The Role of Market Research in the Internationalization of Small and Medium Enterprises (PDF)

Master's Thesis from the year 2009 in the subject Business economics - Market research, grade: 3.5, Mälardalen University (School of Sustainable Development of Society and Technology), course: MS International Marketing, language: English, abstract: The topic of this dissertation comes from these two areas: internationalization of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and international entrepreneurship. When looking into SMEs internationalization research, there is lack of material about pre-internationalization stage of SMEs. It is also very critical that firms should have theoretical guidelines to follow in early internationalization stage when they have no or very little international experience.

SMEs are well known for their innovative and risk taking approach. This study aims at providing them with a strategic framework or method to analyze the marketability of their products or services and exploit internationalization opportunities. It also focuses on helping them in reducing their risks linked with cross border business opportunities. This research is performed through case study method. A new conceptual model has been developed by integrating relevant standard approaches within the field of research. This model has been further explained by implementing it on case company.

Internationalization of SMEs in general has become a very famous topic in the world. This is the area which is developing further at present. Plenty of research has been performed from different perspectives and angles. International Entrepreneurship is an emerging area when it is yet struggling for standard definition. International entrepreneurship theory and SMEs are very much connected areas. While making a study related to internationalization of SMEs, we cannot neglect the importance of entrepreneurs, which is widely recognized as the main variables in SMEs' internationalization.

Developing theoretical and conceptual model by integrating different existing theories is very usual in SMEs' internationalization research area. This may be due the reason that there is lack of standard theories or approaches in this area so there is an absolute need for such efforts. Motivated by similar drive authors aimed to create customized theoretical framework for analysis with the help of different standard approaches in the field.