Abstract
The following working paper presents the results of a research on "The internationalisation of italian small and medium firms", promoted during last year, from Libera Università degli Studi Sociali Guidi Carli - LUISS in Rome and our University, Carlo Cattaneo from Castellanza - LIUC, synthetizing that part which was investigated by LIUC's researcher. The research objectives are wide, as they include the analysis of the internationalisation patterns, the entry-strategies and the marketing programs of 109 firms. Their competitive behaviour confirms the research thesis: italian small and medium firms differ in terms of international marketing strategies. They tend also to be autonomous in figuring out the international marketing decisions , though recently they demonstrate to be more open to the public and private aid, organized to favour their consolidation in the international arena.