Agile Internationalisation

Abstract

The principles of agile development have revolutionised software development by replacing rigid planning with flexible and responsive approaches in order to get results faster. Given the significant potential for saving resources, this paper proposes to use these principles in a novel way by putting them in the context of internationalisation strategies of born globals and SMEs. This results in seven principles of agile internationalisation that support companies in their endeavours. To assist the implementation of these principles, a comprehensive process of agile internationalisation is developed in this paper. By distinguishing between the four internationalisation stages of market selection, preparatory steps, market entry and market expansion, related tasks and agile internationalisation models are presented. These models include the “backpacker method”, the “umbrella concept” and strategic alliances which can successfully guide born globals and SMEs on their journey into the global market place where corporate agility is of the essence.