Entrepreneurial Behavior of Mature Firms in Internationalization: Evidence from a High-tech Industry

Authors

  • Angela da Rocha Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro
  • Sylvia Terezinha de Almeida Moraes Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro
  • Renato Cotta de Mello Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – COPPEAD-UFRJ

Keywords:

International entrepreneurship, Internationalization, Software, Mature Firms

Abstract

The study investigates the international trajectories of leading entrepreneurial firms in the Brazilian software industry using an international entrepreneurship perspective. The following research question guided the study: How does a mature entrepreneurial firm’s international expansion evolve and how does it differ from a typical international new venture’s path? The research adopts the case study method of investigation. The study analyzes three cases of leading high-tech Brazilian firms in the software development industry, whose internationalization processes occurred at least ten years after inception. The analysis uses a cross-case comparison, followed by a pattern-matching analysis with the extant literature on international new ventures and born globals. The results show that the late internationalization of the mature entrepreneurial firms examined in this study differs markedly from that of INVs or BGs on the following aspects: risk taking, competitive strategies, international vision since inception and entrepreneur´s previous international experience. Nevertheless, the two types of firm have in common innovativeness, proactiveness and networking capabilities.

Author Biographies

Angela da Rocha, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro

Professor Associado de Marketing e Negócios Internacionais, IAG Escola de Negócios

Coordenador do NUPIN - Núcleo de Pesquisas em Negócios Internacionais

Sylvia Terezinha de Almeida Moraes, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro

Professor de Estratégia e Empreendedorismo do Quadro Complementar, IAG Escola de Negócios
Pesquisador do NUPIN - Núcleo de Pesquisas em Negócios Internacionais

Renato Cotta de Mello, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – COPPEAD-UFRJ

Professor Adjunto de Negócios Internacionais do Instituto Coppead de Administração

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Published

2020-01-28

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 4 (2019): Oct/Dec

Section

Articles

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