This thesis concerns a dilemma of multi-lingual web applications. The document describes some general solutions while suggesting such applications, however first of all it is aimed for information system VUT and its enlargement for translation administration. The text contains structural description of this system and instruments used during its development, but especially it defines system requirements of programming engineers and translators, describes and evaluates new language versions solution and there are possibilities of contingent extensions considered at the conclusion of my thesis.

The emergence of digitalization and its prevalence is constantly changing the environment inwhich business operates, and consequently the firm’s way of conducting business. Having theability to work with digital maturity is thus a prerequisite for a firm that wants to survive thecompetitive market that prevails today. Despite Sweden's strong infrastructure and greataccess to digitalization skills, Swedish manufacturing SMEs demonstrate an alarmingly lowdegree of digital maturity in their international work. Through a qualitative interview studywith an abductive research approach, this research has explored and unpacked existingtheories on digital maturity, to recommend a proposal for further development of existingframeworks and how Swedish SMEs can work with digital maturity to utilize digitalization intheir internationalization process through export. Furthermore, this study has throughsemi-structured interviews from eight companies, explored Swedish manufacturing SMEs’digital maturity to understand how they use digitalization in their export process.The findings of this study indicates that Swedish SMEs need to stay up to date with the latestdigitalization strategies for internationalizing through export and that the most critical keyfactor is to have human resources with the right competence and capabilities to managedigital change management and work with digital maturity. Hence, to enable Swedishmanufacturing SMEs to utilize digitalization in its export processes and consequently, gaincompetitive advantages necessary to survive in the fast-changing digitalized internationalenvironment.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make the backbone of virtually all economies but most of them are only marginally engaged with global markets, particularly those from developing countries. Our ability to advise these firms is currently limited for two major reasons: on the one hand, conventional International Business literature treats the firm as a black box and does not advance in decision-making dynamics that are critical to SMEs' foreign expansion; on the other, recent SME internationalization studies have achieved important progress but seem dependent on the use of Effectuation theory to represent the decisions that guide SME internationalization. This thesis focuses on closing this gap, developing a treatment of SME internationalization that focuses specifically on characterising internationalization-related decisions as being based on firms’ control of their own means, which allow them to proactively create opportunities and take advantage of contingencies (that is, the control principle). Empirically, this thesis builds on a quantitative research design based on survey data collected from 851 SMEs distributed in Brazil, China, Italy, Poland, and Sweden. Analyses of these data were performed with multiple regression equations and structural equation modelling using partial least squares. Results show that SMEs seem more inclined to adopt control-based decisions during internationalization when under uncertainties related to their business networks and when they come from emerging markets. They also reveal that the paths toward the realization of international market performance with control-based decisions seem to involve both firm-level and individual-level dynamics, with social networking playing a critical role. Finally, the findings collectively make it possible to draw a picture that clarifies the conceptualization of the control principle and hints on the multi-level nature of control-based internationalization. Despite limitations, such findings contribute to both International Business and International Entrepreneurship literatures while advancing extant understanding of the nature of the control principle and its role in SME internationalization.

The global bank crisis between 2008 and 2013 posed a great threat against many organizations globally, especially towards small-medium enterprises (SMEs), which several researchers have investigated through quantitative studies. However, few studies have explored the strategic decisions made by SMEs regarding internationalization processes and international work during this time, beyond numbers. Based on previous research, this qualitative study aims to examine and provide insights on the impact of the bank crisis on strategies and processes used by Swedish SMEs during the crisis. Through a multiple case study approach, seven semi-structured interviews with Swedish SMEs in different industries were conducted. This was followed by theories, models and frameworks related to internationalization motives and processes, risk management and crisis management. The findings revealed limited information on strategies used by SMEs during the crisis, however, much of the empirical material could be related to and identified in the presented theory. The observed SMEs demonstrated remarkable resilience, exhibiting minimal vulnerability to the crisis – an interesting discovery considering previous research. Moreover, they underscored the significance of maintaining a financial buffer and maintaining a keen awareness of global circumstances, to avoid potential future crises. Additionally, several new aspects of the initial topic emerged during the interviews; transparency, exchange rates, cost management, and business relations, which could be of interest for future research. The thesis explains the impact of the bank crisis on the examined SMEs, delving into the key strategies and processes used to sustain international operations. This research offers valuable insights to both academics and industry professionals on how to navigate turbulent waters as a Swedish SME during a global bank crisis.

