An empirical note on regionalization and globalization

Purpose – Is it regionalization or globalization that more accurately depicts the state of the global economy? Exports and foreign direct investments (FDI) data are analyzed with the aim of answering the question and determining how intra‐ and inter‐regional integration has changed over time. Design/methodology/approach – To address the research questions, this paper covers the following. First, it takes a longitudinal perspective in examining the changes taking place in exports and FDI at the regional level. Second, it draws strategic business and marketing implications of this development. Findings – The results show a trend toward regionalization in the Quad (North America, Western Europe, Asia, and Latin America), especially with respect to exports data. Originality/value – Findings, strategic implications, and directions for future research are presented.