Classifying Thai agro-food SMEs by internationalisation potential: a Self-Organising Map analysis

This study examines the internationalisation readiness of Thai agro-food small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) using a Self-Organising Map (SOM) to classify 233 firms based on 46 managerial, operational, institutional and financial indicators. The SOM identifies nine capability-based clusters that reflect diverse internationalisation pathways shaped by four underlying domains: managerial learning, product and standards strategy, financial agility and institutional embeddedness. The results show that agro-food SMEs do not follow a linear, stage-based trajectory but instead progress through multiple, non-sequential configurations aligned with major internationalisation theories, including the Uppsala model, Innovation model, Resource-Based View (RBV), Product Life Cycle (PLC), Born Global and Network perspectives. Cluster profiles reveal substantial heterogeneity – from early-stage, low-capability SMEs reliant on indirect exporting to highly integrated firms with advanced standards compliance, diversified export modes and strong legal and financial capabilities. These findings provide theoretical evidence that internationalisation in agribusiness is configurational rather than sequential and offer a practical diagnostic tool for policymakers. Cluster-specific implications include foundational export-readiness programmes, targeted capability upgrading, risk-management support, franchising and service-model governance, and ESG- and digital-traceability initiatives to strengthen global competitiveness.