Our framework combines the entrepreneurship competences theory proposed by McClelland (1987) and the behavior (Johanson & Vahlne, 1990; Knight & Cavusgil, 2004) and decision maker (Reid, 1983; Dar & Misha, 2019) perspectives of the internationalization literature to study the extent to which small and medium-sized companies engage in international exportations.
In recent years there has been a growing interest of small and medium-sized Brazilian entrepreneurs to expand their businesses into the international market. This will be the focus of our study.
This research seeks to identify those competencies which influence the search for foreign markets, through the study of the necessary entrepreneurial competencies related to the exports process at SME's. We intend to answer the following research problem: What are the main business competences of entrepreneurs at small and medium-sized exporting companies? In order to answer that question, we validate a scale of competences for SME's and analyze the results from SME’s entrepreneurs, from Minas Gerais State, in Brazil.
In the present study we will focus on the behavioral approach. This justify because our research object is associated with individual perceptions on the necessary entrepreneurial competences for small and medium-sized enterprises export.
The line of research of internationalization processes emphasizing behavioral models, seeks to go beyond some economic limitations. Their fundamentals are centered in the decision making process. Decision makers would be responsible for the insertion of their company in foreign markets
In order to identify and evaluate entrepreneurial competences of export, we used a quantitative and descriptive methodology by convenience sample (not probabilistic).
In order to structure a questionnaire which would reflect the necessary competences for entrepreneurs of exporting SMEs, it was taken as reference the work of McClelland (1973) and Ghemawat (2001) supported by the recent study of Dar & Misha (2019).
When preparing the scale, two dimensions were included in the measurement instrument.
Regarding the exporters' perception of success, the evolution of brand recognition (7.35) and the income increase because of the export activities (7.09) stand out as the highest average reported in the results. On the other hand, the failure to meet the expectations of the importing countries (4.85) and the low perspective regarding the market share exports increase (5.18) indicated the lowest average percentage.
Even with the recently increase in exports of commodities, especially in agribusiness, Brazil still presents low level exports in the sale of value-added products (machinery and equipment, precious stones, furniture), which culminated in the low retraction of exports of small and medium enterprises. In the research conducted prevailed the export of Brazilian products in larger numbers for countries in Latin America – belonging to the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI).
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Dar, I. A. & Misha, M Internationalisation of SMEs: Development and validation of multi-dimensional measurement scale. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business. Int. J. Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Vol. 38, No. 4, 2019.
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