The Internationalization Process of Small and Medium Enterprises: Case of Albania

Abstract

The global economy is becoming more integrated with each passing day, taking into consideration the rapid process of globalization, which permits small and medium enterprises to internationalize in effective and quick ways. The main issues discussed in this paper are related to the internationalization process for SMEs, the reasons why they decide to become international, and the models they use to finalize this process. The internationalization process has been an interesting topic of focus for researchers, academia, businessmen, and students. This is a phenomenon mostly related to the big companies, but in the last years, the process of internationalization has related to small and medium enterprises since their active roles in the international markets have increased. Different internal and external factors, such as macroeconomic conditions, organizational cultures, technology, and infrastructures, have influenced the way these firms choose their models to realize the internationalization process. This paper focuses on the three main theories of internationalization, which include the following: Uppsala model as well as the network theory and international entrepreneurship theory (specifically in the case of Albania), which is in the first stage of development in comparison to other countries in our region.