Pandemic context and implications for Portuguese SMEs’ internationalization

• Autor(a) principal: Mendes, Mafalda Pereira Moura
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10071/23074
• topic: Internationalization; SMEs; Portuguese SMEs; Pandemic; Internacionalização das empresas; PME Pequenas e Médias Empresas; PMEs Portuguesas; Pandemia; COVID-19

Considering that internationalization has such a big impact in SMEs and world’s economy, it is important to evaluate the consequences of a pandemic as it affects the functionality of the firms' operations and consequently the survival of economies. The purpose of this study is to perceive the repercussions for SMEs and their initiatives to overcome this recession period. Many questions emerge regarding this topic, namely: What are the main impacts caused by the pandemic? Did the internationalization strategy change after this? Did the firm stop its transnational operations? Which firm resources have proven to be essential to endure it? How did companies cope with it? Which approaches worked and which failed? Were there advantages for certain firms? Thus, the goal is to have a deep analysis of the factors influencing the internationalization of Portuguese SMEs using as a frame of reference a significant determinant, the pandemic.