Internationalization Self-Study

Sacred Heart University (SHU) was accepted into the 2013-2015 American Council on Education (ACE) Internationalization Laboratory program. This is the report prepared by the Internationalization Task Force

Internationalization and the Evolution of Corporate Valuation

By documenting the evolution of Tobin's "q" before, during, and after firms internationalize, this paper provides evidence on the bonding, segmentation, and market timing theories of internationalization. Using new data on 9,096 firms across 74 countries over the period 1989-2000, we find that Tobin's "q" does not rise after internationalization, even relative to firms that do not internationalize. Instead, "q" rises significantly one year before internationalization and during the internationalization year. But, then "q" falls sharply in the year after internationalization, relinquishing the increases of the previous two years. To account for these dynamics, we show that market capitalization rises one year before internationalization and remains high, while corporate assets increase during internationalization. The evidence supports models stressing that internationalization facilitates corporate expansion, but challenges models stressing that internationalization produces an enduring effect on "q" by bonding firms to a better corporate governance system.

Internationalization and the evolution of corporate valuation

By documenting the evolution of Tobin's q before, during, and after firms internationalize, the authors provide evidence on the bonding, segmentation, and market timing theories of internationalization. Using new data on 9,096 firms across 74 countries over the period 1989-2000, they find that Tobin's q does not rise after internationalization, even relative to firms that do not internationalize. Instead, q rises significantly before internationalization and during the internationalization year. But then q falls sharply in the year after internationalization, quickly relinquishing the increases of the previous years. To account for these dynamics, the authors show that market capitalization rises before internationalization and remains high, while corporate assets increase during internationalization. The evidence supports models stressing that financial internationalization facilitates corporate expansion, but challenges models stressing that internationalization produces an enduring effect on q by bonding firms to a better corporate governance system.Small Scale Enterprise,Microfinance,Investment and Investment Climate,Economic Theory&Research,Markets and Market Access

Lithuanian Retail Internationalization: Features and Prospects

Purpose of the article: To distinguish and describe Lithuanian retail internationalization of the peculiarities in the last twenty-four years and bases on the changes in the future. Methodology/methods: The retail internationalization literature explores the theories, concepts, experiences in different countries is the methodological basis for the assessment of the process and the prospect of these process changes in Lithuania. Lithuanian retail internationalization progress of the investigation from the beginning, development and future prospects is divided into three phases. From a methodological point of view, this is a difficult research because even after twenty years. Scientific aim: To analyse retail internationalization process in Lithuania – features and prospects. Findings: Investigate and evaluate three Lithuanian retail internationalization stages showed that each of them has distinct features. A survey of retailers allowed to set retail internationalization level in 2013. Conclusions: The retail trade internationalisation process in Lithuania, which started immediately after the destruction of the socialist economy and proceeded as the foundation for market economy was being laid, was particular in the sense that famous foreign retail trade companies did not immediately enter the Lithuanian retail market. The characteristic feature of the process in Lithuania was the establishment of joint capital companies, while individual foreign businessmen often started their business in the country by opening their first store. Research limitations: no interest of retailers to be in contact regarding research and wide theme was as serious limitations to find out and explore the Lithuanian retail internationalization features. This is the original article, exploring the small market of retail internationalization process characteristics from its beginning until 2014

Knowledge acquisition for the internationalization of the smaller firm: content and sources

Internationalization process research emphasizes accumulated experience and networks as sources of knowledge for internationalization. Our understanding, however, as to what this knowledge is in practice for smaller firms, the challenges they face in acquiring it, and how they address those challenges is limited. Integrating organizational learning concepts with our theoretical understanding of the small firm internationalization process, we develop a new framework for understanding knowledge acquisition processes, which are examined with a case study of 10 Scottish internationalizing firms. We find smaller firms may not have relevant experience or useful networks, and rely on sources rarely recognised before. Firms used recruitment, government advisors and consultants to acquire indirect experience. Recruitment is a source of market and technological knowledge and government advisors and consultants a source of internationalization knowledge. Accessing internal information is important for firms that have internationalized. Our integrated theoretical framework identifies knowledge content and sources that are critical for internationalization, but that may be absent

Small Firms in a Small Country: Managerial Factors, Internationalization and Performance of Slovenian SMEs

International activities of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) constitute an important research area. To understand this phenomenon, researchers employ different theoretical perspectives. Among them, the resource-based theory has been given much attention. In this study three managerial factors: managerial attitude toward internationalization, internationalization knowledge and international experience, are seen as examples of the firm’s intangible assets. The objectives of this study are twofold. First, it aims to examine the significance of the mentioned managerial resources for smes’ internationalization. Second, it verifies the relationship between the level of the firm’s internationalization and performance. The study is based on a sample of highly-internationalized Slovenian companies. According to the findings, managerial attitudes towards internationalization and internationalization knowledge are significantly related to the level of SME internationalization. The statistical analysis also provides support for the relationship between the level of the firm’s internationalization and performance.internationalization, managerial factors, performance, SMEs

Beyond categorization: new directions for theory development about entrepreneurial internationalization

Categorizations emphasizing the earliness of internationalization have long been a cornerstone of international entrepreneurship research. Here we contend that the prominence of categories has not been commensurate with theory development associated with them. We draw on categorization theory to explain why earliness-based categories are persistent, and argue that a greater focus on notions related to opportunity can open new avenues of research about the entrepreneurial internationalization of business. We propose and discuss three directions for opportunity-based research on entrepreneurial internationalization, involving context, dynamics and variety

The internationalization of family SME

Purpose – Owing to its specificities, the family small and medium enterprise (SME) shows a particular behavior as for the creation, development, sharing, protection and transmission of knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to study the specificities of the processes of knowledge creation and development in family firms. Design/methodology/approach – Through a questionnaire, hypotheses of the model were tested. The study is based on 118 firms belonging to various industries. After evaluating the reliability and validity of the items through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, the model was tested through structural equation modeling (LISREL). Findings – The model retained induces the following conclusions. Internationalization knowledge positively influences internationalization degree of the firm. The conservatism of family SME does not directly influence the level of internationalization knowledge. The influence of conservatism on internationalization knowledge is exerted only through the decisional dimension of independence orientation. The independence orientation of family SME, then with its two dimensions simultaneously (decisional and resource independence), does not significantly influence internationalization knowledge. Contrary to decisional independence which influences indirectly the degree of internationalization (through the intermediation of internationalization knowledge), resource independence influences directly the dependant variable. The mediation of internationalization knowledge is thus not totally proven. Social networking positively influences the amount of internationalization knowledge. Research limitations/implications – A major weakness is the absence of a synchronic approach as the dependent and independent variables are measured at the same moment. A more longitudinal approach would be valuable to analyze the causal relationships between the independent variables and internationalization knowledge and internationalization degree. A second limitation is that the characteristics of the sample may limit the generalizability of the results.Family firms, Small to medium-sized enterprises, Globalization, Learning organizations, Knowledge management

Internationalization of Higher Education in Turmoil

The goal of this piece is to provide an overview of the internationalization of the University of Missouri using historical artifacts from the institution’s archives. As a result of bringing together these artifacts, the author identifies three distinct internationalization stages that demonstrate where the institution is currently situated. The University of Missouri’s internationalization process has been slow and cumulative, like its peer institutions, until recently. However, the author argues that current events, including travel bans and uncertainty around immigration policies, have disrupted this pattern and created turmoil and uncertainty

International diversification, performance and offshoring : the case of the computer services industry

This article deals with the internationalization process in the computer services industry. It discusses two aspects of internationalization: the relationship between international diversification and firm performances and the new process of offshoring part of the business to low-cost countries. Analysis is based on a proprietary database covering data for the industry's 45 largest companies for the past nine years (1998-2006). It shows that product internationalization has not generated substantial profits for firms that have given priority to international growth. Non sequitur, though precise data is lacking, it seems that it has become common practice over the last five years to outsource parts of the business to subsidiaries in low-cost countries. We do not find any relation between offshoring and profitability or internationalization. The internationalization of process and product seems to be disconnected.computer industry ; services ; internationalization