International Entrepreneurship: A Review of Existing Literature

This paper reviews the existing international entrepreneurship research literature, paying specific attention to theoretical foundations and methodological issues. The review suggests that resourcebased theory has been the largest contributor to the emergence of international entrepreneurship research, and that cross-border activity is best viewed as a function of entrepreneurial cognition and entrepreneurial orientation. It is further suggested that the creation of new value should be at the heart of international entrepreneurship studies. The paper concludes by proposing an enhanced definition of international entrepreneurship based on the reviewed literature. Thus, international entrepreneurship is a combination of innovative, risk-taking, proactive, and competitively aggressive behaviour that crosses national borders and is intended to create new value in organizations.