International Business Research, Issue: Vol.19, No.1

A Study on the Mechanisms of Digital Technology Empowering High-Quality Development of Foreign Trade

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:08:23 +0000

Foreign trade constitutes a vital component of China's open economy and serves as a pivotal hub for facilitating the dual circulation of domestic and international markets. Promoting high-quality development in foreign trade holds profound significance for China's transformation from a “trade giant” to a “trade powerhouse.” This paper first theoretically analyzes the impact mechanism of digital technology on China's high-quality foreign trade development. Subsequently, based on provincial-level balanced panel data from 2013 to 2023, an empirical model is established to test the theoretical analysis. The findings conclude that digital technology significantly and positively promotes high-quality foreign trade development, validating its role through industrial structure optimization and green technological innovation. However, the study reveals that the promotional effect of digital technology on high-quality foreign trade development does not always follow a linear increasing trend. and that fixed asset investment constrains the driving effect of digital technology on high-quality foreign trade development.

Sustainable Packaging, Supply Efficiency, and Customer Loyalty

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:16:26 +0000

Purpose: The global shift toward environmental sustainability has placed significant pressure on businesses to adopt sustainable packaging practices. With rising consumer awareness and stringent government regulations, firms must balance economic viability, supply chain efficiency, and customer expectations. Despite the growing recognition of sustainable packaging as a critical component of corporate social responsibility, its impact on supply efficiency and customer loyalty remains underexplored. Companies struggle to integrate sustainable materials into their supply chains without incurring excessive costs or disrupting operational efficiency, which raises concerns about the overall feasibility and long-term benefits of these initiatives. This study aims to bridge these gaps by exploring how sustainable packaging impacts supply efficiency and customer loyalty in a competitive market landscape.

Method: This study is grounded in positivism, a philosophical approach that emphasizes objectivity, empirical observation, and hypothesis testing to generate generalizable knowledge through measurable data. The study employs a quantitative research approach to systematically investigate the causal relationships and employs convenience sampling to recruit 150 participants.

Findings: The study concludes that sustainable packaging significantly enhances customer loyalty. The study also confirms that sustainable packaging positively influences supply efficiency. The study further concludes that supply efficiency strengthens the relationship between sustainable packaging and customer loyalty. The study recommends that businesses should shift towards eco-friendly packaging materials such as biodegradable, recyclable, or reusable options to enhance brand loyalty and meet customer expectations. Firms should integrate advanced logistics technologies to improve supply chain responsiveness and efficiency, maximizing the benefits of sustainable packaging. Organizations should actively communicate their sustainability initiatives to consumers through marketing campaigns, product labeling, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports.

Digital Transformation of Beijing’s Cultural Tourism: A Catalyst for Enhancing Beijing’s International Image in the Digital Age

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:21:05 +0000

Faced with the development pressures of historic cities amidst globalization and digitalization, Beijing has explored a unique path of digital cultural tourism integration. This paper argues that the essence of the “Beijing model” is a strategic institutional innovation, which stimulates technological innovation and enterprise vitality through policy levers to form a coupled driving mechanism that jointly promotes industrial transformation. The study finds that the convergence of digital platforms, immersive technologies, and the digitization of cultural heritage not only restructures tourists’ perceptions and experiences but also forces adaptive changes in urban governance models. Therefore, this paper argues that the enlightening value of this model far exceeds its specific measures, and instead lies in providing a strategic thinking framework of “contextual adaptation”, offering theoretical reference and practical possibilities for historic and cultural cities facing similar challenges.

Study on the Impact of China's Manufacturing Digital Transformation on Attracting Foreign Investment

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 12:43:14 +0000

Drawing on Asian Development Bank Input-Output Table Database and provincial-level manufacturing panel data from China spanning 2002 to 2023, this paper examines the impact mechanisms and effects of manufacturing digital transformation on attracting foreign investment. Findings reveal that digital transformation significantly enhances the attractiveness of the manufacturing sector to foreign capital by boosting production efficiency. This effect exhibits pronounced regional heterogeneity, being relatively significant in central China while remaining insignificant in eastern and western regions. Mechanism tests further validate the mediating roles of technological innovation and human capital structure upgrading in manufacturing digital transformation. Based on these findings, the paper proposes recommendations including: continuously advancing digital transformation, strengthening technological investment and talent development, and implementing differentiated regional policies. These measures aim to optimize the structure of foreign investment and propel China's manufacturing sector toward higher-end segments of the global value chain.

Innovation and Employment Churning: The Dynamics of Labour Market Adjustment in Innovating Firms

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 03:59:51 +0000

This paper explores the effects of product innovation, process innovation and R&D expenditure on job creation, job destruction and churning using a sample of Italian manufacturing firms. The results indicate that product and process innovations tend to amplify job creation, while they reduce job destruction. Conversely, R&D tends to work in the opposite direction, reducing job creation and amplifying job destruction. We also find that employment churning increases with firms’ engagement in R&D activities, while it decreases when firms introduce new products and/or process innovations. Crucially, the study identifies asymmetric responses of worker flows and churning to innovation strategies, depending on firms' growth trajectories and whether product and process innovations are implemented separately or simultaneously.

Effect of Business Model Innovation on the Performance of Raw Material Companies in Africa

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 04:15:28 +0000

This study investigates the impact of Business Model Innovation (BMI) on firm performance in African raw material enterprises, with a particular focus on the moderating role of technological innovation. Despite the continent’s heavy reliance on commodity-based industries, African SMEs face structural constraints including fragmented supply chains, limited digital adoption, and regulatory instability that may affect the effectiveness of innovation strategies. Using cross-sectional data from 300 firms across mining, agriculture, and energy sectors between 2020 and 2024, this study employs correlation, multiple regression, quantile regression, and instrumental variable (IV–2SLS) analyses to examine the adoption, performance outcomes, and contingencies of BMI. Results demonstrate that BMI significantly enhances Return on Investment (ROI), market growth, and operational efficiency, with technological innovation strengthening these effects, particularly for high-performing firms. Industry-level analyses reveal heterogeneity, with mining and energy firms benefiting most, while agricultural enterprises experience weaker impacts due to structural and infrastructural constraints. These findings provide robust empirical evidence that BMI, especially when complemented by technological capabilities, can improve firm performance in resource-dependent African economies. The study contributes to theory by extending BMI research to developing contexts and informs managers and policymakers seeking strategies for economic diversification, sustainable growth, and competitiveness in global value chains.

Analysis of the Financial Performance of Industrial Facilities and Their Impact on Equity from a Sustainability Perspective

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:19:35 +0000

All economic decisions, both at the macroeconomic and microeconomic levels, involve the assessment of various forms of business performance. Numerous indicators can be used to provide information about the interests of shareholders in evaluating investments and their relationships with the business. Understanding the relationship between business performance and equity is crucial, as negative equity can be considered a critical asset parameter. This assessment study aims to determine the relationship between negative equity and business performance in Türkiye by evaluating comprehensive financial data from companies with negative equity between 2020 and 2024. Furthermore, this assessment study uses the Altman Z-score and the IN05 index to assess the performance of companies with negative equity by dividing companies operating in the manufacturing sector into bankruptcy, prosperity, and gray zones.

Reviewer Acknowledgements for International Business Research, Vol. 19, No. 1

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 04:42:16 +0000

Reviewer Acknowledgements for International Business Research, Vol. 19, No. 1, 2026