Internationalization Of Enterprises Research Articles

A Comparative Analysis of Ethnic Networks and Internationalization of Latin American Agri-SMEs: The Case of Argentina, Brazil, and Chile

This paper investigates the key drivers influencing the internationalization of agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises (agri-SMEs) in Latin America, with a particular emphasis on the role of social and ethnic networks. Focusing on Argentina, Brazil, and Chile—three of the region’s largest agricultural economies—this study examines how familial and cultural connections between descendants of European immigrants and European entrepreneurs facilitate the global expansion of agri-SMEs. Using a cross-sectional quantitative analysis, data from agri-SME managers reveal the importance of these networks in reducing market entry barriers by providing insider knowledge of foreign markets, regulatory conditions, and potential business partnerships. The findings demonstrate that ethnic networks significantly reduce market entry barriers, providing Latin American agri-SMEs access to essential insider knowledge on foreign markets and local regulations, thereby facilitating internationalization. Additionally, agri-SMEs that leverage these networks are better positioned to meet growing global demands for sustainable, traceable food products, gaining a competitive advantage in international markets. The strength and frequency of interactions within ethnic networks are positively correlated with the degree of internationalization, highlighting the importance of social capital in overcoming operational challenges. This paper contributes to the literature by highlighting the underexplored role of ethnic networks in shaping the international marketing strategies of agricultural firms and their capacity to adapt to evolving consumer behaviors. The study offers practical insights for supporting the global integration of agri-SMEs in Latin America, addressing both operational challenges and the increasing need for sustainable food production practices.

Relational assets, environmental uncertainty and internationalization speed of Chinese multinational enterprises

PurposeHow to support the rapid internationalization of multinational enterprises (MNEs) is a hot topic in academia and industry. The main purpose of this work is to study the role of relational assets (R-assets) in promoting the speed of internationalization of MNEs, and to explore the moderating effect of environmental uncertainty (institutional environment and industry environment) on the relationship between R-assets and internationalization speed of MNEs.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses the outward foreign investment data of China’s A-share listed enterprises from 2009 to 2021, and employs the Cox proportional hazards model to empirically test the research hypothesis.FindingsThe empirical results revealed that R-assets can promote enterprise internationalization speed. In addition, the study also finds that the institutional uncertainty of host countries weakens the promotion effect of R-assets on internationalization speed of MNEs, while the industry uncertainty strengthens the promotion effect of those. Heterogeneity analysis illustrates that, compared with state-owned enterprises, non-state-owned enterprises have a more significant effect on the above conclusions.Originality/valueThis study enriches the literature on internationalization speed of MNEs by focusing on the determinants of internationalization speed through R-assets. From the perspective of knowledge, the work also provides a theoretical reference whereby MNEs can use host country R-assets to accelerate knowledge acquisition and then internationalization practice. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights for managers aiming to develop effective strategies through R-assets to achieve rapid internationalization, contributing to an emerging literature stream on catch-up for emerging-market MNEs.

Challenges and Strategic Approaches in SME Internationalization: A Literature Review

This paper explores the challenges and strategic approaches in the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). By conducting a systematic review of key literature, the study identifies three main challenges: resource constraints, regulatory and compliance barriers, and risk management. These obstacles significantly impact SMEs' ability to expand globally. However, the review also highlights strategic approaches that can help SMEs mitigate these challenges, including forming strategic alliances, adopting digital technologies, and diversifying leadership teams with international expertise. The findings suggest that SMEs must integrate market knowledge, local networks, and technology to enhance their international competitiveness. The paper offers practical recommendations for SMEs and policymakers to facilitate smoother international expansion.

Entrepreneurial alertness, international performance, and the role of effectuation in SME internationalization

ABSTRACT By shedding light on the often-overlooked early stages of opportunity development initiated by entrepreneurial alertness and its performance outcomes in an international setting, this study examines the interplay between alertness and two decision-making logics, effectual flexibility and causal prediction, in the context of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) internationalization. Leveraging structural equation modeling on a data set of 680 manufacturing SMEs across five countries, this study uncovers distinct effects: effectual flexibility moderates, while causal prediction mediates, the positive relationship between alertness and the international performance of SMEs. The research makes noteworthy contributions to international entrepreneurship literature by linking alertness with performance in the international context and disentangling the nuanced pathways through which SMEs can achieve success in the global arena.

