To read this content please select one of the options below:

Internationalisation of SMEs: does entrepreneurial orientation matter?

Mohammed Ngoma (Graduate Studies and Research, Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda)
Abaho Ernest (Graduate Studies and Research, Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda)
Sudi Nangoli (Graduate Studies and Research, Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda)
Kusemererwa Christopher (Graduate Studies and Research, Makerere University Business School, Kampala, Uganda)

World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development

ISSN: 2042-5961

Article publication date: 8 May 2017

1343

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate entrepreneurial orientation (EO) as a predictor of internationalisation of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The key research question is “to what extent do the dimensions of EO (innovativeness, proactiveness and risk taking) predict internationalisation of SMEs?”

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a cross-sectional survey to collect data from 282 SMEs, with the use of a multi-dimensional self-administered questionnaire. All the measures in this study were adopted from existing instruments from previous studies and all showed a CVI above 0.8. Data were analysed quantitatively using descriptive statistics, correlations and hierarchical regression. The nature and strength of the relationships between the variables was tested using the zero-order bivariate correlation analysis.

Findings

The study establishes a significant relationship between the dimensions of EO and internationalisation of SMEs.

Research limitations/implications

This paper contributes to the corpus of literature on internationalisation of SMEs. Future research should consider the major constructs from a longitudinal point of view given that cross-sectional studies sometimes fail to examine the interaction effect of the variables.

Practical implications

The paper illustrates how EO dimensions can influence an entrepreneur’s decision to go international especially handling the process of internationalisation and its dynamics.

Originality/value

The paper provides contextual evidence from a developing country to the effect that as local investors get more inclined to EO, they in the process ease their way to joining the international business arena.

Keywords

Citation

Ngoma, M., Ernest, A., Nangoli, S. and Christopher, K. (2017), "Internationalisation of SMEs: does entrepreneurial orientation matter?", World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, Vol. 13 No. 2, pp. 96-113. https://doi.org/10.1108/WJEMSD-08-2016-0039

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

Related articles