The Role of Digitalisation in International Market Entry Strategies of Enterprises

Year 2025, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 150 - 160, 30.06.2025

Gülşen Büşra Sarrafoğlu

Abstract

This study takes a multidimensional approach to the role of digitalisation on firms' international market entry strategies. With the rapid development of digital technologies, firms are moving beyond traditional market entry methods and adopting more flexible, fast and cost-effective digital strategies. Especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), despite their limited resources, can access global markets through digital tools and accelerate their internationalisation processes through applications such as e-commerce, digital marketing and data analytics. Digitalisation enables firms to position themselves in target markets without establishing a physical presence, analyse customer needs more accurately and adapt their strategies more dynamically. However, this process not only offers opportunities but also poses significant challenges. Issues such as digital infrastructure deficiencies, insufficient digital literacy, data security and regulatory compliance are among the main obstacles that firms face in their digital-based internationalisation strategies. This study addresses these obstacles as well as the advantages offered by digitalisation and discusses the strategic orientations necessary for businesses to gain competitive advantage in global markets through digital transformation. In this framework, digitalisation is considered as not only a technological but also a structural and cultural transformation process.

Keywords

Digitalisation, Internationalisation Strategies, SMEs

İşletmelerin Uluslararası Pazarlara Giriş Stratejilerinde Dijitalleşmenin Rolü

Abstract

Bu çalışma, dijitalleşmenin işletmelerin uluslararası pazarlara giriş stratejileri üzerindeki rolünü çok boyutlu bir yaklaşımla ele almaktadır. Dijital teknolojilerin hızla gelişmesiyle birlikte, firmalar geleneksel pazara giriş yöntemlerinin ötesine geçerek daha esnek, hızlı ve maliyet etkin dijital stratejiler benimsemektedir. Özellikle küçük ve orta ölçekli işletmeler (KOBİ’ler), sınırlı kaynaklarına rağmen dijital araçlar sayesinde küresel pazarlara erişim sağlayabilmekte; e-ticaret, dijital pazarlama ve veri analitiği gibi uygulamalar aracılığıyla uluslararasılaşma süreçlerini hızlandırmaktadır. Dijitalleşme, firmaların fiziksel varlık oluşturmadan hedef pazarlarda konumlanmasına, müşteri ihtiyaçlarını daha doğru analiz etmesine ve stratejilerini daha dinamik şekilde uyarlamasına olanak tanımaktadır. Ancak bu süreç yalnızca fırsatlar değil, aynı zamanda önemli zorluklar da barındırmaktadır. Dijital altyapı eksiklikleri, dijital okuryazarlık düzeyinin yetersizliği, veri güvenliği ve regülasyon uyumu gibi konular, firmaların dijital temelli uluslararasılaşma stratejilerinde karşılaştıkları başlıca engeller arasındadır. Çalışma, dijitalleşmenin sunduğu avantajların yanı sıra bu engelleri de ele almakta; işletmelerin dijital dönüşüm yoluyla küresel pazarlarda rekabet avantajı elde edebilmesi için gerekli stratejik yönelimleri tartışmaktadır. Bu çerçevede dijitalleşme, sadece teknolojik değil, aynı zamanda yapısal ve kültürel bir dönüşüm süreci olarak değerlendirilmektedir.

Keywords

Dijitalleşme, Uluslararasılaşma Stratejileri, KOBİ’ler

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