The internationalization of small technological firms: A study of perceptions, decisions & strategies of ten Israeli CEOs

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International developments and an increased globalization are changing the settings for businesses around the globe. Small firms have both limitations in finances and experiences but are still able to compete in the international marketplace. Research on this area comes from a variety of fields but is mostly quantitative and focuses on one or a few parameters. There have been calls for a more explanatory holistic understanding of the internationalization of small firms. This thesis contributes to the field of international entrepreneurship by exploring the internationalization process of small firms from the perspective of the CEO. The contribution is reached by a two-step approach. First, the internationalization process for the CEO is mapped by a theoretical review. Secondly, the map is tested empirically by studies of ten CEOs of Israeli technological small firms. The theoretical review showed a process which started with an entrepreneurial orientation which was followed by strategic decision making and resulted in the formation of the internationalization strategy. These stages were then influenced by a number of factors identified in theories and verified by the empirics. The empirical examination and second step showed a variety of characteristics behaviours in the identified stages and divided the ten studied CEOs in three types; the Transformer has extensive international experience and is hired as CEO to transform the firm for the international market. The Explorer is a technological innovator with international experience who explores his capabilities by founding his own firm. The last identified type is the newcomer ...