Accelerated internationalization of SMEs and microfoundations of dynamic capabilities: towards an integrated conceptual framework
Review of International Business and Strategy
ISSN: 2059-6014
Article publication date: 11 November 2022
Issue publication date: 25 January 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Striving for growth since their early stages, many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly adopting an entrepreneurial behavior based on a rapid and early international expansion. Although some extant research have been done on the dynamic capabilities of SMEs’ accelerated internationalization–born global (BG) SMEs, no study was, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, carried on the microfoundations underlying this phenomenon. This paper aims to fill this gap in the literature and contribute to the growing theory development of SME’s microfoundations.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper proposes an integrated conceptual framework to better identify the microfoundations that influence born global SMEs internationalization by integrating individual, structural and processual – the microfoundations approach within the dynamic capabilities of sensing, seizing and reconfiguring.
Findings
Our propositions argue that born global SMEs are characterized by dynamic capabilities based on a combination of some individual (manager’s human and social capital, such as its personal orientation, experiences, cognition and intuition), process (market learning, technology development) and structural (agility, communication/coordination) factors that helps a lot in the acceleration of the internationalization process.
Research limitations/implications
Empirical study should be done to enrich the conceptual material.
Practical implications
To identify some international opportunities, companies should rely on the entrepreneurial orientation of its managers, its experience and network as well as the market-related learning and technological processes. The managerial cognition is important to seize opportunities while the manager’s human capital is needed to reconfigure resources while internationalizing rapidly.
Social implications
This research shows that individual attributes are important but insufficient to accelerate the internationalization process. Some individual characteristics are more useful in sensing international opportunities rapidly, such as manager’s international entrepreneurial, past experience and network, However, the managerial cognition is important to seize opportunities, whereas the manager’s human capital is needed to reconfigure resources while internationalizing rapidly.
Originality/value
Born global firms must develop several dynamic capabilities to foster their accelerated early international development. This paper gives insights about the individual, structural and processual of sensing international opportunities, seizing and reconfiguring resources and competencies for born globals.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Government of Canada. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. 430–2020-01258.
This study was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Grant Program. The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to editors of the Review of International Business and Strategy as well as the anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments that helped to improve this paper.
Citation
Chebbi, H., Ben Selma, M., Bouzinab, K., Papadopoulos, A., Labouze, A. and Desmarteau, R. (2023), "Accelerated internationalization of SMEs and microfoundations of dynamic capabilities: towards an integrated conceptual framework", Review of International Business and Strategy, Vol. 33 No. 1, pp. 35-54. https://doi.org/10.1108/RIBS-12-2021-0174
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited