Uma análise da influência do perfil empreendedor do líder no processo de internacionalização de PME de base tecnológica

Raquel Pereira, Maria Clara Ribeiro, Vânia Rodrigues

Abstract


Purpose: To identify the leader's entrepreneurial profile in small and medium-sized technology-based companies (SMEs) and understand how this profile influences the company's internationalization process. To this end, we intend to answer the following questions: “What are the entrepreneurial characteristics of the leader?”; “What are the entry modes and internationalization strategies followed by the company?”; “What are the leader's traits and the external factors that influence the internationalization process?”.

Methodology: A quantitative methodological approach was followed. In order to meet the objectives, a survey was designed and administered online to a sample of Portuguese technology-based SMEs.

Findings: The results indicate that the entrepreneurial leader of technology-based Portuguese SMEs is mostly male (95.2%), holds higher education (93.7%) and previous experience in internationalized companies (84.1%) and indicate the direct export as the preferred entry mode into foreign markets. Additionally, the most common entrepreneur profile is the so-called classic entrepreneur, which is defined as a mature entrepreneur with knowledge and previous international experience.

Research limitations: The results indicate that the entrepreneurial leader of technology-based Portuguese SMEs is mostly male (95.2%), holds higher education (93.7%) and previous experience in internationalized companies (84.1%) and indicate the direct export as the preferred entry mode into foreign markets. Additionally, the most common entrepreneur profile is the so-called classic entrepreneur, which is defined as a mature entrepreneur with knowledge and previous international experience.

Originality/Value: This study is relevant in the entrepreneurship and internationalization fields because in the Portuguese context of technology-based SMEs there is no research specifically focused on analyzing and studying the influence of the entrepreneurial profile of the leader in their internationalization process.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Internationalization, Leader profile, Technology-based companies.


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References


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