How do state-owned multinational enterprises behave abroad?

ABSTRACT This symposium is the result of a call for papers organised to answer a core question: How do state-owned multinational enterprises (SOMNEs) behave once they internationalise, that is, go “abroad”? To organise the research, papers used the FESPET framework to analyse SOMNE behaviour abroad from the Financial, Environmental, Social, Political Economy and Technology perspectives. The contributions to this project fill an important gap in the literature with the aim of improving our understanding on the consequences of the internationalisation of State-Owned Enterprises from key, selected countries that are important but currently under-researched: Brazil, India and Russia.

CROSS-CULTURAL CONFLICT ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN THE INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT OF CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES

This article focuses on the issue of cross-cultural management in the internationalization strategy of Chinese construction companies, especially in the Kazakhstan market. Through an exploratory approach, an in-depth case study of Pacific engineering & construction company limited (PECC), a Chinese construction company in Kazakhstan, this research provides rich insights into cross-cultural management in internationalization strategy. Based on data from 51 questionnaires, this article analyzes the impact of cross-cultural conflict on organizational performance in the internationalization management of construction companies. The results of the study show that the relationship between cross-cultural conflict and organizational performance is not a simple linear relationship, but an «inverted U-shaped» relationship. Both too high and too low cross-cultural conflict are detrimental to organizational performance, but appropriate cross-cultural conflict is conducive to organizational performance. This study contributes to the limited literature on internationalization of Chinese construction companies. At the same time, it provides a reference for the internationalization of other small and medium-sized enterprises in Kazakhstan. Key words: Cross-cultural conflict; Organizational performance; International management; Enterprise internationalization; Construction company.

Analysis of the Brand Internationalization Status and Development Environment of Chinese Enterprises

Driven by the wave of economic globalization in the 21st century, brand internationalization has become an important strategic choice for the enterprise and even the national level. With the internationalization of the market, the transnational of enterprises, the multinational capital and the intensification of competition, the brand has become a key indicator to measure the economic strength of a country or region. Although Chinese enterprises have cost and product advantages in the international market, their brand advantages are relatively weak, which leads to the limited image of Chinese products in overseas markets, and faces intellectual property challenges and dumping charges. To meet this challenge, the Chinese government has included independent innovation and brand building as the focus of the 11th Five-Year Plan since 2005, with the aim of enhancing international competitiveness. However, Chinese enterprises still face many problems in the process of brand internationalization, including the lack of brand strategy, the lack of understanding of the importance of brand internationalization, and the lack of grasp of development models and methods. At present, the theoretical research of brand internationalization has not yet formed a systematic framework, and there is a relative lack of systematic research on enterprise brand internationalization. Moreover, the practical history of Chinese enterprises in this field is relatively short, which provides a broad space for theoretical research and practical exploration. This paper aims to provide theoretical reference and strategic guidance for Chinese enterprises to enhance their brand competitiveness in the international market through in-depth study of the theory and practice of brand internationalization. Through the elaboration of the relevant theory of brand internationalization, the analysis of the development environment of Chinese brand internationalization, and the construction of the development strategy and mode of enterprise brand internationalization, this paper discusses the support system of brand internationalization development, in order to provide systematic theoretical support for the road of brand internationalization of Chinese enterprises.

Stock Market Liberalization and Internationalization of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Stock Market Liberalization and Internationalization of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Religion as a Cultural-Cognitive Institution in Internationalization of Women-Owned Enterprises

Religion as a Cultural-Cognitive Institution in Internationalization of Women-Owned Enterprises

Internationalization of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Best Practices and the Emerging Concept of Foreign Champion, an Empirical Investigation

This article introduces a new theoretical concept, the “foreign champion”, which attempts to solve the principal–agent problem and improve academic understanding of foreign market entry decisions by analyzing what experts in the field consider to be best practices. Based on empirical research into the determinants of SME internationalization success, semi-structured interviews (n = 12, t = 5 h 10 min.) were conducted with industry experts, including one academic, government officials, chamber and association leaders, a venture capitalist, and several CEOs, and key testimonies were studied using qualitative analysis software. The results shed light on effective internationalization strategies and common market entry mistakes. Despite the perception of saturation, the prominence of the experts, and the large sample, there may be limitations, such as not covering several regions. The originality of this study lies in its conceptual framework, the insights gained from the select interviews, and a new concept of foreign market entry.

