Strategies for SME Internationalization in Nigeria's Agricultural Sector

This research paper explores the strategies that SMEs can use to internationalize the local agricultural production in Nigeria. It examines the meaning of internationalization, the internationalization of SMEs, and the strategies for SME internationalization. The paper investigates the strategies that SME local agricultural production in Nigeria can use to internationalize.

Running head: STRATEGIES FOR SME INTERNATIONALIZATION OF LOCAL
AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS IN NIGERIA
Strategies for SME Internationalization of Local Agricultural Business in Nigeria
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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STRATEGIES FOR SME INTERNATIONALIZATION OF LOCAL AGRICULTURAL
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Table of Contents
Chapter One.....................................................................................................................................2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Aim and Objectives of the Research...........................................................................................2
Research Question.......................................................................................................................4
Rationale for the Study................................................................................................................4
Outline of the Research...............................................................................................................5
Chapter Two....................................................................................................................................6
Literature Review............................................................................................................................6
Methodology....................................................................................................................................7
Timeline...........................................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................9

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Chapter One
Introduction
Small and medium sized enterprise is one of the most effective source of growth for
various advanced industrialized countries and for the emerging countries. This is because the
growth prospects in such kinds of enterprise is huge compared to large organization. SMEs has
gained recognition over time with their own characteristics. The small and medium size
enterprise is considered as one of the large part of the private sector both the developed and
developing countries. however, it was seen that the SMEs has a causal link with economic
development as there are evidences that show that small firms usually faces a larger growth
constraints than the big firms due to less access to external finance (Beck & Demirguc-Kunt,
2006). Internationalization is always denoted by big business, however, it is slowly being
carried out by the small business as well with their limited resources. The reason behind
internationalization are to increase sales, diversify associated risks and operation, getting better
clients, reduce costs and other benefits for business. Agricultural sector of Nigeria is always
faced with issues such as lack of development, marketing problem, unstable prices and others
(Eriksson et al., 2015). Internationalization will help them to improve on these grounds so that
they can experience continuous growth. Agricultural sector of Nigeria is experiencing a lower
development and growth rate over decades with an average growth rate standing at 6 to 8 percent
per year. Thus, it became necessary to research on the strategies that small and medium size
enterprise like the agricultural production of Nigeria can use to internationalize themselves and
solve the issues they are facing (Dimitratos et al., 2016).

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Aim and Objectives of the Research
Aim and objectives of the paper helps in offering a vivid and clear view to the research on the
areas that needs to be achieved through thorough research and analysis.
AIM: The aim of the research is to examine strategies that SMEs can use to
internationalize the local agricultural production in Nigeria. This shows that the paper aims to
know the ways in which the small and medium sector enterprise can grow internationally and
have a global presence even after facing various constraints such as financial earnings or
financial help from external sources. The major goal of the study will be to understand
industrialization and the strategies other small sector firms has adopted worldwide to get an
international presence. The similar strategies can be implemented in the SMEs of Nigeria.
OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the research is as follows:
 To study the meaning of internationalization
Industrialization has various meanings as it is understood by different people on a different
sphere. Understanding internationalization will be the first and the foremost aim of the paper as
without understanding this term it will be difficult to set the strategies that can help attain the
industrialization.
 To examine the internationalization of SMEs
Industrialization of the SMEs will help in offering a close link between these two terms as
industrialization is mostly considered to be adopted by large firms. Thus, getting it clear that
industrialization can also be used by small and medium enterprises to attain growth is also
beneficial and possible in today’s world. Thus this objective aims at explaining the ways in
which internationalization is also attached with small and medium enterprises.

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 To examine the strategies for SME internationalization
This is the major portion of the objective that will help in examining the past strategies that has
been taken by small and medium size enterprise for attaining industrialization. It is a crucial part
of the paper as attaining this objective will help in stating the ways SMEs in Nigeria can also get
globalized.
 The investigate the strategies that SME local agricultural production in Nigeria can use to
internationalize
This is the last objective that will be accomplished through primary research and also help in
suggesting the strategies for SMEs in Nigeria. The objective will allow to come with the
complete outcome of the paper as it will help in knowing the strategies that is already used by
some of the SMEs in Nigeria.
Research Question
 What is the strategies that SME of local agricultural production in Nigeria can use to
internationalize?
Rationale for the Study
The paper aims at explaining industrialization and the strategies that can be used by the
small and medium size enterprise in attaining the industrialization overtime. The study focuses
majorly to the SMEs of Nigeria and the strategies that are beneficial for them. The paper is
beneficial in many ways as internationalization and globalization is one of the major motive of
every company as it improves competition and helps in surviving in the competitive world.
Further, the strategies that will be found in the outcome of the research will not only help the
small firms of Nigeria, it can effectively be used by any other SMEs operating worldwide, thus,

