With the continuing dispersion of the global digital network and performance improvements of information and communication technologies, resource-poor start-ups with online business models have emerged in large numbers. These firms are able to deploy their competitive advantages across their country borders early in their life-cycle and engage in international commerce at a fast pace. An increased immediacy between the firms and the globally accessible customer is observed.

Julia Christofor’s study aims to analyze the conditions of the initial internationalization decision in the Net Economy. Based on Information Systems, International Entrepreneurship, and Entrepreneurship literature, factors, which constitute the internationalization propensity, are derived. The results of this study suggest that a holistic perspective including the founder, business model and the firm level should be considered when explaining the internationalization propensity of entrepreneurs. Julia Christofor’s analysis also shows that depending on the decision-maker’s entrepreneurial orientation, the internationalization propensity varies. Data was obtained by means of conjoint analyses experiments conducted with 66 German Net Economy entrepreneurs.

Dr. Julia Christofor promovierte bei Prof. Dr. Tobias Kollmann am Lehrstuhl für E-Business und E-Entrepreneurship an der Universität Duisburg-Essen, Campus Essen. Sie ist als Business Consultant bei der Hewlett-Packard GmbH in Ratingen tätig.