Drivers of Competitiveness in the Internationalization of SMEs: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Competitiveness in the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) is a highly relevant topic in academic and business contexts. Although most existing studies focus separately on SME internationalization or the drivers of competitiveness, few articulate the interrelationship between these two areas. The literature thus challenges the need for studies that integrate these areas and provide a more solid basis for future research. Therefore, this study aims to fill this gap through a systematic review to consolidate and integrate the various contributions from the literature, facilitating the analysis and understanding of the competitiveness and internationalization of SME. We therefore intend to answer the following research question: What are the drivers of competitiveness in the internationalization of SMEs? To this end, a sample of 253 articles was selected from the Web of Science database. The results allowed us to identify four main themes as competitiveness drivers significantly impacting SME internationalization: (i) innovation; (ii) the strategy; (iii) performance; and (iv) Entrepreneurship. Additionally, our findings establish an integrative framework laying the foundation for identifying existing gaps in the literature and proposing a future research agenda.