Resumen
The internationalisation process in a company embodies a series of projects that
are performed in different geographical regions. In some cases, especially in SMEs,
companies are not capable of predicting the risks that will be faced during the
process and they do not have suitable tools to manage the knowledge acquired in
previous internationalisation experiences. Therefore, they fail to turn
internationalisation into a sustainable competitive advantage. This paper reports
the conclusions of a study based on both a bibliographic research and a
comprehensive study of a group of industrial companies. This study includes the
analysis of 37 internal reports about internationalisation experiences and the
carrying out of semi-structured interviews with managers responsible for
international operations. We have identified the main factors (risks) that prevent
successful internationalisation processes and we have proposed a taxonomy of
them. Furthermore, we have proposed a general framework (model) which
provides a common perspective for all internationalisation projects, bringing
coherence, and also a certain level of systematisation, to the decisions made in
regards to different internationalisation projects. The model provides a systemic
vision of the whole internationalisation process and we believe that companies can
develop efficient learning systems based on this framework. It would give them
differentiation and, therefore, help them to turn internationalisation into a
sustainable competitive advantage