Analysis of KFC's localized marketing strategy in China

In today's information society, international competition is intensifying, and the pace of internationalization of enterprises is also accelerating. Many foreign-funded enterprises are no longer limited to domestic production and operation, but are gradually opening up to overseas and gradually occupying overseas markets through excellent strategic marketing. With the rapid development of China's economy, multinational companies from all over the world have also begun to invest in China, and among these multinational companies, KFC has performed extremely well. It has been 36 years since KFC entered the Chinese catering market, and after more than 30 years of development, the two giants of KFC and McDonald's have basically achieved a monopoly position in China's "foreign fast food" market. The main reason for KFC's success is its localized marketing strategy. This article will focus on the development history of KFC, China's localization strategy, and comparison with McDonald's, hoping to provide some references for the development of Chinese multinational companies in overseas markets.

Environmental, social and governance performance: Can and how it improve internationalization of Chinese A-share listed enterprises

As an important enterprises’ practice in implementing the UN 2030 sustainable development, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance has drawn escalating attention from government, business and academia. This focus substantially impacts internationalization of enterprises. This paper tries to provide quantitative evidence of the impact of ESG performance of Chinese A-share listed companies on their international operation from 2009 to 2021. The results show that: (i) the ESG performance of listed enterprises exercise a significant positive impact on the internationalization operation. (ii) The effect of ESG performance on enterprises internationality is driven by increasing total factor productivity, enterprise reputation, and green innovation, as well as by mitigating financing constraint. (iii) Good ESG performance significantly boosts enterprise internationalization for non-heavy polluting, large-scale enterprises. This effect is also pronounced for enterprises with local government reports featuring a high frequency of environmental terms or those in high-tech industries.

The effect of ESG performance on enterprises’ internationalization : from the perspective of cooperative research and development

ABSTRACT This study constructs a comprehensive and integrated enterprise internationalization (EI) index using data of Chinese A-share listed companies between 2009 and 2019 to explore the effect of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) performance on EI. The study finds that firms’ ESG performance can facilitate internationalization, and the result hold after addressing endogeneity and robustness concerns. The mechanism test shows that cooperative research and development (R&D) is a channel through which the process of ESG performance promotes EI. These findings enrich the literature in ESG related fields and provide new insights for enterprises to accelerate the internationalization process.

Enterprises’ internationalization, R&D investment and enterprise performance

This study explores the relationship between enterprise internationalization, research and development (R&D) investment, and performance using data from Chinese listed companies between 2016 and 2022. The research finds that international expansion significantly enhances firm performance, with R&D investment acting as a mediator. This effect is more pronounced in non-state-owned enterprises (NSOEs) due to their greater flexibility and quicker decision-making compared with SOEs. Regression analysis reveals that increased international activities lead to higher returns on assets and market value. R&D investment supports technological and innovative capabilities, enhancing firms’ adaptability in international markets and improving performance. These findings underscore the need for policies that encourage internationalization and R&D investment, particularly for NSOEs, to foster competitive advantage and sustainable growth. The study contributes to the literature on international business and provides practical implications for policymakers and corporate managers aiming to leverage global opportunities for enhanced performance.

Internationalisation of Network Enterprises from the SME Sector in Poland in 2019-2022 with a Focus on the Łódź Voivodeship

Abstract The aim of this article is to discuss the problem of internationalisation of small and mediumsized enterprises sector organisations in Poland in the years 2019-2022 with a particular focus on the Łódź Voivodeship (9th position from the point of view of entrepreneurship in the regions of Poland). The first part of the article provides the theoretical background of internationalisation of enterprises. The second part contains an analysis of empirical data on the basis of author’s own research and determinants of company growth relating to the internationalisation of the small and medium-sized enterprises sector in Poland in the years 2019-2022 with a particular focus on the Łódź Voivodeship. The main research hypothesis in the article is that the majority of enterprises in the small and medium-sized enterprises sector in the Łódź Voivodeship conduct international activities, although the geographic range of the (international) activities of both transport-shipment-logistics companies and companies from the production and service industry (outside the transport-shipment-logisitcs industry), does not translate into a high share products/services ordered on the international market to the total quantity of products/services ordered by these companies. The article was written on the basis of the literature on the subject, survey results and reports of the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development and documents of the Marshal's Office of the Łódź Voivodeship.

