Entrepreneurial alertness, international performance, and the role of effectuation in SME internationalization

Wensong Bai, Barbara Francioni, Martin Johanson, Luis Oliveira and Milena Ratajczak-Mrozek

Journal of Small Business Management, 2025, vol. 63, issue 4, 1657-1694

Abstract: By shedding light on the often-overlooked early stages of opportunity development initiated by entrepreneurial alertness and its performance outcomes in an international setting, this study examines the interplay between alertness and two decision-making logics, effectual flexibility and causal prediction, in the context of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) internationalization. Leveraging structural equation modeling on a data set of 680 manufacturing SMEs across five countries, this study uncovers distinct effects: effectual flexibility moderates, while causal prediction mediates, the positive relationship between alertness and the international performance of SMEs. The research makes noteworthy contributions to international entrepreneurship literature by linking alertness with performance in the international context and disentangling the nuanced pathways through which SMEs can achieve success in the global arena.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/00472778.2024.2397807

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