Globalization and the rapid growth of online-transaction through e-commerce platforms is increasing at a fast pace, not to mention the acceleration during and after the pandemic of Covid-19. The purpose with this qualitative case study of a company operating in the fragrance industry is to give a better understanding of how a company successfully succeeded in internationalizing by utilizing a B2B e-commerce strategy, and how the same company can change strategy to utilize B2C e-commerce to enter a new market which in this case are Sweden. A key factor of the company's success turned out to be the building of the customer and supplier network, and the tight collaboration with already existing giants in the market to attract suppliers in the first place. This allowed the company to provide good customer service, and a variety of products. Further, to be able to enter the Swedish market promotional activities, a customer-centric website that provides in store-like experience, close relationships with their consumers, and cooperation with brand suppliers to build a strong strategic alliance has been shown as important factors in order to succeed in a B2C e-commerce internationalization process.

Den här studien undersöker om intressenter som verkar i det svenska ekosystemet för entreprenörskap upplever att det finns ett behov av insatser för att stötta sociala organisationers internationalisering – och om sa är fallet, vilket stöd som ska implementeras för att skapa maximalt värde. Nio semistrukturerade intervjuer med intressenter som representerar akademiska institutioner, myndigheter och stödorganisationer genomfördes. Resultaten visar att majoriteten av sociala entreprenörer som idag verkar i Sverige inte vill skala internationellt. Det framkommer också att de som skalar har ett tydligt tekniskt fokus och i första hand söker sig till övriga länder i Norden. Intressenterna upplevde vidare att det fanns ett behov av stödinsatser relaterat till internationalisering, i huvudsak kopplat till att stärka affärsmässigheten bland organisationerna. I diskussionen används en modell för skalbarhet samt den svenska regeringens strategi för sociala organisationer för att identifiera potentiella överlapp samt för att placera resultatet i en teoretisk kontext. Da fältet innefattar organisationer som verkar inom ett brett spektrum inkluderar rekommendationer för framtida forskning att identifiera stödinsatser som riktar sig mot mer nischade delar inom socialt entreprenörskap, samt att utvärdera hur offentliga organisationer kan bidra till att skapa ökad tillväxt. / This study is investigating if stakeholders in the Swedish ecosystem of entrepreneurship perceive that there is a need for initiatives supporting social organizations’ internationalization and if so – what support should be implemented to provide maximum value. Nine semi-structured interviews with stakeholders representing academic institutions, public agencies and support organizations were conducted. The result shows that the majority of social entrepreneurs currently operating in Sweden are not looking into scaling internationally and those who do often have a clear technology focus and target the Nordic countries. The stakeholders perceived that there was a need for support initiatives related to internationalization, mainly with regards to strengthening business-mindedness. In the final discussion, the results are mapped into a scalability framework and the strategy for social organizations developed by the Swedish government, to identify potential overlaps and place the findings in a theoretical context. As the field entails a wide variety of organizations, suggestions for future research includes identifying support initiatives targeting niches within social entrepreneurship, and assessing how public organizations can support further growth.

