Effectuation and the influence of social networks on the internationalization of accelerated startups

Authors

  • Carolaine Fabricia Bonk Sarmento Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
  • Carlos Augusto Septimio de Carvalho Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ
  • Luis Antonio da Rocha Dib Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18568/1980-4865.11163-76

Keywords:

International entrepreneurship, Social networks, Effectuation, Accelerators, Music industry

Abstract

Accelerators recently became a more active alternative to incubators as a mechanism for supporting and developing technology-based startups, especially in their internationalization. At the same time, social networks enable and increase the speed of the process of small firms' internationalization by allowing the attainment of third-party resources and market knowledge. The objective of this research was to better understand how accelerators speed up the process of internationalization for incubated startups. A single case study was conducted on an internet startup. Analysis of the company's internationalization process was based on the theoretical approach of international entrepreneurship and effectuation theory. The results indicated that the startup benefited from resources and knowledge obtained through accelerators that would usually be obtained through a social network. In addition to the accelerator, by replacing informal social networks with more formal and structured ones, the firm was able to increase the speed of internationalization. The main contribution of this article is to illuminate and detail the connection between the theoretical principles of effectuation and the use of social networks in the internationalization of small firms.

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Author Biographies

Carolaine Fabricia Bonk Sarmento, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

has a Bachelor's degree in Defense and International Strategic Management from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Carlos Augusto Septimio de Carvalho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

is a Doctorate candidate in Business Administration from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro – COPPEAD/UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Luis Antonio da Rocha Dib, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ

has Doctorate in Business Administration from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro – COPPEAD/UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. He is also Associate Professor in the Post-Graduate Program of Business Administration from the same institution

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Published

2016-05-17

How to Cite

Sarmento, C. F. B., Carvalho, C. A. S. de, & Dib, L. A. da R. (2016). Effectuation and the influence of social networks on the internationalization of accelerated startups. Internext - International Business and Management Review, 11(1), 63–76. https://doi.org/10.18568/1980-4865.11163-76