Abstract The model analyzes the positive moderating role of absorptive capacity (ACAP) in the innovative outcomes of the firms. It focuses on ACAP as a moderating variable of the innovative efforts that firms develop or have the chance of incorporating from outside and not just as an antecedent of the innovation results. The empirical evidence collected comes from a study conducted on 189 SMEs working in IT services in Argentina and the results prove the main hypothesis of how ACAP is a positive moderating factor of the innovative effort of firms, even in the case of the connections created by their the participation in international networks not having a high correlation. Some suggestions for policymaker managers and future lines of research are provided.

This paper analyzes the influence of networks and knowledge on international business opportunities in companies of the software and IT services sector of Argentina according to the postulates of the accelerated internationalization model of Oviatt and Mc- Dougall and considering that they are part of an emerging economy where dimensions differ from developed economies. The research is based on a field study conducted on 14 companies from the software sector located in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, which receive incentives from the government and research centers thus constituting an homogeneous sample. The findings reveal that the «brokers» of local networks and the links with clients in target markets are the main forces that helped these SMEs to internationalize rapidly.

Este trabajo analiza la influencia de las redes y del conocimiento sobre las oportunidades de negocios en mercados externos de las empresas del sector de software y servicios informáticos de Argentina de acuerdo a los postulados del modelo de internacionalización acelerada de Oviatt y McDougall y considerando que participan de una economía emergente donde las dimensiones difieren de las economías desarrolladas. La investigación se basa en un trabajo de campo realizado sobre 14 empresas del sector localizadas en la provincia de Santa Fe, Argentina, que reciben estímulos gubernamentales y de centros de estudios similares por lo que constituye una muestra homogénea. Las conclusiones revelan que los «brokers» de redes locales y las vinculaciones que existen con clientes en los mercados de destino son las principales fuerzas que ayudaron a estas PyMEs del sector a internacionalizarse aceleradamente.