Innovation champions in internationalisation approaches of SME first exporters

This study reviewed internationalisation theory and in particular export initiation using an innovation lens. The literature reviewed innovation with competing internationalisation approaches such as: stages, learning, born-global, network, and contingency. The'development of a market' is acknowledged as an aspect of innovation and this is central to the function of early internationalisation such as export initiation. Using this definition of innovation all early internationalisation such as the first export is an innovation and not necessarily just the domain of the stages approach. There has been some specific roles noted in organisational innovation, in particular, champion roles were reviewed to see if and how it fits with export initiation. A research question was derived for champion role/s and was tested using a typology of internationalisation approaches. Qualitative depth interviews were conducted with those involved with the first and subsequent export. It was found that in every different approach to early internationalisation, some innovation champion behaviour appears to exist with those involved in new to export SME manufacturers. Limitations and further research have also been noted in this paper.