PurposeThis paper reviews the literature on internationalization barriers of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from developing countries. The purposes of the study are: (1) to explicitly point out specific factors influencing the growth and internationalization of SMEs from developing countries and (2) to identify the research gaps to provide lucid and succinct directions for future research in this area.Design/methodology/approachThe authors selected relevant papers from journals listed on Web of Science and Scopus databases.FindingsIt was found that there are large number of questions remain unanswered regarding the internationalization of SMEs from developing countries regarding the factors determining their growth and internationalization.Originality/valueThis review distinctively accentuates previous studies on such barriers influencing the growth of SMEs from developing countries and systematically synthesize the issues faced by those SMEs. Thus, the authors seek to provide a comprehensible platform for researchers working in this area.

Purpose The paper aims to examine new research on the internationalization of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Pacific Island Nation country Fiji. Design/methodology/approach A multiple case qualitative method was used which adopted a purposeful sampling methodology through semi-structured interviews to test propositions and present preliminary findings. Findings The authors find that, SME internationalization in Fiji is driven by management competence (MC) and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and is hindered by the unfavourable institutional environment. The authors then develop a conceptual model and propositions to further explore these enablers and the inhibitors of Fiji SME internationalization. The authors’ findings have important implications for managers in improving their firms’ international performance. Originality/value This is a pioneering effort to evaluate the relationship between the factors of EO, MC and institutional distance and their impact on the international performance of SMEs. This paper contributes to the existing literature on international entrepreneurship through the examination of SMEs’ internationalization activities in Fiji.