Internationalization of Danish SMEs
Author
Gundersen, Pål
Term
4. Term
Publication year
2018
Submitted on
2018-06-05
Pages
70
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan danske små og mellemstore virksomheder (SMV'er) kan få succes med internationalisering – dvs. salg eller drift uden for Danmarks grænser. I en global økonomi, hvor SMV'er udgør omkring 99 procent af virksomhederne i EU, og hvor Danmarks hjemmemarked er lille (lidt over fem millioner mennesker), afhænger vækst ofte af at nå kunder i udlandet. Selvom der findes offentlige programmer, der støtter dette, vurderer relativt få danske SMV'er eksport som afgørende for deres vækst, selvom europæiske kilder peger på, at internationaliserede SMV'er er mere konkurrencedygtige. For at forblive objektiv og dække mange virksomheder anvender studiet sekundære data i stedet for egne interviews. Det følger en deduktiv tilgang og gennemfører en systematisk litteraturgennemgang for at kortlægge eksisterende viden og gøre forskningsskridtene gennemsigtige. Gennemgangen munder ud i et rammeværk med fire centrale faktorer for SMV-internationalisering: ressourcer, viden, netværk og værtsmarkedsforhold (forhold i målmarkedet). Herefter præsenteres ti casestudier af danske SMV'er, der har internationaliseret, baseret på data fra en tidligere ph.d.-afhandling. Resultaterne grupperes i strategi, udfordringer og anbefalinger og diskuteres sammen med relevante statistiske data. Fundene peger på, at begrænsninger i ressourcer og viden er de største barrierer. Ledere kan afhjælpe disse ved at samarbejde gennem netværk. Det er typisk lettere at gå ind på nærliggende, sikrere og mere lignende markeder. Hvis virksomheden går mod fjernere markeder, anbefales lavforpligtende tilgange – løsninger, der kræver færre ressourcer og indebærer lavere risiko. Endelig har danske rådgivningsnetværk og andre offentlige initiativer en positiv effekt og bør udnyttes af SMV'er, der vil internationalisere.
This thesis examines how Danish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can succeed with internationalization—selling or operating outside Denmark’s borders. In a global economy where SMEs make up about 99 percent of EU firms and Denmark’s home market is small (just over five million people), growth often depends on reaching customers abroad. Although public programs exist to support this, relatively few Danish SMEs view exporting as central to their growth, even though European sources indicate that internationalized SMEs are more competitive. To remain objective and cover many firms, the study uses secondary data rather than new interviews. It follows a deductive approach and conducts a systematic literature review to map existing knowledge and make the research steps transparent. The review results in a framework with four key factor areas for SME internationalization: resources, knowledge, networks, and host market conditions (the characteristics of the target market). The review is followed by ten case studies of Danish SMEs that have internationalized, drawing on data from a prior PhD study. Findings are organized into strategy, challenges, and recommendations and discussed alongside relevant statistical evidence. The results highlight resource and knowledge constraints as the main obstacles. Managers can mitigate these by collaborating through networks. Entering nearby, safer, and more similar markets tends to make internationalization easier. If firms target more distant markets, low-commitment approaches—options that require fewer resources and lower risk—are advisable. Finally, Danish consultancy networks and other government initiatives are beneficial for internationalizing SMEs and should be used.
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