Knowledge, values and internationalisation—introduction to the special edition

Internationalisation is increasingly being seen as an organisational learning process. However, entrepreneurial enterprises tend to be smaller, more innovative and more agile than their larger counterparts. When they internationalise, entrepreneurial firms often expand at a rapid rate. The cultures of so-called ‘born global’ firms also appear to differ from firms that internationalise in a more gradual, stepwise fashion. This raises interesting questions about how entrepreneurial firms acquire and manage knowledge about markets, networks and capabilities in turbulent and uncertain environments and how the values embedded in organisational cultures might influence strategic choices. The following articles in this special edition of the Journal of International Entrepreneurship focus specifically on how innovative firms—particularly small and medium-sized enterprises—recognise and exploit market opportunities, how they learn from international market entry and penetration experiences to improve core capabilities and how values may influence supply chain management and start-up decisions.     

Entrepreneurship and survival over the business cycle: how do new technology-based firms differ?

We investigate the survival performance of new technology-based firms (NTBFs) over the business cycle and compare them against other entrepreneurial firms. Our data comprise the entire population of entrepreneurial firms entering the Swedish economy from 1991 to 2002, which we follow until 2007. Discrete-time duration models are employed to investigate whether the business cycle impacts differently on the survival likelihood of NTBFs vis-à-vis other entrepreneurial firms. Our main findings are three. First, NTBFs generally experience a lower hazard rate compared to other entrepreneurial firms, which is interpreted as a sign of their high ‘quality.’ Second, all entrepreneurial firms are sensitive to and follow a pro-cyclical pattern of survival likelihood over the business cycle. Three, when comparing NTBFs with the broader group of other entrepreneurial firms, we find that NTBFs are more sensitive to business cycle fluctuations. The above results come with a qualification, though. The sensitivity during the business cycle mainly pertains to self-employed NTBFs. Also, NTBFs’ higher survivability is only linked to not being characterized as self-employed.     

Born‐Global SMEs,Performance, and Dynamic Absorptive Capacity: Evidence from Spanish Firms

Interest has grown in explaining the positive performance of small businesses that internationalize from start up. In response to this question, we have empirically confirmed the relevant role played by dynamic absorption capacity in these firms and the influence of an entrepreneurial market‐oriented culture, on the basis of the Dynamic Capabilities Approach, through a sample of 102 Spanish born‐global SMEs. The success of these firms is determined by their ability to assimilate and to use knowledge in accordance with the demands of the market.     

International entrepreneurial capability: The measurement and a comparison between born global firms and traditional exporters in China

This study presents the development and application of a new measure of international entrepreneurial capability. The data were collected from manufacturing firms in China, both traditional exporters and born global firms. Five key dimensions of international entrepreneurial capability were identified from the capability and entrepreneurship literature. After scale purification and validation, this new measure was used to examine the relationship between international entrepreneurial capability and global market performance. Born global firms are statistically different from traditional firms along three dimensions: international learning capability, international networking capability, and international experience. Implications and future research directions are then provided.     

Are born globals really born globals? The case of academic spin-offs with long development periods

Most research on the born global phenomenon investigates firms from the point of their legal founding. Studies in the field of entrepreneurship show nonetheless that international firms undergo long pre-founding periods, which are likely to affect growth and internationalization in newly founded firms. In this study, we investigate three academic spin-offs with advanced technologies that are attractive in a global market. These firms had experienced extended time in developing their technologies, two of them in pre-founding periods. We examine here the networks of academic spin-offs in three stages: idea conception, technology development, and growth and internationalization. The research builds on diverse theories: born global theory, research on academic spin-offs, entrepreneurial firms, and network theory. We use a multiple case study to investigate the three spin-offs and a process approach in interviewing that includes the biographic histories of the focal firms. In analysis, we identify networks that provide financial resources, knowledge, innovation and technology resources, marketing, and reputational resources. Networks acquired at different stages and network changes greatly affected growth and internationalization in the focal firms. We also find that networks and resources acquired in pre-founding periods had great implications for growth and internationalization in the young firms. Our research therefore highlights the problem of age in the born global literature and we argue for the need to include pre-founding periods to better understand the born global phenomenon.     

