Title: Internationalisation of born globals: the role of strategic alliances

Authors: Mário Franco; Heiko Haase

Addresses: CEFAGE-UBI Research Center, Department of Management and Economics, University of Beira Interior, Estrada do Sineiro, 6200-209 Covilhã, Portugal ' Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Department of Business Administration, University of Applied Sciences Jena, Carl-Zeiss-Promenade 2, 07745 Jena, Germany

Abstract: This study aims to demonstrate the role of alliances in the internationalisation of born globals. Thus, we adopt qualitative research using two case studies in Portugal. Our results show that alliances are essential for born globals' internationalisation, boosting the competitiveness and sustainability of these firms. The creation of alliances permitted sharing of the risks and costs of investment in foreign markets and at the same time access to new knowledge and technologies. We provide new perspectives on the role of the founder in the internationalisation process. Contrary to what is claimed in the literature, their previous international experience is not an essential requirement.

Keywords: strategic alliances; internationalisation; born globals; innovation; Portugal; risk sharing; cost sharing; investment costs; foreign markets; international experience; knowledge acquisition.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2016.074471

European Journal of International Management, 2016 Vol.10 No.2, pp.181 - 201

Received: 15 Mar 2014
Accepted: 01 Nov 2014
Published online: 31 Jan 2016 *

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