<p>There is an ongoing process where the free market within the European Union is expanding, partly through the incorporation of new member states, partly through the signing of association agreements with nearby countries and regions. When trade barriers are removed in different ways more companies consider an internationalization of the company. However, the procedure of the internationalization of companies is a rather new and unexplored area in the context of research. The focus of this study is therefore to examine how a few companies situated in Sweden, has proceeded while searching for knowledge during the internationalization process. Data has been collected through interviews that have been balanced with information from Internet and other sources. The tools that has been used to analyze is first and foremost the Uppsala model of the internationalization process, but common principles, emerged from studies at Södertörns Högskola, Stockholm, and Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, has also been used. During the study the importance of personal contacts has come to light as well as the lack of research of the strategies of immigrant enterprises.</p>

There is an ongoing process where the free market within the European Union is expanding, partly through the incorporation of new member states, partly through the signing of association agreements with nearby countries and regions. When trade barriers are removed in different ways more companies consider an internationalization of the company. However, the procedure of the internationalization of companies is a rather new and unexplored area in the context of research. The focus of this study is therefore to examine how a few companies situated in Sweden, has proceeded while searching for knowledge during the internationalization process. Data has been collected through interviews that have been balanced with information from Internet and other sources. The tools that has been used to analyze is first and foremost the Uppsala model of the internationalization process, but common principles, emerged from studies at Södertörns Högskola, Stockholm, and Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, has also been used. During the study the importance of personal contacts has come to light as well as the lack of research of the strategies of immigrant enterprises.

During the past decade, advances in information technology have facilitated the rapid international expansion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Cloud computing has enabled a new wave of firms to offer services on the web regardless of geographic distances. The aim of this study is to explore how cloud computing affect the external variables network and culture in the internationalization process of an SME. In order to explore the impact on these external variables, a qualitative case study is carried out on a business-to-business SME offering cloud services within small and open economies. The findings explain why closeness was important and why the cloud service firm was limited to a gradual internationalization process although the technology has the potential to break this pattern or accelerate it. The results from this study are valuable for scholars since the internationalization process of cloud service firms is an under-researched area. It is also useful for cloud service SMEs when making strategic decisions in the internationalization process.

The purpose of this paper is to increase the understanding of how knowledge and uncertainty can affect relationship commitment between companies in the international market. Therefore, knowledge accumulation, the various levels of uncertainties and the creation of business relationships will be examined. In order to achieve the purpose of the study the main research problem is formulated: How do Knowledge and uncertainty levels related to relationship commitment of internationalized firms?This thesis is based on the qualitative method since the aim of this study is to understand and analyse a phenomenon not quantitatively to measure it. This research is further based on the deductive approach since we have formulated our main research question on the basis of previous theory and apply it on real life cases. The empirical data is collected through a multiple case study with three companies active on the international market.The study's conclusion indicates that relationship commitment has an impact on knowledge and uncertainty in the international context. We demonstrate this by proving that companies can through relationships accumulate the necessary knowledge needed to reduce uncertainty in international business. Thus reducing the gap between knowledge possessed by the firm and knowledge needed to perform an international activity.

Sedan 1980-talet har avregleringen av den finansiella sektorn öppnat nya vägar för svenska bankers internationalisering. Detta har inneburit att de svenska storbankerna i allt större utsträckning blickat utanför Sveriges gränser. Men processen att etablera sig på en ny marknad utomlands är inte riskfri. Skillnader mellan länder samt företagens begränsade kunskap, skapar osäkerhet och hinder att förstå nya marknader. Kina är ett exempel på en marknad som till följd av stark ekonomisk utveckling och successiv avreglering lockat många svenska företag, trots att marknaden anses komplex och förknippas med hög risk. Denna undersökning avser att studera detta fenomen närmare genom att beskriva hur SEB:s internationaliseringsprocess i Kina gått till och därigenom belysa bankens riskhantering och incitament att vara etablerad i landet. En kvalitativ metod har genomförts och data har baserats på både primärkällor och sekundärkällor. Resultaten indikerar att SEB:s drivkraft att verka på den kinesiska marknaden är att följa sina kunder. Genom en stegvis etablering har erfarenhet och ny kunskap erhållits som minskat osäkerhet och därmed risk. Ju mer kunskapen har ökat, desto mer har engagemangen i landet vuxit. / Since the 1980s, deregulation of the financial sector has opened new ways for the internationalization of Swedish banks. As a result, the Swedish banks increasingly look beyond the nation's borders. But the process of establishment on a new market abroad is not without risk. Differences between countries and companies limited knowledge creates uncertainty and barriers in understanding new markets. China is an example of a market that, as a result of strong economic development and gradual deregulation, attracted Swedish companies, despite the fact that the market is considered complex and associated with high risk. This study intends to examine this phenomenon closer by describing how SEB's internationalization process in China has proceeded, highlighting the bank's risk management and incentives to be established in the country. A qualitative method has been implemented with data based on both primary sources and secondary sources. The results indicate that SEB's driving force to act on the Chinese market is to follow its customers. Through a gradual establishment, experience and new knowledge has been obtained reducing uncertainty and thus risk. With increasing knowledge follows deeper commitment in the country.

Digital competence used to be a confusing concept, until recently when some researchers coined a comprehensive definition of digital competence and formulated a conceptual framework in an SME context. However, the framework was only at a conceptual level and required to be tested with the empirics of a qualitative or quantitative study. By an abductive qualitative approach, this research explored existing theories on digital competence and formulated a new digital competence framework in Swedish manufacturing SME perspective. Moreover, with cross-sectional study design, this research explored the role of digital competence in the internationalization process of six Swedish manufacturing firms, which is unprecedented in academic literature. Our findings indicate that digital competence is an evolving concept which develops gradually with technological advancements and requires a combination of three integral components: i) Digital technologies (basic and advanced level digitalization), ii) Automation of organizational processes, iii) Human resources who have the latest digital skills and are duly motivated to use these skills. This research affirms that after attaining digital competence Swedish manufacturing SMEs can sustain a competitive advantage in their international markets and it successfully facilitates in the firm’s internationalization process. / Digital kompetens brukade vara ett förvirrande koncept fram till nyligen när vissa forskare utarbetade en omfattande definition av digital kompetens och formulerade en konceptuell ram i ett små och medelstora sammanhang. Ramverket var dock endast på en konceptuell nivå och krävdes att testas med empiriken i en kvalitativ eller kvantitativ studie. Genom ett abduktivt kvalitativt tillvägagångssätt undersökte denna forskning befintliga teorier om digital kompetens och formulerade en ny digital kompetensram inom svenskt tillverkningspolitiskt perspektiv. Vidare undersökte denna undersökning rollen som digital kompetens i internationaliseringsprocessen av sex svenska tillverkningsföretag, vilket är enastående i den akademiska litteraturen. Våra resultat tyder på att digital kompetens är ett utvecklande koncept som utvecklas gradvis med tekniska framsteg och kräver en kombination av tre integrerade komponenter: i) Digital teknik (grundläggande och avancerad digitalisering), ii) Automatisering av organisationsprocesser, iii) Personal som har de senaste digitala färdigheterna och är vederbörligen motiverade att använda dessa färdigheter. Den här forskningen bekräftar att svenska tillverkare små och medelstora företag efter att ha uppnått digital kompetens kan upprätthålla en konkurrensfördel på sina internationella marknader och framgångsrikt underlättar företagets internationaliseringsprocess.