Network relationships and internationalization in Tunisian high‐tech SMEs

How do the dynamics of social and business networks influence the internationalization of small to medium‐size high‐tech businesses? This question is particularly relevant for small and medium‐size enterprises (SMEs) in developing economies, which frequently do not have access to the resources requi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Global Business and Organizational Excellence 2017-11, Vol.37 (1), p.39-47
Main Authors: Mejri, Issam, Ramadan, Maarouf
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Business networking
Globalization
High tech industries
Small & medium sized enterprises-SME
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Summary:How do the dynamics of social and business networks influence the internationalization of small to medium‐size high‐tech businesses? This question is particularly relevant for small and medium‐size enterprises (SMEs) in developing economies, which frequently do not have access to the resources required for successful international expansion. A qualitative study of three Tunisian firms explores the role played by networks in the internationalization of high‐tech SMEs. The results show that personal, local, and international networks have a significant impact on the SMEs’ access to the resources they need for their ongoing internationalization. The results of the study lead to three propositions concerning the internationalization of SMEs and highlight their implications for practitioners.
ISSN:1932-2054
1932-2062
DOI:10.1002/joe.21827