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Internationalization of SMEs: a systematic review of 20 years of research

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Abstract

This article shares the results of a systematic review of the literature on internationalization of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) based on bibliometric techniques. This review resulted in the identification of the main themes that have been the focus of researchers over 20 years, the emerging literature in the last 5 years, and a research agenda for future studies. It was also possible to propose a theoretical framework with the main influential factors in the various stages of the internationalization of SMEs. The analysis of 669 articles from 1998 to 2017 was carried out in two stages involving quantitative methods (bibliometric analysis and bibliographic coupling). The first analysis helped identify the main authors, journals, and countries that conducted research on internationalization of SMEs within these 20 years. In the second analysis, we divided the total period of 20 years into four sub-periods of 5 years, and the bibliographic coupling grouped similar articles in each period into research themes. The thematic clusters that emerged in the four sub-periods indicated that the more relevant themes of the cutting-edge literature were as follows: antecedents, patterns, and outcomes of the internationalization of SMEs. These themes were consistent with De Clercq et al.’s (2012) framework, making evident, by way of an exploratory method, the convergence of international business (IB) literature on the internationalization of SMEs, but with specific influential factors concerning SMEs.

Abstrakt

Das Hauptziel dieses Artikels ist es, die Ergebnisse einer systematischen Literaturrecherche der letzten 20 Jahre der Forschung zur Internationalisierung von Kleine Unternehmen. Diese Literaturrecherche führte zur Identifizierung der Hauptthemen, auf die sich die Forscher in den letzten 20 Jahren konzentrierten, und der aufkommenden Themen in den letzten fünf Jahren. Der Hauptbeitrag dieses Artikels besteht darin, auf neue Themen in diesem Bereich hinzuweisen und Implikationen für das Management vorzuschlagen. Die Literaturrecherche von 669 Artikeln von 1998 bis 2017 erfolgte in zwei Schritten, die quantitative Methoden umfassten (bibliometrische Analyse und bibliografische Kopplung). Die erste Analyse ermöglichte es, die wichtigsten Autoren, Zeitschriften und Länder zu identifizieren, die in diesen 20 Jahren Untersuchungen der Forschung zur Internationalisierung von Kleine Unternehmen durchgeführt haben. In der letztgenannten Analyse haben wir den gesamten Zeitraum von 20 Jahren in vier zeiträume von jeweils fünf Jahren unterteilt und die bibliografische Kopplung ähnliche Artikel in jedem Zeitraum in Forschungsthemen gruppiert. Die in der letzten Periode (2013–2017) entstandenen thematischen Cluster haben gezeigt, dass die aktuellsten Themen der Literatur folgende sind: Einflussreiche Hintergründe, Internationalisierung Mustern und Leistungsergebnisse der Internationalisierung. Diese Themen standen im Einklang mit dem Rahmen von De Clercq et al. (2012) und machten anhand einer Erkundungsmethode die Konvergenz der IB-Literatur zur Internationalisierung von Kleine Unternehmen deutlich. In unserer Schlussfolgerung haben wir die Forschungsagenda für diese drei Themen vorgeschlagen.

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Acknowledgments

The present research was conducted with the support of FAPERJ, Carlos Chagas Filho Foundation for Research Support of the State of Rio de Janeiro, and CNPq, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development.

The authors would like to thank for the valuable contributions of the Editor-in-Chief of JIEN and four anonymous reviewers that helped to improve the quality of this article.

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Correspondence to Fábio de Oliveira Paula.

