Knowledge configurations of small and medium-sized knowledge-intensive firms in a developing economy: A knowledge-based view of business-to-business internationalization

This paper explores knowledge configurations (i.e. combinations of knowledge types and sources) in the business-to-business internationalization of knowledge-intensive small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a developing economy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 owners/managers of 22 such firms that internationalized from Tunisia; so to establish their knowledge configurations and other key characteristics. In spite of their many differences (e.g. firm age, host markets, entry modes, resource endowments, products and services) they share an interesting empirical regularity; they have not developed internationalization knowledge. That is, a knowledge type portrayed as key in the extant theorizing. The findings show the knowledge configurations of these SMEs and how they compensated for their knowledge shortcomings. The implications for industrial marketing management theory and practice are discussed, along with several viable avenues for further context-specific and practice-oriented research.