In this talk I will make a bridge between two research streams that should be crossed more often: knowledge management and business internationalization. For that I will briefly present some concepts and results from previous research and then systematize the main findings of an on-going research project - The IEcPBI Project (Interactive Ecosystem for Portuguese Business Internationalization), conducted at the host of this conference - Universidade Portucalense. The IEcPBI Project adopts a multidisciplinary and multimethod research approach to this topic. It takes the perspective of the entrepreneur and his/her perception about the internationalization process of the company, more specifically the factors that enhance and constrain the company entry into foreign markets. In the literature of business internationalization, the identification and study of the determinants of internationalization and their relationship with the success / failure of the internationalization process attract a lot of attention. It is well established that knowledge management and learning processes are vital for international success, being related to better responses to customers’ needs and requirements, to identify new trends and successful entering in new markets. In fact, some authors view internationalization as a process of learning and knowledge accumulation. However, there is still a lack empirical research on knowledge management capabilities and learning processes, considering the entry modes, types of companies and the characteristics of the foreign markets. Drawing on the extant literature, the IEcPBI project considers a set of dimensions of enhancers/constrains, including the characteristics of the domestic market, the characteristics of the foreign market, the characteristics of the company (including their size, age, sector and capabilities and skills), the mobilization of partners and networks, the use of new technologies and the role of public policies. These dimensions - central in the literature of internationalization - can be related to diverse forms of learning (e.g. internal and external learning) and to the creation, sourcing, use and sharing of information and knowledge - that are central in the literature of knowledge management. The results already achieved by the IEcPBI project team allow identifying a set of conclusions and lessons for businesses and public policies.

supported by FEDER funds from COMPETE 2020 and Portuguese funds - Portugal 2020 POCI-01-0145-FEDER-032139)