International Entrepreneurship

The underlying ambition of the course is to develop an understanding of the critical challenges and opportunities met by internationally growth aspiring firms. By drawing on recent insights in International Entrepreneurship research, course participants will discuss and analyse factors central to sustainable international expansion of SMEs.

Central and critical issues explaining the rise of International Entrepreneurship research is covered and several aspects related to internationalisation is discussed, including the role of international opportunities and their characteristics, the influence on performance of time, temporality and speed of SME internationalisation, and internal explanations to successful internationalisation. Students are also trained in understanding the role of internationalisation capabilities and the process of capability development. In addition to internal explanations, the course covers external antecedents to successful internationalisation and covers areas such as the business network and social capital of the firm or manager. Finally, the course contain elements challenging a causal and planning based logic when seeking to scale operations internationally in favor of a more improvisational and agile view on internationalisation plans and strategies.

By developing an in-depth understanding of recent research developments in the field of firm internationalisation course participants will understand how and why resource constrained and inexperienced SMEs can develop sustainable international growth strategies compensating for their in liability of smallness. Emphasis will be given to newly started and inexperienced firms operating in developing industries and students will be trained for acting in key positions in such firms and in the innovation system.