SME international business models: The role of context and experience

This paper addresses two questions through a study of 180 SMEs located in contrasting industry and home country contexts. First, which business models for international markets prevail among SMEs and do they configure into different types? Second, which factors predict the international business models that SMEs follow? Three distinct international business models (traditional market-adaptive, technology-exploiter, and ambidextrous explorer) are found among the SMEs studied. The likelihood of SMEs adopting one business model rather than another is to a high degree predictable with reference to a small set of factors: industry, level of home economy development, and decision-maker international experience. 2017 Elsevier Inc.The authors are grateful for comments on an earlier version of this paper offered by Patricia McDougall-Covin and Becky Reuber, for feedback received at several seminar presentations and for the helpful suggestions from the editor and reviewers. They are also grateful for grants from the British Academy, China Europe International Business School, Leverhulme Trust and the UAE National Research Foundation in support of the research reported here.Scopu