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Appendices

Appendix: List of articles per cluster (1998–2002)

Patterns

Coviello NE, Martin KAM, (1999) Internationalization of service SMEs: an integrated perspective from the engineering consulting sector. Journal of International Marketing, 7; 42–66Crick D, Jones MV (2000) Small high-technology firms and international high-technology markets. Journal of international marketing, 8; 63–85Gankema HG, Snuif HR, Zwart PS (2000) The internationalization process of small and medium-sized enterprises: an evaluation of stage theory. Journal of Small Business Management, 38; 15Knight GA, Liesch PW (2002) Information internalisation in internationalising the firm. Journal of Business Research, 55; 981–995Liesch PW, Knight, GA (1999) Information internalization and hurdle rates in small and medium enterprise internationalization. Journal of International Business Studies, 30; 383–394Lloyd-Reason L, Mughan T, (2002) Strategies for internationalisation within SMEs: the key role of the owner-manager. Journal of small business and enterprise development, 9;120–129Meyer K, Skak A, (2002) Networks, serendipity and SME entry into Eastern Europe. European Management Journal, 20; 179–188 Westhead P, Binks M, Ucbasaran D, Wright M, (2002) Internationalization of SMEs: A research note. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 9; 38–48 Westhead P, Wright M, Ucbasaran D, (2001) The internationalization of new and small firms: A resource-based view. Journal of business venturing, 16; 333–358 Weikl C, Grotz R, (1999) Transnational technology transfer of SMEs and its impact on regional development. Entrepreneurship Regional Development, 11; 301–315

Outcomes

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  1. Source: elaborated by the authors

Appendix: List of articles per cluster (2003–2007)

Antecedents

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Journal of international business studies, 38; 673–690Zucchella A, Palamara G, Denicolai S, (2007) The drivers of the early internationalization of the firm. Journal of World Business, 42; 268–280

Patterns

Acedo FJ, Casillas JC, (2007). Age at entry in international markets of Spanish SMEs: Entrepreneurial and institutional determinants. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior Research, 13; 130–150Acedo, F. J., Florin, J. (2006). An entrepreneurial cognition perspective on the internationalization of SMEs. Journal of international Entrepreneurship, 4(1), 49Bell J, Crick D, Young S, (2004) Small firm internationalization and business strategy: an exploratory study of ‘knowledge-intensive’and ‘traditional’manufacturing firms in the UK. International Small business journal, 22; 23–56Boter, H. (2003). Management perspectives as catalysts for exporting: a study of Nordic SMEs. Journal of Global Marketing, 16(3), 31–52Bradley, F., Meyer, R., Gao, Y. (2006). Use of supplier-customer relationships by SMEs to enter foreign markets. Industrial marketing management, 35(6), 652–665Casillas, J. C., Acedo, F. J. (2005). Internationalisation of Spanish family SMEs: an analysis of family involvement. International Journal of Globalisation and small business, 1(2), 134–151Crick, D. (2007). UK SMEs’ motives for internationalizing: Differences between firms employing particular overseas market servicing strategies. Journal of International Entrepreneurship, 5(1–2), 11–23Crick, D., Chaudhry, S. (2006). International marketing strategy in the electronics industry: a follow-up investigation of UK SMEs 18 months after the export withdrawal decision. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 14(3), 277–292Crick D, Spence M, (2005). The internationalisation of ‘high performing’UK high-tech SMEs: a study of planned and unplanned strategies. International business review, 14; 167–185Esra Karadeniz, E., Göçer, K. (2007). Internationalization of small firms: A case study of Turkish small-and medium-sized enterprises. European Business Review, 19(5), 387–403Hutchinson, K., Quinn, B., Alexander, N. (2006). The role of management characteristics in the internationalisation of SMEs: Evidence from the UK retail sector. Journal of small business and enterprise development, 13(4), 513–534Hutchinson, K., Quinn, B., Alexander, N. (2006). SME retailer internationalisation: case study evidence from British retailers. International Marketing Review, 23(1), 25–53Lin, K. H., Chaney, I. (2007). The influence of domestic interfirm networks on the internationalization process of Taiwanese SMEs. Asia Pacific Business Review, 13(4), 565–583Mockaitis, A. I., Vaiginienė, E., Giedraitis, V. (2007). HOW ACTIVE ARE LITHUANIAN MANUFACTURING SMEs IN INTERNATIONAL MARKETS? SOME PRELIMINARY FINDINGS. Transformations in Business Economics, 6(1)Mockaitis, A. I., Vaiginienė, E., Giedraitis, V. (2006). The internationalization efforts of lithuanian manufacturing firms—strategy or luck?. Research in International Business and Finance, 20(1), 111–126Ratten, V., Dana, L. P., Han, M., Welpe, I. (2007). Internationalisation of SMEs: European comparative studies. International journal of entrepreneurship and small business, 4(3), 361–379Spence, M., Crick, D. (2006). A comparative investigation into the internationalisation of Canadian and UK high-tech SMEs. International Marketing Review, 23(5), 524–548Suárez-Ortega SM, Álamo-Vera FR, (2005). SMES'internationalization: firms and managerial factors. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior Research, 11; 258–279

