An entrepreneurial cognition perspective on the internationalization of SMEs

Drawing from entrepreneurship, cognition, and international business theory, this paper develops a model integrating individual-level and firm-level characteristics to provide an entrepreneurial cognition perspective on the internationalization of small and medium size ventures. The model is tested on a sample of Spanish ventures using structural equation modeling techniques (partial least squares). Support is found for the central role of cognition and risk perception of CEOs in explaining the implementation of international expansion strategies for their firms.     

Entry mode diversity and closing commercial deals with international customers: The moderating role of advanced servitization

As the importance of servitization and service-augmented solution delivery grows into a mainstream phenomenon for manufacturers, offering theoretically founded avenues to solve their specific internationalization challenges is necessary. The study addresses the internationalization paradox faced by servitized manufacturers generated by the specific hybrid nature of their product-service offering. As such, this research is meant to understand the entry mode diversity for the internationalization of advanced servitization providers. Our primary research deal-level data follows 1885 potential sales negotiations for servitized products closed in 2018 by a Poland-based multinational high-tech optics firm offering product-service systems. The results of the study support the idea that manufacturers of advanced servitization could benefit from the implementation of entry mode diversity. It is found that the sales deal success when entry mode diversity is implemented in a foreign market is positively moderated when knowledge-intensive advanced servitization is included in the negotiation.     

Motivation of internationalization and a moderating role of environmental conditions in the hospitality industry

As internationalization has been widely implemented throughout the tourism industry, it is important to understand what motivates a firm to internationalize its business. Thus, this study examines the motivation for internationalization based on the neoinstitutional theory. This study employs a hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to test the proposed hypotheses, using the annual firm-level data of the tourism industry, and finds that tourism firms including casinos, hotels, and restaurants are demotivated to diversify their international expansion into different countries as their competitors increase the scope of countries in which they operate. However, if a firm perceives its competitors as speeding up the process of internationalization, that firm will also increase the pace of internationalization. In addition, this relationship between competitors and focal firms' internationalization varies according to environmental conditions (i.e., dynamism, complexity, and munificence). The findings of the study contribute to the internationalization and tourism literature.     

New venture adaptation in international markets: A goal orientation theory perspective

This study uses goal orientation theory to investigate why managers of international new ventures make adaptations to markets served, entry modes used, and the organization. We use the case method to identify the international adaptation behaviours of six new ventures and managers’ explanations regarding those adaptations. We infer two different profiles of managerial goal orientation. The goal orientation associated with proving one’s competence is common across managers, but firms only pursue international adaptation if their managers also hold a learning goal orientation. In contrast, if managers have the goal orientation associated with avoiding failure, firm-level adaptation is not apparent.     

New venture internationalization: The role of venture capital types and reputation

This study examines how different types of venture capital relate to new venture internationalization. Using a sample of 646 U.S. new ventures that executed IPOs between 1995 and 2010, we find that ventures with foreign or corporate venture capital have higher levels of international intensity. We also investigate the moderating role of VC reputation on the relationship between foreign venture capital and international intensity and corporate venture capital and international intensity. Our results suggest that VC reputation weakens the positive relationship between corporate VC and international intensity.     

The research frontier on internationalization of social enterprises

Social enterprises (SEs) are hybrid organizations that simultaneously pursue financial and social goals, while addressing institutional voids. Despite the extensive cross-border activities of SEs, the state of research addressing such flows of funds, technology and personnel is undeveloped. In this introductory article, we discuss the unique aspects of SEs and explore how the international business literature can inform our understanding of their internationalization. We outline promising areas for future research related to the drivers of and the processes underlying SE internationalization as well as its consequences. With this as a background, we introduce the five articles in this Special Issue.     

电子及通信设备制造企业R&D国际化评估——基于在华外资企业面板数据的实证研究

从R&D资金、机构、活动、产出国际化四个层面构建了电子及通信设备制造业R&D国际化评估的指标体系,并根据其在华外资企业的面板数据,运用改进的"拉开档次法"对其R&D国际化水平进行评估及比较分析,认为要提升我国电子及通信设备制造企业R&D国际化水平应在战略规划、人才培养及产业倾斜政策等方面加以改进。     

Innovation in service internationalization: the crucial role of the frantrepreneur

This paper introduces the concept of a new entrepreneurial role in services that we call the frantrepreneur. This is based on two case studies of the internationalization of two US franchisors, one in temporary services (Sweden) and the other in computer training (Australia). The frantrepreneur is defined as a franchisee who innovates by adapting a standard service concept to meet local conditions. This role is a further refinement of a series of earlier concepts concerning entrepreneurship roles such as the intrapreneur. This paper provides an indepth evaluation of the roles adopted by the frantrepreneurs and how they changed the original service concept. They did not passively accept the standard service concept and they developed an unusual partnership role with their franchisors with a two-way influence over the business. Although the innovations of frantrepreneurs were mostly in the form of small and incremental changes they standardized their developments to facilitate further adoption. The frantrepreneurs appear to play an important role in smoothing the adaptation and adoption of innovation in the internationalization of a franchise operation.     

Linking knowledge, entry timing and internationalization strategy

This paper contributes to the current internationalization theory by linking the characteristics of the firm's resource-base, its market-entry timing orientation and international growth orientation so as to shed more light on internationalization strategies. By employing multi-industry data, we find that the nature of the firm's knowledge, its entry timing orientation and international growth orientation are related to its internationalization strategy. Among other results, we find that the firm's accumulated expertise is positively related for both the international growth orientation and entry timing orientation. The international growth orientation, in turn, is related both to the path type of internationalization the firm employs as well as the geographical diversification in market entry. In other words, the results suggest that the firm's resource-base influences on both its entry timing orientation and to the internationalization strategy. These and other findings are discussed with regard to their scholarly and managerial implications.     

International research strategies of multinational corporations: A German perspective

This paper explores the international research activities of multinational corporations that are related to Germany. It analyzes what role German companies and Germany as a host of foreign companies play in the growing specialization of global exploitation and generation of knowledge. The paper covers application oriented as well as strategic research for two company samples—German and non-German—on the basis of a complex indicator-based analysis (patents and publications) and microdata from business reports. The paper shows that internationalization of research and development (R&D) has increased and broadened in scope. It highlights the strong and growing differences existing between technological and scientific areas as well as between different sectors. Apparently, while the market adaptation of products is still the major driver for German companies, international knowledge seeking has become more and more important, especially in technological areas that are linked very closely to basic research. While Germany as a host of international industrial R&D is much more attractive for applied research (mechanical engineering) than for basic research, the country has still established attractiveness in selected knowledge-intensive technological areas and shows a high intensity of international cooperation. There is a high level of reciprocity in knowledge-intensive areas pointing towards a global specialization and division of labor.