Journal of International Business Education Vol. 15 © 2020 NJP Decoupling in International Business: A Rejoinder on Internationalization and De- Internationalization Weng Marc Lim Swinburne University of Technology, Swinburne Business School, Australia and Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, School of Business, Malaysia Symeon Mandrinos Swinburne University of Technology, School of Business, Malaysia Abstract. This is a rejoinder to “Decoupling in International Business”, a recent article published in the Journal of General Management. This rejoinder aims to add clarity to the complex idea of decoupling in international business through the lens of internationalization and de- internationalization. This rejoinder hopes that the clarification herein will help the readers of the Journal of International Business Education, especially international business educators, to better comprehend and explain the idea of decoupling in international business. Keywords: decoupling, international business, internationalization, de-internationalization. Most, if not all, governments today are acutely aware of the significance of free trade in promoting economic growth and industry competitiveness regardless of whether a country is underdeveloped, developing, or developed. Governments, in the name of national interest, are therefore challenged to stimulate investment in internalization activities, with policies and programs consistent and complete with respect to the law. By and large, firms in international markets are affected by the actions that governments in home and host countries pursue to “protect” national interest. Founded on organizational theory, decoupling—or the creation and maintenance of gaps—is a response typically adopted by firms that have been affected by tensions in international markets. Most often, decoupling depict firms with collaborative agreements as “appearing” to go separate ways in trade and investment activities. The truth of this “appearance”, however, must be subject to scrutiny, as firms that decouple may pursue outward business practices whilst portraying an inward business orientation, or vice versa, owing to the need to pacify non-business stakeholder expectations whilst maintaining vested business- related interests.