Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have a significant role in most emerging and developing economies. To increase the probability of survival of their SMEs and achieve sustainable growth, some SME leaders expand their business operations beyond national borders by implementing internationalization strategies. Internationalization is crucial to SME survival. The conceptual framework of this study consisted of a multitheory model including stage model, network theory, and new venture theory. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the strategies that Turkish information communication technology (ICT) SME leaders used to internationalize their business operations. Ten SME leaders, who led a variety of high-tech service SMEs operating in the ICT service sector in Turkey, served as participants for this study. The company documents, reports, and government documents were used to triangulate the interview data. Yin's 5-step method to data analysis resulted in the development of 5 themes: Turkish SME leaders have an active role in internationalization, geographical distance and culture are the 2 main factors of consideration when developing internationalization strategies, managerial attitude supports internationalization, Turkish SME leaders choose low commitment entry methods when entering foreign markets, and relationships is the main source the SME leaders rely on when internationalizing. The findings of this study may help SME leaders to implement successful internationalization strategies to their business operations and achieve sustainable growth of their SMEs, which may contribute to social change by improving both local and host country economies and the well-being of their citizens.

This research study investigated the perceptions of academic advisors in the Florida College System (FCS) concerning globalization, internationalization, and their role in the process of internationalizing their colleges. Participants in the study included 54 academic advisors from 15 of the 28 colleges in the FCS. The sample was comprised primarily of female advisors with master’s degrees, who had been working in higher education for less than 13 years. This was a nonexperimental, quantitative study and analyses included descriptive statistics, ordinary least squares regression, and Pearson’s product moment correlations. The results revealed that the responding advisors believe that globalization is inevitable and good, and that colleges must prepare to face any challenges that result from it. They also indicated that the advisors thought colleges should engage in several strategies that could lead to progress in internationalization, including international exchanges of faculty and staff, study abroad opportunities for students, and the development of collaborative relationships between their college and foreign institutions. Advisors also indicated relatively strong support for the assertions that globalization and internationalization were important, and would continue to increase in importance going forward. They also generally agreed with the concept that academic advisors should be involved in the process of internationalization at their colleges, but their agreement in this instance was not as strong as it was when discussing globalization and internationalization more generally. In contrast, advisors did not as readily agree that students should take additional courses in foreign language, or that colleges should actively recruit foreign students. The majority of advisors also rejected the idea that the college should adopt a broad, international/global definition of diversity that includes language, customs, and ethnicity. They did not as readily envision the role of academic advisors in the process of internationalization to be as important or necessary as the overall concept of progress in the areas of internationalization and globalization. That is, advisors indicated more agreement with the theory, but not as much agreement with the practice, of internationalization as it relates to their job responsibilities.

This research investigates the ways in which firms in the cluster approach the process of internationalization through exploring the influence of business clustering and how it benefits firms in entering foreign markets. The purpose was to understand this process to enable firms to develop successful international strategies to expand in foreign markets. The focus of the study is on the Yarra Valley Wine Industry Cluster, the oldest wine growing region in Victoria, Australia. This research examined of Australian wineries to join together in order to achieve greater competitiveness in collaboration when entering foreign markets due to ever increasing global competition. This paper was an exploratory study that used qualitative information gathered from the case study firms to provide practical framework for the execution of the research using a multiple-case study design. The findings show the following: first, some of the wineries gain their perceptions of the foreign markets from their relationships with, as well as, by the input and suggestions of the distributors, agents, and partners in a particular market, while others seem to distance themselves from their international environments and only focus on serving domestic/local markets exclusively. Second, personal networks play an important role when it comes to the internationalization process of the wineries because they provide access to market knowledge. Third, cooperation among cluster firms plays a very limited role in assisting wineries in foreign market expansion; it has only been of benefit when it came to dealing with local issues. The cluster has played only a minor role, if any, when it comes to the internationalization of the cluster firms. Clustering has been identified as a place where wineries exchange knowledge, and techniques, in regards to wine production, or come together in a joint effort to sort out local issues. However, the cluster does not provide assistance to individual wineries entering international marketplaces. In conclusion there was a distinctive lack of active support and organization from the cluster with regard to the international expansion due to the lack of leadership and joint direction among cluster members. This is where local government could take more proactive role to facilitate better usage of geographical clusters. The findings could improve the company decision-making process. Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of clustering as a means for the future international expansion can be useful in helping to develop international strategies for firms. This would be of great significance to business practitioners because this may have a crucial impact on the competitive advantage of firms in foreign markets. In addition to having significant implications for practice, the investigation has implications for international business research because it provides a better understanding of the role of a cluster in the internationalization.

<p><strong>Purpose:</strong> The purpose of the study is to investigate firstly, the motivations of Swedish and Thai entrepreneurs toward internationalization business by exporting and secondly, the similarity motivation in going internationalization among Swedish and Thai entrepreneurs.</p><p><strong>Method:</strong> The multiple cases design is used in this report by conducting semi-structured interview in order to “generate understanding of the study” (Stenbacka, 2001). Two Swedish companies and three Thai companies have been interviewed. Empirical data was collected by face to face and telephone interview for Swedish companies and e-mail for Thai companies.</p><p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Both Swedish and Thai entrepreneurs are motivated by both internal and external factors in term of going internationalization. However, there are dissimilarities in each motivation factors.</p>

<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p><strong>Date:          </strong>           September, 2009</p><p><strong>Title:                    </strong>Internationalization Process and Strategies of a Start-up Service Company, a case study of HeartMath Scandinavia AB</p><p><strong>Course:                </strong>Business Administration</p><p><strong>Program:              </strong>Master Thesis EFO704</p><p><strong>Authors:</strong>                   Francis Oladele Oluduro, Ikechukwu Ifediora Okonkwo</p><p><strong>Supervisor:           </strong>Nyström Sven-Åke<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Problem:              </strong>What is HeartMath AB’s strategy in their internationalization process?</p><p><strong>Purpose:              </strong>The aim of this thesis is to investigate the real life processes and strategies that companies adopt in going international and compare it to generic and taught internationalization models and theories.</p><p><strong>Method:               </strong>Information was gathered from interviews, books and online data bases.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:        </strong>From the analysis it was concluded that new business startups use the generic business models in the process of going international. In most instances they do this unknowingly. They combine two or more models in different ways to achieve their aim of going international. There were also instances when it is necessary for firms to combine two conflicting ideas to achieve what they want to achieve.</p><p><strong>Keywords:           </strong>Internationalization, Uppsala Model, Born global/INV, Entry Mode, Strategy, isomorphism.</p>

<p>Date: 26 May 2008</p><p>Program: International Business and Entrepreneurship (IB&E)</p><p>Level: Master Thesis 10 Points (15 ETCS)</p><p>Title: Internationalization process from entrepreneurial perspectives – a case study of TOA Group</p><p>Authors: Thi Thanh Thuy Le - Email: tle07001@student.mdh.se</p><p>Theerata Thornjaroensri - Email: tti07001@student.mdh.se</p><p>Supervisor: Bengt Olsson</p><p>Research Problem: How do entrepreneurs play a vital role in the internationalization process of TOA Group?</p><p>Aim of the Thesis: The purpose of our research project is to present a perspective that includes the entrepreneurs in the analysis in order to have a comprehensive understanding about the internationalization process of TOA Group, a Thai-owned paint multinational company.</p><p>Method: The nature of the research is qualitative. The deductive and a single case study approaches have been applied. Both secondary data and primary data are used to conduct the research. The semi-structure interview is used to get the primary data.</p><p>Conclusion: The establishment chain pattern of the Uppsala Model is too deterministic and mainly on learning process at organizational level. This research project adopts three entrepreneurial perspectives with three entrepreneur types. The TOA case shows that entrepreneurial perspectives directly influence the firm’s internationalization.</p><p>Key Words: Internationalization, entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial perspective</p>

<p>Date:</p><p>19^th, June, 2008</p><p>Level:</p><p>Master Thesis EFO 705, 15 credits</p><p>Authors:</p><p>Sixing Guo</p><p>China</p><p>guosixing@hotmail.com</p><p>Pasapoo Upathamwaranon</p><p>Thailand</p><p>pasapoo@hotmail.com</p><p>Title:</p><p>The Internationalization Process of Toyota in Europe: From the Perspectives of Entry Mode and Network Structure</p><p> </p><p>Tutor:</p><p>Leif Linnskog</p><p>Research Problem:</p><p>In European market, what entry mode did Toyota select? Why did they select those entry modes? And how did they manage their internal and external network structure during the entry mode evolution process? </p><p> </p><p>Purpose:</p><p>We describe and explain how Toyota conquered the European market from the perspective of entry mode and network. And we also intend to provide some useful information to the companies that want to gain experience before entering into the European market.</p><p> </p><p>Method:</p><p>We design this thesis as a case study about the entry mode of Toyota in the European market. In order to get an in-depth understanding of the research problem, the qualitative research approach is chosen. During the analysis part, all the information is derived from the secondary documents, such as website, articles and so on.</p><p>Conclusion:</p><p>After the analysis the process of Toyota developed in the European market, we found that after careful consideration about both internal and external factors, Toyota usually prefers to conquer a new market with a relevant low risk entry mode, such as exporting or licensing, in the beginning. Then, with the increase of their experience as well as the growth of network, they began to change to a higher risk level entry mode, like joint venture or wholly owned subsidiaries. During the evolution process, in order to provide an effective way of interaction between headquarters and subsidiaries, Toyota’s structure changed from time to time.</p><p>Keywords:</p><p>Internationalization, Entry mode, Toyota, Network structure</p>

