Exploring the Impact of Internationalization on Firm Performance: The impact of Innovation and Gender of Owner on SMEs’ performance in the Central Eastern European Context.

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2024-08-22

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en

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This research investigates the impact of internationalization on the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, with a particular focus on the moderating effects of innovation and the gender of the firm owner. Using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis on data from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys was used leading to a sample of 7304 firms. The study reveals a positive relationship between internationalization and firm performance. The hypothesized moderating effects of innovation was supported as well. Surprisingly, the moderate effect of gender of the firm owner was not supported. These findings contribute to the existing internationalization literature by highlighting the unique challenges faced by CEE SMEs and the need for context-specific strategies. The study underscores the importance of supporting SMEs in their internationalization and innovative efforts through targeted policies and programs and calls for further research into the nuanced dynamics of and gender.

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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen