Purpose

This paper aims to systematically review and evaluate extant literature on knowledge acquisition and transfer in international small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) and to identify the requisite types of knowledge acquired and transferred in this context. The research further determines the mechanisms enabling SMEs to process this knowledge, unpacks the benefits of both knowledge acquisition and transfer for international SMEs and links them to the market success.

Design/methodology/approach

The research has conducted a comprehensive systematic review of existing literature on market knowledge acquisition and its transfer, in the context of international SMEs, utilizing peer-reviewed articles published in top tier journals without any custom range of time.

Findings

The search strategy resulted in 37 reviewed academic articles, whose analysis identifies and elucidates on the best practices of knowledge acquisition and transfer in the context of international SMEs; the type of the knowledge acquired and transferred; the form and mechanism of the intersection of these processes; and the benefits gained. The findings, crucially, also identify and illuminate extant research gaps and insufficiencies and develop a comprehensive research agenda for the way forward.

Originality/value

The present study offers a uniquely comprehensive perspective on a topic of diachronic and, currently, rising significance to scholars and practitioners alike. Transcending its descriptive value, though, it further identifies extant knowledge deficiencies, it distils and consolidates critical knowledge and prescribes avenues for research towards the growth and development of international SMEs and born globals.

中文翻译：

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国际中小企业的市场知识获取和转移：特点、规范和与市场成功的联系

目的

本文旨在系统地回顾和评估有关国际中小型企业 (SME) 知识获取和转移的现有文献，并确定在此背景下获取和转移的必要知识类型。该研究进一步确定了使中小企业能够处理这些知识的机制，揭示了国际中小企业的知识获取和转移的好处，并将它们与市场成功联系起来。

设计/方法/方法

该研究利用在没有任何自定义时间范围的顶级期刊上发表的同行评议文章，对国际中小企业背景下关于市场知识获取及其转移的现有文献进行了全面系统的审查。

发现

该搜索策略产生了 37 篇经过审查的学术文章，其分析确定并阐明了国际中小企业背景下知识获取和转移的最佳实践；获得和转移的知识类型；这些过程交叉的形式和机制；以及获得的好处。至关重要的是，这些发现还确定并阐明了现有的研究差距和不足，并为前进的道路制定了全面的研究议程。

原创性/价值

本研究为历时性的主题提供了独特的综合视角，并且目前对学者和从业者都具有越来越重要的意义。然而，它超越了它的描述性价值，它进一步识别了现存的知识缺陷，提炼和巩固了关键知识，并为国际中小企业和出生的全球企业的成长和发展规定了研究途径。