Introduction to the Minitrack on Global, International, and Cross-Cultural Issues in the Digital Economy

Globalization has historically been tied to technological innovation, and the present era of the digital economy is no different. The worldwide spread of interconnected information and communication technologies (ICTs) has provided the infrastructure for multinational businesses, created new cultural connections irrespective of geographic boundaries and distances, and allowed an increasingly mobile global population to be connected to their friends, families, and cultures no matter where they are. Businesses across all sectors have been updating their business models to reap benefits from the advances in ICTs, which allowed many to extend their reach into global and international markets, and thus also into different cultural contexts.