Key control points in the internationalization process of firms in the energy sector

Abstract

The global energy transition has led to major changes in the operational environment of firms in the energy sector. The transition has been supported by several new technologies that contributed to the dynamic of changing market conditions, introducing a great amount of data and shifting energy companies into digital ecosystems. Projects like the European Union (EU) have led to the liberalization of markets allowing new entrants and increasing international competition. Thus, firms in this sector, that have been previously shielded by state ownership, are faced with new circumstances and are required to consider adaptations of their business models (BMs). This setting provides a good opportunity to study the impacts of digital ecosystems, data, and internationalization endeavors through a BM perspective. To assess a firm’s positioning and competitive advantage in novel market settings this study introduces the notion of control points. Based on eight expert interviews, insights on BMs, digital ecosystems, data, and internationalization are presented and connected to existing literature. The study finds eight control points, classified into strategic and technical control points, relevant for securing competitive advantage in new market environments and the internationalization process of firms in the energy sector.

Date of Award	25 Jun 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	René Bohnsack (Supervisor) & Cláudia Marante (Co-Supervisor)