The counter-conventional mindsets of entrepreneurs

These days, it seems, nearly everyone aspires to be an entrepreneur. But many entrepreneurs think and act differently than the way in which most other businesspeople do and the way much of today’s business education encourages them to think and act. My in-depth examination of dozens of entrepreneurs I’ve come to know well over the past 2 decades tells me that their unconventional—or, dare I say, counter-conventional—mindsets and behaviors are marked by six common patterns: (1) ‘Yes, we can;’ (2) beg, borrow, or steal; (3) think narrow, not broad; (4) problem-first, not product-first logic; (5) ‘No’ is something waiting to be turned into ‘Yes’; and (6) ask for the cash and ride the float. Thankfully, we now know that entrepreneurs are made, not born. These six patterns of entrepreneurial thought and action are eminently learnable. If you want to someday be an entrepreneur, or if you want the people in your company to become more entrepreneurial, then developing—or encouraging and incentivizing your people to develop—such a mindset might constitute a suitable first step toward preparing you to follow a more entrepreneurial path or to foster a more entrepreneurial culture in your company.     

Businessman or host? Individual differences between entrepreneurs and small business owners in the hospitality industry

Prior research has identified individual characteristics that distinguish business owners from non-business owners. The researchers tested their contention that not every successful business owner can be characterized by such typical ‘entrepreneurial’ characteristics. Multiple analysis of variance on a unique data set of 194 business owners in the hospitality industry revealed that several individual characteristics discriminated between entrepreneurs and small business owners. Entrepreneurs possessed higher levels of independence, tolerance of ambiguity, risk-taking propensity, innovativeness, and leadership qualities, but not of market orientation and self-efficacy. It is concluded that ‘entrepreneurial’ characteristics identified in the literature may be useful predicting a specific type of business ownership. However, other criteria need to be developed in order to describe other groups of business owners operating in the service industries.     

Born globals,the choice of globalization strategy,and the market's perception of performance

This paper analyzes which characteristics of born global firms determine their choice for international entry mode. Using a logistic regression analysis, we study 124 newly public firms in the United States that undertake 261 international joint ventures or international acquisitions within the first 6 years of their founding. We find that the market responds positively to announcements of international expansions by born global firms, and that larger, more profitable, and more liquid firms have a higher propensity to engage in joint ventures rather than acquisitions. We also find that the market favors firms that announce joint ventures, rewarding them with significantly positive abnormal returns. Furthermore, while we find that cultural similarity affects mode choice, it does not affect the market's reaction to the announcements.     

Born global or local? Factors influencing the internationalization of university spin-offs—the case of Halmstad University

A wealth of research in the past decades has examined born globals or international new ventures, which are firms that from inception view the whole world as a market and as a source to access resources. Many of these firms build their competitive advantage on high-tech knowledge. However, although many studies have shown how born globals can achieve success if they access resources through their relationships from actors in their networks, few studies have explored the relationship between born globals and universities. Universities are important actors in creating new technology knowledge, and many studies have shown how new firms, or so-called university spin-offs (USOs), are formed around universities. The current study explores why some USOs are successful in their international growth strategy and discusses the factors that influence and facilitate the internationalization process. The study investigates 10 USOs around the newly established Halmstad University in Sweden and finds that universities have a positive effect on firm creation and initial international growth. The regional competence base increases from the establishment of a local university, primarily by strengthening the regional human capital and by increasing university research. This study shows that researcher entrepreneurs’ ventures start as born globals, but that these firms do not continue to grow. Born global business models, per se, do not lead to competitive advantage and successful internationalization. Instead, a strategy built on customer focus and an ability to adapt to different customer demands lead to growth, and the location of growth is dependent on the size of the home market. This study also shows that student entrepreneurship can be a successful growth strategy for USOs focusing on both international and local markets.     

The role of social networks and institutions in the internationalization of Russian entrepreneurial firms: Do they matter?

