Network Capital and Internationalization: Evidence from Chinese High-Tech SMEs

Hang Ju; Shamsul Huda Abd Rani; Mohamad Hanif Abu Hassan

doi:10.63944/pgn.JFEMR

Network Capital and Internationalization: Evidence from Chinese High-Tech SMEs

Hang Ju (作者)

School of Business Management, Northern University of Malaysia, Malaysia

Shamsul Huda Abd Rani (作者)

School of Business Management, Northern University of Malaysia, Malaysia

Mohamad Hanif Abu Hassan (作者)

School of Business Management, Northern University of Malaysia, Malaysia

DOI：https://doi.org/10.63944/pgn.JFEMR

关键词：

network capital, innovation strategy, internationalization, government policy, Chinese high-tech SMEs

已出版

2025-09-15

摘要: This study examines the mediating role of innovation strategy in the relationship between network capital and the internationalization of Chinese high-tech small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as the moderating effect of government policy on this mediating pathway. Based on survey data collected from 289 high-tech SMEs located in Shenzhen, China, a moderated mediation model was tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that innovation strategy serves as a significant mechanism through which network capital enhances international performance. Furthermore, government support plays a critical moderating role by strengthening the indirect effect of network capital on internationalization via innovation strategy. Specifically, the mediating effect is more pronounced under high levels of government policy support. These findings contribute to the literature on internationalization by elucidating a conditional process model that explains how relational resources are transformed into global competitive advantage through strategic innovation, contingent on institutional support. The study offers practical implications for SME managers seeking to leverage external networks and innovation capabilities, as well as for policymakers aiming to design effective public interventions that facilitate international expansion.

参考文献

[1] United Nations. Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Available online: https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda (accessed on 25 August 2025).
[2] Johanson, J., Vahlne, J.E. The internationalization process of the firm-A model of knowledge development and increasing foreign market commitments. Journal of International Business Studies 1977, 8, 23–32. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490676 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490676
[3] Knight, G.A., Cavusgil, S.T. Innovation, organizational capabilities, and the born-global firm. Journal of International Business Studies 2004, 35, 124–141. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400071 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400071
[4] Barney, J. Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management 1991, 17, 99–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108
[5] Li, J., Chen, X., Kotha, S. Network capital and the internationalization of emerging market firms: A systematic review and future directions. Journal of World Business 2023, 58, 101397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2022.101397 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2022.101397
[6] North, D.C. Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance; Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK, 1990. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511808678 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511808678
[7] Peng, M.W., Yamakawa, Y., Lee, S.H., Wolfrom, L. Human capital and CEO compensation during institutional transitions. Journal of Management Studies 2022, 59, 976–1007. https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12722 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12722
[8] State Council of the People's Republic of China. Made in China 2025 Strategy. Available online: https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2015-05/19/content_9784.htm (accessed on 25 August 2025).
[9] Nahapiet, J., Ghoshal, S. Social capital, intellectual capital, and the organizational advantage. Academy of Management Review 1998, 23, 242–266. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1998.533225 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/259373
[10] Musteen, M., Ahsan, M., Varna, B. The influence of network resources on the internationalization of SMEs: A systematic literature review. International Business Review 2021, 30, 101779. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2020.101779 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2020.101779
[11] Zainuddin, A., Ng, S.I., Hasan, F.A. The role of social capital in the internationalisation of SMEs: A systematic literature review. Journal of International Management 2020, 26, 100792. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intman.2020.100792
[12] Teece, D.J., Pisano, G., Shuen, A. Dynamic capabilities and strategic management. Strategic Management Journal 1997, 18, 509–533. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0266(199708)18:7<509::AID-SMJ882>3.0.CO;2-Z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0266(199708)18:7<509::AID-SMJ882>3.0.CO;2-Z
[13] Ferraris, A., Devalle, A., Ciampi, F., Couturier, J. Are you talking to me? The impact of network-based knowledge and information on SMEs' innovation. Journal of Knowledge Management 2021, 25, 863–884. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-01-2020-0016
[14] Zhang, Y., Li, H., Hitt, M.A., Cui, G. R&D intensity and international joint venture performance in an emerging market: Moderating effects of market focus and ownership structure. Journal of International Business Studies 2021, 52, 1614–1643. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41267-021-00427-8
[15] Hayes, A.F. Introduction to Mediation, Moderation, and Conditional Process Analysis: A Regression-Based Approach, 2nd ed.; Guilford Press: New York, NY, USA, 2018. [16] Hair, J.F., Risher, J.J., Sarstedt, M., Ringle, C.M. When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European Business Review 2019, 31, 2–24. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-11-2018-0203 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-11-2018-0203

Network Capital and Internationalization: Evidence from Chinese High-Tech SMEs

如何引用