Chapter 7: Does De-globalization Imply De-internationalization?

De-globalization is for real and has profound, but differentiated, effects on international business and companies with cross-border activities. Yet, companies do not de-globalize, as the overwhelming majority of companies were never truly global by any measure in the first place. However, many companies de-internationalize, partly or fully. They do so by reducing their international engagement, and by reconfiguring their international footprint, some by exiting foreign markets altogether, and some of these companies also resume international activities after a time-out period. In this essay, the author discusses companies’ strategies, including their de-internationalization actions, as ways of coping with the challenges and opportunities arising from key aspects of de-globalization phenomena, and concludes that de-internationalization considerations are an integral part of sound strategies for companies’ internationalization.