In the last years, several Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) internationalized production in low cost countries where they were not previously present. By analyzing five-case firms from Italy, it emerges that these SMEs were forced to perform a relevant number of adaptations that deeply affected their organization. The present research provides empirical evidence that these adaptations, spread in time, implied changes across all organizational elements. This organizational change when described in terms of pace and scope results to be of a continuous radical type (Plowman et al., 2007). The results imply that although it is a complicated and painful process, manufacturing SMEs are potentially able to develop organizational capabilities that rise their global competitiveness.
SMEs Internationalization and Organizational Implications: What Changes when a SME Internationalize the Production?
FORZA, CIPRIANO
2011
Abstract
In the last years, several Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) internationalized production in low cost countries where they were not previously present. By analyzing five-case firms from Italy, it emerges that these SMEs were forced to perform a relevant number of adaptations that deeply affected their organization. The present research provides empirical evidence that these adaptations, spread in time, implied changes across all organizational elements. This organizational change when described in terms of pace and scope results to be of a continuous radical type (Plowman et al., 2007). The results imply that although it is a complicated and painful process, manufacturing SMEs are potentially able to develop organizational capabilities that rise their global competitiveness.
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