  1. Source: elaborated by the authors

Appendix: List of articles per cluster (2008–2012)

Patterns

Amal M, Rocha A, (2010) Internationalization of small-and medium-sized enterprises: a multi case study. European Business Review, 22; 608–623Cerrato D, Piva M, (2012) The internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises: the effect of family management, human capital and foreign ownership. Journal of Management Governance, 16; 617–644Chandra Y, Styles C, Wilkinson I, (2009) The recognition of first time international entrepreneurial opportunities: Evidence from firms in knowledge-based industries. International Marketing Review, 26; 30–61Ibeh K, Kasem L, (2011) The network perspective and the internationalization of small and medium sized software firms from Syria. Industrial Marketing Management, 40; 358–367Kontinen T, Ojala A, (2010) Internationalization pathways of family SMEs: Psychic distance as a focal point. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 17; 437–454Kontinen T, Ojala A, (2011) Network ties in the international opportunity recognition of family SMEs. International Business Review, 20; 440–453Kontinen T, Ojala A, (2012) Internationalization pathways among family-owned SMEs. International Marketing Review, 29; 496–518Lindstrand A, Melén S, Nordman ER, (2011) Turning social capital into business: A study of the internationalization of biotech SMEs. International Business Review, 20; 194–212Ojala A, Tyrväinen P, (2009) Impact of psychic distance to the internationalization behavior of knowledge-intensive SMEs. European Business Review, 21; 263–277Ojala A, (2009) Internationalization of knowledge-intensive SMEs: The role of network relationships in the entry to a psychically distant market. International business review, 18; 50–59Osarenkhoe A, (2009) An integrated framework for understanding the driving forces behind non-sequential process of internationalisation among firms. Business Process Management Journal, 15; 286–316Sasi V, Arenius P, (2008) International new ventures and social networks: advantage or liability?. European Management Journal, 26; 400–411Segaro E, (2012) Internationalization of family SMEs: the impact of ownership, governance, and top management team. Journal of Management Governance, 16; 147–169Tang YK, (2011) The Influence of networking on the internationalization of SMEs: Evidence from internationalized Chinese firms. International Small Business Journal, 29; 374–398

