Export strategies as a factor of SME growth in Croatia

The paper explores the main processes and determinants of the internationalisation of the Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Croatia and empirically explores the data generated through the SME Exporters Survey covering the period between 1999 and 2004. The paper is based on a micro-level analysis, focusing on the characteristics of particular SMEs and entrepreneurs/managers who have achieved strong growth in terms of revenues and exports. When analysing the SMEs' growth strategies, the existing research often tends to emphasise factors such as innovativeness and export orientation, which is partly confirmed by the findings presented in the paper. The paper shows that the 'ideal type' of a Croatian export-oriented SME tends to operate in medium high-technology manufacturing and services, produce specialised capital and consumer goods servicing specific market niches, export independently, sell products directly to specialised customers of special products, cooperate with foreign enterprises, perform intramural Research and Development (R&D) activities, innovate product mix by including products with a higher value added and introduce new technologies, but without limiting their innovation activities on the acquisition of technology. The appendices and details of the calculations used in this paper are available from the authors.