The Internationalisation of Young High-Tech Firms

The huge economic and social impact of high-tech industries on the fortunes of nation states has been widely recognised in recent years. Therefore, government policies encouraging the creation of new technology-based firms have become a priority in virtually all advanced economies. One factor underpinning the performance and growth of high-tech start-ups is presumably international activity of such firms. This study addresses the issues concerning the critical decision to internationalise. The research sought to provide empirically supported analyses on (a) the incidence of international activity, (b) the degree of internationalisation, (c) the timing of entry into international markets, (d) the mode of market entry employed, (e) the impact of internationalisation on performance and (f) the differences between internationalising and non-internationalising firms. The findings confirm the extent and importance of internationalisation to young high-tech firms in the UK and Germany. Thus, if governments or venture capitalists are interested in the promotion of successful new technology-based firms they must, per force, be also interested in encouraging the processes of internationalisation.

Texte du rabat

There is now a certain tradition of Anglo-German comparative research on new technology-based firms (NTBFs). Two of the most influential studies in this area have both been sponsored by the Anglo-German Foundation for the Study of In­ dustrial Society (AGF). Starting in 1977, the first AGF project on NTBFs, which was carried out by the consultancy firm Arthur D. Little, has been one ofthe most important early contributions in this field (Little 1977). This report was the first public document to use the term 'new technology-based firm' and to provide a definition, which despite its operational limitations subsequently became an es­ tablished term in the literature. More importantly, this study represented one ofthe first serious attempts to survey the existing stock of this type of firm. The report was critical of the contemporary situation in Europe. (This is a policy area which continues to be hotly debated, see European Commission 1995, Bank of England 1996 and HM Treasury 1998. ) It emphasised that, in comparison with the USA, Germany and the UK were each lagging behind if judged by the rate of formation of NTBFs and in their total contribution to the overall economic activity of both countries. In terms of a policy contribution, this study was instrumental in high­ lighting the lack ofsupport infrastructures for the genesis and growth of high-tech start-ups in two of Europe's leading economies.

Contenu

1 Introduction.- 2 Theoretical Background and the Operationalisation of the Hypotheses.- 3 Description of Methodology.- 4 Descriptive Analysis of the Data Set.- 5 Differences Between Internationalisers and Non-Internationalisers.- 6 The Degree of Internationalisation.- 7 The Timing of Entry into International Markets.- 8 Market Entries: Target Country and Entry Mode.- 9 Firm Performance and Early Internationalisation.- 10 Results of the British and German Case Studies.- 11 Summary and Conclusions.- References.- Appendix A: Definition of High-Tech Industries.- Appendix B: Questionnaire.- Appendix C: Additional Tables for Chapter 4.- Appendix D: Additional Tables for Chapter 6.- Appendix E: Additional Tables for Chapter 8.