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Problemistic Search and International Entrepreneurship

Author

Listed:
  • Wennberg, Karl

    (Dept. of Business Administration, Stockholm School of Economics)

  • Holmquist, Carin

    (Dept. of Business Administration, Stockholm School of Economics)

Abstract

This paper explains the internationalization process of small firms using the theory of performance relative to aspiration levels. The study complements prior theory by explaining why and how small firms are triggered to engage in internationalization despite not reaching maturity in their home market. We outline a model where firms’ internationalization is triggered by problemistic search, following periods of below-aspiration performance. The model is tested on 860 Swedish firms followed during an economic downturn. Results indicate that internationalization activities follow a boundedly rational process characterized by search behavior which is triggered by performance feedback. The study complements prior theories of internationalization and offers a first empirical demonstration of the viability of aspiration-level performance theory in international entrepreneurship research.

Suggested Citation

  • Wennberg, Karl & Holmquist, Carin, 2007. "Problemistic Search and International Entrepreneurship," SSE/EFI Working Paper Series in Business Administration 2008:2, Stockholm School of Economics, revised 05 Jan 2009.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhb:hastba:2008_002
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    Cited by:

    1. Michele Bernini & Jun Du & James H. Love, 2016. "Explaining intermittent exporting: Exit and conditional re-entry in export markets," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 47(9), pages 1058-1076, December.
    2. 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.
    3. Michael Sheppard, 2020. "The relationship between discretionary slack and growth in small firms," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 195-219, March.
    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. Weijun Zeng & Minqiang Li & Nan Feng, 2017. "The effects of heterogeneous interaction and risk attitude adaptation on the evolution of cooperation," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 27(3), pages 435-459, July.
    6. Ref, Ohad & Feldman, Naomi E. & Iyer, Dinesh N & Shapira, Zur, 2021. "Entry into new foreign markets: Performance feedback and opportunity costs," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 56(6).
    7. Ploeg, Matthias & Knoben, Joris & Vermeulen, Patrick, 2022. "We are in it together: Communitarianism and the performance-innovation relationship✰," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(5).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Entrepreneurship; International Entry; Behavioral Theory of the Firm;
    All these keywords.

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