Conceptual Gravity Model and Reconfiguration of International Trade

International trade is undergoing a major transformation driven by geopolitical tensions, the adoption of stringent regulatory frameworks, and the growing incorporation of sustainability criteria; therefore, explaining bilateral trade flows through the gravity model has regained importance. This study analyzed trends in international trade from geopolitical, regulatory, and sustainability perspectives to reconceptualize the traditional distance in the gravity model as a multidimensional construct. The research was grounded in the hermeneutic paradigm, developing a qualitative–interpretive method that synthesized a systematic literature review with grounded theory procedures for an interactive analysis of 83 scientific documents indexed in Scopus, selected using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method and published between 2014 and 2026, which included a conceptual operationalization as an exercise in systematization. The results confirm convergence among the dimensions identified in the literature and support a conceptual gravity model that reconceptualizes traditional trade distance as a multidimensional construct encompassing differences in geopolitical, sustainability, and regulatory aspects. In this way, the explanatory scope of the traditional gravity model broadens, providing a conceptual foundation for future empirical testing.