Η παγκόσμια ολοκλήρωση αλλάζει το ανταγωνιστικό πλαίσιο μέσα στο οποίο όλες οι επιχειρήσεις λειτουργούν απαιτώντας μια διεθνή στρατηγική επέκτασης που επιδρά θετικά στην μακροχρόνια ανάπτυξη και την επιβίωση των επιχειρήσεων. Σήμερα, ο κλάδος των μικρομεσαίων επιχειρήσεων έχει καταστεί ακόμα πιο σημαντικός καθώς οι ΜΜΕ έχουν αποκτήσει μια κυρίαρχη δύναμη που επιδρά θετικά στην ανάπτυξη των οικονομιών. H εισαγωγή νέων τεχνολογικών μεθόδων στις παραγωγικές διαδικασίες, η δημιουργία νέων εξελιγμένων προϊόντων που καλύπτουν ολοένα και πιο εξειδικευμένες ανάγκες, η υιοθέτηση ευέλικτων οργανωτικών δομών αποτελούν ισχυρά ανταγωνιστικά πλεονεκτήματα, καθιστώντας τις ΜΜΕ αναμφισβήτητα ισχυρές στην διεθνή αρένα έχοντας να επιδείξουν ολοένα και πιο βελτιωμένα οικονομικά στοιχεία με τα μερίδια των αγορών τους να παρουσιάζουν αυξητική τάση. Στόχος της παρούσας εργασίας είναι να διερευνηθούν οι δυο σχέσεις αφενός της καινοτομίας και της διεθνοποίησης και αφετέρου της διεθνοποίησης και της αποδοτικότητας των μικρομεσαίων επιχειρήσεων. Αντικείμενο της εν λόγω μελέτης είναι η αιτιολογική φύση που παρουσιάζουν οι δυο σχέσεις καθώς εξετάζεται το κατά πόσο η καινοτομία ως αιτία έχει αποτέλεσμα την διεθνοποίηση και ταυτόχρονα η διεθνοποίηση των επιχειρήσεων έχει ως αποτέλεσμα την καλύτερη απόδοση των επιχειρήσεων. Πιο αναλυτικά, σε πρώτο πλάνο στο επίκεντρο της μελέτης τέθηκε το κατά πόσον αφενός η εισαγωγή καινοτομίας και οι επενδύσεις σε καινοτομικές δραστηριότητες και Ε&Α έχουν επίδραση στην στρατηγική εξάπλωσης των μικρομεσαίων επιχειρήσεων στις διεθνείς αγορές. Παράλληλα, σε δεύτερο πλάνο τέθηκε το κατά πόσον η εξάπλωση σε διεθνείς αγορές με τις διάφορες μορφές διείσδυσης(που αντικατοπτρίζουν και το βαθμό διεθνοποίησης) και η αύξηση των εξαγωγών οδηγούν στην αποδοτικότητα των επιχειρήσεων, στην βελτίωση της οικονομικής τους θέσης και στην μείωση του παραγωγικού κόστους. Η ερευνητική μεθοδολογία που ακολουθήθηκε στην παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία είναι η ανάλυση μελετών περίπτωσης σε μια ομάδα 6 καινοτόμων μικρομεσαίων επιχειρήσεων στο νομό Αχαΐας που αποτελούν αντιπροσωπευτικό δείγμα της περιοχής ως προς τον βαθμό καινοτομικότητας τους σε επίπεδο προϊόντος, παραγωγικών διαδικασιών και οργανωτικής δομής και έχουν διακριθεί και αναγνωριστεί όχι μόνο σε εθνικό αλλά και διεθνές επίπεδο για τις οριακές αλλά κυρίως τις ριζικές καινοτομίες που παρουσιάζουν. Η συγκεκριμένη ερευνητική προσέγγιση επέτρεψε την εις βάθος κατανόηση του επιπέδου καινοτομίας στο οποίο έχει φτάσει η κάθε μια επιχείρηση ενώ στο πλαίσιο της πραγματοποιείται μια πλήρης ανάλυση του ιστορικού της κάθε μιας επιχείρησης, του εταιρικού επιπέδου στρατηγικής της επιχείρησης, η καταγραφή και ανάλυση των πληροφοριών για το εξωτερικό της περιβάλλον και ειδικά για το διεθνές περιβάλλον των αγορών στις οποίες δραστηριοποιούνται. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό μελετώνται και αναλύονται τα κίνητρα, οι προσδοκίες και οι ευκαιρίες στις οποίες αποβλέπουν οι μικρομεσαίες επιχειρήσεις του νομού καθώς και τα εμπόδια που καλούνται ν’ αντιμετωπίσουν όσον αφορά την εξάπλωση τους στις διεθνείς αγορές και το βαθμό επιρροής τους που ασκούν στην στρατηγική διεθνοποίησης τους. Τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας σε γενικό πλαίσιο έδειξαν στο αντιπροσωπευτικό αυτό δείγμα των επιχειρήσεων ότι η εισαγωγή καινοτομιών και η δαπάνες για E&Α έχουν αντίκτυπο στην στρατηγική επέκτασης των επιχειρήσεων και μάλιστα θετικό ταυτόχρονα η αύξηση των εξαγωγών κι η διεύρυνση των μεθόδων διείσδυσης στις ξένες αγορές έχει θετική επίδραση στην αποδοτικότητα των επιχειρήσεων και την κερδοφορία των επιχειρήσεων. Ταυτόχρονα, τα αποτελέσματα της εφαρμογής της καινοτομίας έχουν ως αποτέλεσμα την αύξηση της γκάμας των αγαθών, την βελτίωση της ευελιξίας της παραγωγικής διαδικασίας και σε αρκετά σημαντικό βαθμό την μείωση του παραγωγικού κόστους. Θα πρέπει βέβαια να επισημανθεί ότι κάθε μια επιχείρηση παρουσιάζει τις δικές τις ιδιαιτερότητες ως προς τα αποτελέσματα που αποδίδονται σε ενδο-επιχειρησιακούς και εξω-επιχειρησιακούς παραμέτρους. / -

