Despite their rapid internationalization, early internationalizing firms (EIFs) struggle to sustain their growth over time. Among the factors influencing their internationalization process, the diversity of human resources, and particularly its management, has yet to be studied. Building on different perspectives of diversity management, through the lens of the resource-based view, this study explores the role of diversity management during EIFs’ internationalization process. The results of a multiple-case, qualitative study of French EIFs show that prevailing perspectives on diversity management within EIFs change with the nature of diversity as a resource (strategic, ordinary, or negative), with different influences on the firms’ progress along the phases of the internationalization process. The findings highlight the importance of adopting a learning perspective on managing diversity, including specific management practices, during the transition between the entry and post-entry phases of EIFs’ internationalization process. This study thus suggests several propositions and theoretical contributions, along with managerial recommendations.

尽管国际化迅速，但早期的国际化公司（EIF）仍在努力维持其长期增长。在影响其国际化进程的因素中，人力资源的多样性，尤其是对其管理的多样性，尚待研究。本研究基于资源管理的观点，基于多样性管理的不同观点，探讨了多样性管理在EIF国际化过程中的作用。对法国EIF进行多案例定性研究的结果表明，EIF内关于多样性管理的主流观点随着多样性作为一种资源（战略性，常规性或否定性）的性质而改变，对企业沿着这一过程的进展产生不同的影响。国际化进程的各个阶段。调查结果强调了在EIF国际化过程的进入阶段和进入阶段之后的过渡过程中，采用学习观点来管理多样性的重要性，包括特定的管理实践。因此，这项研究提出了一些命题和理论贡献，以及管理建议。