‘Lean Start-Up’ Practices: Initial Internationalization and Evolving Business Models

Abstract

This chapter reports on an investigation into what lies behind a firm’s first export order; a topic having received a good deal of interest in earlier studies. It draws on the lean start-up studies that has been relatively under-utilized in the existing literature and in particular focuses on the extent to which owner/managers employ evolving business models. Data were collected from interviews with key decision-makers in ten newly internationalizing UK start-up firms operating in niche B2B sectors with limited financial resources; that is, in their first year of operation. The findings highlight that varying degrees of lean start-up practices were employed by the owner/managers, with all ten providing some consideration of aspects within their respective business model when commencing an internationalization path. The contribution of the chapter is to offer a lean start-up perspective to help explain considerations that facilitate a firm’s internationalization path together with avenues for future research.