Internationalization and Innovation as Resources for SME Growth in Foreign Markets

Antonella Zucchella and Alfonso Siano

International Studies of Management & Organization, 2014, vol. 44, issue 1, 21-41

Abstract: This research analyzes the link between innovation and internationalization in a regional system of small traditional firms in the clothing and textile industry, with special attention given to the role played by the sources of innovation in driving export performance. The study shows a positive relationship between innovation and international growth. Moreover, the findings highlight the role of key partners as the major source of information for innovation, which drives export performance. The innovation model of exporting firms—as opposed both to the open innovation model based on external R&D collaborations, and to the classical internal R&D based one—depends mainly on external sources of knowledge, such as strong ties with some pivotal industrial and commercial partners. The viable system approach in firms' management is confirmed as the most appropriate one for fully exploiting the potential of interorganizational ties for innovation and internationalization.

Date: 2014
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (23)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.2753/IMO0020-8825440102 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

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:taf:mimoxx:v:44:y:2014:i:1:p:21-41

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/mimo20

DOI: 10.2753/IMO0020-8825440102

Access Statistics for this article

International Studies of Management & Organization is currently edited by Abraham Stefanidis

More articles in International Studies of Management & Organization from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().