In recent years, effectuation (Sarasvathy, 2001, 2008) has gained prominence in the entrepreneurship literature as a theory/method for understanding and conceptualising entrepreneurial decision-making and action. Despite the breadth of findings related to effectuation and overall progress in the literature, significant gaps still exist in our understanding of entrepreneurial effectuation processes. 

The purpose of my DBA promotion project is to explore and investigate the entrepreneurial action behaviour during the architectural and civil engineering service internationalisation. Moreover, to develop a How-to internationalise “Action Guideline” for design decision-makers who are architects and civil engineers, as well as for educational institutions in architectural and civil engineering. 

The aim is to explore and advance our understanding of effectuation as a mode of action by addressing the following questions: how are causal and effectual design logics applied by design entrepreneurs during the international opportunity process? What are the similarities and differences in the use of causal and effectual design logic principles throughout the international opportunity process?

In doing so, the intended research will (1) improve the understanding of entrepreneurial behaviour in SME internationalisation; (2) improve the theory in causation and effectuation; (3) improve theory in SME internationalisation; (4) adding value to cross-national comparative studies in adding an emerging market (Thailand) to the research; and finally, (5) providing practical implications by developing a How-to“Action Guideline” for entrepreneurial business executives, and entrepreneurial educators to enhance existing professional business practice. 

This research is currently conducted via a qualitative cross-country comparative research in two different socioeconomic environments and country institutional profiles (Busenitz, et al., 2000). At the example of Switzerland and Thailand.