A knowledge-based perspective on SME foreign market entry mode choices and changes

PurposeDespite the importance of foreign market entry mode (FMEM) decisions for the internationalisation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), there is insufficient understanding of the knowledge types and sources necessary for such decisions. This study addresses this issue by investigating the knowledge configurations that underpin FMEM initial choices and subsequent changes in SMEs.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted an interpretive approach and analysed empirical data from 37 in-depth interviews with decision-makers in internationalised SMEs from the United Kingdom.FindingsThe findings reveal that different knowledge configurations drive FMEM decisions in SMEs. Based on the analysis conducted for this study, initial FMEM choices draw on prior experiential knowledge combined with knowledge from desk research and knowledge acquired from peers, competitors and international partners. However, unlike many previous contributions, this research shows that foreign market experiential knowledge does not influence mode changes. Within-mode changes rely mainly on mode-specific knowledge and on knowledge about exploiting the benefits of the internet and digital platform ecosystems. Conversely, between-mode changes draw on diverse knowledge that is frequently created in interaction with international stakeholders or acquired externally.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the SME internationalisation literature by highlighting the knowledge configurations that inform not only initial choices but also between- and within-mode changes. Moreover, it reveals the importance of distinct types of digital technology-based knowledge for facilitating mode changes. It also adds to the knowledge-based perspective by underscoring that dynamic and heterogenous knowledge configurations, often created in interaction with international stakeholders, promote firm internationalisation.

Understanding the internationalization of Indian state-owned enterprises

ABSTRACT The article examines the global activities of high-value Indian state-owned enterprises (SOEs) classified by the government as “Maharatnas” and “Navratnas.” Using the FESPET framework, the paper assesses their performance and international presence, revealing their commitment to a public mission beyond financial gains. These SOEs prioritise social spending and often surpass regulatory environmental targets, serving as valuable assets in India and globally. Profitable SOEs demonstrate positive impacts abroad, while financially unsustainable ones fall short in contributing to the non-financial “ESPET” dimension.

Enterprise Internationalization and Enterprise Innovation Performance: The Regulating Effect of Equity Incentive

Against the backdrop of globalization in today's era, Chinese enterprises are experiencing a flourishing trend of internationalization. With the rise of the Chinese economy and the continuous advancement of reform and opening up, an increasing number of Chinese enterprises are actively integrating into the global market, seeking the resources needed for their own development on a global scale, enhancing innovation capabilities, and striving to improve their position and influence in the global value chain. This article takes 647 manufacturing enterprises as the research objects, subdivides the measurement of internationalization into depth and breadth, quantitatively explores the impact of the depth and breadth of enterprise internationalization on innovation performance, and investigates the moderating effect of equity incentives. The results show that: the depth of internationalization significantly promotes innovation performance of enterprises, and equity incentives positively moderate the relationship between them; the breadth of internationalization significantly promotes innovation performance of enterprises, and equity incentives positively moderate the relationship between them.

Thematic analysis of women entrepreneurship in the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Thematic analysis of women entrepreneurship in the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

The effectiveness of government incentives for outward investment: The case of China's Belt and Road Initiative

AbstractChinese government introduced a package of incentives to encourage enterprise internationalization under the 2013 Belt and Road Initiative. There is regional variation of this policy incentive, based on which, we examine its impact on listed firms' outward investment. The results evident resource misallocation in firms in specific industries which received incentives; instead of utilizing them for overseas investment, the beneficiary firms were directed toward increasing domestic investment. Contrarily, firms in industries that were not incentivized (restricted industries whose domestic development is not encouraged) were inclined to engage in overseas investment. We provide possible explanations.