Publication on Slack Resources and Internationalization of SMEs

Together with Patrick Held and Reinhard Meckl, Tim Heubeck investigates how freely available resources ("slack resources") affect the international performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and what role dynamic capabilities play in this context.
The article shows that so-called "unconstrained slack resources" are positively correlated with the international performance of SMEs. However, this relationship is significantly influenced by dynamic capabilities. In particular, companies with strong capabilities for adapting and reorganizing existing resources ("transforming capabilities") benefit more from available leeway. The results suggest that freely available resources primarily enhance performance when companies are able to mobilize them flexibly and adapt them to international market requirements.
The study is based on survey data from internationalized German SMEs and combines approaches from slack resources research with the literature on dynamic capabilities and international business.
The article is available online at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0969593126000521
