The Role of Networks in the Internationalization Process of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises in the Wine-producing Sector

Abstract

This study aims to understand the role networks can play in the internationalization process of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in the wine-producing sector. It adopted the qualitative method and focused on a wine-producing network in the Portuguese region of Ribatejo. For data collection, several interviews with key informants, direct observation and documentary analysis were used. Content analysis of the interviews showed that all the actors/partners involved in this study demonstrated their knowledge about the wine tradition and the specificities of the product, and that the wine-producing sector has improved considerably in Ribatejo, mainly at the hands of a new generation of entrepreneurs who have focused on internationalization using the network strategy. Empirical evidences showed that wine-producing SMEs in inter-organizational networks achieve internationalization more easily. The structure of the SMEs studied here is based on an inter-organizational, entrepreneur network, and as such, it is entrepreneurs who define the firm’s positioning based mainly on their intuition, managing to carry out their actions successfully. This study can help the owner-managers of wine-producing SMEs to implement future processes for their internationalization.

Exploring Italian Wine Companies: A Study of Supply Chain Dynamics, Quality, and Promotion Strategies through Semi-Structured Interviews

“…Internationalization was another relevant change in strategy. The opening to foreign markets took place mostly from the 2000s, often relying on the occasional personal contacts or connections provided by tourists, then turning to restaurants, small importers, or individual wine bars, not relying on networks as relevant tools defined in the literature [36].…”

“…The role of networks in the internationalization process of small and medium-sized enterprises in the wine-producing sector [36] The rest of the paper is structured as follows: Section 2 defines the methods adopted to develop the multiple case study analysis; Section 3 presents the results of the 18 interviews with Italian wine companies from the Marche region; Section 4 discusses the results obtained; and finally, Section 5 draws the main conclusions.…”

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“…1 inter-organizational level generally help companies to have knowledge of internationalization, which cannot be gained in any other way (Johanson and Vahlne, 2009). Apart from the direct impact of networking capability on competitive advantage, it is suggested to understand how networking capability impacts internationalization (Franco and Martins, 2020). That is, there is a need to understand the mechanism through which this capability impacts competitive advantage, both indirectly and through a mediator.…”

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