Crespo, Cátia FernandesSilva, Graça Miranda2025-12-042025-12-042024-03Crespo, N. F., Crespo, C. F., & Silva, G. M. (2024). Every cloud has a silver lining: The role of business digitalization and early internationalization strategies to overcome cloudy times. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 200, 123084.0040-1625http://hdl.handle.net/10400.8/14840Article number - 123084In this research we explore, building on dynamic capabilities, the influence that certain strategies followed by international new ventures (INVs) have on their responses to the COVID-19 crisis. Specifically, we access the effect of business digitalization, early internationalization and internet international strategy on two possible responses to the crisis. Through the data gathered by a survey of 153 INVs, we were able to test the hypothesized framework using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique. We find that all the hypothesized relationships were confirmed. Therefore, business digitalization strategy, early internationalization strategy and internet international strategy have a positive effect of both responses to the crisis: production recovery (short-term response) and digital transformation (long-term response). This study provides two insightful contributes to the international entrepreneurship field: i) these three strategies (business digitalization, early internationalization and internet international focus) incorporate dynamic capabilities that give INVs ad- vantages in reacting to a crisis; and ii) faced with a crisis situation, INVs simultaneously implement short-term and long-term responses.engBusiness digitalization strategyEarly internationalization strategyInternet international strategyCrisis responsesCOVID-19 crisisInternational new venturesjournal article10.1016/j.techfore.2023.123084