Few different goods or beverages are as particular as wine in History of humanity, even being the main symbol of luxury and status from days of Rome. Its particular intoxicating effects together its complex and long-term elaboration makes wine one of the biggest attractions for food and beverages lovers.Unfortunately, being one of the most famous beverages in History does not provide wine to be a competitive good without proper commercial strategies. Due the big local offer and costs reduction, markets are saturated and the competitiveness versus other wines and other kind of drinks make more difficult to survive in a diverse and constantly evolving sector. Therefore, internationalization and marketing strategies become the key of success for small and medium size wineries to survive in this business ecosystem.The following thesis explores different marketing strategies developed on different wine markets, taking a small Spanish winery as a case study. In order to give an insight of the current strategies carried out by the company, the author interviews the main direction of the winery and analyse the data collected versus the theoretical framework developed. In addition, two other interviews on different levels of the wine market will be added to reinforce the empirical framework: from a wine import company and form a public institution for the promotion of the Spanish companies.

Education and learning have ever been at the core of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Throughout its history that now extends nearly one hundred ninety years, the Church has made numerous attempts to provide educational opportunities for its members. Some attempts have failed, and others were met with some success—though limited, to be sure. In hindsight, most of these efforts were simply laying the foundation for something far greater. At the dawn of the twenty-first century, the groundwork for global Church education had been laid, and the seeds planted. Beginning with a pilot administered through BYU-Idaho, a program known as “Pathway” grew into a worldwide effort that is successfully providing educational opportunities to individuals distanced from such occasion. The Church-affiliated university also created a robust online program, that coupled with Pathway, was providing a largely affordable, yet high-quality education to Church members and even a few other individuals across the globe. Not without its barriers, Pathway and the BYU-Idaho online degree program worked to overcome legal and other limitations in order to create and expand a vigorous offering across cultures, time, and space. Recently, these programs have given root to what is now a global education initiative, collaborating a united effort from each institution affiliated with the Church Educational System.

Работа посвящена анализу особенностей реализации «мягкой силы» Италии на современном этапе. На основании большого числа источников и литературы по данной теме были выделены основные ресурсы «мягкой силы» страны и механизмы реализации данного концепта. В число основных ресурсов «мягкой силы» были отнесены культура и национальный язык, интернационализация образования и научно-исследовательская деятельность. Были проанализированы основные проекты и мероприятия, направленные на осуществление итальянской «мягкой силы» и использования ее ресурсов. В ходе работы были выделены проблемы, которые препятствуют более эффективной реализации данной внешнеполитической стратегии. К ним, в первую очередь, относится недостаточное финансирование культурного, образовательного и научного сектора, которое вызвано нестабильностью итальянской экономики, а также отсутствие единой стратегии продвижения ресурсов «мягкой силы» Италии, которая бы консолидировала деятельность всех ответственных за продвижение органов и институтов. / This work is devoted to the analysis of the peculiarities of Italian soft power at the present stage. The main Italian soft power recourses and implementation mechanism of this concept were defined based on large number of official documents and literature on this topic. The main resources of Italian soft power are culture and the national language, the internationalization of education and research activities. Were analyzed the main projects and activities aimed at the implementation of the Italian soft power. Also, this work identifies problems that prevent the more effective and successful implementation of this foreign policy strategy. Primarily, it is an inadequate financing of the cultural, educational and scientific sector which is caused by the instability of the Italian economy, as well as lack of unified strategy to promote Italian soft power resources which would consolidate the activities of all authorities and institutes responsible for promotion.

This study investigates the association between CEO foreign work experience and CEO total compensation. The sample contains 863 observations from 2007 to 2016 from seven European countries. As certain aspects of foreign work experience are considered beneficial for the firm, it is likely that those who have worked abroad may appropriate some of the benefits themselves in the form of higher compensation. Contrary to the proposed positive association based on the resource-based theory, I find evidence that CEOs with foreign work experience receive significantly lower levels of total compensation compared to similar CEOs without foreign work experience, regardless of the diversity of their work experience. The results are robust to the endogenous CEO selection using a propensity-score matching method. The results show that the negative association between CEO foreign work experience and CEO total compensation is more pronounced for CEOs that are at the head of firms with a higher level of internationalization, measured as percentage of foreign sales. Managerial implications and suggestions for related future research are provided.