NEW REALITIES OF THE SME INTERNATIONALIZATION: A CAPABILITY PERSPECTIVE

This paper deals with an analysis of the internationalization process of Croatian SME exporters. The traditional theory of internationalization suggests that the firm gradually develops an international presence. On the contrary, born global approach indicated that firms can internationalize instantly on a full scale by avoiding incremental steps. However the born global approach to internationalization confirmed that, besides informational and resource based perspective, intangible assets (capabilities) should be assessed. Global mindset represents a viable latent capability of exporting firm, especially the SME. The findings suggest that a significant relationship between global mindset and export market orientation exists suggesting that managerial cognition fosters effective export marketing activity