abstract: This study investigates how university instructors from various disciplines at a large, comprehensive university in the United States evaluate different varieties of English from countries considered "outer circle" (OC) countries, formerly colonized countries where English has been transplanted and is now used unofficially and officially to varying degrees. The study was designed to address two gaps in the research: (1) how instructors in increasingly internationalized U.S. universities evaluate different written varieties of English, since many international students may be writing in an L1 other than American English, and (2) how instructors' first language and/or disciplinary backgrounds appear to affect their evaluations. Through a comparison of rankings and qualitative analysis of interview data, the study examines whether the participating instructors value the same features and characteristics in writing, such as text and organization features, found in American English and varieties of OC written English. In addition, it examines whether one's first or native language or one's disciplinary training affects the perception and evaluation of these particular varieties of English. This study showed that what is currently valued and expected by instructors from various disciplines in U.S. universities is what may be identified as an "American" style of writing; participants expected an organization providing a clear purpose up front, including paragraphs of a certain length, and containing sentences perceived as more direct and succinct. In addition, given the overall agreement on the element of good writing demonstrated in how composition and content area professors ranked the writing samples, my study suggests that what is being taught in composition is preparing student for the writing expected in content area classes. Last, my findings add to World Englishes (WE) research by adding a writing component to WE attitudinal research studies, which have previously focused on oral production. Almost equal numbers of Native and Non-Native English Speakers (NESs and NNESs) participated, and the NNESs appeared more tolerant of different varieties, unlike the preference for inner circle norms noted in previous studies. This study, therefore, has implications for writing research and instruction at U.S. colleges and universities, as well as informing the field of World Englishes. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. English 2014

Employing a representative sample of small- and medium-sized enterprises, this study examines the performance of immigrant-owned business ventures (IBVs) and firms owned by non-immigrants. The study also presents a comprehensive profile of Canadian IBVs. Anecdotal evidence has suggested that many successful growth-oriented firms have been started and managed by immigrant entrepreneurs. Immigrant business owners are also thought to bring to business start-up unique managerial acumen and social capital derived from diverse experiences and international networks. To date, however, there remains a lack of substantive evidence regarding the performance of immigrant-owned ventures. The study also considers the performance of comparable groups of new firms owned by non-immigrant entrepreneurs, with a particular focus on the relationship between firm internationalization and enterprise performance. The results lend support to arguments that owner-level factors influence the process of internationalization among SMEs and that, compared to non-immigrant business owners, immigrant business owners retain entrepreneurial acumen that is conducive to the internationalization of young ventures. The implications of the findings for research and policy are considered.

