Title: Determinants of international readiness among small and medium-sized enterprises in Trinidad and Tobago

Authors: Meena Rambocas; Dana Hayes-Burke

Addresses: Department of Management Studies, The University of the West Indies (St. Augustine Campus), Trinidad and Tobago ' Department of Management Studies, The University of the West Indies (St. Augustine Campus), Trinidad and Tobago

Abstract: The decision to internationalise is a well-documented area in international marketing, but the determinants of the readiness to internationalise among small and medium-sized enterprises have not been sufficiently examined. Drawing on Tan et al. (2007) model, this paper aims to test the influence of four firm-related characteristics of exposure to stimuli, management attitudinal/psychological commitment, firm resources, and lateral rigidity on readiness to internationalise. Data were collected from a sample of SMEs in Trinidad and Tobago and analysed with confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. The study also controlled for the effects of firm size, experience and firm type. The results confirm the importance of exposure to export stimuli and firm resources on SMEs readiness to participate in international marketing activities. However, they also show that lateral rigidity and management attitudinal/psychological commitment are not significant determinants.

Keywords: international readiness; SMEs; internationalisation; international business; export stimuli; lateral rigidity; attitudinal and psychological commitment; resources; Trinidad and Tobago.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGSB.2021.117667

International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business, 2021 Vol.12 No.3, pp.247 - 265

Received: 03 Jul 2020
Accepted: 08 Apr 2021
Published online: 20 Sep 2021 *

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