Author(s): Calheiros-Lobo, N. ; Moreira, Ana ; Au-Yong-Oliveira, Manuel ; Vasconcelos Ferreira, José António
Date: 2024
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/10050
Origin: Repositório do ISPA - Instituto Universitário
Subject(s): Semi-structured interviews; SME internationalization; Export performance; Grounded theory
ABSTRACT: This article introduces a new theoretical concept, the “foreign champion”, which attempts to solve the principal–agent problem and improve academic understanding of foreign market entry decisions by analyzing what experts in the field consider to be best practices. Based on empirical research into the determinants of SME internationalization success, semi-structured interviews (n = 12, t = 5 h 10 min.) were conducted with industry experts, including one academic, government officials, chamber and association leaders, a venture capitalist, and several CEOs, and key testimonies were studied using qualitative analysis software. The results shed light on effective internationalization strategies and common market entry mistakes. Despite the perception of saturation, the prominence of the experts, and the large sample, there may be limitations, such as not covering several regions. The originality of this study lies in its conceptual framework, the insights gained from the select interviews, and a new concept of foreign market entry.
