An eclectic perspective on the internationalization of Australian mobile services SMEs

Abstract

In response to calls for further research and drawing from industry, network, knowledge, and institution theories, this chapter takes an eclectic approach to investigate the internationalization of knowledge-based service SMEs operating in the mobile services industry. The authors employ qualitative evidence collected from in-depth interviews with seventeen Australian SMEs that export mobile data services. They find that an eclectic framework inclusive of concepts inherent in industry-, network-, knowledge-, and institution-based perspectives is required to explain the complex phenomena concerning the internationalization of mobile data service firms. This framework is a contribution to the existing body of knowledge as it can help organizations that have internationalization ambitions to carry out in-depth analyses of their potential and opportunities.