SMEs and international entrepreneurship: An institutional network perspective

This study examines the influence of the use of institutional networks by SMEs in the context of international entrepreneurship (IE). It provides insights into SMEs' awareness of, access to, and actual use of the resources available through institutional networks and whether these are inducements or deterrents for entrepreneurial activities in foreign markets. A qualitative research design employing a multiple case study approach was used to investigate five internationalized SMEs from Sweden and Finland. The findings suggest that institutional network relationships have a positive effect on the internationalization process of SMEs. However, the significance of this influence is continuous and intertwined in the different stages of the internationalization process. A novel contribution of this study is the use of institutional theory combined with the network perspective to explain how SMEs' awareness of, and access to, institutional network resources affects their international entrepreneurial activities. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.