Examining the Effect of Cultural Intelligence on the Internationalization of Swiss Small and Medium Enterprises

Hadia Fakhreldin

International Business Research, 2018, vol. 11, issue 6, 89-101

Abstract: The study examines the relationship between cultural intelligence (CI) and the internationalization of Swiss Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). It also evaluates the role of internationalization motivators within that relationship. A self-administered survey was sent (by email) to the managers of 640 Swiss SMEs, identified from the Swiss SME database (Switzerland Global Enterprises-ge.com). The data analysis confirms that the internationalization process and the intention to internationalize depend to a large extent on the cultural intelligence of these managers. The analysis also identified access to information on foreign markets as the main motivator that affects this relationship. The study proposes solutions and recommendations to stakeholders and policy makers to enhance and support SME internationalization through developing specific individual and organizational aspects, mainly the cultural competencies of managers and more access to detailed information on foreign markets and their differing environments.

Keywords: cultural intelligence; internationalization; motivators to internationalize; Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs); Switzerland (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ibn:ibrjnl:v:11:y:2018:i:6:p:89-101

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