ABSTRACT

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are considered the foundation of economic and social development and provide a platform for industrial growth. Motivating SMEs to cooperate and internationalize is a complex task. Consequently, motivating SMEs to cooperate and internationalize is a highly personal process. Motivating SMEs to cooperate and internationalize is a sequential process consisting of three different entities: vision catcher, mediator, and constructor. Individual entrepreneurs willing to respond to external or internal motivations to cooperate and/or internationalize indicate they are willing to build or join industrial networks, form alliances, enter industrial clusters, or participate in other cooperative arrangements. A framework is needed in order to examine the reasons for cooperation and internationalization. It is important to note that the socio-economic environment in which Northern European SMEs operate is dynamic and temporary, which also makes the framework temporary, and it needs to be constantly monitored. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.