We examine patterns of learning, innovation and internationalization in 253 Italian SMEs and identify two paths to international performance: the first is direct from the characteristics and vision of the entrepreneur to international performance, while the second is a mediated path, which links several learning capabilities with innovation to influence international performance.  The study replicates the work of Weerawardena, Sullivan Mort, Salunke, Knight & Liesch (2014) in a different context, i.e. Italy. We confirm a dominant ‘personal’, direct entrepreneur-pattern conditioned by the traditional family model which is absent in the US-Australian context and illustrate that also mediated firm-level patterns vary significantly. Our results highlight the value of context-sensitive analysis and show that entrepreneurs and their firms interact with their particular context.

 

Keywords: replication, learning, innovation, SME, internationalization, family, entrepreneur, logic

 

Short bio

Birgit Hagen is Associate Professor of International Entrepreneurship and Marketing at the University of Pavia, Italy. Her research focuses on SME internationalization, in particular the entrepreneurial behavior underlying internationalization. Her research has been published in the Journal of International Business Studies, International Business Review, Management International Review, International Marketing Review and in other international journals, books and book chapters. Birgit was and is involved in many European and Italian projects (e.g. Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+ strategic partnerships, MISE  – Innovation call, PRIN) related to SME internationalization and marketing. Before she joined the University of Pavia, Birgit worked for a multinational enterprise in Vienna, Paris, and Milan.