Nahar, Sharmin and Alam, Muntasir (2025) Technology-Enabled Cross-Border Entrepreneurship: The Role of Digital Platforms in SME Expansion through the Lens of Institutional Theory. In: British Academy of Management (BAM) Conference :. British Academy of Management.
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) face significant institutional barriers when expanding across borders, including regulatory constraints, financial accessibility issues, and market entry challenges. Institutional theory provides a useful framework for understanding how external regulatory, normative, and cognitive institutional forces shape SME internationalization. This study examines how digital platforms, fintech solutions, and blockchain technologies enable SMEs to overcome institutional barriers and successfully engage in cross-border entrepreneurship. Using secondary data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), World Bank Doing Business Reports, and the OECD Digital Economy Index, the study applies regression analysis and clustering techniques to determine the extent to which technology adoption facilitates SME internationalization. Findings indicate that technology-driven SMEs achieve faster market entry and higher revenue growth compared to traditional firms. This research contributes to institutional theory by demonstrating how regulative, normative, and cognitive institutional forces interact with technological affordances to shape cross-border entrepreneurship. The study also offers policy recommendations for reducing digital trade barriers and fostering institutional environments conducive to SME expansion in the global economy.