Expanding the firm’s operations into global markets could be considered an act of opportunity-seizing entrepreneurship. In order to take advantage of opportunities that arise, firms need dynamic capabilities, i.e. structures, processes and other intangible assets that help them to cope with the changing environment. Given the fact that an increasing number of companies attempt to enter the international markets rapidly - i.e. are born globals - it is surprising that so far research related to managerial decision-making in these firms has been limited.
This study attempts to address that gap by studying the relationship between strategic orientations (entrepreneurial orientation, learning orientation and international growth-orientation) and firm's international performance. Based on the existing knowledge on born globals and literature on strategic orientations, a set of hypotheses was drawn. They were tested with data from 299 Finnish companies representing several different industrial sectors.
The findings indicate that strategic orientations are related to a firm's international performance. This relationship is moderated by its international growth strategy.
Read more from a recent article by researchers from Turku School of Economics and Lappeenranta University of Technology : Jantunen, Ari - Nummela, Niina - Puumalainen, Kaisu - Saarenketo, Sami (2008) Strategic orientations of born globals - Do they really matter? Journal of World Business, Vol.43 No.2, 158-170.