Purpose

This study aims to develop a new internationalisation model to describe the exporting and non-exporting behaviours of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and then applying it to a sample of UK SMEs. The conceptual model consists of four forces leading to a successful business.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample is a stratified one taken from KOMPASS directory and focussing on the Greater Manchester area. In total, 250 firms were chosen to be the population of this survey. In total, 110 surveys were received by email i.e. 24 non-exporters and 86 exporters that were fully completed.

Findings

The four forces of the model include the non-exporting activity, the activity before and after the first export order, differences and similarities between non-exporters and exporters and the regular exporting activity. This model’s findings demonstrate important empirical determinants related to four forces, which, in turn, shape the successful exporting activity.

Originality/value

The empirical evidence from the study suggests that the major differences between non-exporters and exporters, which include the differences in management perceptions towards exporting, and the differences and similarities of firm and management characteristics, explain only to some degree what constitutes successful exporting behaviour. The model is considered useful for smaller businesses located in the UK. The study highlights the importance of firms before and after the first export order, which provides insights for managers of firms about going through with the first export order rather than withdrawing from this effort. The study reveals the motivations for exporting, the timing, the modes through which firms export, firms’ management characteristics and attitudinal differences between exporters and non-exporters, which are essential for practitioners.

中文翻译：

---

英国中小企业的国际化过程：基于四力行为模型的出口和非出口行为

目的

这项研究旨在开发一种新的国际化模型，以描述中小型企业（SME）的出口和非出口行为，然后将其应用于英国SME的样本中。概念模型由导致成功业务的四种力量组成。

设计/方法/方法

该样本是分层样本，取自KOMPASS目录，重点关注大曼彻斯特地区。总共选择了250家公司作为此次调查的对象。总共通过电子邮件收到了110个调查，即24个非出口商和86个完全完成的出口商。

发现

该模型的四个作用力包括非出口活动，第一个出口订单之前和之后的活动，非出口商与出口商之间的异同和常规出口活动。该模型的发现证明了与四种力量有关的重要经验决定因素，而这又决定了成功的出口活动。

创意/价值

该研究的经验证据表明，非出口商与出口商之间的主要差异，包括管理者对出口的看法的差异，以及企业和管理特征的差异和相似性，仅在某种程度上解释了什么构成成功的出口行为。该模型被认为对英国的小型企业有用。该研究突出了企业在第一个出口订单之前和之后的重要性，这为企业管理者提供了有关执行第一个出口订单而不是退出这项工作的见解。该研究揭示了出口动机，时间，企业出口方式，企业管理特征以及出口商与非出口商之间的态度差异，