Management Perspectives as Catalysts for Exporting : A Study of Nordic SMEs

• Past research suggests that internationalization is a sequential process and that both the external environment and individual factors influence the development. Managers' attitudes and values have also been focused and the results indicate links between management perceptions and export behavior. Further, new types of SMEs, high tech-companies and “born-globals,” show that internationalization can be a very fast process and the role of the manager will for that reason be of increasing importance. In this article a panel of 335 Nordic SMEs, followed over a five-year period, are classified in three groups: new exporters-permanent exporters -permanent non-exporters. Via a factor analysis of a set of attitude questions a profile exhibits that the permanent exporters have more positive attitudes concerning four out of six areas, which underlines earlier findings that internationalization is a long-term learning process. These findings are also verified when comparing the profile of permanent and new exporters -similar profiles but new exporters have more discouraging perceptions. However, management perceptions about relations to customers and suppliers as well as attitudes related to macro-economic issues are more negative among exporting companies.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Ekonomi och näringsliv -- Företagsekonomi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Economics and Business -- Business Administration (hsv//eng)

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