AIB 2027 website soon with additional information on both paper and panel submissions.

1. Internationalization Processes and International Entrepreneurship

Track Co-Chairs:
Katarina Blomkvist, Uppsala University, Sweden
Shameen Prashantham, CEIBS, China

This track focuses on how global entrepreneurs adapt and identify business opportunities in a changing world. It covers the creation of new ventures, expanding businesses, and driving innovation across borders, with a special emphasis on digital technologies and social/economic challenges.

Keywords: Born-global firms; Comparative international entrepreneurship; Digital internationalization; Entrepreneurial internationalization; Foreign entry modes; Immigrant and Transnational Entrepreneurs; International entrepreneurship; International entrepreneurial orientation; Entrepreneurial networks; International new ventures; Internationalization process; Opportunity entrepreneurship; Speed of internationalization.

2. International Marketing and Consumer Behavior

Track Co-Chairs:
Peter Gabrielsson, Aalto University, Finland
Constantinos Leonidou, Open University of Cyprus, Cyprus

This track explores how firms, international marketing managers, and consumers respond to challenges like digitalization, consumer trust, technological advances, geopolitical risks, and sustainability pressures. It aims to understand how cross-national/cross-cultural similarities and differences, as well as global technological and institutional changes, affect firms and customers, and how global firms can successfully design and implement marketing strategies.

Keywords: AI in marketing; Brand management; Consumer trust; Consumer animosity; Country-of-origin effects; Cross-cultural marketing; Digital marketing; Distribution channels; International marketing theory; Marketing communications; Market targeting and segmentation; Nationalism; Pricing; Standardization/Adaptation; Social media/e-commerce marketing; Sustainable marketing.

3. International Finance, Accounting, and Corporate Governance

Track Co-Chairs:
Jacob Müllner, WU Vienna, Austria
Trond Randøy, CBS, Denmark

This track emphasizes cross-border investment, capital structure, financial reporting, and risk management in multinational firms. It covers governance approaches, legal and financial institutions, ESG reporting, and the influence of international investors on firm strategies. It also covers comparative capital markets and international banking and regulation.

Keywords: Accounting standards; Capital structure; Climate risk; Corporate governance; Corporate ownership; Cross-border investment; Digitization and Fintech; Exchange rate exposure; Financial risk management; Internal capital markets; International finance; Institutional investors; Non-financial reporting; Private Equity; Shareholder activism; Stakeholder activism; Sustainable finance; State ownership; Transfer pricing; Valuation; Venture Capital.

4. Global Strategy and Organization

Track Co-Chairs:
Randi Lunnan, BI Norwegian Business School, Norway
Chang Hoon Oh, University of Kansas, USA

This track examines the strategies and organizational responses of multinational enterprises (MNEs) to global challenges and competitive threats. It covers international strategies in a changing world, HQ-subsidiary relationships, mergers and acquisitions, foreign exit and divestment strategies, platform strategies, global organization, and the creation and transfer of knowledge across borders within the MNE and its subsidiaries.

Keywords: Competitive strategy; Foreign exit and divestment; Global strategy; Growth strategies; Joint ventures; Knowledge creation and transfer; Location strategy; Mergers and acquisitions; MNE organization; Organizational learning.

5. Global Value Chains, Networks and Operations

Track Co-Chairs:
Thomas DeBerge, Loyola University, USA
Pavida Pananond, Thammasat University, Thailand

This track focuses on managing global value chains (GVCs) and operations. It covers supply chains, global operations and logistics, and the restructuring of GVCs, including reshoring, backshoring, friendshoring, and relocation (marketing, headquarters, or innovation centers) strategies. It also addresses the digital transformation of GVCs, global networks and alliances, R&D clusters, and global crowdsourcing.

Keywords: Alliances; Connectivity; Cross-border R&D and technology management; Digital transformation of GVCs; Geopolitical shifts and GVCs; Global open innovation; Global logistics; Global Supply chains; Location decisions; Global value chains; GVC transitions; Intellectual property protection; Networks; Offshoring, reshoring, and friendshoring; Outsourcing.

6. International HRM, Global Leadership, and Cross-Cultural Management

Track Co-Chairs:
Markus Pudelko, University of Tübingen, Germany
Davina Vora, State University of New York, USA

This track covers global talent management, language and cross-cultural management, global leadership, multicultural teams, and international HR activities. It includes recruitment, training, performance management, compensation, and leadership development.

Keywords: Cross-cultural management; Cultural diversity; Digital HRM; Expatriate management; Global leadership; Global staffing; Hybrid and remote working; Intercultural competence; Migration; Organizational change; Performance appraisal; Talent management; Virtual teams; Work-family issues; Work design.

7. Gender and Diversity

Track Co-Chairs:
Andri Georgiadou, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom
Khadija van der Straaten, RSM, Netherlands

This track explores diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) across all aspects and levels of international business. It covers gender, class, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability, neurodiversity, ancestry/origin, and other social identities, as well as their intersectionality. It addresses both social justice and business performance perspectives, paying particular attention to underlying power dynamics and issues regarding structural inequality and inequity.

