A sizeable number of small and medium-sized businesses believe that half their revenue will come from overseas by 2019.
An in-depth study by the Economist Intelligence Unit, conducted on behalf of the DHL Express, found that firms attached an increasing amount of importance to the international marketplace.
Despite this, the 480 SMEs surveyed acknowledged there were still plenty of obstacles for companies who wanted to capitalise on overseas trade.
Among the challenges mentioned by those looking to expand abroad were political instability, language barriers and inadequate infrastructure.
Charles Ross, who compiled the research, said: “The report illustrates the challenges that SMEs face in growing their business on a global level.
“They find it particularly difficult understanding local business environments which are different to their home market, as well as navigating through unreliable infrastructure and unstable political environments.
“Still, they clearly see the potential with a majority of companies viewing international trade as vital to their survival.”
While 40 per cent of those surveyed don’t, at the moment, make any money from international operations, the majority expect that doing business abroad will become increasingly important during the next five years.
China remains the most appealing market for small businesses – in part because of its sheer size, but also because of its economic policy.
However, other developing economies have attracted far less investment. Africa in particular is often overlooked by SMEs in the world’s richest countries, despite strong growth in many parts of the continent.