THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF SMES FROM VALCEA COUNTY

Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) enter on international market being much younger than their, predecessors decades ago and being more active in following the strategies that involve international activities. Also, the small firms, active on international market are tending to grow much faster than the ones from the internal market. The predominant way of internationalization is the Stages Theory, according to which the internationalization it is realized in progressive stages, starting from low risk engagements and heading to the ones with high risk. The research on small and medium enterprises was part of the project "Identification of the small and medium enterprises' factors determining competitiveness increasing and cluster opportunities. Methods and techniques for an European entrepreneurship", financed by CNCSIS. It was done on 73 small and medium enterprises from various sectors. Among others problems the research was trying to identify the relationship between SMEs from Valcea County and the internationalization process.