Unravelling the complexity of decision-making: the case of SME decisions to internationalize

This event is part of the GVC/City REDI Seminar Series. Lunch and light refreshments will be provided.

Speaker: Theresa Beyrle (University of Birmingham and SOAS University of London).

About the speaker

Theresa Beyrle is currently a Teaching Fellow at SOAS, University of London. She joined the Birmingham Business School as a doctoral researcher in 2013 and is completing a study of decision-making on internationalization among German and Australian SMEs.  Theresa’s research interests include SMEs, decision-making, and social media. Prior to pursuing a PhD, Theresa received her MSc and BSc degrees from the Rotterdam School of Management and CEMS, the Global Alliance in Management Education. She has also worked in consulting and the energy sector. 

Abstract

This seminar will focus on decision-making in the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises. Theresa Beyrle will present an overview of her research examining both the direct and indirect effects on decision outcomes of decision antecedents and the decision-making process. Using a combination of in-depth interviews and surveys from two countries, Theresa’s work provides new insights into the complex interplay between factors at different levels of analysis namely the environment, the firm, decision-maker characteristics, the decision-making process and its subsequent outcomes.  Her research contributes to the greater integration between international business and international entrepreneurship perspectives that many scholars have recently argued for.