<p><strong>ABSTRACT</strong></p><p>Title:</p><p>The Effect of Social Relationships on Company Internationalization</p><p>Course:</p><p>Master’s level Thesis (EFO705) in International Business and Entrepreneurship 10 Swedish credit points  (15 ECTS)</p><p>Authors:</p><p>Hanney Al-Qaisi & Bhupesh Reddy Kurre</p><p>Tutor:</p><p>Leif Linnskog</p><p>Problem:</p><p>How did social relationships affect the internationalization of a German IVF centre to the UAE? Using this case example, the thesis will be focused on studying the different social factors that could have affected the internationalization process.</p><p>Purpose:</p><p>The aim of this thesis was to describe the way that a local company in Germany went through internationalization to become a successfulmultinational company. We wanted to find out if there were any social factors that influenced the company. In particular, we wanted to investigate whether there were any entrepreneurial activities or barriers that influenced the company’s internationalisation and why it chose to open its subsidiary in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is far from Germany.</p><p>Methods:</p><p>This thesis is based on a qualitative methodology for gathering and analysis of the data around the internationalization of the German company.Qualitative methods are the best techniques for looking into social relationships and whether they have an effect on the internationalization process.</p><p>Theories:</p><p>Uppsala-Model; Network Theory; Social, Business & Professional Relationships and International Entrepreneurship</p><p>Target Group:</p><p>This research provides knowledge and information to entrepreneurs businessowners, managers, general readers, and academics who would like to understand the influence of social relationships on internationalization. </p><p><p>Conclusion:</p><p>Having searched through the published literature for relevant articles on the internationalization process, social relationships and entrepreneurial activities, we were able to inform our thesis with a theoretical framework for analyzing social relationships and internationalization. Social relationships do indeed have an influence on the internationalization process, and using our case example, it was possible to outline the patterns and nature of the influence. The theories (and patterns) are interlinked, and could be related in practical terms to the establishment of a satellite fertility centre in the UAE by a German head company.</p></p>

<p>Research on the diversity in the context of internationalization process is rare. Our purpose of this thesis is to conduct a good understanding on diversity of internationalization process in telecommunication industry. Based on Uppsala Internationalization Model (U-Model) of Johanson and Vahlne (1977), we applied a qualitative research method, primary and secondary data collection to perform an empirical study. Afterward we discuss about how organizational diversity, marketing strategy diversity and diversity of core values on Ericsson show up in the process of internationalization. In the conclusion, we put forward our comments on the research problems. Then we also issued a direction on further research.</p>

<p>When SMEs have decided to internationalize their business, several different ways can be chosen to enable that process. In this research, trade shows exemplify an aid for internationalization at the same time as trade shows are portrayed as a good networking tool. Motives for participating in trade shows tend to vary; some companies see trade shows as an opportunity to launch new products and conduct sales whereas others consider trade shows as a good occasion to find new customers at the same time as they can maintain current customer relationships. Trade shows are furthermore a great opening to establish new business contacts, which consequently can provide an inroad into foreign markets. The aim with this dissertation is to analyze how SMEs use trade shows as a trigger or first step to internationalize and to investigate which role networking plays in a trade show context. Furthermore the aim of the study is to examine how SMEs’ networks affect their internationalization process. This research was carried out by conducting multiple-case studies of six companies from the region of Kalmar, Sweden. The results gained by the case studies confirmed that trade shows play an important role for SMEs when aiming to internationalize and expand the business network. Further, the case studies indicated that network connections are crucial for enabling the internationalization of SMEs.</p>