Innovation as a driver of internationalization in the software industry

Innovation and internationalization are two important factors for growth. This study analyzes whether innovativeness has an effect on the internationalization of software firms, and if so, how strong this effect is. Innovation and internationalization have rarely been studied together, with research tending to focus more on the relationship between innovations and growth. However, internationalization is a key prerequisite for growth for companies operating in small domestic markets. This paper analyzes the innovativeness and internationalization of firms, using data from the Software Industry Survey conducted in Finland. Since the speed of firm growth and internationalization are dependent on the willingness to grow and the age of the firm, these variables are used as moderators in the analysis. Our analysis suggests that innovativeness does contribute to internationalization; however, the effect is significant only for younger firms during their expansion to new markets, after which they prioritize revenue growth.