External resource provision and the international performance of SMEs – A contextual analysis

Child, J., Narooz, R. , Hsieh, L., Elbanna, S., Karmowska, J., Marinova, S., Puthusserry, P., Tsai, T. and Zhang, Y. (2022) External resource provision and the international performance of SMEs – A contextual analysis. Journal of International Management, 28(3), 100924. (doi: 10.1016/j.intman.2021.100924)

Abstract

This paper investigates whether different categories of links (core and discretionary) to external resource providers are associated with the international performance of SMEs, as well as the perceived importance of external links for providing specific forms of assistance toward internationalization. A study of 180 internationally active SMEs examines whether these features vary according to the SMEs' contexts, specifically their industry and level of home economy development. The relevance of these two contexts is theoretically informed by resource dependence, environmental munificence and institutional perspectives. SME decision-makers' attribution of importance to discretionary external links predicts stronger international performance, but this is not the case with core market transactional links. Different external parties emerge as important sources of specific forms of assistance toward internationalization. Many of these results are associated with the SME's industry and home economy context. The paper concludes with a new contextually-informed model of SME egocentric networking and implications for practice.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This work was supported by the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust [grant numbers: SG090831, SG120531]; Birmingham Business School; China Europe International Business School; and the UAE National Research Foundation.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Narooz, Dr Rose
• Authors: Child, J., Narooz, R., Hsieh, L., Elbanna, S., Karmowska, J., Marinova, S., Puthusserry, P., Tsai, T., and Zhang, Y.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management
• Journal Name: Journal of International Management
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1075-4253
• ISSN (Online): 1873-0620
• Published Online: 21 January 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc
• First Published: First published in Journal of International Management 28(3): 100924
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy