Leveraging Social Networks and Political Skill: A Study on the Internationalization of SMEs in the Asian Context

This study investigates the role of SMEs’ owner-manager political skills in developing network resources that facilitate the internationalization process. Drawing on social network theory, we hypothesize that the political skill of SME owner-managers helps gain network resources, which in turn helps them internationalize their business. The data is collected via a self-administered questionnaire survey from owner-managers of exporting SMEs. The findings show that social network resources mediate between owner-manager political skills and SMEs’ Internationalization. Furthermore, we found empirical support for the notion that SME owner-manager’s political skill helps formulate network resources that advance business internationally. This study addresses two crucial yet unexplored questions in organizational behavior based on political skill and the internationalization literature. Firstly, it focuses on SME owner-manager political skills for SME internationalization and provides empirical support. Second, it also focuses on developing network resources by the SME’s owner-managers and empirically validates how network resources can help promote SME internationalization.