Entrepreneurial orientation and internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMES) in Tanzania

This study carried out analysis of four cases on SMEs internationalization in Dar es salaam, Tanzania. The study investigated the following, factors influencing SMEs to go international includes: pro-activeness, innovativeness, and risk taking. It also, investigated SMEs process and entry mode, It is a descriptive study that adopted a positivist approach where 4 cases where involved in the study. The cases were purposely selected from CTI directory as exporters categorized into Handcraft, Textile, Construction, and Food and processing industries. It was revealed that there are strong influence of entrepreneurial orientation variables and overall SMEs internationalization. Those variables include Proactiveness, innovativeness, and risk taking. In additional, Firms with high risk taking owner/managers were found more proactive, innovative, and risk-seeking. High risk takers and pro-activeness owner/managers were engaged in exporting, franchising and turnkey project activities and all firms reported higher percentage of sales from international market from 60 percent to 90 percent. The study urges policy makers to set up export promotion tools for guiding the export firms as well as carry out sensitization on available opportunities in the international market. Also, the government should encourage export by a single government unit that will deal with exporters to serve time and cost.