The Role of Social and Business Networks in the Internationalization of Born Global Firms : Evidence from Serbia Mitić, Sanja Rakita, Branko eng Market-Tržište 32(1) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/legalcode 2020 application/pdf 346059 bytes https://phaidrabg.bg.ac.rs/o:29353 doi:10.22598/mt/2020.32.1.47 ISSN: 0353-4790 Abstract: Purpose – This paper examines the specifics of born global firms from a post-transitional European country with regard to the role of social and business networks in the internationalization process. Design/Methodology/Approach – Given that born global firms are an emerging phenomenon in South-Eastern Europe, the research method was a case study. Four cases were judgmentally chosen for the analysis. Literal and theoretical replication was applied. Findings and implications – Regarding the role which social and business networks play in starting and stimulating the internationalization in post-transitional countries, the results indicate similar patterns of this contemporary phenomenon to those in developed countries. The main implications for entrepreneurs and policy makers may be found in the area of fostering cooperation between small firms and enhancing their personal and business interactions through the development of industrial/technology parks, industrial clusters, and business incubators Limitations – The results have to be taken with some reservations due to a small number of firms examined and the fact that a half of them are from the information technology industry. Originality – The study contributes to the research of the born global phenomenon by addressing the issue in the South-Eastern European region, where it has not been widely investigated, especially in the context of a country with a socialist heritage. Keywords – born global firms, social networks, business networks, post-transitional country Sažetak: Svrha – Tema rada su specifičnosti poduzeća koja se rano globaliziraju (engl. born global) iz posttranzicijske europske zemlje, u pogledu uloge društvenih i poslovnih mreža u procesu internacionalizacije. Metodološki pristup – S obzirom da su poduzeća koja se rano globaliziraju (engl. born global) pojava u nastajanju u jugoistočnoj Europi, odabrana je metoda studije slučaja. Za analizu su odabrana četiri slučaja, i to oni za koje se predviđaju slični rezultati (engl. Literal replication) kao i slučajevi za koje se pretpostavlja da će pružiti kontradiktorne rezultate (engl. Theoretical replication). Rezultati i implikacije – Što se tiče uloge društvenih i poslovnih mreža u pokretanju i poticanju internacionalizacije u posttranzicijskim zemljama, rezultati pokazuju obrasce ovog suvremenog fenomena slične onima u razvijenim zemljama. Glavne implikacije za poduzetnike i kreatore politika u području su poticanje suradnje između malih poduzeća i jačanju njihovih osobnih i poslovnih interakcija kroz razvoj industrijskih/tehnoloških parkova, industrijskih klastera i poslovnih inkubatora Ograničenja – Rezultati se moraju razmatrati uz određena ograničenja zbog malog broja ispitanih poduzeća i činjenice da ih je polovica iz IT industrije. Doprinos – Rad doprinosi istraživanju fenomena poduzeća koja se rano globaliziraju (engl. born global) zahvaljujući činjenici da temu razmatra u jugoistočnoj Europi gdje ne postoji puno istraživanja, posebno u kontekstu zemlje sa socijalističkim naslijeđem. Keywords – born global firms, social networks, business networks, post-transitional country Ključne riječi – poduzeća koja se rano globaliziraju (engl. born global), društvene mreže, poslovne mreže, posttranzicijska zemlja info:eu-repo/semantics/article