The impact of returnee entrepreneurs’ international experience on enterprise performance: The mediating role of knowledge management practices

Returnee entrepreneurs are increasingly recognised as important agents of enterprise development due to their internationally acquired knowledge, skills, and networks (Williams, 2021; Liu et al., 2010). This study examines how returnee entrepreneurs’ international experience influences enterprise performance through knowledge management practices. Drawing on the resource-based (RBV) and knowledge-based views (KBV) of the firm, the study argues that internationally acquired experience contributes to enterprise performance primarily through organisational knowledge management mechanisms rather than through returnee status alone. Using survey data collected from returnee-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Kosovo, the study applies partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that international experience positively affects knowledge management practices, which in turn significantly enhance enterprise performance. The results further confirm the full mediating role of knowledge management practices in the relationship between international experience and enterprise performance. The study contributes to the literature on returnee entrepreneurship by highlighting the importance of organisational knowledge processes in transforming international experience into enterprise-level outcomes.