- Trial lecture starts at 10.15
- Public defence starts at 12.00
The title of the trial lecture is "How and why is founder-owner leadership self-efficacy (LSE) important in relation to making good business decision in SME firms? How should potential investors potentially assess such LSE in SMEs?"
The link to the thesis in AURA
Assessment committee:
- Professor Olaf Rank, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
- Professor Sabrina Schneider, Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences
- Professor Trond Randøy, UiA
Supervisors in the doctoral work:
Summary of thesis
This dissertation, titled The Interplay of Individual Competencies in SME Internationalization, examines the critical role of individual-level competencies in shaping the internationalization strategies and outcomes of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Focusing on cultural intelligence (CQ), emotional intelligence (EQ), leadership self-efficacy (LSE), and global mindset (GM), it explores how these personal attributes influence the strategic decisions of SME owner-managers in navigating complex global markets. The research is structured into three interrelated manuscripts, each addressing distinct but complementary aspects of these competencies in the international business context.
The first manuscript provides a comprehensive review of CQ and its applications in international business. Using a systematic literature review methodology, the study synthesizes two decades of research to reveal the multidimensional role of CQ in fostering occupational success, self-enhancement, well-being, and strategic achievements in culturally diverse environments. Despite its evident significance, the study identifies gaps in existing research, particularly concerning CQ’s application in virtual teams, ethical considerations, and overconfidence in cultural capabilities. The findings advocate for the integration of CQ into organizational strategies as a means to address cross-cultural challenges and achieve sustainable international growth.
The second manuscript empirically examines the relationship between CQ, EQ, and SMEs’ degree of internationalization (DOI), emphasizing the mediating role of GM. The study highlights how CQ equips managers with the ability to adapt to cultural diversity, while EQ enhances their interpersonal and emotional management skills. GM emerges as a critical cognitive framework that amplifies the influence of CQ and EQ, enabling managers to synthesize diverse knowledge and align strategies with global market demands. By introducing an enhanced multidimensional DOI measurement, the study provides a nuanced understanding of SMEs’ international engagement, encompassing both the extent and geographic diversity of their operations.
The third manuscript focuses on LSE and its influence on SMEs’ preferences for equity-based foreign market entry modes. This research reveals that high LSE fosters confidence in decision-making under uncertainty, encouraging resource-intensive and control-oriented market entry strategies. CQ and EQ are shown to moderate this relationship, with CQ enabling cross-cultural adaptability and EQ fostering resilience and relational management in challenging international contexts. Together, these competencies underline the human-centric drivers of strategic internationalization in resource-constrained SMEs.
The theoretical contributions of this dissertation are manifold. It extends the application of upper echelons theory to SMEs by emphasizing the centrality of individual competencies in shaping organizational strategies. The research also bridges gaps in SME internationalization literature by integrating personal attributes like CQ, EQ, LSE, and GM into strategic frameworks. Moreover, it introduces innovative methodological approaches, including a refined DOI measurement that captures the breadth and depth of global engagement.
Practically, the findings underscore the importance of investing in the development of CQ, EQ, GM, and LSE through training, mentoring, and international exchange programs. Policymakers and practitioners are encouraged to support SMEs in building leadership capacities and mitigating risks associated with complex internationalization decisions.
Despite its significant contributions, the dissertation acknowledges several limitations, including its focus on SMEs in Norway and Azerbaijan, which may limit generalizability. The reliance on cross-sectional data also constrains causal interpretations, suggesting the need for longitudinal studies. Additionally, future research could explore the ethical implications of leveraging competencies like CQ and examine other mediators and moderators influencing SME internationalization outcomes.
In sum, this dissertation underscores the pivotal role of individual competencies in driving SME success in global markets, offering theoretical enrichment and actionable insights for practitioners and policymakers in international business
What to do as an online audience member
The disputation is open to the public. To follow the trial lecture and the public defence online, register on Zoom.
We ask online audience members to join no earlier than 10 minutes in advance. After these times, you can leave and rejoin the meeting at any time.
Opponent ex auditorio:
Deadline for the public to pose questions is during the break between the two opponents. Questions ex auditorio can be submitted to disputation chair.
Questions?
- gunvor.guttormsen@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 16 48