El proceso de internacionalización de las empresas de economía social de Andalucía

Abstract

This research derives from the formulation of a scientific problem: ignorance of the extent of the Andalusian export competitiveness and its social economy enterprises, as well as the ignorance of the factors that determine export competitiveness of that sector. Giving a turn of 180 degrees, the problem allowed to set the overall aim, which is to know the scope of the Andalusian export competitiveness and its companies of Social Economy "cooperatives and labour societies" which is determined by factors regarding inner resources. When the purpose was clarified, it was decided to start with the macroeconomic effect and finish with the microeconomic one. Therefore, it has been followed a top-down approach: from the regional object to the one of the sector. To achieve the overall objective split into several specific objectives, an inductive-deductive scientific methodology has been performed, developed with the help of three techniques: Shift-Share Analysis, SWOT matrix (internal factors) and Probability of Rasch. The usage of these techniques is repeated throughout the four studies performed and their maximum contribution resides in the double combination of the SWOT matrix with the Probability of Rasch. The analysis of the cases shows a series of results bounded within four studies that in turn respond to four specific objectives and appear as articles for various scientific publications, which currently have some acceptance. The first study confirms the strong export performance of Andalusia. Similarly, the results of the second study ratify this behaviour based on the Social Economy exporting companies from Seville, demonstrating tangible changes. The third one presents the profile of exporting companies in the Social Economy in 2013, measures the export competitiveness of the corporate group and quantifies their competitive capacity individually and as a whole, according to a categorisation provided. Mainly, the latent variable was defined: export competitiveness, obtained by means of six multidimensional items. This definition in itself performs a categorisation by stablishing three different levels (excellent, improvable and weak). In the latest study, each of the three precepts achieved in the third analysis are exhibited from the outlook of the exporting companies of the Social Economy in relation to the total exporting SME in Andalusia in 2013.