Strategic intent and international corporate entrepreneurship: the role of learning climate and entrepreneurial leadership in a developing economy

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Social Sciences and Humanities Open

Publication Date

6-1-2026

Abstract

In today's fast-paced global economy, born-global SMEs must rapidly develop strategic capabilities to compete on the international stage. Understanding how these firms cultivate entrepreneurial behavior across borders is critical for sustaining competitive advantage. However, limited research has systematically examined the mechanisms and boundary conditions through which strategic intent translates into international entrepreneurial outcomes, particularly in developing economy contexts such as Pakistan. Drawing on dynamic capabilities theory, this study explores how the strategic intent of born-global firms drives international corporate entrepreneurship (ICE). We propose that a supportive learning climate acts as a key mechanism through which strategic intent translates into ICE. Furthermore, we examine the role of entrepreneurial leadership as a critical moderator, strengthening both the direct impact of strategic intent on ICE and its indirect influence via the learning climate. Using time-lagged data from 224 born-global Pakistani SMEs, our findings provide empirical support for the proposed model. Specifically, the results demonstrate that learning climate partially mediates the relationship between strategic intent and ICE, while entrepreneurial leadership significantly amplifies these effects. These insights offer actionable guidance for firms aiming to establish and expand their presence in competitive international markets.

ISSN

2590-2911

Publisher

Elsevier BV

Volume

13

Disciplines

Business

Keywords

Born-global firms, Emerging economy, Entrepreneurial leadership, International corporate entrepreneurship, Learning climate, Strategic intent

Scopus ID

105038156528

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

yes

Open Access Type

Gold: This publication is openly available in an open access journal/series

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS