The effect of EU enlargement on the internationalisation of SMEs in the European Union; a Dutch perspective

This study focuses on current internationalisation and future international commitment of SMEs from the 'old' Member States in the new EU Member States. The results reveal that firms demonstrate a pattern of gradually increasing commitment in the new EU countries. Current experience with international activities in the region seems to be a key influence encouraging SMEs to be more involved in this region. The effect only slightly weakens if we take the positive link between human capital of the business owner into account.

International Entrepreneurship: An Introduction, Framework and Research Agenda

This paper provides an introduction into the field of international entrepreneurship. A definition of international entrepreneurship and associated key concepts is given and the research domain of international entrepreneurship is described. A substantial part of the international entrepreneurship literature concentrates on the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and new ventures. Based on an analysis of the existing literature the current paper provides a framework for the study of antecedents and outcomes of SME and new venture internationalization and presents a number of avenues for future research.

Internationalisation of Dutch SMEs

Whereas the Dutch business sector as a whole is among the largest exporters, importers and foreign direct investors, Dutch SMEs, as compared to SMEs from other European countries, occupy a position in the middle with respect to the share of enterprises that export, import or invest abroad. In the coming years an increase in the international involvement of Dutch SMEs is expected. In this report the following subjects are adressed: Overview of the internationalisation of Dutch SME's, the internalisation of Dutch SME's from an international perspective, and trends in internalisation. The results are based on data from the EIM- SME Policy Panel 2004, the ENSR Enterprise Survey 2003, expert interviews and a literature review.

Overcoming Resource-Constraints through Internationalization? An Empirical Analysis of European SMEs

Previous research has indicated that firms can use internationalization as a strategy to access or build up resources. Such a strategy may be of particular interest or even necessary (for example to survive or grow) for firms that lack specific resources. Based on resource dependency theory and the model for entrepreneurial internationalization this paper investigates whether resource scarcities in terms of labor, finance and technology increase the likelihood for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to aim to access or accumulate these specific resources through internationalization. A number of hypotheses are tested using firm-level data from the ENSR Enterprise Survey 2003 for 7,673 SMEs located in 18 European countries. The results indicate that perceived resource constraints in terms of labor and finance spur SMEs to undertake international activities with the aim to access or accumulate labor, respectively finance. It is also found that among internationally active SMEs perceived constraints in terms of labor, finance and new technology increase the probability of SMEs using their international activities as a means for accessing or acquiring these scarce resources.

Innovation and international involvement of Dutch SMEs

This study focuses on the relation between innovation and the international involvement of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), taking into account export as well as import activities of firms. The analysis is based on a sample of more than 1.800 Dutch SMEs using regression analysis. The results of this study suggest that innovative investments as well as several innovative realisations or practices have a positive impact on international involvement. Also, some evidence is found that international involvement may stimulate firms to investment in product innovations and in new distribution systems. �

Indirect Internationalization of New Ventures: A Development And Test of Two Theories

This paper develops resource dependency and institutional theory arguments for explaining SME involvement in direct and indirect (via intermediaries) export activity. Based on resource dependency theory, we argue that a desire to leverage resources in a favorable home market may explain SME direct and indirect export activity. Building on institutional theory, we argue that SMEs operating in an organization field that is perceived as becoming more international will be more likely to export, either directly or indirectly. The theory arguments are tested using a sample of 871 Dutch SMEs. Results from binomial and multinomial logit regressions indicate the following: firms in the production industry are most likely to use export intermediaries, as are firm that face favorable home-country access to investors and banks and favorable home-country government regulations for businesses. In line with institutional theory arguments, firms are most likely to export, directly or indirectly, when the organization field is characterized by domestic competitors and customers who increasingly operate abroad and by an increased use of foreign suppliers. Compared to the direct mode, firms pursuing indirect modes are more likely to perceive favorable national finance market access and less likely to perceive favorable national production costs

Entrepreneurial Career Capital, Innovation and New Venture Export Orientation

This paper explores the role of entrepreneurial human capital, entrepreneurial social capital and innovation in explaining new ventures' levels of export orientation. We use Global Entrepreneurship Monitor data from 9,342 early-stage venture entrepreneurs in 36 countries. Our results suggest that both entrepreneurial human capital and entrepreneurial social capital are important in explaining new ventures' export orientation. Entrepreneurial human capital increases the probability for new ventures to offer new products or services. New ventures with unique products or services are more likely to export, indicating that entrepreneurial human capital both has a direct positive relationship with new ventures' export and an indirect positive relationship through the venture's new product or service offerings. We also find that compared to moderate exporters, new ventures with higher export orientation levels are more likely to possess entrepreneurial human and entrepreneurial social capital and to be more innovative.

Exporting starters: starters with more ambition and higher achievement

This mini report focuses on exporting starters in the Netherlands and deals with the following questions: What are the characteristics and behaviour of entrepreneurs that begin exporting right from the start and to what extent do they distinguish themselves from other starters? What are the characteristics of businesses that are export oriented from the very start and to what extent do these differ from the characteristics of other starting enterprises? What are the achievements of exporting starters compared to those of other starters? The EIM Starters Cohorts 1998-2000 (starters in the period 1998-2000) are the source of the information used in this report. Since the date of their establishment the enterprises in this group have been monitored by taking annual measurements. This has made it possible not only to examine the characteristics of entrepreneurs at the time at which they started, but alsoto review their achievements during a period of a number of years.