Abstract
The paper examines factors influencing the early internationalization of small high technology international start-ups in the US and UK in order to understand why small high technology start-ups are increasingly international in nature at or near inception. The study qualitatively identifies influential factors and quantitatively measures the level of importance of 25 leading factors to the firms. The study found that the principal factors influencing the early internationalization of international start-ups are the international vision of the founders, their desire to be international market leaders, the identification of specific international opportunities, and the possession of international contacts and sales leads.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aaker, D.A., V. Kumar, and G.S. Day, 1998, Marketing Research, 6th edition, New York: John Wiley.
Acs, Z.J., R. Morck, M. Shaver, and B. Yeung, 1997, ‘The Internationalisation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Policy Perspective’, Small Business Economics 9 (1), 7-20.
Aggarwal, R., 1999, ‘Technology and Globalization as Mutual Reinforcers in Business:Reorienting Strategic Thinking for the New Millennium’, Management International Review 2 (Special Issue), 83-104.
Bell, J., D. Crick, and S. Young, 1998, ‘A Holistic Perspective on Small Firm Growth and Internationalisation’, in 25th Annual Conference of the Academy of International Business, vol. 1, City University Business School, 3-4 April 1998, pp. 9-29.
Bloodgood, J.M., H.J. Sapienza, and J.G. Almeida, 1995, ‘The Internationalization of New High Potential Ventures: Antecedents and Outcomes’, in Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, Wellesley, MA: Babson College, pp. 533-546.
Bloodgood, J.M., H.J. Sapienza et al., 1996, ‘The Internationalization of New High-Potential U.S. Ventures: Antecedents and Outcomes’, Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice 20 (Summer), 61-76.
Butchart, R.I., 1987, ‘A New UK Definition of the High Technology Industries’, Economic Trends 400 (February), 82-88.
Chisnall, P.M., 1997, Marketing Research, 5th edition, London: McGraw-Hill.
Churchill, G.A. Jr., 1987, Marketing Research: Methodological Foundations, New York: Dryden.
Coviello, N.E. and A. McAuley, 1999, ‘Internationalisation and the Smaller Firm: A Review of Contemporary Empirical Research’, Management International Review 39, 223-244.
Coviello, N.E. and H.J. Munro, 1995, ‘Growing the Entrepreneurial Firm: Networking for International Market Development’, European Journal of Marketing 29 (7), 49-61.
Fraser, J. and J. Oppenheim, 1997, ‘What's New About Globalization?’ The McKinsey Quarterly 2, 168-179.
Johnson, J.E., 2001, Firm-Specific Determinants of Success for Small High Technology International Start-ups: A Performance Study of UK and US Firms, unpublished PhD thesis, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland.
Jolly, V.K., M. Alahuhta, and J.-P. Jeannet, 1992, ‘Challenging the Incumbents: How High Technology Start-ups Compete Globally’, Journal of Strategic Change 1, 71-82.
Jones-Evans, D. and P. Westhead, 1996, ‘The High Technology Small Firm Sector in the UK’, International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research 2 (1), 15-35.
Keeble, D., C. Lawson, H. Smith, B. Moore, and F. Wilkison, 1998, ‘Internationalisation Processes, Networking and Local Embeddedness in Technology-Intensive Small Firms’, Small Business Economics 11 (4), 327-342.
Knight, G.A. and S.T. Cavusgil, 1996, ‘The Born Global Firm: A Challenge to Traditional Internationalization Theory’, Advances in International Marketing 8, 11-26.
Knight, G., T.K. Madsen, P. Servais, and E. Rasmussen, 2000, ‘The Born Global Firm: Description and Empirical Investigation in Europe and the United States’, American Marketing Association Conference (Winter, 2000).
Lindqvist, M.C., 1990, ‘Critical Success Factors in the Process of Internationalization of Small Hi-Tech Firms’, in S. Birley (ed.), Building European Ventures, Amsterdam: Elsevier, pp. 36-60.
