International entrepreneurial orientation and early internationalisation of SMEs: Does international networking orientation with competitors and non-competitors make a difference?

Edgar Nave, João J. Ferreira and Jorge Carneiro

Journal of International Management, 2024, vol. 30, issue 4

Abstract: International entrepreneurship (IE) theory assumes that international entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) and international networks provide foundations of early internationalisation. However, the doubt remains whether the five disaggregated dimensions of IEO play an equally relevant role in SMEs' early access to foreign markets, as well as whether International Networking Orientation (INO) can act as a differentiating factor and foster this relationship. In this sequence, this study aims: i) unpack the distinct impacts of IEO dimensions on early internationalisation, and ii) examine the moderating effects of INO on the relationship between IEO dimensions and early internationalisation, and we also iii) unpack INO effects with competitors and with non-competitors. Using a sample of 171 Portuguese SMEs and resorting to the development of logistic regression models, our results supported that the direct effects on early internationalisation vary across the dimensions of IEO – while innovativeness, autonomy, and competitive aggressiveness positively affect SMEs' early internationalisation, the direct effects of risk-taking and proactiveness were not statistically significant. Besides, we found corroborating evidence that INO with competitors presents a positive moderating effect between innovativeness and early internationalisation. This study reinforces the perspective of SMEs configuring diversified intangible strategic assets to accelerate internationalisation processes, bringing several theoretical and managerial implications.

Keywords: International entrepreneurship; Early internationalisation; International entrepreneurial orientation; International networking orientation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1075425324000437
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:intman:v:30:y:2024:i:4:s1075425324000437

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/601266/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... 601266/bibliographic

DOI: 10.1016/j.intman.2024.101162

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of International Management is currently edited by M. Kotabe

More articles in Journal of International Management from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().