Key Success Factors of SME Internationalisation

Noémie Dominguez isAssociate Professor of International Business at iaelyon School of Management, University of Lyon. She is directing aMaster's degree in "International Business Realities". Her teaching and researchinterests include international business and strategic management, namely exports,networks, strategies and decision-making in the internationalisation processof SMEs (and also in the context of emerging countries).Ulrike Mayrhofer isProfessor of International Business at iaelyon School of Management, University of Lyon, where she is the Vice-Dean forCorporate Relations, the Academic Director of the International MBA, andthe Head of the International Business Team at the MagellanResearch Center. Her research focuses on internationalisation strategies ofcompanies in mature and emerging markets.

Business scholars from Europe, North America, Australia, and China provide new insights on how small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) develop and perform international activities. They cover major drivers of SME internationalization, and key success factors of SME internationalization in mature markets and in emerging markets. Among their topics are entrepreneurial marketing as a key driver of early and sustained internationalization, the role of support services during the internationalization of Finnish software SMEs, internationalization strategies and processes of the German Mittelstand, strategies for internationalization: how Chinese SMEs deal with distance and market entry speed, and motivations to internationalize: evidence from Brazilian shoe firms.

• IntroductionPart I: Major drivers of SME internationalisationAglobal mindset - still a prerequisite for successful SME internationalisation? Lasse Torkkeli, Niina Nummela and Sami Saarenketo Entrepreneurial marketing as akey driver of early and sustained internationalisation; Birgit Hagen and Antonella ZucchellaThe impact of inter-firm collaborations on SMEinternationalisation; Pervez N. Ghauri and Ulf ElgEntry mode strategies: Are SMEs anydifferent? Maria Cristina Sestu, Antonio Majocchi and Alfredo D’AngeloThehigh-performing SMEs in traditional manufacturing sectors: Innovation andforeign operation modes; Cristina Villar Garciá and José Pla-BarberPart II: Keysuccess factors of SME internationalisation in mature marketsThe role of support services during the internationalisationof Finnish software SMEs; Olli Kuivalainen, Jani Lindqvist, Mika Ruokonen and Sami Saarenketo How canpromotion agencies impact SME internationalisation? The case of the Frenchcompany SLAT; Noémie Dominquez and Ulrike MayrhoferInternationalisationstrategies and processes of the German Mittelstand; Stefan SchmidMarket entrystrategies, innovation and performance of SMEs in the service sector; Katharina Maria Hofer and Alexandra BabaPart III: Keysuccess factors of SME internationalisation in emerging marketsQuébecSME risk management and exports to Asian countries; Josée St-Pierre, Richard LaCoursiere and Sophie VeilleuxSucceeding inthe Chinese market: The case of the French company Mixel Agitators; Noémie Dominquez and Ulrike Mayrhofer Strategies forinternationalisation: How Chinese SMEs deal with distance and market entryspeed; Christiane Prangeand Youzhen ZhaoMotivations to internationalise: Evidence from Brazilian shoefirms; Luisa Campos, Catherine Axinn, Susan Freeman and Gabriele Suder Conclusion