Abstract
This article investigates the influence of networking on innovation and internationalisation within U.K.-based, female-led small and medium-sized tech enterprises. It utilises data from the 2021 Longitudinal Small Business Survey to evaluate a model that incorporates networking, three forms of innovation (product, process, and market), and international performance across 156 technology start-ups founded by women. The study employs orchestration theory to explore how female entrepreneurs strategically manage resources like networking to foster innovation and promote international growth. Findings suggest that while networking significantly boosts product innovation, it does not have a direct effect on process or market innovation. Nonetheless, networking indirectly strengthens the impact of process and market innovations on internationalisation. This highlights that women entrepreneurs initially use networks to enhance product innovation, then leverage them to convert process and organisational innovations into international expansion. The study contributes to the theoretical understanding of the intersection between gender and international entrepreneurship from an orchestration perspective and provides practical insights for female entrepreneurs on optimising networks to drive innovation and facilitate global scaling.
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
