Using design processes as a creative resource to enhance entrepreneurial globalization of born global start-ups

Abstract

There is a clear need for global small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) entering new markets to modify and improve their processes and products in order to be able to attach new markets to their global portfolio. This journey requires international skills and multidisciplinary working. Design processes can enhance and accelerate the globalization and several born global firms (BGs) already utilize this resource as their key asset. The primary goal in this research was to demonstrate the value and benefits of mind-sets and design processes as a part of entrepreneurial globalization process. The secondary goal was to provide, for the Finnish artificial surf wave start-up Artwave, practical implications in a form of a service path to expand their business to China markets. The whole work was carried out in the context of Western, Nordic - Asia, China relationships and the information were sourced from these two regions. The research data was collected from China-Western based BG SMEs and from China based sport service providers. These semi-structured interviews provided valuable insights to analyse the globalization processes and to create later the service concept for the surf machinery provider Artwave. The results showed that design processes can enhance global start-ups to develop their internationalization processes while building up the businesses as supplier for the service providers in the case country. In addition, the research revealed that there is a growing interest towards innovation and extreme sports and that many popular sports from West are still in the beginning of their entry to the China markets. This provides an opportunity to explore the research field as one of the first ones.