Internationalization, SME, Knowledge-based model, Market, Network, Experience, Culture, Opportunity recognition,

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PurposeThe present study seeks to investigate female entrepreneurship in turbulent times (COVID-19) and contexts (emerging markets).Design/methodology/approachAn in-depth, multiple-firm (five SMEs), cross-country (2 countries – Brazil and Tunisia), cross-region (Latin America and the MENA region) case study based on a mixed embeddedness perspective.FindingsThe study highlights how challenges and uncertainties are managed, what inspires female entrepreneurs and what frightens them. We capture these entrepreneurs' insecurities, self-doubts and creative survival strategies. Our findings reinforce the need for self-efficacy and resilience, as well as the importance of a support network and the ability to “reboot” whenever needed. Despite persistent patriarchal norms and cultures, the women surveyed did not see themselves as female entrepreneurs but as successful entrepreneurs, akin to their male counterparts.Research limitations/implicationsAcademically, the study contributes to the fields of entrepreneurship, female entrepreneurship and crisis management with empirical evidence in new contexts (LATAM and MENA regions) and times (collected during a crisis). The results also contribute in a practical way to female entrepreneurs, policy makers and global agencies.Originality/valueThe study's originality arises from a qualitative cross-country comparison of findings from internationally minded companies from under-researched developing countries and regions at an especially interesting and turbulent time: the pandemic of 2020.

Medical tourism is gaining importance through the last decades thanks to internationalization. in this area, internationalization has been facilitated by the internet revolution that enables instantaneous transmission of text, audio and visual data as well as graphics, which makes the medical consultation distance shorter and moreover reliable. a state of the art on internationalization, medical tourism and digital marketing has been presented. Furthermore, the authors, through a rich case study of the International Medical Embassy, examined the role played by the different digital marketing techniques in the development of medical tourism services in an emerging country such as Tunisia. based that, theoretical as well as practical recommendations are presented.

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