Global Expansion Through Networking Ecosystems Using Digital Platforms, Evidences from SMES in Kerala

The global expansion of businesses through collaborative platforms is increasingly captivating academia's interest. The emergence of a fresh digital transformation trend is sparking fresh contemplation and fostering novel networking methods. Strategies to utilise digital platforms for business are being developed rapidly, leading to new business models those benefit diverse stakeholders. There exist a gap in studies providing empirical evidence of how these networking platforms can enhance global expansion and thereby impact business performance. Global expansion poses numerous challenges, particularly for businesses operating within the SME sector. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) aim to achieve business growth by strategically diversifying their market, especially by venturing into international markets. Engaging in international operations diverges substantially from conventional business practices and is challenging. The advancement in digital technology serves as a crucial facilitator of resource-efficient global expansion and business growth. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the influence of collaborative ecosystems using digital platforms on international trade and global logistics in the SME sector. The study investigated how various platforms in digital technology influenced the global expansion process through networking in the collaborative ecosystem, in selected 190 companies across various types of businesses, in the SME sector, in Kerala. A conceptual framework was developed, drawing up on the findings of the exploratory study to comprehend the influence the collaborative ecosystems using digital platforms on global expansion of the sector. The findings substantiate the hypotheses suggesting a favorable correlation between the depth of engagement in the collaborative ecosystems and the extent of global expansion. The findings also indicate that the engagement of digital platforms for business expansion can play a crucial role in both generating and transferring data, thereby stimulate innovation and promote sustainability.