Special track 10

SPECIAL SESSION TITLE: Global Business and Emerging Technologies: Strategy and Operations for International Firms in a Dynamic Marketplace

TRACK PROPONENTS:

• BOŽIDAR VLAČIĆ, Católica Porto Business School, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Portugal and Research Centre in Management and Economics, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Portugal, bvlacic@ucp.pt 

• CHARLA GRIFFY-BROWN, Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State University, Arizona, USA, charla.griffybrown@thunderbird.asu.edu 

• MARINA DABIĆ, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, J. F. Kennedy Square 6, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia and Department of Economics and Business, University of Dubrovnik, Lapadska obala 7, 20 000 Dubrovnik, Croatia, mdabic@net.efzg.hr 

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED SPECIAL SESSION TOPIC: The emergence of technological advancements in artificial intelligence, blockchain, machine learning, and quantum computing is particularly noticeable globally. This influx of innovation has created a dynamic landscape characterized by evolving consumer preferences and intensified competition for internationally operating firms. Furthermore, firms equipped to harness these technological advancements may strengthen their competitive advantages, potentially widening the gap between global leaders and followers. This development has significant implications for societal and sustainability outcomes, calling for further research in this domain. This track seeks contributions that examine how internationally operating firms, whether small and entrepreneurial or established multinationals, adjust their strategies and structures to leverage the opportunities presented by technological advancements and address ongoing challenges. This track covers, but is not limited to, submissions related to the state-of-the-art technology patterns of diffusion across firms, especially at the international level. Additionally, this track covers how firms expand across borders, make decisions about (re)locating their operations, select entry strategies for new markets, allocate resources, coordinate global activities, and enhance overall performance. Moreover, this track welcomes studies investigating internationally operating firms' absorptive capacity and their willingness to invest in technological advancements such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, machine learning, and quantum computing, determining their ability to capture returns after adoption. Finally, topics for the track also encompass contributions exploring how internationally operating firms are dealing with risks, adapting to cyber-security challenges, and complying with various ethical and security regulations.

ACCEPTABLE RESEARCH TOPICS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• internationally operating firms

• global strategy

• international expansion

• new technology

• artificial intelligence

• blockchain

• machine learning