JOURNAL OF SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT
Abstract
Purpose: Building on recent developments in the Uppsala model, we first examine the role of business model innovation (BMI) in the internationalization process of firms and then determine to what extent international experience and psychic distance have a moderating effect between BMI and the success of a firm’s international initatives.
Design/methodology/approach: We apply a multiple hierarchical regression model to a sample of 168 firms of two border regions in Italy (Friuli Venezia Giulia) and Austria (Carinthia).
Findings: We find empirical support for the moderating role of both psychic distance and inter-national experience in the relationship between business model innovation and the success of internationalization initiatives.
Originality/value: The paper contributes to the evolutionary perspective of the internationaliza-tion process of firms by adding to the most recent developments of the Uppsala model some aspects related to the role of business model innovation. From an empirical point of view, the paper contributes to the literature by identifying and testing two boundary conditions that shape the relationship between BMI and international success.
