Entrepreneurship International new ventures - internalization, growth Thesis - 1

Entrepreneurship International new ventures - internalization, growth path, Measutement - Thesis Example Logitech and Skype are two firms that started out as international new ventures. Logitech and Skype are selected for case studies because they both represent the opportunities accorded international entrepreneurs and at the same time represent two different types of opportunities and risks taken and how those risks pay off and can be detrimental to international entrepreneurs. In this regard, Logitech represents how risks in international entrepreneurships can be profitable and Skype represents how risks can actually be detrimental to international new ventures. The results of this study confirm both network and internationalization theories. These results are discussed and implications for theory and practice are also discussed. Studies on international firms often focus on multi-national enterprises (MNE) which usually begin as large and powerful domestic firms that eventually branch out into the international arena (Oviatt & McDougall, 1994). However, advances in technology and an increase in the number of individuals with experience in international business have opened up opportunities for non-traditional MNEs (Oviatt & McDougall, 1994). Since the 1990s, there have been a significant and progressive growth in the number of ‘new and young firms’ that join the international market from the start (McDougall, Oviatt, & Shrader, 2003, p. 59). This trend in internationalisation from the start is known as International New Ventures (INV) (McDougall, et al., 2003). Researchers have attempted to understand why new firms which are comparatively small, would assume the additional ‘risk’ of venturing directly into the international market (McDougall, et al., 2003, p. 60). Traditional international business theories fail to provide a framework for analysing and understanding why international entrepreneurs venture out into the global market place from inception. This is because traditional international