Drawing upon network theory and institutional theory, this paper examines the influence of networks on the internationalization of Russian entrepreneurial firms. Our case analysis suggests that within the context of the Russian environment, networks play a much less important role in the internationalization process than it is usually assumed in the literature. For the Russian entrepreneurial firms examined in our study, the most important factor in their internationalization was their engagement in honest business practices that established trust and commitment in their relationships with international business partners. This study underscores the importance of the institutional context of an entrepreneurial firm’s country.     

The role of the internet in the internationalisation of small and medium sized companies

It is now recognised that many firms are “born global’ and initiate international business from inception or shortly thereafter. They have been influenced by both globalisation and the impact of new ICT technologies. This paper examines the role of the Internet in the internationalisation of a cross national sample of small entrepreneurial firms from Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. The findings are presented, including the role of the Internet in marketing, distribution, business processes and market intelligence and competitor analysis. The role of the Internet as a knowledge building tool is discussed, and areas for future research are presented.     

Entrepreneurship and Economic Development in Less Developed Countries

This essay seeks to uncover the distinguishingfeatures of small firms in Victorian Britain, and looks at the role of the family in the creation and survival of firms in what was a dangerously volatile business world characterised by low business morality. Based on a series of case studies, it suggests that although second and third generation firms were uncommon, the family played a critical if often informal role in maintaining stability and generating an environment of trust, and in those situations where family partnerships and inter-generational succession did exist, the characteristics of ownership and succession at the level of the smaller firm appear to have stimulated rather than prevented innovation and growth. Different types of family firm and family contribution are examined, and the latter part of the essay looks at family firm networks and entrepreneurial strategies such as market internalisation within a family network.     

Conceptualizing accelerated internationalization in the born global firm: A dynamic capabilities perspective

Existing approaches at explaining accelerated internationalization of born global firms are incomplete as they do not capture the learning that is undertaken by these firms and their founders prior to the firm's legal establishment. Building on the extant literature and drawing on the dynamic capabilities view of competitive strategy, this paper presents a conceptual model of born global firm internationalization. We conjecture that a set of dynamic capabilities that are built and nurtured by internationally-oriented entrepreneurial founders enable these firms to develop cutting-edge knowledge intensive products, paving the way for their accelerated market entry. We develop propositions and offer concluding remarks.     

Ethics-focused dynamic capabilities: a small business perspective

Our analysis of survey data of US small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) explores (1) whether firms have ‘dynamic’ capabilities that change their ethics-focused operational capabilities; (2) what effects those dynamic capabilities have on both ethical and competitive performance; and, (3) whether those effects are contingent on a firm’s entrepreneurial characteristics. Our survey reveals that about a quarter of SMEs self-report high levels of these ethics-focused dynamic capabilities. We use hierarchical OLS to analyze the survey data to find that the general effect of these capabilities is positive on an SME’s ethical performance, and that the performance effects are contingent on an SME’s degree of entrepreneurial orientation and sensitivity to changes in the business context. The main implication is that the extent of heterogeneity in types, roles, and performance effects of ‘higher-than-operations-level’ capabilities is likely underestimated in current dynamic capabilities theory and application.     

Knowledge and internationalization of returnee entrepreneurial firms

This study aims to answer whether and how returnee entrepreneurs’ international experience and returnee entrepreneurial firms’ international market knowledge influence these firms’ internationalization. Anchored in a framework combining an entrepreneurial and knowledge-based view, we develop a model and four hypotheses on the relations between returnee entrepreneurs’ international experience, international market knowledge, international market commitment, and level of internationalization of the returnee entrepreneurial firm. Empirical evidence of the proposed model is derived from a recent sample of Chinese returnee SMEs in knowledge-intensive and high-technology industries. The main finding is that returnee entrepreneurs’ international experience nurtures international market knowledge of returnee entrepreneurial firms, which in turn has a positive effect on these firms’ international market commitment and level of internationalization. In terms of theory, the study extends our understanding of returnee entrepreneurial firms by uncovering the role of returnee entrepreneurs’ international experience and returnee firms’ international market knowledge during their initial and early international expansion.     

