Internationalisation Takes Time: Why SMEs Underestimate the Process

Internationalisation is often discussed as a strategic milestone — a decision to “enter a new market”. For many SMEs, however, the reality is far less linear.

Research and practical experience show that internationalisation is rarely a single event. Instead, it is a long-term, iterative process that requires continuous adjustment, learning and resource allocation.

Time as an underestimated factor

One of the most common challenges faced by SMEs is underestimating the time required to establish a stable presence abroad. Market entry often involves:

• extended regulatory procedures

• long negotiation cycles

• delayed customer acquisition

• slow trust-building with local partners

These timelines rarely align with the short planning horizons typical for smaller firms.

The cost of premature expectations

When expectations are set too high or too early, internationalisation efforts may be abandoned prematurely. Short pilot initiatives that fail to deliver immediate results are often interpreted as market failure — even when they represent a normal learning phase.

Studies show that firms which treat early market entry as experimentation rather than expansion are more likely to persist and adapt.

Organisational strain and opportunity costs

International activities compete with domestic priorities. For SMEs, reallocating time and attention to foreign markets can:

• slow down core operations

• stretch management capacity

• increase organisational complexity

This creates opportunity costs that are difficult to measure but highly relevant in decision-making.

Internationalisation as capability building

Increasingly, internationalisation is framed as a capability-building process rather than a growth shortcut. Firms that invest in internal learning, gradual market exposure and long-term planning tend to be more resilient.

From this perspective, success abroad depends less on speed and more on persistence and adaptability.

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