Marilyn J. Healy

'From garage to global': the internet and international market growth, an SME perspective

The Internet has the capability to generate international market expansion and future growth for firms, a concept known as Internetalisation. However, it is yet to be determined how much or to what extent the Internet influences internationalisation, and thus international market growth. Both international market penetration (capitalising on existing country markets) and international market development (capitalising on new country markets) are achievable goals for the Internet-enlightened SME. The aim of this research is to explore the influence of the Internet on international market penetration and development for SMEs in Australia. The Internet has given SMEs the capabilities to become rapidly or even instantly international. That is, the acceleration of internationalisation due to the Internet has changed the once slow and cumbersome process of international market expansion. Specifically, an evolved version of accelerated internationalisation that incorporates the enhanced virtual network capability for SMEs is a more precise theoretical explanation.

The Internetalisation of information, knowledge, and interaction components of the firm's internationalisation process

Abstract Transcending traditional national borders, the Internet is an evolving technology that has opened up many new international market opportunities. However, ambiguity remains, with limited research and understanding of how the Internet influences the firms internationalisation-process components. As a consequence, there has been a call for further investigation of the phenomenon. Thus the purpose of this study was to investigate the Internets impact on internationalisation-process components, specifically, information availability, information usage, and interactive communication, with international market growth. Analysis was undertaken using structural equation modelling. Findings highlight the positive mediating impact of the Internet on information availability and usage, with the international market growth of the firm.