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Influence of the capacities of top management on the internationalization of SMEs

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  • Rubén Fernández-Ortiz
  • Guadalupe Fuentes Lombardo

Abstract

International diversification strategies require managerial skills capable of positioning businesses efficiently within a complex international environment. Based on resources and capabilities theory, this study examines the relationship between top management characteristics (age, education, professional experience, and language knowledge) and the international diversification of a given business. It also follows on from Herrmann and Datta's work (2005) by analysing the relationship between these managerial characteristics and SME performance. The analysis is based on a sample of 219 SMEs with international diversification strategies from the La Rioja (northern Spanish region). Regression techniques were used and the results confirmed the existence of a material relationship between a number of managerial characteristics and geographical diversification strategies for SMEs. Empirical evidence was also obtained of the relationship between Spanish SME profitability and certain managerial attributes according to their level of international diversification. Finally, the potential implications of the results of this study for both researchers and real businesses are also discussed. Policy-makers and public agencies can benefit from these results: the development of certain attributes in TMTs strengthens the development of international diversification policies, thus allowing SMEs to improve risk diversification and protection against exchange rate fluctuations.

Suggested Citation

  • Rubén Fernández-Ortiz & Guadalupe Fuentes Lombardo, 2009. "Influence of the capacities of top management on the internationalization of SMEs," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(2), pages 131-154, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:entreg:v:21:y:2009:i:2:p:131-154
    DOI: 10.1080/08985620802176104
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    Cited by:

    1. Helene Tenzer & Siri Terjesen & Anne-Wil Harzing, 2017. "Language in International Business: A Review and Agenda for Future Research," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 57(6), pages 815-854, December.
    2. Agnihotri, Arpita & Bhattacharya, Saurabh, 2015. "Determinants of export intensity in emerging markets: An upper echelon perspective," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 687-695.
    3. Daria Ciriaci & Alessandro Muscio, 2011. "University choice, research quality and graduates' employability: Evidence from Italian national survey data," Working Papers 48, AlmaLaurea Inter-University Consortium.
    4. Luís Pacheco & Carla Lobo & Isabel Maldonado, 2022. "The Presence of Foreign Capital and the Internationalization of Portuguese Industrial SMEs," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-18, February.
    5. Daniele Cerrato & Mariacristina Piva, 2012. "The internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises: the effect of family management, human capital and foreign ownership," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 16(4), pages 617-644, November.
    6. Louis Raymond & Josée St-Pierre & Sylvestre Uwizeyemungu & Thang Dinh, 2014. "Internationalization capabilities of SMEs: A comparative study of the manufacturing and industrial service sectors," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 230-253, September.
    7. Adomako, Samuel & Opoku, Robert A. & Frimpong, Kwabena, 2017. "The Moderating Influence of Competitive Intensity on the Relationship between CEOs' Regulatory Foci and SME Internationalization," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 268-278.
    8. Alayo, Mikel & Maseda, Amaia & Iturralde, Txomin & Arzubiaga, Unai, 2019. "Internationalization and entrepreneurial orientation of family SMEs: The influence of the family character," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 48-59.
    9. Bel Hadj Tarek & Mighri Zouhayer & Ghodbane Adel, 2019. "Entrepreneurial Competitive Intelligence Between Uppsala Model and Born Global Theories in the Case of North African SMEs," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 10(2), pages 734-755, June.
    10. Sui, Sui & Morgan, Horatio M. & Baum, Matthias, 2015. "Internationalization of immigrant-owned SMEs: The role of language," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 804-814.
    11. Morais, Flávio & Ferreira, João J., 2020. "SME internationalisation process: Key issues and contributions, existing gaps and the future research agenda," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 62-77.
    12. Laufs, Katharina & Schwens, Christian, 2014. "Foreign market entry mode choice of small and medium-sized enterprises: A systematic review and future research agenda," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(6), pages 1109-1126.
    13. Bel Hadj Tarek & Ghodbane Adel, 2016. "Business Intelligence versus Entrepreneurial Competitive Intelligence and International Competitiveness of North African SMEs," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 539-561, December.
    14. Roberto Antonietti & Massimo Loi, 2014. "The demand for foreign languages in Italian manufacturing," Working Papers 57, AlmaLaurea Inter-University Consortium.
    15. Ilya R. P. Cuypers & Charmi Patel & Gokhan Ertug & Jiatao Li & Youtha Cuypers, 2022. "Top management teams in international business research: A review and suggestions for future research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(3), pages 481-515, April.
    16. Noelia Franco-Leal & Danny Soetanto & Carmen Camelo-Ordaz, 2016. "Do they matter? The role of non-academics in the internationalization of academic spin-offs," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 410-440, September.
    17. Child, John & Narooz, Rose & Hsieh, Linda & Elbanna, Said & Karmowska, Joanna & Marinova, Svetla & Puthusserry, Pushyarag & Tsai, Terence & Zhang, Yunlu, 2022. "External resource provision and the international performance of SMEs – A contextual analysis," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(3).
    18. Angels Niñerola & Ana-Beatriz Hernández-Lara & María-Victoria Sánchez-Rebull, 2022. "Top Management Team Diversity and International Expansion: Spanish Companies in China," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440211, January.
    19. Hurmerinta, Leila & Nummela, Niina & Paavilainen-Mäntymäki, Eriikka, 2015. "Opening and closing doors: The role of language in international opportunity recognition and exploitation," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 1082-1094.
    20. Helena Turunen & Niina Nummela, 2017. "Internationalisation at home: The internationalisation of location-bound service SMEs," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 36-54, March.

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