Addressing the resource requirements of internationalizing green SMEs

Abstract This article investigates how green small and medium‐sized enterprises (green SMEs) can internationalize by leveraging targeted resources from international support services (ISSs). Drawing upon a qualitative study of 30 green SMEs and ISS providers, this study contributes to the resource‐based view (RBV) and the relational view by building a multilevel model of the external resources transmitted to green SMEs at the organizational, interorganizational, and institutional levels. Moreover, this paper shows the interactions among those levels and how the resources provided by ISSs can be leveraged to access other resources, thus enriching the RBV on resource leveraging, value, and access strategies. The results emphasize the centrality of relational resources and show green SMEs and ISS providers that support resources are a starting point for accessing other resources.