Micro-econometric studies of international firm activities and firm performance: introduction by guest editor

Internationalization is a hot topic in innovation management, whereby the phenomenon of “Born Globals” is still limited to research in the domains of Entrepreneurship and International Management. As business model design plays a key role for Born Globals, we link these two concepts. For this, we propose hypotheses about the influence of efficiency-centered and novelty-centered business model design on international firm performance. To test these hypotheses, we performed a quantitative survey with 252 founders of international companies in Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Additionally, we gained further insights through a case study analysis of 11 Born Globals. The results show that business model design matters to international firm performance and the business model design of Born Globals tends to be more efficiency-centered. Based on a multiple case study, we analyzed business models in a more sophisticated way and derived propositions that yielded in an archetype of a Born Global’s business model.

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Internal social capital and international firm performance in emerging market family firms: The mediating role of participative governance

International Small Business Journal Researching Entrepreneurship ◽

10.1177/0266242618773145 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 (8) ◽

pp. 887-910 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Misagh Tasavori ◽

Reza Zaefarian ◽

Teck-Yong Eng

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Firm Performance ◽

Family Relationships ◽

Family Firms ◽

Emerging Market ◽

Strategic Decision ◽

Mediating Role ◽

International Firm ◽

The Relationship

Family firms benefit from internal social capital, which refers to resources related to structural, relational and cognitive aspects of family relationships. However, it is not clear if and how possession of internal social capital can enhance the international performance of emerging economy family firms. Based on the data collected from 192 small- and medium-sized family firms from Turkey, we show that family firms can improve their international firm performance by utilising the internal social capital of family relationships. Our findings also demonstrate that the relationship between internal social capital and international firm performance is mediated by participative governance capability. In participative governance, family members as well as board members have the capability to contribute to strategic decision-making and implementation. We also show that all structural, relational and cognitive aspects of internal social capital should be developed in order to improve international firm performance.

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Organisational learning as a mediator in the host-home country similarity–international firm performance link: the role of exploration and exploitation

European Business Review ◽

10.1108/ebr-09-2019-0238 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Unai Arzubiaga ◽

Julen Castillo-Apraiz ◽

Jesús Manuel Palma-Ruiz

Keyword(s):

Firm Performance ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Home Country ◽

Positive Influence ◽

Organisational Learning ◽

Learning Mechanisms ◽

Senior Managers ◽

Content Type ◽

International Firm ◽

Learning Factors

Purpose This study aims to shed light on the lack of understanding and previous mixed results regarding why and how some internationalised firms take advantage of host-home country similarity (HHS) while others do not. Design/methodology/approach Direct and mediating hypotheses are examined through an empirical investigation of 156 CEOs in internationalised Spanish companies, using structural equation modelling validated by factor analysis. Findings The results suggest that exploitation (EI) and exploration (ER) constitute important learning mechanisms that impact on the liability of foreignness when internationalising a business. In particular, the positive influence that HHS has in international firm performance (IP) depends on both exploitative and exploratory learning. Practical implications This research adds insights into the importance of two of the main components of organisational learning (i.e. ER and EI) as mediators of the HHS and IP relationship, which can help senior managers or business owners make consistent decisions by matching potential international market locations with firm learning factors. Originality/value This study clarifies contradictory theoretical assertions and mixed empirical results about how HHS impacts on international performance. In particular, by responding to recent calls for research, this study has shown that organisational learning is a key component in the aforementioned link where ER and EI positively mediate this relevant relationship.

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