PurposeThis paper aims to explore the relationship between strategic internationalization decisions and dynamic capabilities deployment for the internationally growing firm (IGF). Dynamic capabilities refer to a firm's ability to adapt proactively to a changing business environment, emphasizing the importance of "doing the right things" rather than just "doing things right. Design/methodology/approachLiterature-based, this paper proposes a model that links internationalization decisions and dynamic capabilities deployment, offering valuable insights for both research and practical application. FindingsThe study highlights that the IGF - focused on expansion and growth abroad - faces unique complexities that demand "doing the right things" in terms of strategic internationalization decisions. Three critical organizational capabilities - knowledge transfer, knowledge recombination and learning capabilities - are mechanisms linking strategic internationalization decisions to dynamic capability deployment in the IGF. These organizational capabilities enable the IGF to act entrepreneurially and deploy dynamic capabilities across borders. Research limitations/implicationsThe model provides a practical framework illustrating the interconnectedness of strategic internationalization decisions and their combined effects on the ability of IGF to deploy dynamic capabilities to adapt to a changing global environment. Originality/valueThis research addresses a gap in the literature, challenging the conventional assumption that dynamic capabilities precede firms' decisions to internationalize and that these dynamic capabilities can only be enhanced abroad.