The Impact of Digital Transformation on Enterprises' Internationalization Strategy - A Study Based on Unilever
Main Article Content
Keywords
digital transformation, unilever, internationalization strategy, OLI advantages, characteristics of the consumer goods industry, event study method, comparative analysis method
Abstract
This study focuses on Unilever to conduct an in-depth analysis of the intrinsic link between digital transformation and internationalization strategies. By employing a single-case study method combined with an event study and comparative analysis methods, a demonstration is conducted on 7 categories of visualized data. The results show that digital transformation has significantly promoted the implementation of Unilever's internationalization strategy and enhanced its efficiency and effectiveness. In the marketing field, the global digital marketing platform has driven an increase in advertising ROI and the growth rate of overseas revenue; in terms of the supply chain, the blockchain-based supply chain in Africa has significantly optimized the response cycle and stockout rate. Meanwhile, digitalization has reshaped Unilever's OLI advantages: in terms of ownership advantages, it has built a leading barrier with technology and brand; in terms of location advantages, it has accurately adapted to the characteristics of regional markets. In addition, the characteristics of the consumer goods industry positively moderate the relationship between the two. In emerging markets, the effects of omni-channel collaboration and cultural adaptation tools are more prominent. This study contributes to the theoretical system of the interaction mechanism between digital transformation and enterprises' internationalization strategies and provides valuable references for the practical operation of enterprises.
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