Influence of CEO Demography on Entrepreneurial Orientation: The Moderating Role of Competitive Intensity

Although entrepreneurial orientation has been identified as a key facilitator of a firm’s innovative behaviors, its antecedents, especially the determinant role of the business leader, have yet to be explored. Drawing on strategic leadership theory, which posits the role of CEO in determining a firm’s strategic direction, we examined the influence of CEO demography, specifically age, tenure, and education, on a firm’s entrepreneurial orientation. Based on a sample of 231 Chinese firms, we found firms with a CEO who was younger, higher educated, and with a shorter tenure on the job had a greater extent of entrepreneurial orientation. Moreover, the firm’s competitive environment moderated these relationships.     

The impact of industry 4.0 on the 2017 version of the Uppsala model

The emergence of Industry 4.0 offers firms internationalization opportunities employing digital platforms and emerging technologies. Relying upon the Uppsala model as applied in light of a firm case study, we contribute to the validity of the Uppsala model 2017. We respond to the counterpoint by Coviello, Kano, and Liesch (2017) to the Uppsala 2017 model, answering the question, What is the impact of Industry 4.0 on the validity of the 2017 version of the Uppsala model? This study builds on a qualitative research methodology through a single case study of Delivery Hero, a global service provider firm. We adopt an extensive longitudinal approach to understand a startup firm’s digital business concept and business evolution, including its internationalization paths. We conclude that the mechanisms of the Uppsala model are valid, but their characteristics have changed by digital and globalized value-adding processes. The dynamic capabilities possessed by the founding entrepreneur turn out to constitute a critical micro foundation for the firm’s international business success. Our findings explain these change mechanisms, illustrating the stepwise progression process led by entrepreneurial decision-making. Industry 4.0 technologies have changed the very manner by which ?rms arrange their value-adding activities with their business stakeholders in course of the firm’s internationalization. By relying on reasonable business targets, algorithms, and data management systems, real-time market monitoring enables international startup firms to learn and adopt local identities faster, thereby efficiently alleviating liabilities of foreignness.     

Growth,Diversification, and Business Group Formation in Entrepreneurial Firms

Recent empirical research has demonstrated that the growth process of entrepreneurial firms is frequently achieved through the formation of business groups: i.e. a set of companies run by the same entrepreneur (or entrepreneurial team). This has been hypothesised as result of a growth process by diversification of the original activity. This entrepreneurial growth process offers an alternative explanation for the formation of business Groups, than that arising from managerial efficiency and expediency. The main aim of the article is to explore group formation through entrepreneurial diversification using a sample of high growth entrepreneurial firms. The analysis demonstrates that the running of a group of companies by the same entrepreneur is not only induced by the geographical extension of their operation and by diversification but also by the differentiation policy aimed at serving different market segments within the same sector. This seems to contrast with the diversification policy and organisational setting of large, managerial firms     

Are international new ventures really new? A process study of organizational emergence and internationalization

Firm inception is integral to the definition of the ‘international new venture’/‘born global’, yet has received little attention. In line with entrepreneurship research, we propose that inception be analysed as a process of organizational emergence. By means of a qualitative process-based case study, we identify the key inception events of six SMEs that according to conventional definitions could be considered INVs/born globals. Organizational emergence occurred prior to, and continued beyond, the date of incorporation, and included international activities. We reconceptualize INVs as firms that internationalize during organizational emergence. Our explanation for the international activities of INVs therefore integrates internationalization and inception processes.     

Domestic firms competing with multinational enterprises: The relevance of resource-accessing alliance formations

The literature includes several papers that compare multinational enterprises (MNEs) to local firms along several dimensions such as financial strength or production capacity. Nevertheless, the focus on how latter firms compete against the former is often missing in the literature; local firms are typically seen as inferior in terms of resources and thus, unable to compete against MNEs. This paper aims at revisiting this competitive ‘battle’. Through a case-based design in a ‘multinational’ domestic market that seems to favour MNEs, we explore how local firms respond to MNEs’ purported superiority. Findings indicate that local firms respond through alliance formations that enable them to access fitting resources and counter ownership advantages of MNEs. Therefore, resource-accessing strategies spearheaded by local firms suggest that ownership advantages should not be inherently translated into competitive advantages for the MNEs. Implications for international business are discussed and avenues for further research are suggested.