The new international environment and changing patterns of internationalisation of small New Zealand firms

Changes in the international environment, as signified by the ubiquity of the Internet, advanced technologies, globalisation, free trade, and cheap transportation are enabling small firm internationalisation, especially in terms of early and rapid internationalisation. But are such changes also enabling internationalisation in ways that are not well understood? For instance, do recent internationalisers continue to focus on psychically close markets and increase their international market commitments as suggested by established internationalisation process theories? Using case study methodology involving twelve small New Zealand firms, this study reports on six atypical internationalisation behaviours of recent internationalisers. It concludes by arguing that the emergence of global INVs and small globals, reported in this study, indicates that the 21st century may provide more opportunities not just for internationalisation but for global internationalisation.