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Chancenorientierte unternehmerische Nachhaltigkeit als Treiber der Internationalisierung von KMU

Author

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  • Alexander Keßler
  • Viktoriya Zipper
  • Valentin Sitz

Abstract

Unternehmerische Nachhaltigkeit hat in den letzten Jahrzehnten weltweit an Bedeutung gewonnen. Allerdings haben viele Unternehmen, besonders auch KMU, eine defensive Haltung hinsichtlich nachhaltiger Unternehmensführung und sehen sie als Notwendigkeit, statt als Chance. Vor diesem Hintergrund geht der Beitrag der Frage nach, inwieweit Chancen gerichtete Nachhaltigkeitsorientierung für KMU einen Wettbewerbsvorteil darstellen kann, der die Internationalisierung antreibt. Die qualitativ empirische Analyse beruht auf einem Good-Practice Fall eines Mittelbetriebs im Bereich biologische Genussmittel mit einer starken Nachhaltigkeitsorientierung. Sein Internationalisierungsprozess wird schrittweise analysiert und die Bedeutung der Nachhaltigkeitsorientierung herausgearbeitet. Es zeigt sich, dass unternehmerische Nachhaltigkeit für KMU einen wesentlichen Internationalisierungsauslöser und stabilen Wettbewerbsvorteil darstellen kann, wenn sie umfassend, chancenorientiert und authentisch ist. Gleichzeitig prägt sie den Internationalisierungsprozess von der Marktwahl über den Markteintritt bis zur Marktentwicklung. / Business sustainability has gained in importance worldwide over the last decades. However, many companies, especially SMEs, take up a defensive stance on business sustainability and perceive it as a necessity rather than an opportunity. With this background in mind, the article analyzes, if and how opportunity-targeted sustainability orientation can represent a competitive advantage that drives the internationalization of SMEs. The qualitative empirical analyses is based on a good-practice case of a medium sized enterprise in the organic food industry with a strong sustainability orientation. Its process of internationalization is analyzed stepwise to carve out the importance of its sustainability orientation. The analysis shows that business sustainability can represent a fundamental trigger for internationalization and robust competitive advantage, when it is pursued in a comprehensive, opportunity-oriented and authentic way. Simultaneously, it shapes the internationalization process, from market choice to market entry and market development.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexander Keßler & Viktoriya Zipper & Valentin Sitz, 2019. "Chancenorientierte unternehmerische Nachhaltigkeit als Treiber der Internationalisierung von KMU," ZfKE – Zeitschrift für KMU und Entrepreneurship, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 67(3), pages 171-196.
    • Handle: RePEc:dah:aeqzfk:v67_y2019_i3_q3_p171-196
    DOI: 10.3790/zfke.67.3.171
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    References listed on IDEAS

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