Romanian SMEs Internationalization in the Light of Internal Capabilities and External Conditions. A Secondary Data Analysis
Abstract
The topic of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the framework of the internationalization phenomena has often hewed the paths for many conceptual and empirical analyses all the more so as the global environment has pushed smaller actors out of their regular habitat. Issues such as the support of SMEs innovative capabilities, of knowledge sharing mechanisms and collaborative networks via cross-border operations or as the thorough adjustment to the new market conditions have sprung as pivotal concerns for both academics and practitioners interested in business development, performance, innovation and effectiveness from a myriad of perspectives. Giving credit to these research and real-life priorities, the current paper aims to discuss different facets of the SMEs internationalization process, laying emphasis on their internal capabilities and external conditions. The empirical undertaking relies on a secondary data analysis which covers the facts and figures comprised by European official reports. The focus is on the Romanian SMEs internationalization variables which are descriptive of the current state of cross-border dynamics. The findings advance that Romanian entrepreneurs and SMEs have been supported in the recent years by a series of European and national governmental initiatives, yet many additional measures and facilitation instruments are needed to properly improve their overall performance on international markets.References
Bennet, D., Bennet, D., & Avedisian, D. (2015). The Course of Knowledge: A 21st Century Theory. MQI Press.
Çakmak, Z., & Akgün. I.H. (2018). A Theoretical Perspective on the Case Study Method. Journal of Education and Learning, 7(1), 96-102. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v7n1p96.
Chen, C.-J., Huang, J.-W., & Hsiao, Y.-C. (2010). Knowledge management and innovativeness. The role of organizational climate and structure. International Journal of Manpower, 31(8), 848–870.
Choongo, P., Van Burg, E., Paas, L.J., & Masurel, E. (2016). Factors Influencing the Identification of Sustainable Opportunities by SMEs: Empirical Evidence from Zambia. Sustainability, 8(1), 81. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3390/su8010081.
Dimitratos, P., Voudouris, I., Plakoyiannaki, E., & Nakos, G. (2012). International entrepreneurial culture: toward a comprehensive opportunity-based operationalization of international entrepreneurship. International Business Review, 21(4), 708-721. doi:10.1016/j.ibusrev.2011.08.001.
DIW ECON (May 18, 2018). SMEs Performance Review 2017/2018. Retrieved from www.diw-econ.com.
DIW ECON (July 27, 2018). SMEs Performance Review 2017/2018. Methodological Note on WP 3. Retrieved from www.diw-econ.com.
Edvardsson, I.R., & Durst, S. (2013). The Benefits of Knowledge Management in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 81, 351-354.
European Commission (June 25th, 2008). “Think Small First”. A “Small Business Act” for Europe. COM(2008) 394 final. Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52008DC0394.
European Commission (2018a). Annual Report on European SMEs 2017/2018. The 10th Anniversary of the Small Business Act. SME Performance Review 2017/2018, EASME/COSME/2017/031, European Union.
European Commission (2018b). 2018 SBA Fact Sheet Romania. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/32581/attachments/24/translations/en/renditions/native.
Ferraris, A., Santoro, G., & Dezi, L. (2017). How MNC’s subsidiaries may improve their innovative performance? The role of external sources and knowledge management capabilities. Journal of Knowledge Management, 21(3), 540–552.
Frazier, G., Maltz, E., Antia, K., &Rindflesch, A. (2009). Distributor Sharing of Strategic Information with Suppliers. Journal of Marketing, 73(1), 31-43.
Gabrielsson, M., Kirpalani, V.H.M., Dimitratos, P., Solberg, C.A., & Zucchella, A. (2008). Conceptualizations to Advance Born Global Definition: A Research Note. Global Business Review, 9(1), 45-50.
Garagorri, I. (2016). SME Vulnerability Analysis: A Tool for Business Continuity. In K. North, and G. Varvakis (Eds.), Competitive Strategies for Small and Medium Enterprises (pp.181-194). Cham: Springer.
Giannacourou, M., Kantaraki, M., & Christopoulou, V. (2015). The Perception of Crisis by Greek SMEs and Its Impact on Managerial Practices. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 175, 546-551.
Gorgos, E.-A., Alexandru, V.-A., & Vătămănescu, E.-M. (2019). Romanian SMEs Under Lens: Multifaceted Instruments for Developing the Intellectual and Financial Capital. In Dinu, V. (Ed.), 2019 Basiq International Conference: New Trends in Sustainable Business and Consumption (pp.143-151). Bucharest: ASE Publishing.
Handzic, M. (2006). Knowledge Management in SMEs. Practical guidelines. CACCI Journal, 1, 1-11.
Hope, K. (Ed.). (2018). Annual Report on European SMEs 2017/2018. The 10th anniversary of the Small Business Act. SME Performance Review 2017/2018. Catalogue number ET-AB-18-001-EN-N, DOI 10.2873/248745. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/business-friendly-environment/performance-review_en.
Hutchinson, V., & Quintas, P. (2008). Do SMEs do Knowledge Management? Or simply Manage what they know? International Small Business Journal, 26(2), 131-154.
Kianto, A., Hussinki, H., Vanhala, M., & Nisula, A.-M. (2018). The state of knowledge management in logistics SMEs: evidence from two Finnish regions. Knowledge Management Research & Practice, 16(4), 477-487. DOI10.1080/14778238.2018.1488523.
Kmieciak, R., & Michna, A. (2018). Knowledge management orientation, innovativeness, and competitive intensity: evidence from Polish SMEs. Knowledge Management Research & Practice, 16(4), 559-572. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/14778238.2018.1514997.
