IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jinten/v13y2015i3p212-241.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Enacting international opportunities: The role of organizational learning in knowledge-intensive business services

Author

Listed:
  • Anika Laperrière
  • Martine Spence

Abstract

This paper examines how organizational learning processes affect the enactment of international opportunities. Building on the internationalization process theory, we explore the relationship between learning and international resource commitment decision. Based on in-depth interviews with owner-managers of small knowledge-intensive business services firms, results show that (1) knowledge acquisition for international opportunity enactment comes from various sources and means; (2) knowledge institutionalization can follow four different paths, but sometimes lapses; (3) learning outcomes are not always positive; and (4) as firms grow, knowledge management and diffusion processes increase in complexity. Managerial and theoretical implications are discussed. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Anika Laperrière & Martine Spence, 2015. "Enacting international opportunities: The role of organizational learning in knowledge-intensive business services," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 212-241, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jinten:v:13:y:2015:i:3:p:212-241
    DOI: 10.1007/s10843-015-0151-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10843-015-0151-y
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10843-015-0151-y?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. James R. Faulconbridge, 2006. "Stretching tacit knowledge beyond a local fix? Global spaces of learning in advertising professional service firms," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 6(4), pages 517-540, August.
    2. Sapienza, Harry J. & De Clercq, Dirk & Sandberg, William R., 2005. "Antecedents of international and domestic learning effort," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 437-457, July.
    3. Freeman, Susan & Hutchings, Kate & Lazaris, Miria & Zyngier, Suzanne, 2010. "A model of rapid knowledge development: The smaller born-global firm," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 70-84, February.
    4. Yli-Renko, H. & Autio, E. & Tontti, V., 2002. "Social capital, knowledge, and the international growth of technology-based new firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 279-304, June.
    5. 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.
    6. 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.
    7. Macpherson, Allan & Holt, Robin, 2007. "Knowledge, learning and small firm growth: A systematic review of the evidence," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 172-192, March.
    8. David J. Teece & Gary Pisano & Amy Shuen, 1997. "Dynamic capabilities and strategic management," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(7), pages 509-533, August.
    9. Christiane Prange & Sylvie Verdier, 2011. "Dynamic capabilities, internationalization processes and performance," Post-Print hal-02312587, HAL.
    10. Jan Johanson & Jan-Erik Vahlne, 2009. "The Uppsala internationalization process model revisited: From liability of foreignness to liability of outsidership," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 40(9), pages 1411-1431, December.
    11. Crick, Dave & Spence, Martine, 2005. "The internationalisation of 'high performing' UK high-tech SMEs: a study of planned and unplanned strategies," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 14(2), pages 167-185, April.
    12. Dev K. Dutta & Mary M. Crossan, 2005. "The Nature of Entrepreneurial Opportunities: Understanding the Process Using the 4I Organizational Learning Framework," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 29(4), pages 425-449, July.
    13. Roger Schweizer & Jan-Erik Vahlne & Jan Johanson, 2010. "Internationalization as an entrepreneurial process," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 8(4), pages 343-370, December.
    14. 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.
    15. Hohenthal, Jukka & Johanson, Jan & Johanson, Martin, 2003. "Market discovery and the international expansion of the firm," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 12(6), pages 659-672, December.
    16. Tuppura, Anni & Saarenketo, Sami & Puumalainen, Kaisu & Jantunen, Ari & Kyläheiko, Kalevi, 2008. "Linking knowledge, entry timing and internationalization strategy," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 17(4), pages 473-487, August.
    17. Benjamin M. Oviatt & Patricia P. McDougall, 2005. "Defining International Entrepreneurship and Modeling the Speed of Internationalization," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 29(5), pages 537-553, September.
    18. Weerawardena, Jay & Mort, Gillian Sullivan & Liesch, Peter W. & Knight, Gary, 2007. "Conceptualizing accelerated internationalization in the born global firm: A dynamic capabilities perspective," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 294-306, September.
    19. Sharma, D. Deo & Blomstermo, Anders, 2003. "The internationalization process of Born Globals: a network view," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 12(6), pages 739-753, December.
    20. Becker, Markus C. & Knudsen, Thorbjorn, 2005. "The role of routines in reducing pervasive uncertainty," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 58(6), pages 746-757, June.
    21. 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.
    22. Chiasson, Mike & Saunders, Chad, 2005. "Reconciling diverse approaches to opportunity research using the structuration theory," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 20(6), pages 747-767, November.
    23. Zettinig, Peter & Benson-Rea, Maureen, 2008. "What becomes of International New Ventures? A coevolutionary approach," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 26(6), pages 354-365, December.
