World Applied Sciences Journal 30 (10): 1250-1258, 2014 ISSN 1818-4952 © IDOSI Publications, 2014 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wasj.2014.30.10.161 Corresponding Author: Kamariah Ismail, Management Department, Faculty of Management and Human Resource Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. 1250 Sustained Competitive Advantage of Born Global Ventures: A Conceptual Framework Wafa Khurram, Kamariah Ismail and Syed Khurram Ali Jafri Management Department, Faculty of Management and Human Resource Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Submitted: Dec 04, 2013; Accepted: Feb 12, 2014; Published: Feb 26, 2014 Abstract: Born global internationalization has emerged as the most promising field of the international entrepreneurship literature in developed countries. Recently, it has gained attention of some researchers from emerging economies too, though still at its infancy stage. The purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework for development and sustained competitive advantage of born global SMEs in Malaysia to pursue recurring calls for appending born global research in emerging countries and integrating multi-disciplinary theories for appeasing the inconclusiveness and complexity of this global phenomenon. The key assumption guiding this effort is mandatory role of entrepreneur’s, being heart and soul of the small firms, in determining speedy internationalization of born global SMEs. Extant review explicates direct and significant relationship of international entrepreneurial capabilities in creation as well as sustained competitiveness of born global firms, yet the role of entrepreneur’s psychosomatic resources in is largely unknown. Arguing in the favor of determining role of positive psychological capital in new venture creation and competitiveness and depicting it as a missing link in born global literature, an integrated framework is established. Future research recommendations for empirical investigation of this conceptual framework are given. Limitations and practical implications are also discussed. Key words: Born Global Ventures International Entrepreneurship International Entrepreneurial Capabilities Positive Psychological Capital Sustained Competitive Advantage Small and Medium Enterprises INTRODUCTION According to their distinct nature [11], however, the Born global firms are illustrated as novice enterprises, greatly considered as a factor of unique blend of with exclusive intentions to seek and grasp opportunities capabilities and resources [4] vis-à-vis entrepreneurs’ role for creating value and competitive advantage in cross- in seeking, enacting and exploiting opportunities into border countries [1, 2] at the time of inception or very firms’ competitive advantage [9, 10]. The born global early stage of development [3, 4]. The growing literature in general [12] and specifically in emerging significance of born global ventures in leveraging countries [8] illustrates deficiency regarding identification SMEs internationalization in developed nations [5, 6] is and investigation of the most important entrepreneur also drifting this phenomenological transformation in related factors of seeking, exploiting and enacting internationalization process of developing as well as international market opportunities [13]. Moreover, where emerging economies [7, 8]. Characterized with paucity of traditionally the emphasis has been laid on theoretical and resources and generally among the small and medium empirical linking of entrepreneurs’ abilities, motivations, sized group of enterprises, these firms are significantly education, entrepreneurial skills and social networking innovative and audacious to opt for early on international with success and sustained competitiveness of business [4, 9] to seek sustained competitiveness in international firms [4, 7, 10, 14], role of the most emerging international markets as their prime objective [10]. and potentially viable positive psychological capital has existence and subsistence of these born-global firms is