Abstract
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 411–427 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Thunderbird International Business Review |
| Volume | 54 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2012 |
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Keywords
- internationalization behavior
- African firms
- informal exporting
Cite this
}
The internationalization of African firms 1995–2011 : review and implications. / Ibeh, Kevin; Wilson, Juliette; Chizema, A.
In: Thunderbird International Business Review, Vol. 54, No. 4, 08.2012, p. 411–427.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - The internationalization of African firms 1995–2011
T2 - Thunderbird International Business Review
AU - Ibeh, Kevin
AU - Wilson, Juliette
AU - Chizema, A
N1 - Thunderbird International Business Review's forthcoming issue on African business, guest edited by Dr. Sonny Nwankwo.
PY - 2012/8
Y1 - 2012/8
N2 - This article draws on aggregate evidence from 54 relevant studies to improve understanding of internationalization behavior of African firms. Its major findings include an upward trend in internationalization activities among African firms; a significant level of informal exporting (which indicates a potential for further growth in firm-level internationalization within Africa); and the importance of managerial and organizational resource factors and formal and informal networks in improving the internationalization behavior of the study firms. Based on the review evidence, the article calls on African governments and supranational institutions to prioritize the provision of more enabling environments (with lower transaction/operational costs) in Africa. It also tasks policy makers to incorporate well-targeted capacity-building measures (managerial and organizational) and international networks activation mechanisms as part of their core strategies for improving the participation of African firms in global trade. The article ends with an invitation to the world's corporate giants and investors to demonstrate greater resolve toward confronting Africa's developmental challenge, by unleashing their investment resources on the many and varied opportunities offered by the continent.
AB - This article draws on aggregate evidence from 54 relevant studies to improve understanding of internationalization behavior of African firms. Its major findings include an upward trend in internationalization activities among African firms; a significant level of informal exporting (which indicates a potential for further growth in firm-level internationalization within Africa); and the importance of managerial and organizational resource factors and formal and informal networks in improving the internationalization behavior of the study firms. Based on the review evidence, the article calls on African governments and supranational institutions to prioritize the provision of more enabling environments (with lower transaction/operational costs) in Africa. It also tasks policy makers to incorporate well-targeted capacity-building measures (managerial and organizational) and international networks activation mechanisms as part of their core strategies for improving the participation of African firms in global trade. The article ends with an invitation to the world's corporate giants and investors to demonstrate greater resolve toward confronting Africa's developmental challenge, by unleashing their investment resources on the many and varied opportunities offered by the continent.
KW - internationalization behavior
KW - African firms
KW - informal exporting
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84862744521&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/tie.21473
DO - 10.1002/tie.21473
M3 - Article
VL - 54
SP - 411
EP - 427
JO - Thunderbird International Business Review
JF - Thunderbird International Business Review
SN - 1096-4762
IS - 4
ER -