    24. Hohenthal, Jukka & Johanson, Jan & Johanson, Martin, 2014. "Network knowledge and business-relationship value in the foreign market," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 4-19.
    25. Prange, Christiane & Verdier, Sylvie, 2011. "Dynamic capabilities, internationalization processes and performance," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 126-133, January.
    26. Scott Shane, 2000. "Prior Knowledge and the Discovery of Entrepreneurial Opportunities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 11(4), pages 448-469, August.
    27. Benjamin M Oviatt & Patricia P McDougall, 2005. "The internationalization of entrepreneurship," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 36(1), pages 2-8, January.
    28. Coviello, Nicole & Munro, Hugh, 1997. "Network relationships and the internationalisation process of small software firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 6(4), pages 361-386, August.
    29. Marc Gruber & Ian C. MacMillan & James D. Thompson, 2013. "Escaping the Prior Knowledge Corridor: What Shapes the Number and Variety of Market Opportunities Identified Before Market Entry of Technology Start-ups?," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(1), pages 280-300, February.
    30. Nicole E Coviello, 2006. "The network dynamics of international new ventures," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 37(5), pages 713-731, September.
    31. Markus C. Becker & Thorbjørn Knudsen, 2005. "The role of routines in reducing pervasive uncertainty," Post-Print hal-00279163, HAL.
    32. A Verbeke, 2003. "The evolutionary view of the MNE and the future of internalization theory," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 34(6), pages 498-504, November.
    33. 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.
    34. David J. Teece, 2012. "Dynamic Capabilities: Routines versus Entrepreneurial Action," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(8), pages 1395-1401, December.
    35. Knight, Gary A. & Liesch, Peter W., 2002. "Information internalisation in internationalising the firm," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 55(12), pages 981-995, December.
    36. George P. Huber, 1991. "Organizational Learning: The Contributing Processes and the Literatures," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 88-115, February.
    37. Olli Kuivalainen & Kaisu Puumalainen & Sanna Sintonen & Kalevi Kyläheiko, 2010. "Organisational capabilities and internationalisation of the small and medium-sized information and communications technology firms," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 8(2), pages 135-155, June.
    38. Maurizio Zollo & Sidney G. Winter, 2002. "Deliberate Learning and the Evolution of Dynamic Capabilities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 13(3), pages 339-351, June.
    39. David Higgins & Mohammed Mirza, 2011. "Where do we go...! A meta-theoretical analysis of learning and the small firm," International Journal of Innovation and Learning, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 10(4), pages 327-349.
    40. 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.
    41. Sidney G. Winter, 2003. "Understanding dynamic capabilities," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(10), pages 991-995, October.
    42. Mary M. Crossan & Iris Berdrow, 2003. "Organizational learning and strategic renewal," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(11), pages 1087-1105, November.
    43. John T. Steen & Peter W. Liesch, 2007. "A note on Penrosean growth, resource bundles and the Uppsala model of internationalisation," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 193-206, March.
    44. Oswald Jones & Allan Macpherson & Richard Thorpe, 2010. "Learning in owner-managed small firms: Mediating artefacts and strategic space," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(7-8), pages 649-673, November.
    45. John Seely Brown & Paul Duguid, 1991. "Organizational Learning and Communities-of-Practice: Toward a Unified View of Working, Learning, and Innovation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 40-57, February.
    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. Alexander Tabares & Yanto Chandra & Claudia Alvarez & Manuela Escobar-Sierra, 2021. "Opportunity-related behaviors in international entrepreneurship research: a multilevel analysis of antecedents, processes, and outcomes," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 321-368, March.
    2. Leanne Johnstone & Mariana Pio Monteiro & Inês Ferreira & Johanna Westerlund & Roosa Aalto & Jenni Marttinen, 2018. "Language ability and entrepreneurship education: Necessary skills for Europe’s start-ups?," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 369-397, September.
    3. Salar Gholizadeh & Reza Mohammadkazemi, 2022. "International entrepreneurial opportunity: A systematic review, meta-synthesis, and future research agenda," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 218-254, June.
    4. Nancy Vargas & M. Begoña Lloria & Addisson Salazar & Luis Vergara, 2018. "Effect of exploitation and exploration on the innovative as outcomes in entrepreneurial firms," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 1053-1069, December.
    5. Schembri, Joe & Fletcher, Margaret & Buck, Trevor, 2023. "To go or not to go? Opportunities as triggers of commitment to internationalisation," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(2).
    6. Nataliya Galan & Ellinor Torsein, 2021. "Identification of international opportunities: A study of mature firms in mature industries," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 53-103, March.
    7. Evgueni Vinogradov & Eva Jenny Benedikte Jørgensen, 2017. "Differences in international opportunity identification between native and immigrant entrepreneurs," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 207-228, June.
    8. 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.

