Export as a Factor Boosts SMEs Internationalization

Abstract

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The aim of the article is to examine the role and importance of factors: (1) company size on the value of generated exports, (2) the aspect of the country of origin of enterprise on the value of generated exports and also (3) to define relations between these two factors. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: SMEs are of particular importance for all micro and macroeconomic indicators. Their specificity and peculiarity, manifested in the possibility of fast adaptation to a turbulent economic environment, which affects their effectiveness on foreign markets. The issue was considered on the basis of the analysis of the relevant literature and the results of own research with the use of two-factor analysis of variance and χ2 test. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: Based on the relevant literature and the organisation theory, groups of factors determining the internationalisation processes of SMEs are described and then export results for selected EU countries are presented. To obtain the presented research results, tools of mathematical analysis and statistical tests of independence were applied. RESEARCH RESULTS: The obtained causal relations and theoretical-empirical conclusions point to export as a factor stimulating SMEs internationalisation, which is directly correlated with the examined factors due to the lack of sufficient evidence to reject the adopted research hypotheses regarding the independence of the examined correlations. CONCLUSION, INNOVATIONS, AND RECOMENDATIONS: It has been proved that the size of enterprises and the country they come from influence the value of exports generated by them, and a direct relationship between these factors has been proven to exist. It is important to determine the so-called country barriers, the elimination of which through the creation of conditions conducive to SME development on both the national and top-down EU policy level may favour the development of internationalisation of this sector.