Knowledge Intensity and Knowledge Bases in Internationalization Patterns of SMEs in the Food Sector

This article seeks to enhance understanding of the link between knowledge resources and internationalization patterns of small and medium-size enterprises in the food sector. Knowledge resources are described using the concepts of knowledge intensity and knowledge bases. The study is exploratory and is based on 6 Italian case studies. Four research questions (RQs) are formulated and several considerations are provided. The originality of this article consists of suggesting a framework by combining knowledge intensity and knowledge bases dimensions. Such concepts have not been previously combined and applied in the internationalization literature, neither in general nor about the food sector.