Management Perspectives as Catalysts for Exporting

Abstract

Past research suggests that internationalization is a sequential process and that both the external environment and individual factors influence the development. Managers' attitudes and values have also been focused and the results indicate links between management perceptions and export behavior. Further, new types of SMEs, high tech-companies and "born-globals," show that internationalization can be a very fast process and the role of the manager will for that reason be of increasing importance. In this article a panel of 335 Nordic SMEs, followed over a five-year period, are classified in three groups: new exporters-permanent exporters-permanent non-exporters. Via a factor analysis of a set of attitude questions a profile exhibits that the permanent exporters have more positive attitudes concerning four out of six areas, which underlines earlier findings that internationalization is a long-term learning process. These findings are also verified when comparing the profile of permanent and new exporters-similar profiles but new exporters have more discouraging perceptions. However, management perceptions about relations to customers and suppliers as well as attitudes related to macro-economic issues are more negative among exporting companies.

Internationalization Motives and Facilitating Factors: Qualitative Evidence from Smaller Specialist Retailers

“…The findings from this research reveal that internal factors within the firm, including the global vision/mind-set, entrepreneurial personality, and informal/personal relationships, determine the development of the company brand identity, which in turn facilitates the retailer's decision to internationalize. The evidence we presented in this study comes as no surprise, given the emphasis on the role of the founder or decision maker in both the international SME and the retailing literature streams (e.g., Bell, Crick, and Young 2004; Boter 2003; Miesenbock 1988; Westhead, Wright, and Ucbasaran 2001). For some smaller specialist retailers, given the role of key personnel in initiating the international expansion of the company, it may be concluded that the internationalization decision-making process is the entrepreneurial act of the owner/manager (Crick, Bradshaw, and Chaudry 2006).…”

“…In the literature, the significant role of the founder or entrepreneur in taking up opportunities for international expansion has been well documented (e.g., Bell, Crick, and Young 2004; Boter 2003; Miesenbock 1988; Westhead, Wright, and Ucbasaran 2001). Indeed, more recently, the decision to internationalize has been defined as the entrepreneurial act of a manager (Crick, Bradshaw, and Chaudry 2006).…”

“…Indeed, more recently, the decision to internationalize has been defined as the entrepreneurial act of a manager (Crick, Bradshaw, and Chaudry 2006). Previous research has highlighted the management factors of competence, international orientation, and global mind-set as key drivers of internationalization (Boter 2003; Calof and Beamish 1995; Chandler and Hanks 1994; Fillis 2001; Nummela, Saarenketo, and Puumalainen 2004). In particular, objective characteristics have been found to predict the SME's propensity for internationalization (Hutchinson, Quinn, and Alexander 2006), such as the extent to which management has engaged in foreign travel, the number of languages spoken, and whether the decision maker was born abroad or lived or worked in a foreign country (Reuber and Fischer 1997).…”

Internationalization of emerging market firms: the case of Turkish retailers

“…Top management is internationally oriented; have academic and professional background necessary for undertaking and running international operations. The previous literature had already supported the importance of top management characteristics (Bilgin et al , 2004; Boter, 2003; Calof and Beamish, 1995; Hutchinson et al , 2007) as factors contributing to international business success. The Turkish managers' approach to work with local employees in international markets is also different than other EMFs, such as Chinese, who seek ethnic networks‐people of Chinese origin‐ in the markets they operate to create trust and overcome foreign liability (Zaheer, 1995).…”

The role of firm‐specific advantages in UK export initiation

“…Empirical evidence has identified managerial resources as a particularly significant factor in initiating the firm's international operations. Management's knowledge, orientation and attitude towards international operations have been identified in prior literature as key drivers of internationalization (Chandler and Hanks, 1994; Calof and Beamish, 1995; Fillis, 2001; Boter, 2003). The firm's decision to engage in foreign market activity is significantly influenced by its management perception of export stimuli, i.e.…”