Born global acquirers from Indian IT: an exploratory case study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the phenomenon of the born global firm (BGF) in the Indian context. Specifically, the paper explores firm‐level characteristics (from the Indian IT industry) which act as initiating forces for firms which have made cross‐border acquisitions within five years of incorporation. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses inductive reasoning to derive a theoretical framework of analysis, using constructs from the resource‐based view and institutional theory. Findings – The paper posits that firm resources, personal and network characteristics of its founders, age of the firm and institutional factors act as the initiating factors for a BGF. Originality/value – This is the first study on the phenomenon of the BGF from India, which is an important emerging market, and has pioneering value, contributing to the growing literature on the topic.