Internationalisation of SMEs

SMEs represent THE backbone of many national economies and play a pivotal role in the current globalized market. SMEs often possess some behavioural strengths as entrepreneurial dynamism and flexibility, but at the same time they suffer of paucity in terms of financial and managerial resources, which also affect their ability to engage in economies of scale and scope. Due to their characteristics, they face many challenges while competing internationally with large multinational enterprises.

Most research so far has focused on knowledge instrumental for export-based internationalization, yet limited evidence exists regarding how SMEs are able to alleviate their innate liabilities and operate internationally with entry modes beyond exports.

  • Stoian, M. C., Dimitratos, P., and Plakoyiannaki, E., 2018. “SME internationalization beyond exporting: A knowledge-based perspective across managers and advisers”, Journal of World Business, Vol. 53, No. 5, pp. 768-779 (Nominated for Best Paper Award for 2018 in the Journal of World Business). doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2018.06.001

  • Dimitratos, P., Johnson, J. E., Plakoyiannaki, E., and Young, S., 2016. “SME internationalization: How does the opportunity-based international entrepreneurial culture matter?”, International Business Review, Vol. 25, No. 6, pp. 1211-1222. doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2016.03.006

  • Dimitratos, P., Plakoyiannaki, E., Pitsoulaki, A., and Tüselmann, H. J., 2010. “The global smaller firm in international entrepreneurship”, International Business Review, Vol. 19, No. 6, pp. 589-606. doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2010.03.005

  • Dimitratos, P., and Plakoyiannaki, E., 2003. “Theoretical foundations of an international entrepreneurial culture”, Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Vol. 1 No. 2, pp. 187-215. doi.org/10.1023/A:1023804318244