Handbook of Research on European Business and Entrepreneurship Towards a Theory of Internationalization

This unique Handbookillustrates how entrepreneurs across Europe tackle internationalization. This timely and important book identifies patterns and builds a theory of international entrepreneurship in Europe. The contributors discuss the performances of SMEs on the road to internationalization. Each chapter emphasizes how the process of internationalization of SMEs operates, the challenges and opportunities that arise due to each country's specific political and economic situation, and their subsequent internationalization performance. These processes, challenges and performances can be understood through theories of international business and entrepreneurship. Although at times these theories cannot fully explain certain phenomena, nevertheless they help to derive new extensions of thought. Together, they constitute a foundation for a new way of thinking about and understanding the importance and effect of internationalization of SMEs to country-level competitiveness in Europe. The role of theoretically important issues such as cooperation and trust, venture capital, research and development, learning, networks and government policy is also explored and analysed, and will be of great interest to researchers, academics and graduates interested in international business and entrepreneurship.