Title: International entrepreneurship of small firms and their export market performance

Authors: Aytug Sozuer; Gultekin Altuntas; Fatih Semercioz

Addresses: Department of International Trade and Finance, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, University of Yalova, Cinarcik Hwy, 77200 Yalova, Turkey ' Faculty of Transportation and Logistics, Istanbul University, Avcilar Campus, 34322 Avcilar, Istanbul, Turkey ' School of Business, Istanbul University, Avcilar Campus, 34322 Avcilar, Istanbul, Turkey

Abstract: This study investigates small firms' international entrepreneurship as a predictor of their export market performance in an emerging country context. Built on resource-based view and prior empirical work, the research proposes that international entrepreneurship, as an organisational culture and a distinct competence, positively relates to export performance of small firms. Evidence from a cross-sectional survey of 326 firms in Turkey reveals product and customer focus can potentially explain foreign market success. The findings also encourage authors to speculate on a higher-order construct and coin 'new offer orientation', which is composed of innovation propensity, market orientation, and employee motivation directed to international markets. Moreover, it is inferred that risk assessment and business networking across borders can be complicated for small firms within the scope of this research.

Keywords: international entrepreneurship; entrepreneurial orientation; export performance; SMEs; emerging markets; new offer orientation; Turkey.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2017.083874

European Journal of International Management, 2017 Vol.11 No.3, pp.365 - 382

Received: 29 Dec 2015
Accepted: 24 Aug 2016
Published online: 25 Apr 2017 *

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