Centro de Documentacion de Fundación MAPFRE - Problemistic search and international entrepreneurship

MAP20090098022

Problemistic search and international entrepreneurship / Karl Wennberg, Carin Holmquist

Sumario: 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 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 indcate that internationalization activitiees follow a bounded rational process characterized by search behavior which is triggered by performance feedback. The study complements prior theories of internationalization and offers a first empirical demonstrartion of the viability of aspiration-level performance theory in international entrepreneurship research

En: European Management Journal. - nº 26, 2008 ; p. 441-454

1. Pequeñas y medianas empresas . 2. Internacionalización de la empresa . 3. Imagen de marca . 4. Conglomerados de empresas . 5. Asociaciones empresariales . 6. Estudios de investigación . 7. Muestreos . 8. Suecia . I. Holmquist, Carin .