From emerging to developed markets: entrepreneurship in smaller exporting firms

Abstract

This study seeks to analyse the importance of the entrepreneur in smaller exporting firms from emerging markets internationalising to developed markets, focusing on India, one of the two big emerging markets in the Asia Pacific rim. Employing a multiple case-study design, twelve cases were selected and in-depth semistructured interviews were conducted to gain a detailed understanding of the role of the entrepreneur in the smaller Indian exporting firm. Open, axial and selective coding (Strauss and Corbin, 1998) was conducted to generate themes from the transcripts. The findings revealed that in contrast to prior studies (Etemad, 2004) that viewed the entrepreneur as a mediating force, the role of the entrepreneur was fundamental to the internationalisation efforts of the firm. They were found to be wholly responsible, not risk averse, proactive and fundamental to the internationalisation of the firm. Consequently, the position of the entrepreneurial mindset in the conceptual framework was revised and a modified framework developed upon conclusion of the cross-case analysis.