Small-business internationalisation: the relationship between firm resources and export competitive patterns in exporting

James A. Wolff and Timothy L. Pett

International Journal of Management and Decision Making, 2004, vol. 5, issue 2/3, 246-262

Abstract: Significant research attention has been given to large-firm internationalisation strategy. While international markets are viewed as important growth avenues for large firms in developed economies, comparatively little research has examined these issues relative to small firms. Using the extant small business internationalisation literature and the resource-based view literature to underpin this study, we examine the relationship between small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) export competitive patterns and firms' resources and characteristics. We analysed survey data from 157 export-active small firms. Three competitive patterns emerged from the analysis – a service pattern, a marketing pattern, and an operations pattern. Our findings reveal mixed support for the hypothesised relationships between given patterns and managerial perceptions of opportunity/threat, cultural awareness, international know-how, and firm size. We discuss the interpretations of and implications from our results and provide suggestions for future research.

Keywords: small business; small firms; internationalisation; exporting; resource-based view; SMEs; competitive patterns; organisational resources; critical resources. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2004
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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