Uma abordagem de marketing à gestão do risco operacional na internacionalização de PME portuguesas recém-nascidas: estudo de caso

Abstract

This dissertation presents a marketing approach to operational risk management in portuguese newborn SMEs’internationalisation process. Based on the comprehensive explanation of internationalisation stategies, with an emphasys on exportation, this paper intends to offer a more pragmatic perspective on newbordn SME’s managers’ decision making process regarding b2b international marketing strategies formulation in order to propose a benchmark in the above mentioned matter. In order to do so, the research work hereby presented was carried out using a mixed methodology based on a secondary research for theoretical support and then, on a qualitative analysis operationalized through interviews. Results comply with theoretical predictions sustained by previous investigations and show an overall tendency towards a progressive aknowledgment of the marketing role in internationalisation strategies. In summary it is concluded that: (1) the export volume of Portuguese newborn SMEs is mainly destined to EU members; (2) in international b2b marketing, communication is the marketing mix component most adapted by Portuguese newborn SMEs to the international markets; (3) in international b2b marketing, distribution is the marketing mix component most standardized by Portuguese newborn SMEs to the international markets; (4) regarding Portuguese newborn SMEs’ marketing mix, standardization is the most adopted international management strategy; and (5) regarding Portuguese newborn SMEs’ marketing mix, adaptation is the management strategy with greater capacity to mitigate operational risk. Therefore, it is expected that the present dissertation may have profound implications for future studies in the field.