Experiential knowledge antecedents of the SME network node configuration in emerging market business networks

• Determines experiential knowledge antecedents of network node configurations of SMEs.
• Network node configuration concerns how firms connect into foreign business networks.
• Market-specific knowledge favor a dyadic network node configuration.
• Customer-specific knowledge favor a dyadic network node configuration.
• General internationalization knowledge has no significant impact on the network node.

This paper aims to determine experiential knowledge antecedents of the network node configuration (i.e., dyad or triad) of SMEs entering emerging market business networks. Three kinds of knowledge of different degrees of specificity are assessed, namely, general internationalization, market-specific, and customer-specific knowledge. The sample consists of 203 SMEs in southern Sweden with experience of entering the Baltic State, Polish, Russian, or Chinese markets. The theoretical framework integrates network theory and internationalization process theory in order to understand and explain the internationalization of smaller firms. The hypotheses formulated are tested using logistic regression, which indicates that market- and customer-specific types of knowledge favor a dyadic network node configuration into the emerging market business network, while general internationalization knowledge has no significant effect. In addition, interaction effects were seen to moderate relationships between knowledge antecedents and the network node configuration of the sampled SMEs.