En la presente investigación se exponen los factores que determinaron las exportaciones de mango a Países Bajos durante el periodo 2013 - 2018. De forma que se obtenga dicha información, las variables utilizadas para explicar los determinantes de exportación del mango son los precios domésticos, precios al por mayor en Países Bajos, renta interna de Países Bajos y tipo de cambio sol/dólar. Para validar los antecedentes de esta investigación, se realizaron entrevistas a expertos quienes expusieron características de la internacionalización del fruto y comentaron sobre las variables a examinar. Debido a que este trabajo es cuantitativo, se extrajeron variables macroeconómicas y se analizaron mediante el modelo de Vector Autorregresivo (VAR) para determinar el grado de influencia de cada variable en la cantidad total exportada durante el periodo de análisis. Los resultados muestran que las variables que no afectan a las exportaciones son la renta interna de Países Bajos y el precio doméstico del mango. Mientras que, las variables significativas son el tipo de cambio y el precio al por mayor. Este estudio ayuda al entendimiento general de la dinámica de exportación peruana de mangos, dando alcances a actuales y futuros exportadores peruanos de mango para que potencien sus esfuerzos en considerar aspectos macroeconómicos para generar estrategias que aseguren una exportación exitosa. / In the current investigation, the factors that determined mango exports to the Netherlands during the period 2013 - 2018 are exposed. In order to obtain this information, the variables used to explain the determinants of mango exports are domestic prices, wholesale prices in the Netherlands, internal income in the Netherlands and the sol / dollar exchange rate. To validate the background of this research, interviews were conducted with experts who presented characteristics of the internationalization of the fruit and commented on the variables to be examined. Because this work is quantitative, macroeconomic variables were extracted and analyzed using the Autoregressive Vector (VAR) model to determine the degree of influence of each variable on the total amount exported during the analysis period. The results show that the variables that do not affect exports are the internal income of the Netherlands and the domestic price of mango. While, the significant variables are the exchange rate and the wholesale price. All this offer a general understanding about the dynamics of Peruvian mangoes exports, giving scope to current and future Peruvian exporters of this fruit to enhance their efforts in complying with the provisions of the importing country, as well as considering macroeconomic aspects to generate prevention strategies. / Tesis

As many other young and developing countries, Kazakhstan is also trying to implement various educational reforms to get stabilized and improve its education system after the collapse of the USSR. Respectively, the country carried out certain reforms and internationalization projects in higher education system to move and keep pace with today's globalized and internationalized times. However, an insufficient number of researches have been carried through to investigate and analyze the follow - ups of the internationalization process and its consequent outbound mobility specifics. This particular research paper explores the higher education internationalization projects implemented by Kazakhstan, and their subsequent dynamics, figures, funding, and many other detailed data. Moreover, it investigates both explicit and implicit factors impacting the outbound mobility of Kazakhstani higher education students on the basis of both qualitative and quantative methods, giving certain recommendations how to tackle the obstacles successfully. Keywords: education, higher education, internationalization, outbound mobility of students Annotace Stejně jako množství jiných mladých a rozvojových zemí se Kazachstán taký snaží provést různé vzdělávací reformy, aby mohl stabilizovat a zlepšit svůj vzdělávací systém po...

El propósito de la presente investigación es identificar las variables que impulsan la expansión internacional de franquicias peruanas del sector gastronómico a Latinoamérica. Asimismo, busca conocer si existe un impacto positivo de las variables sobre la intensidad de expansión de las franquicias peruanas en Latinoamérica del sector gastronómico al 2020. Para lograr estos objetivos se consideraron las siguientes variables: La experiencia franquiciando, el conocimiento de marca, la atractividad del concepto de negocio y la efectividad de la adaptación del concepto de negocio. Para el análisis de intensidad también fueron considerados cuatro indicadores como lo con los años operando como franquicia en Latinoamérica, las unidades franquiciadas en Latinoamérica, la cantidad de países en los que la marca tiene presencia como franquicia y el promedio de unidades franquiciadas en Latinoamérica por país. Esta investigación usa un análisis mixto. Para el análisis cualitativo se hizo uso de herramientas entrevistas semi-estructuradas a expertos del sector. Para la parte cuantitativa se hizo uso de un análisis de regresión logística para el objetivo de la identificación de variables que impulsan la expansión y un análisis de regresión lineal múltiple para medir el impacto de las variables en la intensidad de expansión de las franquicias. Los resultados concluyeron a las variables de experiencia franquiciando y conocimiento de marca como impulsoras de la expansión de franquicias en Latinoamérica al 2020. Como segunda conclusión se identificó a la variable experiencia franquiciando como la única que tiene un efecto en la intensidad de expansión internacional de franquicias del sector gastronomía. / The purpose of this research is to identify the variables that drive the international expansion of Peruvian franchises in the gastronomic sector to Latin America. Moreover, it determines if there is a positive impact of the variables on the intensity of expansion of Peruvian franchises in Latin America in the gastronomic sector by 2020. To achieve these objectives, the following variables will be considered: franchising experience, brand awareness, attraction of the business concept and effectiveness of the adaptation of the business concept. For the intensity analysis, there were also four indicators like years operating as a franchise in Latin America, franchised units in Latin America, the number of countries in which the brand has a franchise presence and the average number of franchised units in Latin America by country. This research uses mixed analysis. For the quantitative research, a Logistic Regression analysis was used in order to identifying the variables that drive expansion and a Multiple Regression Analyses to measure the impact of the variables on the intensity of expansion of franchises. The results concluded with the variables of franchising experience and brand value as drivers of franchise expansion in Latin America. As a second conclusion, the variable franchising experience was identified as the only one that has an effect on the intensity of international expansion of franchises in the gastronomy sector. / Tesis