Keywords: Advocacy; Ageism; Class; Decolonization; Diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI); Discrimination; Gender equality; Intersectionality; LGBTQIA+; Neurodiversity; Race; Representation; Social identity.

8. Teaching and Education

Track Co-Chairs:
Margaret Fletcher, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
Narentheren Kaliappen, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia

This track showcases good practices in international business (IB) teaching and education at all levels, recognizing the value of approaches that are effective and adaptable across diverse contexts. It focuses on innovative teaching methods, curriculum design, student engagement, pedagogy, and the use of digital tools to enhance learning.

Keywords: Blended learning; Case teaching; Cross-cultural teaching; Experiential Learning; Executive education; Hybrid teaching; IB curriculum; Multimedia or AI experiential learning; Simulations.

9. Research Methods and Theorizing

Track Co-Chairs:
Min Jung Kim, Korea University, South Korea
Marianna Marra, Politecnico di Milano, Italy

This track highlights advanced research methods and theorizing approaches in international business. It encourages innovative methodologies, interdisciplinary research, and context-sensitive theories.

Keywords: Experiments; Case study; Ethnography; Historical approaches; Interdisciplinary theorizing; Longitudinal research; Mixed methods; Meta-analysis; Machine learning; Natural language processing; Non-western perspective; Process theorizing; Prospective theorizing; Qualitative research; Quantitative research; Research methodology; Surveys.

10. Emerging Markets and Emerging Market MNEs

Track Co-Chairs:
Luis Dau, Northeastern University, USA
Ziliang Deng, Peking University, China

This track explores the dynamics of emerging markets, the internationalization into emerging countries, and the strategies of emerging market multinational enterprises (EMNEs). It covers, for instance, innovation, sustainable development, and market/non-market strategies of emerging market MNEs abroad, as well as those of foreign firms operating in emerging countries.

Keywords: Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP); Corporate social responsibility; Economic development; Emerging market MNEs; Global risks; Innovation; Internationalization into emerging countries; Internationalization strategies; Reverse innovation; State-owned enterprises; Sustainability.

11. MNE-State Relations and International Business Policy

Track Co-Chairs:
Marcelo Bucheli, University of Illinois, USA
Michael Witt, King’s College London, United Kingdom

This track examines the interactions between business, governments, and society. It focuses on the nexus between politics and business, non-market strategies, the effects of geopolitical risks, political and institutional volatility, social challenges, and the impact of tariffs and subsidies, industrial policy, AI governance, trade policy, and regulation on firm strategy and performance.

Keywords: Conflict; Corporate diplomacy; Corporate political activity; Corruption; Geopolitics; Global governance; Institutional environment; Non-market Strategies; Political strategies; Protectionism; Social sustainability; Trade agreements; Social movements.

12. Sustainability in International Business

Track Co-Chairs:
Valentina De Marchi, IESE, Spain
Marc Oberhauser, ESCP, France

This track addresses how international businesses engage with sustainability challenges like climate change, poverty, and inequality. It explores sustainable development goals, stakeholder engagement, and corporate social responsibility.

Keywords: Circular economy; Climate change; Corporate Social Irresponsibility (CSiR); Corporate social responsibility (CSR); ESG; Ethical Trade; Global value chains; Green development; Green innovation; Greenwashing; Human rights; Social innovation; Sustainable development goals (SDGs); Sustainability Reporting; Responsible business.

13. Local Track: Rethinking MNEs, Institutions, and Development in the Global South

Track Chairs:
Satish Kumar, Sunway University, Malaysia
Jesrina Ann Xavier, Sunway University, Malaysia

This track encourages research that examines under-explored settings, develops contextually grounded insights, and challenges, extends, or refines existing international business theories in the context of Global South. Particular attention is given to the role of international business in advancing inclusive growth, sustainability transitions, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The track welcomes conceptual, empirical, and review-based research on MNEs and development, institutional dynamics, Global South multinationals, South-South investment, digital transformation, geopolitical shifts, and indigenous theorizing.

Keywords: Global South; MNEs and development; Institutional voids; Institutional innovation; Foreign direct investment (FDI); Technology transfer; Inclusive growth; Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); Digital transformation; Geopolitical risk; Indigenous theorizing; Responsible international business.

14. Conference Theme Track: Fit for Purpose?: International Business Theories in a Changing World

Track Chairs:
Grazia D. Santangelo, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Torben Pedersen, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark

This track deals with the conference theme. The track explores the topics listed above in the call for papers.

Keywords: Theory re-assessment, theory development, Theory extension.

All submissions must be made through AIB’s online submission system by 12 January 2027.

Please refer to the AIB 2027 Submission Guide on the AIB 2027 conference website for information on how to prepare and submit your work. All submissions will undergo a double-blind peer-review process.

We hope you will submit your best work and join us at the AIB 2027 Annual Meeting as we strive to make international business scholarship a driving force for positive change in the world!