R&D alliances and SMEs post-entry internationalization speed: The impact of alliance management capability and co-innovation ambidexterity

This study delves into the relationship between alliance management capability (AMC) and the post-entry internationalization speed of small-sized and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We develop a novel theoretical framework that illuminates the effect of co-innovation ambidexterity as a mechanism that unlocks AMC value in speeding up SME internationalization following entry into foreign markets. To validate our framework, we conduct an empirical investigation using a sample of 278 UK-based manufacturing SMEs. Our findings support the proposition that co-innovation ambidexterity is a crucial mediating mechanism through which AMC boosts the post-entry internationalization speed of SMEs. Therefore, this research sheds new light on the critical roles of AMC and co-innovation ambidexterity during the post-entry stage, which has far-reaching implications for the fields of international entrepreneurship and international strategic alliances.