Andreea Mitan

Purpose: This article explores the connections between the entrepreneur's global mindset and entrepreneurial motivation in the quest for determining the underlying relationships among these constructs. The aim of the study resides in the advancement of various entrepreneurial profiles which imply specific configurations of the global mindset and motivational drivers, by also covering their correlations with the business outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected in 2022 from over 100 entrepreneurs operating in the Romanian SMEs sector, using a questionnaire-based survey. Findings: The results posit that at least three statistically relevant clusters can be observed in the studied population, stemming from the particularities of the entrepreneurs' global mindset. The findings reveal that the levels of development of the entrepreneur's social capital, psychological capital and intellectual capital are linked to different entrepreneurial motivations and impact the company in specific manners. Practical implications: The research offers useful cues to the entrepreneurs for identifying prospective partners for their local or cross-border operations. Originality/value: The results foster a new topical framework for discussion on the motivational configurations of entrepreneurs and the global mindset.

This chapter addresses the main characteristics of the current international business environment, that is, the process of globalization, and its consequences for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The opportunities and constraints of SMEs internationalization are highlighted, as described by the extant literature in the field. Next, the factors that impact SMEs internationalization are presented, the forms and models of SMEs internationalization are described, and measurement models of the internationalization performance are discussed. The overall focus of the chapter lies on the imperative for organizations to overcome the limitations of national or regional boundaries to achieve business performance in an interconnected world, and in an increasingly competitive environment.

This chapter, opening the second part of the book, addresses the extant research directions in the field of relationship marketing, with a focus on two exponential models for the business-to-business (B2B) approach: the interaction-based B2B relationship marketing model and the network-based B2B relationship marketing model. Processual highlights are given of the enablers and inhibitors that act as moderators for the initiation, creation, development, and maintenance of international partnerships. The effects of culture and country-of-origin on international B2B relationships are brought forward, hence anticipating the noteworthiness of the managerial role in relationship marketing, as well as of the managerial global mindset in today's interconnected world.

Aiming at presenting the overarching context for the discussion of SMEs internationalization today and of the role that manifold relationships have on business development, this chapter approaches factors that shape the modern civilization and economy in recent times. The factors tackled in this chapter range from societal issues and energy-related transformations that imprint the world nowadays, from the Fourth Industrial Revolution to the recent evolutions of the economic system, to the demise of capitalism and democracy, and to shifting values and cultural changes. Touching upon political dynamics and geopolitical shifts, as well as on demographical movements, significant legislation changes, and market dynamics, the chapter offers insight for a macro-level analysis.

The final chapter takes stock of the stepwise approach conducive to un-weaving the fabric of SMEs internationalization and business performance through the lens of intricate and ever-spanning relationships. By looking backward at what has been done on the topic so far, a step forward is made as future research directions are availed by the existing knowledge gaps. A first endeavor toward the road ahead was reified by delving into the role of manifold relationships in the equation of internationalization. A broad spectrum of interpersonal, social, intercultural, transorganizational, micro, and macro relationships have been scrutinized with a view to unravel their configurations, influences, and outcomes in relation to business performance beyond national borders.

This chapter advances a relationship-driven model – the 5 Cs model of managerial relationship building (CMR) – which is grounded in the main research directions in the field of business internationalization, international relationship marketing, and B2B marketing in inter- and cross-cultural contexts. The sections of this chapter discuss the five interlinked dimensions of the proposed model, building on strong and consistently valued strands of research conducted by members of the scientific, academic, and practitioner communities. The novel conceptual model is articulated by integrating the conditions, contexts, catalysts, consequences, and connections inherent in the construction of international relationships. The model is rooted in current themes of debate, which confirm the topicality and relevance of such an approach.

This chapter discusses the structure and argument of the book. The first part of this book – Relationships and SMEs internationalization: A zoom-out perspective – consists of three chapters designed as a preamble to the substantive issues concerning relationship building and development during the internationalization process. Their role is to address the main features of the current international environment, ranging from multifaceted macro factors toward phenomenological overviews of SMEs internationalization peculiarities in specific regions (i.e., Central and Eastern European countries). The angle of investigation shifts from the general to the particular, from the abstract to the concrete. The second part of this book – Relationships and SMEs internationalization: A zoom-in perspective – aims to bring to the fore the peculiarities of relationship building under the aegis of the internationalization process. The three chapters forming this part revolve around the importance and role of the human capital in the dynamics of internationalization, with a special emphasis on the managerial level. The literature review highlights the nodal points of research in the field, but also areas of vulnerability, i.e., topics of study that still remain at an embryonic stage.

Embracing a context-centric approach, the fourth chapter offers compelling insights into the process of internationalization of SMEs located in Central and Eastern European region (CEE). The argumentative structure avails a discussion on multidimensional relationships, knowledge, and networks, showing that there are research gaps in the international business literature that could be filled through conducting research in the CEE region. The stake is to unravel phenomena specific to complex systems that have recently been impacted by changes that occurred on many levels: political, societal, cultural, demographic, and economic. The chapter underlines that the process of transition that the countries in the CEE region engaged in after the fall of the communist regimes in the late 80s and early 90s has led to the emergence of particularities regarding the behavior of the firms and of the behavior and mindset of the managers, that could and should be studied in more depth, in order to better understand the ways in which the business relationships may evolve in these countries, and how and to what extent are firms, especially young SMEs and SMEs led by managers with a specific cultural background (i.e., from former communist countries), enabled to compete on the international markets.

This chapter posits that entrepreneurs, managers, and the employees play significant roles in the small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) development, especially with regard to internationalization, through leveraging relationships with significant partners. Focusing on the pivotal role played by the manager in establishing and fostering meaningful relationships with local and with foreign partners, the chapter underlines the importance of studying and understanding the mental models of a manager and his global mindset. Highly relevant in today's knowledge economy, the manager's psychological makeup, as revealed through the dimensions of his mindset (psychological capital, intellectual capital, social capital), may act as a catalyst, or as an inhibitor of the SMEs internationalization process. The manager's personal values, the level of cultural intelligence, and understanding of the psychic distance are additional factors to be taken into account when discussing the manager's mental features, which may impact the company's long-term development.

As the "backbone of the economy," small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are key players in the dynamics of local, regional, and global markets, and are often obliged to provide timely responses to the increasingly fierce cross-border competition. However, SMEs internationalisation has temporarily been subject to a wait-and-see policy under the numerous uncertainties and global systemic disruptions. Despite the "new normal" brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, recent studies show that the future still holds the potential to avail business performance opportunities to SMEs, and the hopes of managers for the years to come are reasonably high. Adopting a relationship-centric perspective, the book proposes a deeper analysis of the role of managerial relationship building and development and SMEs internationalization. In the networked economy, relationships are the invisible threads of the highly interconnected world. Either we call them connections, ties, bonds, or links, they are present everywhere marking the very essence of our lives, therefore claiming for wide consideration. Giving way to a stepwise screening of relationships and SMEs internationalization, the book is simultaneously addressed to scholars from different fields of study (i.e., international management, international business, international relationship marketing, etc.) and worldwide decision-makers (i.e., entrepreneurs and managers) interested in conducting smart business abroad.