Keeping One’s Options Open: Intermittent Exporting, Family Control, and Foreign Background

Andrea Kuiken, Lucia Naldi, Mohamed Genedy

Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice · 2024 · Volume 48 · Issue 5

Abstract

Intermittent exporting (repeatedly exiting and reentering foreign markets) is often associated with the initial stages of internationalization. However, some small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including family firms, pursue an intermittent exporting strategy beyond the initial stages. Drawing on a refinement of the behavioral agency model (BAM) and real options reasoning, we theorize that a high level of family involvement in SMEs is positively associated with intermittent exporting. We also argue that this relationship is moderated by Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and board members with a foreign background. We test our hypotheses using a unique longitudinal dataset of Swedish SMEs in the manufacturing and retail industries.

Keywords

intermittent exporting, family involvement, foreign background, socioemotional wealth, real options reasoning

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