Support for Improving the International Performance of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to investigate the role of public support for the successful internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Bulgaria. The focus is on the internationalization of this group of enterprises not only because of their great number, but also because of their contribution to Bulgarian economy. Out of the total number of SMEs, 500 companies are examined through a standardized questionnaire. These companies are from different economic sectors, and differ in terms of their size and type of ownership. The results reveal that the public services most preferred by the surveyed companies for their successful internationalization are: providing information about foreign markets; encouraging participation in fairs and exhibitions; supporting the creation of contacts with potential partners. Often these companies receive needed services from local territorial administrations, and not from national ones. This suggests the need for a more active use of the potential of local administrations to support the SMEs internationalization. The results also show that the specific needs of a large group of  enterprises (the family-owned companies) are not well known yet.