Service born globals: a thematic review

Purpose This paper focuses on service born globals (SBGs), a less explored category of early internationalising firms. It aims to shed light on the factors that drive their rapid internationalisation and support their sustained growth. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review of 31 peer-reviewed articles was conducted using an inductive thematic analysis. Findings Two major categories influence the strategic behaviour and performance of early internationalising SBGs: (1) internal factors, encompassing firms' characteristics, capabilities and resources, entrepreneurial and learning orientation and founder and team characteristics, and (2) external factors, including client relationship, legitimacy and reputation and contextual and operational factors. SBGs place greater emphasis on reputation- and legitimacy-building than traditional born globals. The heterogeneity of service offerings also plays a decisive role, with client followership emerging as the primary driver of early internationalisation among soft SBGs. Practical implications This study provides a blueprint for managers of innovative service-based firms, outlining specific strategies for each of the primary internal and external factors identified to support successful early internationalisation. Originality/value While the broader BG literature has concentrated on manufacturing firms, this study advances the emerging research on SBGs by highlighting their distinct characteristics and strategic behaviours and reflecting the growing relevance of the service sector in the global economy.