Internationalization pathways among family‐owned SMEs

Abstract

Purpose -To increase understanding of the internationalization of family firms; to investigate how the framework by Bell et al. (2003) on the internationalization patterns of firms could explain the internationalization pathways taken by family-owned SMEs; to identify typical patterns and features in the various pathways taken by family-owned SMEs.Design/methodology/approach -This paper reports findings from an in-depth multiple case study with eight Finnish family-owned SMEs.

Innovation as a driver of internationalization in the software industry

“…Recent studies on new ventures and "born globals" have challenged the internationalization process described in the Uppsala model [7,22,28,34], and have proposed rd International Conference on Research and Innovation in Information Systems -2013 (ICRIIS'13) alternative internationalization pathways [7,23,26]. The study by Oviatt and McDougall mentioned above [34] gave a theoretical foundation for why some firms internationalize faster than traditional internationalization theories would predict.…”

The integrative management model for restructuring small and MEDIUM-SIZED enterprises (SME)

“…In this respect "long tails" (Anderson, 2008) of widespread technological progress provide SMEs with niche business opportunities causing greater heterogeneity that results in internal restructuring and outsourcing. Of course, demographic change and emigration cycles also reshape core competences, products and value networks of SMEs, leading to internal restructuring or outsourcing and transfer of ownership via M&A, although it can be limited to reorganization alone (Cope, 2011;Kontinen, 2011;Dervillé & Allaire, 2014).…”

Family Entrepreneurship Orientation in Family Owned SMEs: A Key Resource for Internationalization?

“…The remaining 420 questionnaires were used in the statistical analysis. Earlier studies (Okoroafo, 1999;Child, Hong, & Wong, 2002;Erdener & Shapiro, 2005;Olivares-Mesa & Cabrera-Suárez, 2006;Kontinen & Ojala, 2012a;Graves & Thomas, 2008;Claver, Rienda, & Quer, 2007;2010b, Muñoz-Bullón & Sánchez-Bueno, 2012Muñoz-Bullón & Sanchez-Bueno;2011;Lin, 2012) indicate that a decision on the internationalization nature in family owned comapnies is determined by a number of factors related to the business, the competitive position of the company (Gallo & Sveen, 1991;Yeung, 2000;Tsang, 2001Tsang, , 2002Zahra, 2003;Sciascia, Mazzola, Astrachan, & Pieper, 2012a, 2012bFernández & Nieto, 2006;Carr & Bateman, 2009;Donckels & Fröhlich, 1991;Kim, Kandemir, & Cavusgil;2004) and very strongly depends on family related features (Menendez-Requejo, 2005;Graves & Thomas 2006;Claver, Rienda, & Quer, 2009;Davis & Harveston, 2000;Byrom & Lehman, 2009;Calabrò, Mussolino, & Huse, 2009). To meet the aim of the article, first the internationalization in context of family businesses is discussed.…”