Industry 4.0 as the Driving Force of SME Internationalisation: A Case of Lithuania

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are assumed to be one of the key contributors to the country’s economic growth and social welfare. Thus, their internationalisation appears to be inevitable considering how globalisation processes have changed the rules of competition in recent decades. Smar...

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Main Authors: Kovaitė Kristina, Šūmakaris Paulius, Stankevičienė Jelena, Korsakienė Renata
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Riga Technical University Press 2019-01-01
Series:Economics and Business
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.2478/eb-2019-0014
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author Kovaitė Kristina
Šūmakaris Paulius
Stankevičienė Jelena
Korsakienė Renata
author_facet Kovaitė Kristina
Šūmakaris Paulius
Stankevičienė Jelena
Korsakienė Renata
author_sort Kovaitė Kristina
collection DOAJ
description Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are assumed to be one of the key contributors to the country’s economic growth and social welfare. Thus, their internationalisation appears to be inevitable considering how globalisation processes have changed the rules of competition in recent decades. Smart and digitalised technologies (Internet of Things and Services, etc.) decentralise communication and provide the opportunities for new firms to overcome the barriers of geographical location and access international markets through co-creation business models and changes of the value chains. The paper aims at analysing and disclosing how the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) influences SME internationalisation. The present study is grounded on the research of extant scientific literature and assessment of experts. The research demonstrates that Industry 4.0 positively influences the internationalisation of SMEs on a number of dimensions. The recommendations for managers and policymakers how to foster internationalisation of SMEs are suggested.
format Article
id doaj-art-3b350b4c4e634bcea4e628d3d11a056e
institution DOAJ
issn 1407-7337
2256-0394
language English
publishDate 2019-01-01
publisher Riga Technical University Press
record_format Article
series Economics and Business
spelling doaj-art-3b350b4c4e634bcea4e628d3d11a056e2025-08-20T02:56:33ZengRiga Technical University PressEconomics and Business1407-73372256-03942019-01-0133119220610.2478/eb-2019-0014eb-2019-0014Industry 4.0 as the Driving Force of SME Internationalisation: A Case of LithuaniaKovaitė Kristina0Šūmakaris Paulius1Stankevičienė Jelena2Korsakienė Renata3Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, LithuaniaVilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, LithuaniaVilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, LithuaniaVilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, LithuaniaSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are assumed to be one of the key contributors to the country’s economic growth and social welfare. Thus, their internationalisation appears to be inevitable considering how globalisation processes have changed the rules of competition in recent decades. Smart and digitalised technologies (Internet of Things and Services, etc.) decentralise communication and provide the opportunities for new firms to overcome the barriers of geographical location and access international markets through co-creation business models and changes of the value chains. The paper aims at analysing and disclosing how the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) influences SME internationalisation. The present study is grounded on the research of extant scientific literature and assessment of experts. The research demonstrates that Industry 4.0 positively influences the internationalisation of SMEs on a number of dimensions. The recommendations for managers and policymakers how to foster internationalisation of SMEs are suggested.https://doi.org/10.2478/eb-2019-0014business modelindustry 4.0.sme internationalisationsmart and interconnected technologiesd81f23f61
spellingShingle Kovaitė Kristina
Šūmakaris Paulius
Stankevičienė Jelena
Korsakienė Renata
Industry 4.0 as the Driving Force of SME Internationalisation: A Case of Lithuania
Economics and Business
business model
industry 4.0.
sme internationalisation
smart and interconnected technologies
d81
f23
f61
title Industry 4.0 as the Driving Force of SME Internationalisation: A Case of Lithuania
title_full Industry 4.0 as the Driving Force of SME Internationalisation: A Case of Lithuania
title_fullStr Industry 4.0 as the Driving Force of SME Internationalisation: A Case of Lithuania
title_full_unstemmed Industry 4.0 as the Driving Force of SME Internationalisation: A Case of Lithuania
title_short Industry 4.0 as the Driving Force of SME Internationalisation: A Case of Lithuania
title_sort industry 4 0 as the driving force of sme internationalisation a case of lithuania
topic business model
industry 4.0.
sme internationalisation
smart and interconnected technologies
d81
f23
f61
url https://doi.org/10.2478/eb-2019-0014
work_keys_str_mv AT kovaitekristina industry40asthedrivingforceofsmeinternationalisationacaseoflithuania
AT sumakarispaulius industry40asthedrivingforceofsmeinternationalisationacaseoflithuania
AT stankevicienejelena industry40asthedrivingforceofsmeinternationalisationacaseoflithuania
AT korsakienerenata industry40asthedrivingforceofsmeinternationalisationacaseoflithuania