The general objective of this article is to analyse innovation as a determinant of the internationalisation patterns of Brazilian technology-based SMEs (small and medium enterprises) in different sectors and with different technological features. The theoretical background of this article centres on the typologies of innovation, SMEs’ internationalisation patterns, and innovation as an internationalisation determinant. The main theoretical contributions of this qualitative study are its analysis of innovation of the firm, focusing on the type of innovation, the degree of novelty, and the degree of control over the innovation process as determinants of their internationalisation patterns, and the influence of the external organisational environment on innovation and internationalisation. In terms of managerial implications, we highlight the effect of these factors on the competitiveness of case firms in international markets. Finally, our suggestions for future studies include the need for research replication in other emerging markets, the inclusion of both mature and young technology-based SMEs in the sample, the use of longitudinal data for case studies, and the validation of this qualitative study through a quantitative study that includes a larger sample of technology-based SMEs.

本文的总体目标是分析创新作为不同部门和具有不同技术特征的巴西技术型中小企业（中小企业）国际化模式的决定因素。本文的理论背景集中在创新的类型、中小企业的国际化模式以及创新作为国际化的决定因素。这项定性研究的主要理论贡献是对企业创新的分析，重点关注创新的类型、新颖性和对创新过程的控制程度作为其国际化模式的决定因素，以及创新的影响。创新和国际化的外部组织环境。在管理影响方面，我们强调这些因素对案例公司在国际市场上的竞争力的影响。最后，我们对未来研究的建议包括需要在其他新兴市场进行研究复制，样本中包括成熟和年轻的技术型中小企业，使用纵向数据进行案例研究，以及通过以下方式验证本定性研究一项定量研究，其中包括更多基于技术的中小企业样本。