The relationship between a firm’s age when it initiates internationalization and performance has spurred significant theoretical development but also yielded mixed empirical results. Applying the capabilities perspective of age at initial international entry to these mixed empirical results, we use meta-analytic methods leveraging results from 121 studies and find that an earlier age at entry is associated with improved firm performance. Yet, this effect is strongest when firms begin internationalizing at intermediate stages of their development and is mediated by the extent to which firms increase international sales (international intensity). We extend prior research by explaining how and how much age at entry matters as well as when it matters most, unpacking the pathways and timing by which age at entry matters, and we offer avenues to continue advancing work on the capabilities perspective of age at initial international entry.

公司开始国际化时的年龄与业绩之间的关系刺激了重要的理论发展，但也产生了混杂的实证结果。将最初进入国际市场的年龄的能力视角应用于这些混合的经验结果，我们使用荟萃分析方法，利用121项研究的结果，发现进入市场的年龄越早与公司绩效的提高相关。但是，当企业在发展的中间阶段开始国际化时，这种影响最为明显，并且受企业增加国际销售的程度（国际强度）的影响。我们通过解释进入年龄的方式和程度以及最重要的时间，扩展了先前的研究，揭示了进入年龄重要的途径和时机，