Lindqvist, M., 1997, ‘Infant Multinationals: Internationalisation of Small Technology-Based Firms’, in D. Jones-Evans and M. Klofsten (eds.), Technology, Innovation and Enterprise: The European Experience, Hampshire: Macmillan, pp. 303-324.
Litvak, I.A., 1990, ‘Instant International: Strategic Reality for Small High-Technology Firms in Canada’, Multinational Business 2 (Summer), 1-12.
Madsen, T.K. and P. Servais, 1997, ‘The Internationalization of Born Globals: An Evolutionary Process?’ International Business Review 6, 561-583.
McDougall, P.P., 1989, ‘International Versus Domestic Entrepreneurship: New Venture Strategic Behavior and Industry Structure’, Journal of Business Venturing 4, 387-400.
McDougall, P.P. and B.M. Oviatt, 1991, ‘Global Start-Ups: New Ventures Without Geographic Limits’, The Entrepreneurship Forum (Winter), 1-5.
McDougall, P.P., S. Shane, and B.M. Oviatt, 1994, ‘Explaining the Formation of International NewVentures: The Limits of Theories from International Business Research’, Journal of Business Venturing 9, 469-487.
Oakley, P., 1996, ‘High-Tech NPD Success through Faster Overseas Launch’, European Journal of Marketing 30 (8), 75-91.
OECD, 1997, Globalisation and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Paris: OECD.
Ohmae, K., 1990, The BorderlessWorld: Power and Strategy in the Interlinked Economy, New York: Harper Business.
Ohmae, K., 1995, The End of the Nation State, The Rise of Regional Economies, New York: The Free Press.
Oviatt, B.M. and P.P. McDougall, 1994, ‘Toward a Theory of International New Ventures’, Journal of International Business Studies 25 (1), 45-64.
Oviatt, B.M. and P.P. McDougall, 1995, ‘Global Start-Ups: Entrepreneurs on aWorldwide Stage’, Academy of Management Executive 9 (2), 30-43.
Oviatt, B.M. and P.P. McDougall, 1997, ‘Challenges for Internationalization Process Theory: The Case of International New Ventures’, Management International Review 37 (Special Issue), 85-99.
Oviatt, B.M., P.P. McDougall, M. Simon, and R.C. Shrader, 1991, ‘A New Venture Without Geographic Limits: Case History of a Global Start-up’, in N.C. Churchill et al. (eds.), Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, Babson Park, MA: Babson College, pp. 64-78.
Oviatt, B.M., P.P. McDougall, M. Simon, and R.C. Schrader, 1993, ‘Heartware International Corporation: A Medical Equipment Company “Born International” Part A’, Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice 18, 111-128.
Rasmussan, E.S., T.K. Madsen, and F. Evangelista, 2001, ‘The Founding of the Born Global Company in Denmark and Australia: Sensemaking and Networking’, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics 13 (3), 75-107.
Rennie, M.W., 1993, ‘Born Global’, McKinsey Quarterly 4, 45-52.
Roberts, E.B. and T.A. Senturia, 1996, ‘Globalizing the Emerging High-Technology Company’, Industrial Marketing Management 25, 491-506.
Shrader, R.C., B.M. Oviatt, and P.P. McDougall, 1996, ‘A Risk-Taking Perspective on the Internationalization of New Ventures’, Entrepreneurship Division, Academy of Management Meeting, 1996.
US SBA, 1993, ‘The Wide World of International Trade’, Small Business Success 6, 30-42.
Zahra, S.A., R.D. Ireland, and M.A. Hitt, 2000, ‘International Expansion by New Venture Firms: International Diversity, Mode of Market Entry, Technological Learning, and Performance’, Academy of Management Journal 43 (5), 925-950.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Johnson, J.E. Factors Influencing the Early Internationalization of High Technology Start-ups: US and UK Evidence. Journal of International Entrepreneurship 2, 139–154 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JIEN.0000026910.87323.4e
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JIEN.0000026910.87323.4e