Kim, Y., & Lui, S. S. (2015). The impacts of external network and business group on innovation: do the types of innovation matter? Journal of Business Research, 68(9), 1964–1973.
Le, T. (2017). Investigation into knowledge management in SMEs: Case of a Finnish telecomunications company. Paper presented at Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Finland, April 1, 2017.
Lee, V.-H., Leong, L.-Y., Hew, T.-S., & Ooi, K.-B. (2013). Knowledge management: A key determinant in advancing technological innovation? Journal of Knowledge Management, 17(6), 848–872.
Maldonado-Guzmán, G., Garza-Reyes, J. A., Pinzón-Castro, S.Y., & Kumar, V. (2017). Barriers to innovation in service SMEs: Evidence from Mexico. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 117(8), 1669-1686.
Navas-Aleman, L., & Guerrero, T. (2016). Procurement practices and SMEs in global supply chains: what do we know so far?.A literature review. Geneva, Switzerland, International Labour Organization 2016. Retrieved from https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---emp_ent/---ifp_seed/documents/publication/wcms_486227.pdf.
OECD (2013). Skills Development and Training in SMEs. Paris: OECD Publishing.
OECD (2015). Skills and learning strategies for innovation in SMEs, Working Party on SME and Entrepreneurship, CFE/SME(2014)3/REV1.
OECD (2017). Enhancing the Contributions of SMEs in a Global and Digitalised Economy. Meeting of the OECD Council at Ministerial Level, Paris, 7-8 June 2017. Paris: OECD Publishing.
Pauw, W.P., & Chan, S. (2018). Multistakeholder partnerships for adaptation: the role of micro, small and medium enterprises. In Schaer, C., & Kuruppu, N. (Eds.), Private-sector action in adaptation (pp.98-109). UNEP DTU Partnership.
Păduraru, T., Vătămănescu, E.-M., Andrei, A.G., Pînzaru, F., Zbuchea, A., Maha, L.G., & Boldureanu, G. (2016). Sustainability in Relationship Marketing: An Exploratory Model for the Industrial Field. Environmental Engineering and Management Journal, 15(7), 1635-1647.
Vătămănescu, E.-M., Alexandru, V.-A., & Gorgos, E.-A. (2014). The Five Cs Model of Business Internationalization (CMBI) – a preliminary theoretical insight into today’s business internationalization challenges. In Brătianu, C., Zbuchea, A., Pînzaru, F., & Vătămănescu, E.-M. (Eds.), Strategica. Management, Finance, and Ethics (pp.537-558). Bucharest: Tritonic.
Vătămănescu, E.-M., Pînzaru, F., Andrei, A.-G., & Alexandru, V.-A. (2014). Going international versus going global. The case of the European steel pipe SMEs. Review of International Comparative Management, 15(3), 360-379. Retrieved from http://www.rmci.ase.ro/no15vol3/09.pdf.
Vătămănescu, E.-M., Pînzaru, F., Andrei, A.G., & Zbuchea, A. (2016). Investigating SMEs sustainability with partial least squares structural equation modeling. Transformations in Business & Economics (TIBE), 15(3), 259-273.
Vătămănescu, E.-M., Andrei, A.G., Nicolescu, L., Pînzaru, F., & Zbuchea, A. (2017). The Influence of Competitiveness on SMEs Internationalization Effectiveness. Online versus Offline Business Networking. Information Systems Management, 34(3), 205-219.
Vătămănescu, E.-M., Gazzola, P., Dincă, V.M., & Pezzetti, R. (2017). Mapping Entrepreneurs’ Orientation towards Sustainability in Interaction versus Network Marketing Practices. Sustainability, 9(9), 1580.
Vătămănescu E.-M., & Alexandru, V.-A. (2018). Beyond Innovation: The Crazy New World of Industrial Mash-ups. In Vătămănescu, E.-M., & Pînzaru, F. (Eds.), Knowledge Management in the Sharing Economy - Cross-Sectoral Insights into the Future of Competitive Advantage (pp.271-285). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Vătămănescu E.-M., Gorgos, E.-A., & Alexandru, V.-A. (2018). Preliminary Insights into SMEs Opportunities and Vulnerabilities in the European Context. A Qualitative Approach. Management Dynamics in the Knowledge Economy, 6(3), 385-404. DOI 10.25019/MDKE/6.3.03.
Vătămănescu, E.-M., Gorgos, E.-A., Ghigiu, A.M., & Pătruț, M. (2019). Bridging Intellectual Capital and SMEs Internationalization through the Lens of Sustainable Competitive Advantage: A Systematic Literature Review. Sustainability, 11(9), 2510.
Volery, T., & Mazzarol, T. (2015). The evolution of the small business and entrepreneurship field: A bibliometric investigation of articles published in the International Small Business Journal. International Small Business Journal, 33(4), 374–396.
Vrontis, D., Thrassou, A., Santoro, G., & Papa, A. (2017). Ambidexterity, external knowledge and performance in knowledge-intensive firms. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 42(2), 374–388.
Wang, Y., & Lin, J. (2013). An empirical research on knowledge management orientation and organizational performance: The mediating role of organizational innovation. African Journal of Business Management, 7(8), 604-612.
Wedawatta, G., Ingirige, B., Jones, K., & Proverbs, D. (2011). Extreme Weather Events and Construction SMEs: Vulnerability, Impacts and Responses. Structural Survey, 29(2), 106-119.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs license, the users are free to share (copy, distribute and transmit the contribution) with the condition to attribute the contribution in the manner specified by the author or licensor. They may not alter, transform, or build upon this work.