FACULTY AND RESEARCH

This paper addresses time in the internationalization process, in a general way, and more specifically analyses the effects of speed and presence mode on the choice of a progressive (or not progressive) approach to the international expansion of SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises). These effects are examined within the framework of a sample of 214 SMEs engaged in internationalization and located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of France. The results first show that a fast or slow internationalization pace will indicate different approaches to internationalization and will correspond to SMEs which value the criterion of risk minimization bound to future geographical targets differently. Furthermore, models of regression show that the presence mode chosen by SMEs has a very contrasted impact on the choice of a progressive (or not progressive) approach to internationalization, this, depending on the speed (slow or fast) of international expansion. Explanations based on the Uppsala model as well as the “Born Global” approach are proposed.