IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/iburev/v25y2016i1p296-306.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Inward–outward connections and their impact on firm growth

Author

Listed:
  • Hernández, Virginia
  • Nieto, María Jesús

Abstract

Firms can internationalize via two types of operations: inward (related to international supply operations) and outward (related to serving or selling in foreign markets). This paper analyzes variations in growth for firms that adopt different international strategies: those that perform only one type of international operation, and those that undertake both types simultaneously. The study starts from the premise that connections exist between inward and outward operations, connections that give access to related and diverse knowledge. Based on a sample of European SMEs from different sectors, the empirical findings indicate that undertaking inward and outward operations simultaneously exerts a greater positive effect on turnover growth than performing just one type of international operation. This simultaneous effect is significantly higher when these operations take place in the same foreign country. The findings provide support for the idea that the acquisition of country-specific knowledge allows firms to boost sales growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Hernández, Virginia & Nieto, María Jesús, 2016. "Inward–outward connections and their impact on firm growth," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 296-306.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:25:y:2016:i:1:p:296-306
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ibusrev.2015.05.009
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969593115300020
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2015.05.009?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bruce Kogut & Udo Zander, 1992. "Knowledge of the Firm, Combinative Capabilities, and the Replication of Technology," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 3(3), pages 383-397, August.
    2. Yao, Zheng & Yang, Zhi & Fisher, Gregory J. & Ma, Chaoqun & (Er) Fang, Eric, 2013. "Knowledge complementarity, knowledge absorption effectiveness, and new product performance: The exploration of international joint ventures in China," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 216-227.
    3. Kulwant Singh & Will Mitchell, 2005. "Growth dynamics: the bidirectional relationship between interfirm collaboration and business sales in entrant and incumbent alliances," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(6), pages 497-521, June.
    4. Nguyen Van P. & Laisney F. & Kaiser U., 2004. "The Performance of German Firms in the Business-Related Service Sector: A Dynamic Analysis," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 22, pages 274-295, July.
    5. Janet Y Murray & Masaaki Kotabe & Albert R Wildt, 1995. "Strategic and Financial Performance Implications of Global Sourcing Strategy: A Contingency Analysis," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 26(1), pages 181-202, March.
    6. Qian, Gongming, 2002. "Multinationality, product diversification, and profitability of emerging US small- and medium-sized enterprises," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 611-633, October.
    7. Fletcher, Richard, 2001. "A holistic approach to internationalisation," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 10(1), pages 25-49, February.
    8. Bruce Kogut & Udo Zander, 1993. "Knowledge of the Firm and the Evolutionary Theory of the Multinational Corporation," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 24(4), pages 625-645, December.
    9. Jan Johanson & Jan-Erik Vahlne, 1977. "The Internationalization Process of the Firm—A Model of Knowledge Development and Increasing Foreign Market Commitments," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 8(1), pages 23-32, March.
    10. Yigang Pan & David K Tse, 2000. "The Hierarchical Model of Market Entry Modes," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 31(4), pages 535-554, December.
    11. Zahra, Shaker A. & Hayton, James C., 2008. "The effect of international venturing on firm performance: The moderating influence of absorptive capacity," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 195-220, March.
    12. Robert M. Grant, 1996. "Prospering in Dynamically-Competitive Environments: Organizational Capability as Knowledge Integration," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 7(4), pages 375-387, August.
    13. Sumit Majumdar & Davina Vora & Ashok Nag, 2012. "Legal form of the firm and overseas market choice in India’s software and IT industry," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 659-687, September.
    14. Erik Stam & Karl Wennberg, 2009. "The roles of R&D in new firm growth," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 77-89, June.
    15. Elena Golovko & Giovanni Valentini, 2011. "Exploring the complementarity between innovation and export for SMEs’ growth," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(3), pages 362-380, April.
    16. Steen Thomsen & Torben Pedersen, 2000. "Ownership structure and economic performance in the largest european companies," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(6), pages 689-705, June.
    17. Kent Eriksson & Jan Johanson & Anders Majkgård & D. Deo Sharma, 2000. "Effect of Variation on Knowledge Accumulation in the Internationalization Process," International Studies of Management & Organization, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(1), pages 26-44, March.
    18. Jan Johanson & Jan-Erik Vahlne, 2006. "Commitment and opportunity development in the internationalization process: A note on the Uppsala internationalization process model," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 165-178, March.
    19. Kais Mejri & Katsuhiro Umemoto, 2010. "Small- and medium-sized enterprise internationalization: Towards the knowledge-based model," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 8(2), pages 156-167, June.
