ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the specifics of the early and rapid internationalisation of small- and medium-sized enterprises. It begins with a discussion on the role of SMEs in the world economy, with an emphasis on current trends and forms of activity in the global and European markets. It then focuses on the internationalisation of SMEs, including the internal and external determinants of this process. The last part of the chapter presents a comprehensive and nuanced portrait of early internationalised SMEs which emphasises the internal heterogeneity of these enterprises and highlights the features that distinguish them from other participants in the global market.
