Promoting the internationalization of SMEs through clusters

Abstract

Internationalization has become increasingly important forthe competitiveness of enterprises ofall sizes. With limited time or capacity, lack of financial or human resources,certain opportunities or potential partners, SMEs need support to enterinternational markets. Clusters are recognized as an important instrument forpromoting innovation, sustainable industrial modernization and interregionalcooperation. The aim of this paper is to discover a theoretical andanalytical basis for clustering and internationalization, to review the best internationalizationpractices from clusters in Europe and to explore empirical issues of the internationalizationof Bulgarian SMEs.