Niche Markets and Small Business Strategies: Shifting the Focus of International Business Education

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to propose a shift in the emphasis of international business
education, both teaching and research, in favor of small and mid-sized firms. Two established,
mutually reinforcing trends suggest the need for this shift; (a) the continuing role of
small business as the engine of innovation, and growth in output, export and employment
creation, and (b) the continuing reluctance of many small businesses to explore export
opportunities. To the extent business education serves the nation, the economy as a whole,
and our international competitiveness, and what promises to be an important avenue of
growth in employment opportunities for our students, we should be doing more to help small
and mid-sized businesses, and let the large, capital and job exporting multinational corporations
(MNCs) fend more for themselves.