Small Business Entrepreneurship and the Internal Determinants of International Behaviour

The role of Italian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the international economic environment has attracted many scholars for its peculiarities. In particular, their development and longevity paths are critical to a better understanding of the main characteristics of the global economy. Although they manage many of the same issues of other companies, they must also face specific problems, mainly related to their status and to the entrepreneurial behaviour of the firm owners. Nevertheless, few empirical studies have stressed the importance of human resources and entrepreneurial behaviour for the performance and growth of Italian SMEs, especially in the international environment, where keen competition and difficulties of reaching the necessary resources are often insuperable barriers for SMEs. The main goal of this study is to suggest a “holistic” model, in order to analyze the relations between the internal determinants of the internationalization process of SMEs, by integrating the individual-level with the firm-level features. The analysis, based on the theories of individual cognitive aspect, international expansion and business strategy, explores the process of internationalization of SMEs from a cognitive perspective. Therefore, the study aims to provide a better understanding of the deepest reasons that lead entrepreneurs towards distinctive paths of international development. Finally, the present study stresses the central role played by individual expectations and risk perception in understanding the international expansion strategies of SMEs. In particular, it considers some significant relationships between international processes, human capital and the role played by the firm owner.