Title: Internationalisation and growth of small sustainable fashion enterprises

Authors: Diala Kabbara; Enliang Qin; Hajer Jarrar; Charbel Salloum

Addresses: Department of Economics and Management, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy ' Department of Economics and Management, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy ' Faculty of Business Administration and Management, Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon ' Métis Lab, EM Normandie Business School, 20 Quai Frissard, 76600 Le Havre, France

Abstract: Sustainability and globalisation are two major global phenomena that have shaped the world in the last few decades. This paper aims to explore the main drivers that trigger the international behaviour of small sustainable fashion enterprises (SSFEs), with a special focus on the characteristics of sustainable entrepreneurs, the characteristics of sustainable firms, the inter-firm global collaborations, and the institutional context. We draw on international and sustainable entrepreneurship research to explain what captures the drivers that affect SSFEs internationalisation. This paper analyses four different Dutch SSFEs through a cross-case study method. The findings show that the main drivers that affect the international growth of SSFEs in the Netherlands are the global partnerships with suppliers and local sales agents in foreign countries, the sustainable attitude and previous fashion experience of the entrepreneur and the product's ethical features.

Keywords: internationalisation; sustainability; SMEs; fashion industry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2024.136955

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2024 Vol.51 No.4, pp.469 - 493

Received: 06 Jul 2021
Accepted: 30 Sep 2021
Published online: 01 Mar 2024 *

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