Title: Governance and social aspects of internationalisation: SMEs in northeastern Italy

Authors: Michela C. Mason

Addresses: Department of Biology and Agro-Industry Economics, University of Udine, Viale delle Scienze 208, 33100 Udine, Italy

Abstract: This paper investigates the internationalisation aspects of Itialian companies. The study was carried out in order to explore the entrepreneurial motivations and strategic characteristics on which international activity in these companies is based. The focus is primarily on owner and manager attributes with the objective of highlighting how these factors have influenced the willingness of company entrepreneurs and managers to internationalise. In a second stage, those characteristics are analysed in relation to the various international strategies adopted by the described companies and also by highlighting the main barriers that they have to face when entering foreign markets. From a methodological point of view, the study is based on the examination of a survey extending over some 150 SMEs in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia (FVG) region. The survey data is studied using statistical methods, like logistic regression and Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA), in order to test the relationships between the variables.

Keywords: small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; internationalisation; multiple correspondence analysis; MCA; logistic regression; survey questionnaire; Italy; governance; social aspects; entrepreneurial motivations; entrepreneurship; international strategies; market entry; barriers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGSB.2008.017291

International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business, 2008 Vol.2 No.3, pp.280 - 299

Published online: 22 Feb 2008 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article