Outcomes

Abebe MA, Angriawan A, (2011) The internationalisation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): a multi-level integrative framework. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 13; 377–397Armario JM, Ruiz DM, Armario EM, (2008) Market orientation and internationalization in small and medium-sized enterprises. Journal of Small Business Management, 46; 485–511Arpa C, Tiernan S, O’Dwyer M, (2012) Entrepreneurial orientation, market orientation and internationalisation in born global small and micro-businesses. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 16; 455–470Cabrol M, Nlemvo F, (2009) The internationalisation of French new ventures: The case of the Rhone-Alps region. European Management Journal, 27; 255–267Cancino CA, I La Paz A, (2010) International New Ventures en Chile: tres casos de éxito. Academia. Revista Latinoamericana de Administración, 45Cieślik J, Kaciak E, Welsh DH, (2012) The impact of geographic diversification on export performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Journal of International Entrepreneurship, 10; 70–93Cheng HL, Yu CMJ, (2008) Institutional pressures and initiation of internationalization: Evidence from Taiwanese small-and medium-sized enterprises. International Business Review, 17; 331–348Crick D, (2009) The internationalisation of born global and international new venture SMEs. International Marketing Review, 26; 453–476Di Gregorio D, Musteen M, Thomas DE, (2009) Offshore outsourcing as a source of international competitiveness for SMEs. Journal of International Business Studies, 40; 969–988Fletcher R, (2011) Internationalisation strategies for SMEs in the decade ahead: are our theories relevant?. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 13; 246–262Frishammar J, Andersson S (2009) The overestimated role of strategic orientations for international performance in smaller firms. Journal of international entrepreneurship, 7; 57–77Jansson H, Sandberg S, (2008) Internationalization of small and medium sized enterprises in the Baltic Sea Region. Journal of International Management, 14; 65–77Jekanyika Matanda M, (2012) Internationalization of established small manufacturers in a developing economy: A case study of Kenyan SMEs. Thunderbird International Business Review, 54; 509–519Kalinic I, Forza C, (2012) Rapid internationalization of traditional SMEs: Between gradualist models and born globals. International Business Review, 21; 694–707Kamakura WA, Ramón-Jerónimo MA, Gravel JDV, (2012) A dynamic perspective to the internationalization of small-medium enterprises. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 40; 236–251Kauppinen A, Juho A, (2012) Internationalisation of SMEs from the perspective of social learning theory. Journal of International Entrepreneurship, 10; 200–231Knight GA, Kim D, (2009) International business competence and the contemporary firm. Journal of International Business Studies, 40; 255–273Kuivalainen O, Saarenketo S, Puumalainen K, (2012) Start-up patterns of internationalization: A framework and its application in the context of knowledge-intensive SMEs. European Management Journal, 30; 372–385Kuivalainen O, Sundqvist S, Saarenketo S, McNaughton R, (2012) Internationalization patterns of small and medium-sized enterprises. International Marketing Review, 29; 448–465Kuivalainen O, Puumalainen K, Sintonen S, Kyläheiko K, (2010) Organisational capabilities and internationalisation of the small and medium-sized information and communications technology firms. Journal of International Entrepreneurship, 8; 135–155Mejri K, Umemoto K, (2010) Small-and medium-sized enterprise internationalization: Towards the knowledge-based model. Journal of International Entrepreneurship, 8; 156–167Melen S, (2010) SMEs’ knowledge development in foreign markets: the effects of knowledge intensity. International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 4; 147–162Miocevic D, Crnjak-Karanovic B, (2012) Global mindset–a cognitive driver of small and medium-sized enterprise internationalization: The case of Croatian exporters. EuroMed Journal of Business, 7; 142–160Morgan-Thomas A, Jones MV, (2009) Post-entry internationalization dynamics: differences between SMEs in the development speed of their international sales. International Small Business Journal, 27; 71–97Park T, Rhee J, (2012) Antecedents of knowledge competency and performance in born globals: The moderating effects of absorptive capacity. Management Decision, 50; 1361–1381Prashantham S, (2011) Social capital and Indian micromultinationals. British Journal of Management, 22; 4–20Prashantham S, Floyd SW, (2012) Routine microprocesses and capability learning in international new ventures. Journal of International Business Studies, 43; 544–562Thai MTT, Chong LC, (2008) Born-global: The case of four Vietnamese SMEs. Journal of international entrepreneurship, 6; 72Ripolles Meliá M, Blesa Pérez A, Roig Dobón S, (2010) The influence of innovation orientation on the internationalisation of SMEs in the service sector. The Service Industries Journal, 30; 777–791Olejnik E, Swoboda B, (2012) SMEs’ internationalisation patterns: Descriptives, dynamics and determinants. International Marketing Review, 29; 466–495Ramos E, Acedo FJ, Gonzalez MR, (2011) Internationalisation speed and technological patterns: A panel data study on Spanish SMEs. Technovation, 31; 560–572Sommer L, Haug M, (2011) Intention as a cognitive antecedent to international entrepreneurship—understanding the moderating roles of knowledge and experience. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 7; 111–142Spence M, OrserB, Riding A, (2011). A comparative study of international and domestic new ventures. Management International Review, 51; 3–21Westhead P, (2008) International opportunity exploitation behaviour reported by “types” of firms relating to exporting experience. Journal of small business and enterprise development, 15; 431–456

