Publicação
Platform-enabled internationalization revisited: persistent and emerging barriers for small and medium-sized entreprises in cross-border e-commerce
| Resumo: | The rapid digitalization following COVID-19 expanded SME access to foreign markets, yet cross border participation remains limited. This thesis examines the barriers SMEs encounter when selling internationally through global e-commerce platforms. Drawing on qualitative interviews with eleven Spanish SMEs and a thematic analysis of their experiences, the study identifies five persistent constraints: fiscal and regulatory complexity, logistical and operational frictions, platform governance challenges, pricing opacity, and strategic withdrawal decisions. The findings offer an updated view of post-pandemic e-commerce conditions and provide recommendations for both SMEs and platform providers seeking to improve the viability of cross-border expansion. |
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| Autores principais: | Heim, Maria Christina |
| Assunto: | ross-border e-commerce SMEs Digital platforms Internationalization barriers Platform governance Qualitative research |
| Ano: | 2026 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | dissertação de mestrado |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade Nova de Lisboa |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório Institucional da UNL |
| Resumo: | The rapid digitalization following COVID-19 expanded SME access to foreign markets, yet cross border participation remains limited. This thesis examines the barriers SMEs encounter when selling internationally through global e-commerce platforms. Drawing on qualitative interviews with eleven Spanish SMEs and a thematic analysis of their experiences, the study identifies five persistent constraints: fiscal and regulatory complexity, logistical and operational frictions, platform governance challenges, pricing opacity, and strategic withdrawal decisions. The findings offer an updated view of post-pandemic e-commerce conditions and provide recommendations for both SMEs and platform providers seeking to improve the viability of cross-border expansion. |
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