Entrepreneurial founding team exits in rapidly internationalising SMEs: A double edged sword

Entrepreneurial founding teams (EFTs) are often essential to new venture creation and successful internationalisation. Although the composition of EFTs has been the subject of enquiry, little research exists into the exit of team members and the consequences for rapid internationalisation. We focus on EFT exits in rapidly internationalising small firms and develop categories of EFT exits. We explore the motivations and subsequent impact on internationalisation of case firms to illustrate each category/type of EFT exit. We find that exits are prevalent in the early stages of ventures, and may be either consensual or non-consensual. There are a number of motivations evident and EFT exits are often critical to continued internationalisation. We offer that EFT exits are not always negative, they can allow for the appropriate deployment of resources, extending RBV/KBV as whilst much research effort has been devoted to establishing what new resources/knowledge should flow into a firm, we show that to shed an EFT member and redeploy resources/knowledge can act as a catalyst to further internationalisation. Finally we discuss research, managerial and policy implications.