Kent SME Internationalisation Study

This study was commissioned by Kent County Council as part of the ‘SME Internationalisation Exchange’ Project (SIE) which is part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Interreg Europe Programme www.interregeurope.eu/SIE

The Kent SME Internationalisation Study 2016/2017 investigates the internationalisation status of SMEs located in Kent, UK. The core aims of the study are the understanding of the existing levels of SME international activities; the identification of drivers for and barriers to SME cross-border activities; the assessment of the existing support mechanisms; the initiation of the Brexit impact discussion; and ultimately the provision of recommendations on the increase of internationalisation capacity and activity among Kent businesses.

The rationale for the SME focus is due to the significant population of SMEs in the region and their contribution to economic growth, as SMEs create employment opportunities, contribute to achieving higher production volumes, boost exports and drive innovation.