Marketing Capabilities of Early Internationalising Firms

Research Question: The topic of this study is marketing capabilities of early internationalising firms from Serbia. Motivation: As marketing perspective was found to be important for understanding the early internationalisation phenomenon, the aim of this study is to shed light on the marketing capabilities of early internationalising firms from Serbia. This topic was widely examined in the developed countries, but there is an evident lack of research in developing countries, especially in the Western Balkans. Understanding the specifics of early internationalising firms can provide valuable policy and managerial implications for stimulating export activities of small and medium-sized firms. Idea: The idea of the paper is to identify the main marketing capabilities of early internationalising firms from Serbia. Data: Primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the founders or managers of four firms from Serbia, over the period from August 2018 to January 2019. Tools: As this topic is not widely investigated in Serbia and other Western Balkan countries, a case study method was found to be appropriate. Primary data were completed with secondary data sources. Findings: The results show that in terms of marketing capabilities, early internationalising firms from Serbia express similar features as the ones already recognized in the literature. They develop differentiated, high quality and innovative products, specialized for a particular market niche or segment. Contribution: This study provides the results of the first primary research on the marketing capabilities of early internationalising firms from Serbia and offers valuable implications for managers, for developing an effective international marketing strategy, as well as policy implications for export support programmes and small and medium-sized firms’ policy.

Running faster and jumping higher? Survival and growth in international manufacturing new ventures

Going international early is increasingly the choice of new ventures in manufacturing industries. However, does earliness provide a positive outcome for internationalisation? To answer this, we have longitudinally analysed 3181 manufacturing new ventures established between 2002 and 2012. Using Cox regressions, we found that the 124 late internationals had the lowest risk of failure, while the 229 early internationals could not compensate for their mortality risk with significantly higher levels of growth in the post-internationalisation period. We discuss why an early internationalisation is more perilous than beneficial and provide some suggestions for the internationalisation of new ventures in these industries.