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Includes bibliographical references and index.

Internationalization is a strategic issue for companies as it is today the central axis for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Market expansion and the growing importance of emerging markets offer new development opportunities for SMEs to use innovative strategies - such as head-deck strategies - to effectively penetrate these markets. This book focuses on understanding these new strategies. Why do SMEs use head-of-bridge strategies in order to internationalize? How do they deploy such strategies abroad? Based on the example of five manufacturing SMEs, which are at different stages of internationalization, this book highlights the main motivations, stages of deployment but also difficulties encountered in this direction. This book is a tool for assessing potential locations and provide managers with a new alternative in terms of internationalization, enabling rapid identification of key stakeholders, adapting their international development plan and anticipating potential pitfalls.

Cover; Half-Title Page; Title Page; Copyright Page; Contents; Acknowledgments; Introduction; PART 1. Internationalization of SMEs, Location Choice and Gateway Strategies: A Literature Review; Introduction to Part 1; 1. SME Internationalization Strategies; 1.1. Incremental internationalization: introduction of the original models; 1.1.1. The Uppsala model; 1.1.2. Innovation: internationalization as innovation for the company; 1.2. Contributions and limitations of processual models; 1.2.1. The scope of observed activities; 1.2.2. Operations and overseas commitment methods.

1.2.3. Process dynamics1.2.4. The methodology used; 1.3. Processual models revisited; 1.3.1. The Uppsala model revisited: the importance of business networks; 1.3.2. Innovation models revisited: the driving force of technologies; 1.4. The challenge of international entrepreneurship; 1.4.1. International entrepreneurship and fast and early internationalization; 1.4.2. Early expansion versus processual expansion; 1.4.3. Born-again global: at the crossroads of incremental approaches and born global; 1.5. Conclusion; Conclusion to Part 1; 2. SME Localization Strategies.

2.1. Localization strategies2.1.1. External motivations for DFI; 2.1.2. Internal factors in the location choice; 2.2. Gateway strategies; 2.3. Conclusion; Conclusion to Part 1; PART 2. Research Methodology and Presentation of the Empirical Study; 3. Epistemology and Research Methodology; 3.1. Qualitative research; 3.1.1. An interpretive positioning; 3.1.2. Abductive research; 3.1.3. A hybrid research approach; 3.1.4. Case study as an access strategy to the real situation; 3.2. Multiple case studies; 3.2.1. Theoretical sampling criterion and case selection.

3.2.2. Defining the field of investigation and the unit of analysis3.3. Collection of data; 3.3.1. The collection of primary data; 3.3.2. The collection of secondary data; 3.4. Data processing; 3.4.1. Content analysis: foundations and application to our work; 3.4.2. Quality and legitimacy of the knowledge produced; 4. The Internationalization of Five SMEs; 4.1. The ABC Group case; 4.1.1. Characteristics of the ABC Group; 4.1.2. The main stages of the ABC Groupa#x80;#x99;s international development; 4.2. The case of SLAT; 4.2.1. The characteristics of the firm SLAT.

4.2.2. SLATa#x80;#x99;s main phases of international development4.3. The case of Emballa#x80;#x99;iso; 4.3.1. The characteristics of Emballa#x80;#x99;iso; 4.3.2. Emballa#x80;#x99;isoa#x80;#x99;s main phases of international development; 4.4. The case of Mixel Agitateurs; 4.4.1. Characteristics of Mixel Agitateurs; 4.4.2. The main stages of Mixel Agitateursa#x80;#x99; international development; 4.5. Hydrola company case; 4.5.1. The characteristics of Hydrola; 4.5.2. The main international development phases of Hydrola; 4.6. Summary of the five cases; Conclusion to Part 2.