    20. Kundu, Sumit K & Katz, Jerome A, 2003. "Born-International SMEs: BI-Level Impacts of Resources and Intentions," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 25-47, February.
    21. Scott Shane, 2000. "Prior Knowledge and the Discovery of Entrepreneurial Opportunities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 11(4), pages 448-469, August.
    22. Chandler, Gaylen N. & Hanks, Steven H., 1993. "Measuring the performance of emerging businesses: A validation study," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 8(5), pages 391-408, September.
    23. Kyläheiko, Kalevi & Jantunen, Ari & Puumalainen, Kaisu & Saarenketo, Sami & Tuppura, Anni, 2011. "Innovation and internationalization as growth strategies: The role of technological capabilities and appropriability," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(5), pages 508-520, October.
    24. Westhead, Paul & Wright, Mike & Ucbasaran, Deniz, 2001. "The internationalization of new and small firms: A resource-based view," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 333-358, July.
    25. Jane W. Lu & Paul W. Beamish, 2001. "The internationalization and performance of SMEs," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(6‐7), pages 565-586, June.
    26. Kent Eriksson & Jan Johanson & Anders Majkgård & D Deo Sharma, 1997. "Experimental Knowledge and Costs in the Internationalization Process," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 28(2), pages 337-360, June.
    27. Olivier Bertrand, 2011. "What goes around, comes around: Effects of offshore outsourcing on the export performance of firms," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(2), pages 334-344, February.
    28. Grosse, Robert & Fonseca, Alejandro, 2012. "Learning Through Imports in the Internationalization Process," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 366-378.
    29. Dante Di Gregorio & Martina Musteen & Douglas E Thomas, 2009. "Offshore outsourcing as a source of international competitiveness for SMEs," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 40(6), pages 969-988, August.
    30. Harry G Barkema & Rian Drogendijk, 2007. "Internationalising in small, incremental or larger steps?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(7), pages 1132-1148, December.
    31. Bruno Cassiman & Elena Golovko, 2011. "Innovation and internationalization through exports," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(1), pages 56-75, January.
    32. Farok J Contractor & Sumit K Kundu & Chin-Chun Hsu, 2003. "A three-stage theory of international expansion: the link between multinationality and performance in the service sector," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 34(1), pages 5-18, January.
    33. Andreas Al-Laham & Daniel Tzabbar & Terry L. Amburgey, 2011. "The dynamics of knowledge stocks and knowledge flows: innovation consequences of recruitment and collaboration in biotech," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 20(2), pages 555-583, April.
    34. Erden, Zeynep & Klang, David & Sydler, Renato & von Krogh, Georg, 2014. "Knowledge-flows and firm performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(1), pages 2777-2785.
    35. Michael Song & Cornelia Droge & Sangphet Hanvanich & Roger Calantone, 2005. "Marketing and technology resource complementarity: an analysis of their interaction effect in two environmental contexts," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 259-276, March.
    36. Lianxi Zhou & Wei-ping Wu & Xueming Luo, 2007. "Internationalization and the performance of born-global SMEs: the mediating role of social networks," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 38(4), pages 673-690, July.
    37. María Jesús Nieto & Alicia Rodríguez, 2011. "Offshoring of R&D: Looking abroad to improve innovation performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(3), pages 345-361, April.
    38. Fama, Eugene F. & Jensen, Michael C., 1985. "Organizational forms and investment decisions," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 101-119, March.
    39. Zi-Lin He & Poh-Kam Wong, 2004. "Exploration vs. Exploitation: An Empirical Test of the Ambidexterity Hypothesis," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 15(4), pages 481-494, August.
    40. Jonsson, Sara & Lindbergh, Jessica, 2010. "The impact of institutional impediments and information and knowledge exchange on SMEs' investments in international business relationships," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 548-561, December.
    41. Linda Argote & Ella Miron-Spektor, 2011. "Organizational Learning: From Experience to Knowledge," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(5), pages 1123-1137, October.
    42. Nordman, Emilia Rovira & Melén, Sara, 2008. "The impact of different kinds of knowledge for the internationalization process of Born Globals in the biotech business," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 171-185, March.
    43. George P. Huber, 1991. "Organizational Learning: The Contributing Processes and the Literatures," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 88-115, February.
    44. Paul Steffens & Per Davidsson & Jason Fitzsimmons, 2009. "Performance Configurations over Time: Implications for Growth– and Profit–Oriented Strategies," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 33(1), pages 125-148, January.
