| dc.description.abstract | Nowadays, globalization with the support of advancements in communication and logistics has
paved the way for many companies to embark on the internationalization journey faster than
ever before. These companies that internationalize rapidly after establishment are known as
born globals. (Wictor, 2012, p. 15; Knight & Cavusgil, 2004, p. 125) Recent studies have
looked at the entrepreneurial ecosystem as an important pillar of success for born globals (Velt,
Torkkeli & Saarenketo, 2018a, p. 317; Gueguen, Delanoe-Gueguen & Lechner, 2021, p. 116).
More specifically, Efrat and Wald (2024) identify the ecosystem actors and the resources they
provide at the critical initial stages which aid born globals to succeed internationally (Efrat &
Wald, 2024, p. 1) However, literature linking these two concepts is still in its early stages. The
purpose of this master’s thesis is to contribute new knowledge and narrow the gaps in the
literature by investigating how entrepreneurial ecosystem actors contribute to the non-financial
performance of European-born globals.
The Resource-Based View (RBV) theory has been employed in this study as a theoretical
foundation for understanding how facilitators, investors, and industry actors contribute
valuable resources that enhance the non-financial performance of born globals. The thesis
performed descriptive exploratory research following a deductive approach. A quantitative data
collection method in the format of an online questionnaire was administered to collect primary
data from founders and CEOs of European-born globals founded between 2016 and 2023. The
data was analyzed through the IBM SPSS program and a confirmatory factor analysis was
performed on the IBM SPSS Amos software.
In agreement with the RBV framework, the results revealed that born globals who acquire the
intangible resource of corporate reputation through ecosystem actors can create a competitive
advantage that fosters significant positive non-financial performance. However, the unexpected
results for quality capability and brand awareness indicate that there may be other resources
significant for born globals’ non-financial performance, than the ones analyzed. Lastly, the
study concludes with practical and theoretical implications for entrepreneurs and other
stakeholders and suggests the possibilities to further explore the unexpected results of this
study. The thesis presents originality by exploring underlying factors beyond the conventional
financial aspects and physical resources of born globals. | |
