Internationalisation patterns of African sharing economy companies: The role of gateway markets

•The African sharing economy has grown speedily in size and into diverse industries.•The study analyses the internationalisation of African sharing economy companies.•The studied companies internationalised into other African countries and beyond.•They have internationalised through innovative strat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of business research 2024-01, Vol.170, p.114297, Article 114297
Main Authors: Ochieng, Irene Achieng, Thornton, Heidi Coral, Owusu, Richard Afriyie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Business administration
Emerging African markets
Foreign gateway markets
Företagsekonomi
Internationalisation
Patterns
Sharing economy
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Summary:•The African sharing economy has grown speedily in size and into diverse industries.•The study analyses the internationalisation of African sharing economy companies.•The studied companies internationalised into other African countries and beyond.•They have internationalised through innovative strategies like the gateway model.•They have developed their business in new markets using collaboration in networks. Sharing economy companies (sharecoms) have been internationalising rapidly, including entering African markets. Little research has been conducted on the strategies and behaviours of African sharecoms. Questions have been raised as to whether existing theories adequately explain the internationalisation of African firms. Thus, we analyse the internationalisation patterns of six African sharecoms, focusing on time, speed, and scope. The findings indicate that firms apply unique combinations of various internationalisation models. A novel pattern of internationalisation where the firms use “foreign gateway markets” as strategic “launchpads” before rapidly internationalising was also uncovered. Locational advantages, strategic networks, and relative technological advancement characterise the foreign gateway markets. We also propose the concept of “complex regional context” to define the context of emerging regions with many neighbouring countries with the potential for high levels of internationalisation but low levels of international business due to the lack of common enabling frameworks and institutions.
ISSN:0148-2963
1873-7978
1873-7978
DOI:10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.114297