    45. Delmar, Frederic & Davidsson, Per & Gartner, William B., 2003. "Arriving at the high-growth firm," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 189-216, March.
    46. Thomas H. Brush & Philip Bromiley & Margaretha Hendrickx, 2000. "The free cash flow hypothesis for sales growth and firm performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(4), pages 455-472, April.
    47. Hessels, Jolanda & Parker, Simon C., 2013. "Constraints, internationalization and growth: A cross-country analysis of European SMEs," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 137-148.
    48. Lars Bengtsson, 2004. "Explaining born globals: an organisational learning perspective on the internationalisation process," International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(1), pages 28-41.
    49. Kostopoulos, Konstantinos & Papalexandris, Alexandros & Papachroni, Margarita & Ioannou, George, 2011. "Absorptive capacity, innovation, and financial performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 64(12), pages 1335-1343.
    50. A. Rebecca Reuber & Eileen Fischer, 2002. "Foreign Sales and Small Firm Growth: The Moderating Role of the Management Team," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 27(1), pages 29-45, January.
    51. Casillas, José C. & Moreno, Ana M. & Acedo, Francisco J. & Gallego, María A. & Ramos, Encarnación, 2009. "An integrative model of the role of knowledge in the internationalization process," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 311-322, July.
    52. Peter W Liesch & Gary A Knight, 1999. "Information Internalization and Hurdle Rates in Small and Medium Enterprise Internationalization," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(2), pages 383-394, June.
    53. Eriksson, Kent & Chetty, Sylvie, 2003. "The effect of experience and absorptive capacity on foreign market knowledge," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 12(6), pages 673-695, December.
    54. Blomstermo, Anders & Eriksson, Kent & Lindstrand, Angelika & Sharma, D. Deo, 2004. "The perceived usefulness of network experiential knowledge in the internationalizing firm," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 10(3), pages 355-373.
    55. Gongming Qian & Lee Li & Ji Li & Zhengming Qian, 2008. "Regional diversification and firm performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 39(2), pages 197-214, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bagheri, Mahshid & Mitchelmore, Siwan & Bamiatzi, Vassiliki & Nikolopoulos, Konstantinos, 2019. "Internationalization Orientation in SMEs: The Mediating Role of Technological Innovation," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 121-139.
    2. Muhammad Saad Baloch & Abubakr Saeed & Ishtiaq Ahmed & Judit Oláh & József Popp & Domicián Máté, 2018. "Role of Domestic Financial Reforms and Internationalization of Non-Financial Transnational Firms: Evidence from the Chinese Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-16, October.
    3. Segundo Camino-Mogro & Mary Armijos & Paul Vera-Gilces, 2022. "High-growth firms and international trade: evidence from Ecuador," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 299-332, January.
    4. Kang, Yuanfei & Scott-Kennel, Joanna & Battisti, Martina & Deakins, David, 2021. "Linking inward/outward FDI and exploitation/exploration strategies: Development of a framework for SMEs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(3).
    5. Nur Izzati binti Mohamad Anuar* & Nik Malini binti Nik Mahdi & Abdullah Al Mamun & Dzulkifli bin Mukhtar & Nursafeda binti Abd Rashid & Symeon Mandrinos, 2018. "Connecting Inward and Outward Internationalisation of Malaysian SMEs: A Learning Approach," The Journal of Social Sciences Research, Academic Research Publishing Group, pages 264-275:4.
    6. Pruthi, Sarika & Tasavori, Misagh, 2022. "Staying in or stepping out? Growth strategies of second-generation immigrant entrepreneurs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(5).
    7. Xiyan Mao & Peiyu Wang, 2023. "Import–export nexus and China's emerging trade in environmental goods," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(1), pages 157-181, March.
    8. Demirbag, Mehmet & Apaydin, Marina & Sahadev, Sunil, 2021. "Micro-foundational dimensions of firm internationalisation as determinants of knowledge management strategy: A case for global strategic partnerships," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    9. Pisani, Niccolò & Caldart, Adrián & Hopma, Jaël, 2017. "SMEs' formation of minority international joint ventures and level of internationalization: The moderating role of a global versus regional focus," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 414-424.
    10. Crespo, Nuno Fernandes & Crespo, Cátia Fernandes & Silva, Graça Miranda & Nicola, Maura Bedin, 2023. "Innovation in times of crisis: The relevance of digitalization and early internationalization strategies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    11. Idris, Bochra & Saridakis, George & Khan, Zaheer, 2022. "The Effect of Outward and Inward Internationalisation on Different Types of Innovation: Evidence from UK SMEs," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(2).
