International entrepreneurial opportunities process: the role of organisational creativity and relational capital

Purpose This study aims to explore the role of organisational creativity in the international entrepreneurial opportunities process (IEOP) – namely, recognition, evaluation and exploitation of international opportunities – by drawing on resource-based and schema theories. In addition, based on social capital theory, this study examines the moderating effect of relational capital in the relationship between organisational creativity and the IEOP. Design/methodology/approach This research adopts a quantitative research design, using both questionnaires and interviews for data collection. This empirical work was conducted within the Spanish hotel sector, with a specific focus on hotel chains operating in Spain, and the data were analysed using Poisson regression models. Findings The results confirmed the positive impact of organisational creativity on IEOP and the moderating positive role of relational capital between organisational creativity and the process of recognising, evaluating and exploiting international entrepreneurial opportunities. Originality/value This study offers a comprehensive examination of the entire IEOP and explain it through organisational creativity and relational capital. The findings reveal that shared creative cognitive processes within firms facilitate both the entry into and expansion within foreign markets, and trust between partners strengthens it. This research contributes to the literature on corporate entrepreneurship and international business by addressing the relative scarcity of empirical studies focused on the IEOP.