  1. Source: elaborated by the authors

Appendix: List of articles per cluster (2013–2017)

Antecedents

Child J, Hsieh LH, (2014) Decision mode, information and network attachment in the internationalization of SMEs: A configurational and contingency analysis. Journal of world Business, 49; 598–610Eberhard M, Craig J, (2013) The evolving role of organisational and personal networks in international market venturing. Journal of World Business, 48; 385–397Francioni, B., Musso, F., Cioppi, M. (2015). Decision-maker characteristics and international decisions for SMEs. Management Decision, 53(10), 2226–2249.Francioni, B., Musso, F., Vardiabasis, D. (2013). Key decisions and changes in internationalization strategies: The case of smaller firms. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 21(3), 240–259Galkina, T., Chetty, S. (2015). Effectuation and networking of internationalizing SMEs. Management International Review, 55(5), 647–676Glavas C, Mathews S (2014) How international entrepreneurship characteristics influence Internet capabilities for the international business processes of the firm. International Business Review, 23; 228–245Hilmersson M, (2013) The effect of international experience on the degree of SME insidership in newly opened business networks. Baltic Journal of Management, 8; 397–415Hilmersson M, Papaioannou S, (2015) SME international opportunity scouting—empirical insights on its determinants and outcomes. Journal of International Entrepreneurship, 13; 186–211.Jane Hewerdine, L., Rumyantseva, M., Welch, C. (2014). Resource scavenging: Another dimension of the internationalisation pattern of high-tech SMEs. International Marketing Review, 31(3), 237–258Kalinic I, Sarasvathy SD, Forza C, (2014) ‘Expect the unexpected’: implications of effectual logic on the internationalization process. International Business Review, 23; 635–647Musteen M, Datta DK, Butts MM, (2014) Do international networks and foreign market knowledge facilitate SME internationalization? Evidence from the Czech Republic. Entrepreneurship theory and practice, 38;749–774

Sandberg, S. (2014). Experiential knowledge antecedents of the SME network node configuration in emerging market business networks. International Business Review, 23(1), 20–29Schweizer, R. (2013). SMEs and networks: Overcoming the liability of outsidership. Journal of International Entrepreneurship, 11(1), 80–103Scott-Kennel, J. (2013). Models of internationalisation: the New Zealand experienceThai, M. T. T., Chong, L. C. (2013). Dynamic experimental internationalization: Strategy of SMEs from a transition economy. Journal of International Entrepreneurship, 11(4), 370–399

Patterns

Ciravegna L, Lopez L, Kundu S, (2014) Country of origin and network effects on internationalization: A comparative study of SMEs from an emerging and developed economy. Journal of Business Research, 67; 916–923Ciravegna L, Majano SB, Zhan G, (2014) The inception of internationalization of small and medium enterprises: The role of activeness and networks. Journal of Business Research, 67; 1081–1089Crick D, Crick J, (2014) The internationalization strategies of rapidly internationalizing high-tech UK SMEs: Planned and unplanned activities. European Business Review, 26; 421–448Dai L, Maksimov V, Gilbert BA, Fernhaber S A, (2014) Entrepreneurial orientation and international scope: The differential roles of innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking. Journal of Business Venturing, 29; 511–524Dimitratos P, Johnson JE, Plakoyiannaki E, Young S (2016) SME internationalization: How does the opportunity-based international entrepreneurial culture matter?. International Business Review, 25; 1211–1222Felzensztein C, Ciravegna L, Robson P, Amorós J E, (2015) Networks, entrepreneurial orientation, and internationalization scope: evidence from Chilean small and medium enterprises. Journal of Small Business Management, 53; 145–160Gerschewski S, Rose E L, Lindsay VJ, (2015) Understanding the drivers of international performance for born global firms: An integrated perspective. Journal of World Business, 50; 558–575Johanson M, Martín OM, (2015) The incremental expansion of Born Internationals: A comparison of new and old Born Internationals. International Business Review, 24; 476–496Jørgensen EJ, Nilsen ER, (2015) Development of internationalisation in a capability perspective: Norwegian SMEs in Russia. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 26; 332–351Kaur S, Sandhu MS, (2014) Internationalisation of born global firms: Evidence from Malaysia. Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, 19; 101–136Schueffel P, Baldegger R, Amann W, (2014) Behavioral patterns in born-again global firms: towards a conceptual framework of the internationalization activities of mature SMEs. The Multinational Business Review, 22; 418–441Swoboda B, Olejnik E, (2016) Linking Processes and Dynamic Capabilities of International SME s: The Mediating Effect of International Entrepreneurial Orientation. Journal of Small Business Management, 54; 139–161Taylor M, Jack R, (2013) Understanding the pace, scale and pattern of firm internationalization: An extension of the ‘born global’concept. International Small Business Journal, 31; 701–721