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and the rationale of the study is that it offers worldwide benefit. Moreover, Nigerian firms will
be able to benefit from the research outcome as many of them still thinks that it is difficult for
the small and medium size firms to expand their market.
Outline of the Research
This sector offers a structural view of the paper in which the entire research will
be conducted along with the methodology used. The paper will be divided into different
chapters with each chapter having their own roles and objectives. Chapter one is the
introduction part that offers a description and purpose of the research is has been
conducted. Chapter two is literature review that is formed after analyzing and studying
past literature on the topic. Chapter three is the most important part of the paper that
states the methodology that the researcher used to collect the data for the study and the
ways it used t analyze the data for final result. This chapter is followed by chapter for
which is the results and discussion chapter showing all the possible outcome of the
primary research conducted. The last chapter is the conclusion chapter along with some
recommendations if needed as it finalizes the actual outcome of the research based on the
objectives.

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Chapter Two
Literature Review
Internationalization is the process of planning and modifying the products in a way that
can be adapted by local languages and cultures of other areas. Internationalization is always
confused or compared with globalization in which the expansion of products to internationalize
the market is involved (Eriksson et al., 2015). Knight (2015) has further described
internationalization as an increasing importance of international trade, international relations,
treaties and other alliances with the global market. Internationalization has various benefits for
the SMEs that can help them grow in a better way. Dimitratos et al., (2016) has explained that
SMEs are able to dispense business risk across the markets they enter. It also helps in generating
increased sales and revenues that can be invested in the technologies and new production
processes. These are the key elements that are required in the growth process. It is further stated
the internationalization allows the enterprise to cooperate with the foreign companies and get
access to better technologies and ability to add innovation in the business. Lastly, it helps in
better efficiency and operational benefits for improving production potential. Musteen, Datta &
Butts (2014) has mentioned that the SMEs try to respond to the cross border marketing
opportunities offered by the overseas opportunity that is given by their relational contacts. Thus,
business as well as social networks are found to be most important factor in the
internationalization stage of such small and medium sized enterprise (Sui & Baum, 2014).
Further there should be other elements as well such as business networks, knowledge of the
market and others. Dimitratos et al., (2016) has pointed out that internationalization of
agricultural sector has been the major factor in the contribution of the economic health of this
industry.

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Methodology
The methodology helps in the research process that can be adopted to collect resources
that can help in investigating into the strategies that can be used by the SMEs to adopt
internationalization. The researcher will use qualitative research design to move forward with the
research. Further, a descriptive design in which a survey process will be used by the researcher to
collect the information on the topic. An inductive research approach will be followed as the
researcher will induce the data directly from the source. The data collection method used by the
research will be primary method in which as survey will be conducted through a questionnaire
(Lewis, 2015). The participants of the survey will the agricultural production companies that has
already internationalized over the years to know the strategies they have used. 10 agricultural
production companies will be surveyed that has taken internationalization and has been
successful. The survey will be done in an ethical manner with required confidentiality and bias
free responses (Happo et al., 2017).
Timeline
Research Activities Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10
Preparation of Research Proposal
Presenting Research Proposal
Approval for Research Proposal
Preparation of Introductory part
Preliminary Literature Review
Literature Review
Research Design framing
Data Collection- Interview
Data Collection-Survey
Data analysis
Presentation of Data
Discussion
Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Submission

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Conclusion
From the above analysis it can be concluded that the research on the strategies for SME
in the agricultural sector of Nigeria will help the agricultural production firms to move
internationally in future.

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References
Beck, T., & Demirguc-Kunt, A. (2006). Small and medium-size enterprises: Access to finance as
a growth constraint. Journal of Banking & finance, 30(11), 2931-2943.
Dimitratos, P., Johnson, J. E., Plakoyiannaki, E., & Young, S. (2016). SME internationalization:
How does the opportunity-based international entrepreneurial culture
matter?. International Business Review, 25(6), 1211-1222.
Eriksson, K., Johanson, J., Majkgård, A., & Sharma, D. D. (2015). Experiential knowledge and
cost in the internationalization process. In Knowledge, Networks and Power (pp. 41-63).
Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Happo, S. M., Halkoaho, A., Lehto, S. M., & Keränen, T. (2017). The effect of study type on
research ethics committees’ queries in medical studies. Research Ethics, 13(3-4), 115-
127.
Knight, J. (2015). Updated definition of internationalization. International higher education,
(33).
Lewis, S. (2015). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five
approaches. Health promotion practice, 16(4), 473-475.
Musteen, M., Datta, D. K., & Butts, M. M. (2014). Do International Networks and Foreign
Market Knowledge Facilitate SME Internationalization? Evidence From the C zech R
epublic. Entrepreneurship theory and practice, 38(4), 749-774.
Sui, S., & Baum, M. (2014). Internationalization strategy, firm resources and the survival of
SMEs in the export market. Journal of International Business Studies, 45(7), 821-841.

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