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International Activities in Small Firms: Examining Factors Influencing the Internationalization and Export Growth of Small Firms

International Activities in Small Firms: Examining Factors Influencing the Internationalization... In this paper we explore internationalization and export growth over time in a sample of 135 small manufacturing firms. By using concepts and arguments from literature on international business and small firms, the paper identifies six situational, or contingency, factors that are expected to influence the international activities of small firms. Our results show that a dynamic and fast‐changing environment may push small firms to go abroad, while it seems to be the experiences built up in the organization and a younger generation of CEOs that can explain why some small firms continue to expand their international activities. The findings suggest that the factors influencing small firms to go abroad and become international differ from the factors that influence them to continue and grow once they are on the international marketplace. The paper ends with a discussion of the findings, together with suggestions for further research. Résumé Dans cet article, nous analysons, à partir d'un échantillon de 135 petites firmes manufacturières, l'impact, au fil du temps, de l'internationalisation et de la croissance de l'exportation. Grâce à l'utilisation des concepts et d'arguments tirés de la littérature sur le commerce international et sur les petites entreprises, nous dégageons six facteurs situationnels et conjoncturels qui sont censés avoir un impact sur les activités internationales des petites entreprises. Nos résultats indiquent qu'un environnement dynamique et en mutation rapide peut être à l'origine de l'internationalisation des petites entreprises. Bien plus, les expériences acquises dans l'organisation et le rajeunissement des cadres expliqueraient pourquoi certaines petites entreprises continuent à étendre leurs activités internationales. Les résultats montrent aussi que les facteurs qui poussent les petites entreprises à s'exporter et à s'internationaliser sont différents de ceux qui les poussent à continuer à croître une fois qu'elles sont sur le marché international. Nous bouclons notre étude par une analyse des résultats et une proposition des pistes de recherche futures. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences/Revue Canadienne des Sciences de L'Administration Wiley

International Activities in Small Firms: Examining Factors Influencing the Internationalization and Export Growth of Small Firms

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Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 2004 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
ISSN
0825-0383
eISSN
1936-4490
DOI
10.1111/j.1936-4490.2004.tb00320.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

In this paper we explore internationalization and export growth over time in a sample of 135 small manufacturing firms. By using concepts and arguments from literature on international business and small firms, the paper identifies six situational, or contingency, factors that are expected to influence the international activities of small firms. Our results show that a dynamic and fast‐changing environment may push small firms to go abroad, while it seems to be the experiences built up in the organization and a younger generation of CEOs that can explain why some small firms continue to expand their international activities. The findings suggest that the factors influencing small firms to go abroad and become international differ from the factors that influence them to continue and grow once they are on the international marketplace. The paper ends with a discussion of the findings, together with suggestions for further research. Résumé Dans cet article, nous analysons, à partir d'un échantillon de 135 petites firmes manufacturières, l'impact, au fil du temps, de l'internationalisation et de la croissance de l'exportation. Grâce à l'utilisation des concepts et d'arguments tirés de la littérature sur le commerce international et sur les petites entreprises, nous dégageons six facteurs situationnels et conjoncturels qui sont censés avoir un impact sur les activités internationales des petites entreprises. Nos résultats indiquent qu'un environnement dynamique et en mutation rapide peut être à l'origine de l'internationalisation des petites entreprises. Bien plus, les expériences acquises dans l'organisation et le rajeunissement des cadres expliqueraient pourquoi certaines petites entreprises continuent à étendre leurs activités internationales. Les résultats montrent aussi que les facteurs qui poussent les petites entreprises à s'exporter et à s'internationaliser sont différents de ceux qui les poussent à continuer à croître une fois qu'elles sont sur le marché international. Nous bouclons notre étude par une analyse des résultats et une proposition des pistes de recherche futures.

Journal

Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences/Revue Canadienne des Sciences de L'Administration – Wiley

Published: Mar 1, 2004

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