    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. Dzikowski, Piotr, 2018. "A bibliometric analysis of born global firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 281-294.
    2. Olga Mikhailova & Per Ingvar Olsen, 2016. "Internationalization of an academic invention through successive science-business networks: The case of TAVI," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 441-471, September.
    3. 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.
    4. Knight, Gary A. & Liesch, Peter W., 2016. "Internationalization: From incremental to born global," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 93-102.
    5. Alexander Tabares & Yanto Chandra & Claudia Alvarez & Manuela Escobar-Sierra, 2021. "Opportunity-related behaviors in international entrepreneurship research: a multilevel analysis of antecedents, processes, and outcomes," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 321-368, March.
    6. Rimante Sedziniauskiene & Jurgita Sekliuckiene & Antonella Zucchella, 2019. "Networks’ Impact on the Entrepreneurial Internationalization: A Literature Review and Research Agenda," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 59(5), pages 779-823, October.
    7. 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).
    8. Bruno F. Abrantes, 2020. "Are Neoclassic Internationalization Models Enduring? A Case-Review of the Uppsala Paradigm," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(2), pages 21582440209, June.
    9. Francisco García-Lillo & Enrique Claver-Cortés & Bartolomé Marco-Lajara & Mercedes Úbeda-García, 2017. "Mapping the Intellectual Structure of Research on ‘Born Global’ Firms and INVs: A Citation/Co-citation Analysis," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 631-652, August.
    10. Bai, Wensong & Holmström-Lind, Christine & Johanson, Martin, 2018. "Leveraging networks, capabilities and opportunities for international success: A study on returnee entrepreneurial ventures," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 51-62.
    11. 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.
    12. 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.
    13. 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.
    14. Nataliya Galan & Ellinor Torsein, 2021. "Identification of international opportunities: A study of mature firms in mature industries," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 53-103, March.
    15. Quan Anh Nguyen & Gillian Sullivan Mort, 0. "Conceptualising organisational-level and microfoundational capabilities: an integrated view of born-globals’ internationalisation," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-23.
    16. Paul, Justin, 2020. "SCOPE framework for SMEs: A new theoretical lens for success and internationalization," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 219-230.
    17. Khan, Zaheer & Lew, Yong Kyu, 2018. "Post-entry survival of developing economy international new ventures: A dynamic capability perspective," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 149-160.
    18. 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.
    19. 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.
    20. Quan Anh Nguyen & Gillian Sullivan Mort, 2021. "Conceptualising organisational-level and microfoundational capabilities: an integrated view of born-globals’ internationalisation," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 1781-1803, December.

    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:kap:jinten:v:13:y:2015:i:3:p:212-241. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.