SME management consulting firms internationalising in a turbulent business environment: a dynamic capability perspective from developed and emerging economies

This study draws on the dynamic capabilities view to investigate how SMEs management consulting firms', in a turbulent international marketplace successful grow. SMEs shows that the processes of successful international growth, the act of gaining and sustaining competitive operations have often failed, especially in a turbulent business landscape. Through a qualitative case study, we argue that international growth success depends on subtle and continual orchestration of key interrelated internal and external factors. Factors such as the environment, continual reconfiguration of the firm assets pool (resources, processes and structures) and the constant alignment of the business model and strategic options are key determinants of successful international growth. We use the dynamic capabilities approach to discuss and to explain the importance of these determinates and how they contribute to successful SMEs international growth in a turbulent business environment across both developed and emerging economies. A generalised framework has been proposed as an outcome, which might act as a point of reference for SMEs owner/managers of management consulting firm considering international growth. The study provides useful practical implications for both UK and Nigeria SMEs management consulting firms currently seeking international growth opportunities. The study contributes to the literature in the field of SMEs international growth, strategic management and turbulent business environments concerned dynamic capabilities with SME management consulting firm internationalisation in a turbulent business environment highlighting the main factors that should be considered. Keywords: small to medium-sized enterprise (SME), internationalisation, service sector, management consulting, dynamic capabilities and critical success factor (CSF).