The process of internationalisation of small and medium sized enterprises: the Italian case of the ‘Consortium to promote exports’ and the existing instruments for Welsh small companies

The Internationalisation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises 
free movement of goods and services, the reedom of the 
financial markets, and the delocalisation of productive 
processes, represents a new competitive challenge 
(Hewaliyanage, 2001). 
 
As a matter of fact, in the last few years the economic 
process has grown incredibly, making clear how deeply linked 
are the economies of the major developed countries. The 
unregulated internationalisation of capital is now being followed 
by the internationalisation of peoples' movements and 
organizations: a great revolution that will be the foundation for a 
participatory and sustainable global village. This has proved 
new important issues concerning the way everyone’s business 
and personal life will be affected from this process. 
 
 
The global competition 
 
In this complex framework two important issues coexist. 
On the one hand, the Trans-national Corporations (TNCs), i.e. 
the global multinationals, are securing record profits and 
massive downsizing of labour. These huge organisations 
expand in the international arena as rapidly and extensively as 
possible. They usually act without any respect of the local 
economy, avoiding the control of local government, thanks to a 
strong unregulated delocalisation, political power and 
compromises (Humbert, 1993).