The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Drawing on the resource-based view (RBV) theory, the purpose of this research is to examine the influence of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) on small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) export performance with the moderating effect of social media capital and business network ties. A quantitative survey design was employed for this study. Empirical data for this paper were drawn from 369 Ghanaian SME exporting firms, using the purposive sampling technique, and the hypothesized relationships were analyzed using AMOS v.23 in structural equation modeling. The study reveals that export performance of SMEs is principally determined by their EO. In addition, this effect is reinforced by the social media capital and business network ties, exerting a positive moderating role. The paper provides practical implications for SMEs and policymakers on the need to leverage social media capital and business network ties, given their importance to improving export performance, rather than focusing solely on EO.

Although contemporary literature provides several important insights into the role of attributes of SMEs, there is much less evidence on what configuration of entrepreneurial orientation and global mindset makes this process successful, that is, contributing to the export performance of SMEs. This study uses a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis on a sample of 97 SMEs in Ghana to explore the potential complementary role between the entrepreneurial orientation dimensions and global mindset for superior export performance. The results indicate two different yet equifinal configurations of these factors that lead to a high level of export performance of SMEs. One of the configurations shows that proactive and innovative SMEs with managers high on global mindset achieve superior export performance regardless of their willingness to take risks. Another configuration indicates that regardless of the global mindset of managers, SMEs can achieve higher export performance by being proactive, innovative, and willing to take high risks. Several implications for theory and practice are discussed based on the findings.

Existing literature identifies product innovation as the most prevalent innovation type in small and medium enterprise (SME) export activities, yet its relationship with export performance remains inconclusive. Building on institutional theory, this paper examines how formal institutional factors influence this relationship. Using data from 1027 Indian SMEs in the World Bank's 2022 Enterprise Survey and employing Ordinary Least Squares, our findings reveal that government support, the domestic business environment and quality certification positively moderate the relationship between product innovation and export performance, with quality certification exerting the most substantial positive moderating effect. These insights have significant implications for entrepreneurs and policymakers seeking to foster SME internationalisation. It offers new theoretical directions on product innovation and provides more understanding of the role of formal institutional factors in global markets.

Digital Transformation (DT) is crucial for business internationalisation (BI), particularly in emerging economies. This study examines how business planning (BP) facilitates DT implementation, using Tunisia as a case study. It explores BP's role in sustaining DT across digital maturity stages and identifies factors contributing to digital business failures. Analysing data from 220 firms, the study employs survival analysis, using the Kaplan-Meier estimator and Cox proportional hazard regression, to assess how BP affects DT longevity. Findings highlight BP as a key enabler of DT and internationalisation, particularly post-COVID. The research offers theoretical and empirical insights into the intersection of BP, DT, and BI. It underscores the need for infrastructure improvements, e-administration, and enhanced internet quality to support DT in emerging markets. These insights provide valuable guidance for policymakers and business leaders aiming to leverage digital tools for sustainable growth and global competitiveness.

This article investigates the influence of networking on innovation and internationalisation within U.K.-based, female-led small and medium-sized tech enterprises. It utilises data from the 2021 Longitudinal Small Business Survey to evaluate a model that incorporates networking, three forms of innovation (product, process, and market), and international performance across 156 technology start-ups founded by women. The study employs orchestration theory to explore how female entrepreneurs strategically manage resources like networking to foster innovation and promote international growth. Findings suggest that while networking significantly boosts product innovation, it does not have a direct effect on process or market innovation. Nonetheless, networking indirectly strengthens the impact of process and market innovations on internationalisation. This highlights that women entrepreneurs initially use networks to enhance product innovation, then leverage them to convert process and organisational innovations into international expansion. The study contributes to the theoretical understanding of the intersection between gender and international entrepreneurship from an orchestration perspective and provides practical insights for female entrepreneurs on optimising networks to drive innovation and facilitate global scaling.