Effectuation and international entrepreneurship: entrepreneurial decision-making in condition of high uncertainty, goal ambiguity and environmental isotropy

This study analyzes the entrepreneurial decision process that guides Small-Medium Enterprises‘ internationalization of operations. By analyzing five case studies, we found evidence that the internationalization process can be explained through the Effectuation lens. From the analysis, it emerges that in situation of high uncertainty, goal ambiguity, and environmental isotropy even experienced entrepreneurs of already existing organizations tend to adopt effectuation logic during the internationalization decision-making process, rather than the causal one. By adopting an entrepreneurship theory that embraces holistic perspective, the present work enhances the International Entrepreneurship theoretical apparatus.