Interactive Sensemaking in the SME Internationalization Process

Abstract

Internationalization for SMEs is often seen as a question of organization. However, the organizing of international activities and interactive sensemaking (seen as making sense, giving sense, and deriving sense) can be seen as an interrelated process. This paper focuses on clarifying how inter-organizational interactions affect actors' knowledge and learning outcomes in the SME internationalization process. By leveraging multiple case data over time, the empirical and theoretical framework contributes to an overall understanding of interactive sensemaking. Seven SMEs were followed over one year while participating in an internationalization event facilitated by clusters and networks with a healthcare and welfare focus. The first conclusion drawn is that interactive sensemaking is affected through bonding activities in the SME managers' relations. Secondly, bonding and bridging are both preconditions to giving sense and taking action. Therefore, sensemaking and organizing the SMEs internationalization networks are two interrelated processes.