Globalisering har möjliggjort för svenska företag att expandera utomlands och etablera sig påinternationella marknader. Det största hindret för små- och medelstora företag (SMFs) i ainternationaliseringsprocess är avsaknad av finansiella medel och kunskap om den nyamarknaden. På grund av detta är användandet av en utlandsbaserad agent ett bra alternativ. Enagent har en god lokal marknadskunskap och representerar en etableringsform som är mindrekostsam i jämförelse med etableringen av ett dotterbolag. Med hänsyn till detta äranvändandet av en agent ett vanligt tillvägagångssätt bland internationaliserande SMFs.Samtidigt drivs företaget och dess agent av olika mål på grund av skillnader i egenintresse.Trots att en agent är anlitad i syfte att arbeta i enighet med företagets ambitioner, kan denneha ett egenintresse som kolliderar med företaget. Det är därför nödvändigt för företag attskydda det egna intresset genom implementering av olika kontrollsystem. I denna studie harvi använt oss av principal- agentteorin i syfte att förklara förhållandet mellan svenska SMFsoch dess agenter. Utöver detta undersöker vi även hur svenska SMFs kan kontrollera sinautlandsagenter. För att undersöka detta har vi formulerat följande forskningsfrågor: “Hur kanprincipal-agenteorin tillämpas i syfte att beskriva uppdragsrelationen mellan svenska SMFoch dess agent på den internationella marknaden?” samt ”Hur kan svenska SMFs styra attdess agent på den internationella marknaden arbetar enligt företagets önskemål?”. I syfte attbesvara dessa forskningsfrågor har det insamlats och bearbetats teoretiskt material, vilketutgjort underlag för den semistrukturerade intervjuguide som besvarats av studiensintervjupersoner. Detta har resulterat i en analys följt av slutsats där forskningsfrågornabesvaras. Studien avslutas med rekommendationer till framtida forskning. / Globalization has enabled firms to expand abroad and enter international markets. The mainobstacle for small and medium-sized firms in their internationalization-process is the lack offinancial resources and local market knowledge. Therefore, the use of an offshore agent is agood option. An agent holds good local market knowledge and represents an establishmentform that is less costly, compared to the start-up of a subsidiary. Hence, the use of an agent isa common approach amongst internationalized small and medium-sized firms (SME’s).Simultaneously, a firm and its agent are driven by different ambitions due to divergence intheir self-interests. Although an agent is hired to work in unity with the firm’s ambitions, itmay hold a self-interest that collides with the firm’s objectives. Therefore, it is vital for firmsto protect their own interests by implementing different mechanisms that can control theagent. In this study, the principal-agent theory has been applied in order to explain therelationship between Swedish SME’s and their agents. Additionally, it has been investigatedhow Swedish SME’s are able to control their offshore agents on the international market. Toexamine this, the following two research questions have been formulated: “How can theprincipal-agent theory be applied to describe the relation between Swedish SME’s and theiragent on the international market?” and “How can Swedish SME’s control that their agent onthe international market are working in unity with the firm’s requests?” In order to answerthese two questions, theoretical material has been collected and processed in order toformulate the basis of the semi-structured interview guide that has been answered by therespondents. This has resulted in an analysis followed by a conclusion where the researchquestions are answered.

Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul / The present dissertation - through bibliographical research grounded mainly in the reading of the Theory of Moral Sentiments and of the Wealth of Nations - investigates the connection between Smith's moral philosophy and his approach regarding to the human principles that govern individual pursuit for improving own life condition. For achieve this goal are analyzed some of the Philosophical bases of the author (Stoics, Hutcheson, Hume) and studied the key concepts present in his two books in order to defend the viewpoint of that the Wealth of Nations is a continuity of the Theory of Moral Sentiments. From among the main lessons learned, from the study of the work of Adam Smith, are of which he cultivated, in his personal life, the qualities that in the TMS he considered defining of an excellent character: sobriety, temperance, fairness and magnanimity; which was through of the concepts of sympathy and the impartial spectator, created and developed in the TMS, that Smith created the concept of the prudent man, to which characterizes the majority of people who live in society; that the prudent man of Adam Smith is much different than homo economicus neoclassic; and, mainly, that the Smithian view of self-love is impregnated of moral connotations, once which goes far beyond mere self-interest for material wealth. / A presente dissertação - por meio de pesquisa bibliográfica fundamentada principalmente na leitura da Teoria dos Sentimentos Morais e na Riqueza das Nações - investiga a conexão entre a filosofia moral de Smith e a sua abordagem em relação aos princípios humanos que norteiam a busca individual por melhorar a própria condição de vida. Para alcançar este objetivo são analisadas algumas das bases Filosóficas do autor (estoicos, Hutcheson, Hume) e estudados os conceitos chaves presentes em seus dois livros de modo a defender o ponto de vista de que a Riqueza das Nações é uma continuidade da Teoria dos Sentimentos Morais. Dentre as principais lições aprendidas, a partir do estudo da obra de Adam Smith, está a de que ele cultivou, em sua vida pessoal, as qualidades que na TSM ele considerava definidoras de um caráter excelente: sobriedade, temperança, justeza e magnanimidade; que foi através dos conceitos de simpatia e espectador imparcial, criados e desenvolvidos na TSM, que Smith criou o conceito do homem prudente, o qual caracteriza a maioria das pessoas que vivem em sociedade; que o homem prudente de Adam Smith é muito diferente do homo economicus neoclássico; e, principalmente, que a visão smithiana de selflove está impregnada de conotações morais, uma vez que vai muito além do mero auto interesse por riquezas materiais.