Bridging Intellectual Capital and SMEs Internationalization through the Lens of Sustainable Competitive Advantage: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

The aim of the current paper is advance a comprehensive framework meant to bridge three major concepts, namely intellectual capital (IC), the internationalization process of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the achievement of sustainable competitive advantage. The paper stresses upon a managerial perspective within the internationalization context, investigating the human, structural and relational capital apposite to managers or entrepreneurs. By directly addressing the relationships among the constructs, the endeavor is complementary to previous systematic reviews on similar topics which tangentially discuss the conceptual triad and thus proposes an integrative research agenda for future interdisciplinary studies straddling the fields of management, business, entrepreneurship and sustainability. In terms of methodology, a systematic literature review was envisaged, by applying a stepwise approach and multifold criteria. Over 100 scientific articles published in peer-reviewed journals were scrutinized and considered in the analysis. The literature review revealed that conceptual papers in the field are scarce despite the variety of their aims and approaches. The quantitative-based empirical studies prevail over the qualitative ones, while mixed methods research designs are scant. In terms of content, the extant studies fall short to advance research and structural models testing and assessing the specific relations among constructs and avail new research avenues focused on the underlying processes of SMEs internationalization by means of intellectual capital harnessing and sustainable competitive advantage achievement.

From the deliberate managerial strategy towards international business performance: A psychic distance vs. global mindset approach

“…A similar, yet lower positive influence is exerted on intercultural compatibility, showing SMEs managers' proneness towards counterparts with a close cultural profile and, thus, acknowledging the importance of interpersonal factors in the development of business relationships. Related evidence was brought forward by the studies conducted by Håkanson and Ambos (), Sousa and Lages (), Griffith and Dimitrova (), Păduraru et al (), and Vătămănescu et al ().…”

“…Cross‐border development of businesses has become an imperative for SMEs that aim to maintain their competitive advantage (Vătămănescu et al, ). Any cross‐border undertaking calls for the application of an articulate strategy, which is a dynamic output of the managers' mastery and springs as “the overall orientation toward task achievement and impacts on structures and activities of an organization” (Dauber, Fink, & Yolles, : 5).…”

“…Psychic distance could be renamed as perceptual distance or foreign distance, as it refers to differences regarding the physical space, socio‐cultural norms, and perceptual issues (Dow & Karunaratna, ; Håkanson & Ambos, ; Johanson & Wiedersheim‐Paul, ; Ojala, ; Sousa & Lages, ). Greater psychological, social, and cultural distance triggers greater liability of foreignness, as Johanson and Vahlne () suggest, less psychic distance would entail managers' perception of a higher control over their ventures and, implicitly, would provide a fruitful soil for business innovation and performance (Vătămănescu et al, ). An extensive international experience does, however, seem to influence the perception of the psychic distance to a new country, making it seem shorter (Andersen, ).…”

“…Although the environment changes at a fast pace, the managerial strategies embraced in order to achieve fair levels of international business performance are being substantively altered (Vătămănescu, Alexandru, & Andrei, ; Vătămănescu, Alexandru, & Gorgos, ). Progressively, a proper accommodation to the contemporary structural mutations is no less than the organizational system's survival kit within turbulent realms (Vătămănescu, Andrei, et al, ; Vătămănescu, Gorgos, Ghigiu, & Pătruț, ). In this front, according to the open systems theory, the issue of effectiveness comes forward, by giving credit to the capacity of the living system to appropriately adjust to its environment, a fact which catalyses its succession and longevity (Miller, /1978; Corning, ).…”

“…V at am anescu Progressively, a proper accommodation to the contemporary structural mutations is no less than the organizational system's survival kit within turbulent realms (V at am anescu, Andrei, et al, 2017;V at am anescu, Gorgos, Ghigiu, & P atruț, 2019). In this front, according to the open systems theory, the issue of effectiveness comes forward, by giving credit to the capacity of the living system to appropriately adjust to its environment, a fact which catalyses its succession and longevity (Miller, 1995(Miller, /1978Corning, 2014).…”