Understanding the International Trade Barriers faced by Innovative SMEs in New Zealand Food and Wine Industries

Abstract

The first focus of this thesis is to observe, discuss and compare the trade barriers generated by the theory of SME internationalisation with the empirical trade barriers faced by innovative SMEs in the New Zealand Food and Wine (F&W) industries in the pathways of internationalisation. The second focus of this thesis is to study the factor of Free Trade Agreements. This thesis discusses how FTAs, the business environment promoted by FTAs, and the innovation assistance promoted by FTAs help innovative SMEs in the New Zealand F&W industries overcome the trade barriers they face. According to these two research focuses, this thesis establishes two research purposes and two research questions, and on this basis, the thesis establishes six related propositions. This research analyses the primary data obtained through an in-depth interview research method and the secondary data obtained through the extensive secondary data collection method. The results show that the trade barriers encountered by New Zealand F&W innovative SMEs in the process of internationalisation are more consistent with the trade barriers in the export stage theory and INVs theory. The reasons may be related to SMEs' innovation ability, international network construction ability and rapid export activities. While discussing the relationship between FTAs, the business environment promoted by FTAs, the innovation assistance promoted by FTAs and the international trade barriers of New Zealand F&W innovative SMEs, not all the propositions are supported by the research results. The primary sample size is too small, and insufficient data is the main reason. The current research results show that the establishment of Free Trade Agreements makes tariffs no longer a trade barrier when New Zealand's F&W innovative SMEs are doing internationalisation. The open business environment has also benefited international networks for innovative SMEs in New Zealand F&W industries. However, compared with SMEs, government innovation assistance is more closely related to large multinational companies in the F&W industry.