Exploring competitive strategies: the role of managerial perceptions and motivations on internationalisation of SMEs

Abstract

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) utilise resources and capabilities differently in order to achieve a competitive advantage. Some SMEs are able to exploit these advantages internationally because of the unique motivations and perceptions of management toward globalisation. The findings of this research suggest that SMEs implementing competitive strategies have uniquely different managerial perceptions and motivations to internationalise as demonstrated by the interactions of these constructs. That is, firms using differentiation approaches are distinctly different from those using a low cost approach particularly when the interaction effects of international, managerial perceptions and firm size are investigated.