Dear AIB colleagues,

 

We recently published a paper in the Journal of International Management and we’d like to share it with you.

Our paper extends the current understanding of the dynamics of SME internationalisation and innovation. We looked at the combined role that the speed of internationalisation, i.e. being early versus gradually internationalised, and the source of knowledge, i.e. internal or external, play in explaining the level of innovation in small product provider software firms. Using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), we identified the multiple pathways these firms take to high-level and low-level product innovation.

 

We find that internationalisation accelerates the level of product innovation; but together with knowledge sources, it becomes a critical differentiator between high and low-level innovation products. We also find that while combining internal knowledge sources with internationalisation is an effective way for early and gradual internationalisers to introduce high-level innovation products, some internationalised firms rely on the advantages of early internationalisation to the exclusion of external knowledge sources. Our findings suggest that, if internationalised, local market-oriented software firms have the option to move beyond low-level innovation.

We hope you find our paper inspiring for your future research. It is freely downloadable (until 11 September) at: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1dSSn3qXVuFPvX

 

Best wishes,

Deniz

 

Dr Deniz E. Yoruk, FHEA

Research Fellow

Centre for Enterprise, Innovation and Growth

Birmingham City Business School

The Curzon Building

4 Cardigan Street

B4 7BD