While the role and contributions of SMEs in international markets have increased, our understanding of their adopted processes and patterns remains fragmented. Some SMEs tend to stay and operate more in their home countries and engage in internationalization as a second priority option. These firms usually prefer to have a low IO and choose low commitment internationalization entry modes. Other SMEs have a higher IO to improve the specific processes, operations or decision-making activities for chasing the new opportunities abroad and achieving a better firm performance