Internationalization of SMEs: Do Board Characteristics Matter?

Abstract

All around the globe, SMEs constitute the backbones of the countries' economies, with their contribution to a very high level of employment and enterprises, as well as GDP creation. Despite their significance in their economies, SMEs' engagement in export activities is limited, which could be enhanced with better corporate governance initiatives. The purpose of this study is to examine the association between one of the main components of corporate governance, i.e., board of directors (BOD), and SME internationalization. We apply stratified sampling by city, size, and sector to fairly reflect the SME population in Turkey, collecting data from 469 SMEs. To quantify the board characteristics, we construct a board index, composed of seven board-related variables. Then, we estimate cross-sectional regressions including firm-specific control variables and legal and industry dummies. Our findings show that the board index is strongly and positively associated with SME internationalization, implying SMEs can reach higher internationalization levels by fostering a more attentive approach toward the composition and functioning of their BODs. By focusing on the individual board characteristics, SMEs are likely to enhance their BODs’ monitoring and controlling functions in addition to their resource-acquiring functions, ultimately leading to higher internationalization levels.