En la actualidad, el network es considerada una herramienta, empleada por una gran variedad de empresas dentro del rubro de calzados, esto, con la finalidad de poder acceder a mercados internacionales; lo anterior, encuentra principalmente motivado en que la industria nacional ha sido sumamente afectada por productos de origen chino y, a su vez, con la adopción de nuevas tecnologías. Asimismo, es importante señalar que las exportaciones en el sector calzado han disminuido considerablemente a partir del año 2017, esto a pesar de ser el cuarto exportador a nivel latinoamericano; el motivo de esta disminución tan drástica puede encontrar razón en el grado de informalidad existente y la falta de innovación existentes en el mercado. Por otro lado, la innovación ha llevado a las empresas a emplear diversos tipos de estrategias para poder ingresar en el mercado destino, siendo la herramienta principal la anteriormente mencionada, el network. El documento tiene como finalidad analizar los factores influyentes para lograr optimizar el proceso de internacionalización de las empresas exportadoras pertenecientes al sector calzado, ubicadas en la ciudad de Lima, Perú. Entre los factores a analizar, encontramos a la reducción en costos, la facilidad de recopilar información y por último el medio difusor internacional. Con esa finalidad, se llevó a cabo el análisis de expertos mediante la herramienta “Atlas Ti.”, con la finalidad de medir la influencia y la relación de estas en la materia de una gran diversidad de países. / Currently, the network is selected as a tool, used by a wide variety of companies within the footwear sector, this, with the request of being able to access international markets; the above, mainly motivated in that the national industry has been extremely specific for products of Chinese origin and, in turn, with the adoption of new technologies. In the same way, it is important to point out that exports in the footwear sector have decreased determined as of the year 2017, this is a weight of being the fourth exporter in Latin America; The reason for this decrease is so dramatic that you can find the reason in the degree of informality and the lack of innovation in the market. On the other hand, innovation has led companies to use various types of strategies to enter the destination market, the main tool being the one mentioned above, the network. The purpose of this document is to analyze the influencing factors to achieve the internationalization process of the exporting companies belonging to Mr. Footwear, located in the city of Lima, Peru. Among the factors to be analyzed, we find the reduction in costs, the ease of gathering information and, finally, the international dissemination medium. To this end, expert analysis was carried out using the "Atlas" tool, in order to measure their influence and relationship in the matter of a great diversity of countries. / Tesis

Family businesses, in the process of internationalization, beyond the consideration of the economic aspects of international expansion, may take into account non-economic factors and goals aimed at benefiting the family. These non-economic aspects are referred to as socioemotional wealth (SEW). The main question raised in this dissertation is: how does SEW impact the internationalization in family firms? The SEW construct has been considered in previous theoretical and empirical research but, to date, an instrument allowing direct measurement of this phenomenon has not be developed. Therefore, part of this dissertation is dedicated to the development of a measurement instrument allowing for the direct assessment of SEW in terms of its importance to the family firm decision-maker. The scale development procedure is described and the final version of the developed three-dimensional SEW Importance scale is presented. Further, this dissertation includes the development and statistical testing of the model of the impact of SEW on the extent of family firm internationalization, as well as the moderating effect of environmental munificence on the above relationship. This is followed by the discussion of the results, limitations of the study, its contributions and the implications for future research and family firm practice. The aim of this dissertation is to develop a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the importance of SEW in family firms, as well as to further the understanding of the impact that SEW may have on internationalization decisions in family enterprises.

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Purpose - The aim of this research is to examine higher education (HE) internationalization in terms of international recruitment and academic collaboration with the focus on a single institution case study. The research investigates how the case study university conducts HE internationalization, identifies key implementation issues of HE internationalization, and develops an education-specific market entry dynamic framework. The discussion of the difference in the process of internationalization across faculties is also included. Design/methodology/approach - This research adopts the interpretivist philosophy and inductive approach, with focus of a single institution. Based on the positions and job responsibilities, the total of 20 interviewees from three key departments (Corporate, Department 2 and Faculty) were selected and 22 semi-structured interviews were conducted. The total of 329 pages of interview transcripts were analyzed. Other types of data collection include observation and secondary documentary data. The answers from each group were used in a comparative analysis, resulting in an overlap pattern structure that indicates the level of the university's internal integration. Data analysis strategies include content analysis, critical discourse analysis (CDA), colour coding, and categorization of meaning. Findings and contributions - The market entry dynamic framework is the main outcome of this research. This framework provides a number of education-specific modes of entry and programme delivery methods to guide institutions' internationalization. The implementation issues raised in this research indicate that the university's internal integration has a major impact on HE internationalization. These issues highlight the areas where the university needs to improve. Faculty-specific factors explain the difference in the process of internationalization across the four faculties at the case study university, and explain the reasons why the levels of internationalization are different among these faculties.