    12. Luis Javier Garcia-Martinez & Sascha Kraus & Matthias Breier & Andreas Kallmuenzer, 2023. "Untangling the relationship between small and medium-sized enterprises and growth: a review of extant literature," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 455-479, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Idris, Bochra & Saridakis, George & Khan, Zaheer, 2022. "The Effect of Outward and Inward Internationalisation on Different Types of Innovation: Evidence from UK SMEs," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(2).
    2. D’Angelo, Alfredo & Ganotakis, Panagiotis & Love, James H., 2020. "Learning by exporting under fast, short-term changes: The moderating role of absorptive capacity and foreign collaborative agreements," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(3).
    3. Bagheri, Mahshid & Mitchelmore, Siwan & Bamiatzi, Vassiliki & Nikolopoulos, Konstantinos, 2019. "Internationalization Orientation in SMEs: The Mediating Role of Technological Innovation," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 121-139.
    4. Indujeeva Peiris & Michèle Akoorie & Paresha Sinha, 2012. "International entrepreneurship: A critical analysis of studies in the past two decades and future directions for research," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 10(4), pages 279-324, December.
    5. Vissak, Tiia & Francioni, Barbara & Freeman, Susan, 2020. "Foreign market entries, exits and re-entries: The role of knowledge, network relationships and decision-making logic," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(1).
    6. Thomas Hutzschenreuter & Ingo Kleindienst & Christina Guenther & Martin Hammes, 2016. "Speed of Internationalization of New Business Units: The Impact of Direct and Indirect Learning," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 56(6), pages 849-878, December.
    7. Lindstrand, Angelika & Melén, Sara & Nordman, Emilia Rovira, 2011. "Turning social capital into business: A study of the internationalization of biotech SMEs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 194-212, April.
    8. Christian Schwens & Florian B. Zapkau & Michael Bierwerth & Rodrigo Isidor & Gary Knight & Rüdiger Kabst, 2018. "International Entrepreneurship: A Meta–Analysis on the Internationalization and Performance Relationship," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 42(5), pages 734-768, September.
    9. Juan M. Pellegrino & Rod B. McNaughton, 2015. "The Co-evolution of Learning and Internationalization Strategy in International New Ventures," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 55(4), pages 457-483, August.
    10. Niklas Åkerman, 2015. "International opportunity realization in firm internationalization: Non-linear effects of market-specific knowledge and internationalization knowledge," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 242-259, September.
    11. Thomas Hutzschenreuter & Tanja Matt, 2017. "MNE internationalization patterns, the roles of knowledge stocks, and the portfolio of MNE subsidiaries," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(9), pages 1131-1150, December.
    12. Paul, Justin & Parthasarathy, Sundar & Gupta, Parul, 2017. "Exporting challenges of SMEs: A review and future research agenda," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(3), pages 327-342.
    13. Park, Sarah & LiPuma, Joseph A., 2020. "New venture internationalization: The role of venture capital types and reputation," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(1).
    14. Dasí, Àngels & Iborra, María & Safón, Vicente, 2015. "Beyond path dependence: Explorative orientation, slack resources, and managerial intentionality to internationalize in SMEs," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 77-88.
    15. Jones, Marian V. & Coviello, Nicole & Tang, Yee Kwan, 2011. "International Entrepreneurship research (1989–2009): A domain ontology and thematic analysis," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 26(6), pages 632-659.
    16. Eduardsen, Jonas & Marinova, Svetla, 2020. "Internationalisation and risk: Literature review, integrative framework and research agenda," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(3).
    17. Deligianni, Ioanna & Voudouris, Irini & Lioukas, Spyros, 2015. "Growth paths of small technology firms: The effects of different knowledge types over time," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(3), pages 491-504.
    18. Ivan De Noni & Roberta Apa, 2015. "The moderating effect of exploitative and exploratory learning on internationalisation–performance relationship in SMEs," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 96-117, June.
    19. Child, John & Hsieh, Linda H.Y., 2014. "Decision mode, information and network attachment in the internationalization of SMEs: A configurational and contingency analysis," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 598-610.
    20. Shaker A. Zahra & Congcong Zheng & Jifeng Yu, 2018. "Learning advantages of newness: A reconceptualization and contingent framework," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 12-37, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:iburev:v:25:y:2016:i:1:p:296-306. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/133/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.