The role of technology in international business expansion
Thapa, Manisha (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025060621356
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025060621356
Tiivistelmä
This thesis seeks to examine the role of digital technologies in facilitating the internationalization of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nepal. Globalization has increasingly been defined using digital technology, which means that firms with limited resources can now utilize low-cost and scalable platforms to participate in global markets. However, the uptake of digital technology by SMEs in developing economies such as Nepal is inconsistent. The study will investigate the opportunities and barriers that Nepali SMEs experience in their internationalization process through digital technology, drawing from three important theories: the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Resource-Based View (RBV), and Born Global Theory.
Data was collected using a mixed-methods approach. Primary data was collected through a structured online survey of digitally aware students and emerging professionals (n = 100+) and a semi-structured interview with the co-founder of Hyperce, a Nepal-based AI-powered e-commerce solutions company. The survey collected quantitative-directed trends in perceptions and experiences using digital tools, while the interview provided contextual data regarding SME tactics for profitably scaling internationally by utilizing automation and digital architecture. The data collected was thematically analyzed and presented in qualitative interpretation with descriptive statistics.
The results demonstrate that despite mobile payments, e-commerce apps, and automation/robotic applications offering promise, uptake levels are limited by high entry costs, the necessity for infrastructure, and the uncertainty of regulatory approaches. Nevertheless, early adopters - like Hyperce - show how digital infrastructure can support born-global behaviour even when conditions are impoverished. The study concludes with strategic suggestions for owners of SMEs, policymakers, and ecosystem players, calling for localized digital literacy programs, the design of simplified policies, and scalable technology partnerships. These findings add to knowledge within an academic context and practitioner experience of better utilizing technology to improve the competitiveness of SMEs.
Data was collected using a mixed-methods approach. Primary data was collected through a structured online survey of digitally aware students and emerging professionals (n = 100+) and a semi-structured interview with the co-founder of Hyperce, a Nepal-based AI-powered e-commerce solutions company. The survey collected quantitative-directed trends in perceptions and experiences using digital tools, while the interview provided contextual data regarding SME tactics for profitably scaling internationally by utilizing automation and digital architecture. The data collected was thematically analyzed and presented in qualitative interpretation with descriptive statistics.
The results demonstrate that despite mobile payments, e-commerce apps, and automation/robotic applications offering promise, uptake levels are limited by high entry costs, the necessity for infrastructure, and the uncertainty of regulatory approaches. Nevertheless, early adopters - like Hyperce - show how digital infrastructure can support born-global behaviour even when conditions are impoverished. The study concludes with strategic suggestions for owners of SMEs, policymakers, and ecosystem players, calling for localized digital literacy programs, the design of simplified policies, and scalable technology partnerships. These findings add to knowledge within an academic context and practitioner experience of better utilizing technology to improve the competitiveness of SMEs.