Outcomes

Calabrò A, Mussolino D, (2013) How do boards of directors contribute to family SME export intensity? The role of formal and informal governance mechanisms. Journal of Management Governance, 17; 363–403Dasí À, Iborra M, Safón V, (2015) Beyond path dependence: Explorative orientation, slack resources, and managerial intentionality to internationalize in SMEs. International Business Review, 24; 77–88Denicolai S, Hagen B, Pisoni A, (2015) Be international or be innovative? Be both? The role of the entrepreneurial profile. Journal of international entrepreneurship, 13; 390–417. D’Angelo A, Majocchi A, Zucchella A, Buck T, (2013) Geographical pathways for SME internationalization: insights from an Italian sample. International Marketing Review, 30; 80–105Fernández-Olmos M, Gargallo-Castel A, Giner-Bagües E, (2016) Internationalisation and performance in Spanish family SMES: The W-curve. BRQ Business Research Quarterly, 19; 122–136Graves C, Shan YG, (2014) An empirical analysis of the effect of internationalization on the performance of unlisted family and nonfamily firms in Australia. Family Business Review, 27: 142–160Hessels J, Parker SC (2013) Constraints, internationalization and growth: A cross-country analysis of European SMEs. Journal of World Business, 48; 137–148Hilmersson M, Johanson M, (2016) Speed of SME internationalization and performance. Management International Review, 56; 67–94Hsu WT, Chen HL, Cheng CY, (2013) Internationalization and firm performance of SMEs: The moderating effects of CEO attributes. Journal of World Business, 48; 1–12Love JH, Ganotakis P, (2013) Learning by exporting: Lessons from high-technology SMEs. International business review, 22; 1–17Naldi L, Davidsson P, (2014) Entrepreneurial growth: The role of international knowledge acquisition as moderated by firm age. Journal of Business Venturing, 29; 687–703Oehme M, Bort S, (2015) SME internationalization modes in the German biotechnology industry: The influence of imitation, network position, and international experience. Journal of International Business Studies, 46; 629–655Onkelinx J, Manolova TS, Edelman LF, (2016) The human factor: Investments in employee human capital, productivity, and SME internationalization. Journal of International Management, 22; 351–364Pinho JC, Prange C, (2016) The effect of social networks and dynamic internationalization capabilities on international performance. Journal of World Business, 51; 391–403Raymond L, St-Pierre J, (2013) Strategic capability configurations for the internationalization of SMEs: A study in equifinality. International Small Business Journal, 31; 82–102Sui S, Baum M, (2014) Internationalization strategy, firm resources and the survival of SMEs in the export market. Journal of International Business Studies, 45; 821–841Xie YH, Suh T, (2014) Perceived resource deficiency and internationalization of small-and medium-sized firms. Journal of International Entrepreneurship, 12; 207–229Zhang X, Ma X, Wang Y, Wang Y, (2014) How can emerging market small and medium-sized enterprises maximise internationalisation benefits? The moderating effect of organisational flexibility. International Small Business Journal, 32; 667–692

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Steinhäuser, V.P.S., Paula, F.d. & de Macedo-Soares, T.D.L.v. Internationalization of SMEs: a systematic review of 20 years of research. J Int Entrep 19, 164–195 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10843-020-00271-7

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