Abstract
To survive in a globalized and increasingly competitive world, SMEs need to improve their competitiveness and be more efficient in their relationships with suppliers and customers. In this context, two observations justify the setting up of a study on the IS of Lebanese exporting SMEs. First of all, the authors agree that SMEs are specific and that there IS is simple and direct, but also that exporting requires a developed IS to obtain information on the external market. Secondly, the relationship between developed IS and export is described in the literature on developed countries as a catalyst for the development of SMEs internationally. The work done on this theme in developing countries is rare and contradictory. In some countries the impact of developed IS on business growth is negative, while in others the impact is positive. In North Africa and the Middle East, bibliographical gaps in the field are flagrant and especially in Lebanon. Thus, the paradox found between a simple and direct SME IS and the fact that exporting would require a developed IS, and the bibliographical gaps and contradictory results identified in the literature, push us to approach the following problematic: How and why the leaders of SMEs Lebanese use the IS to export? To deal with the problem, we will first present the theoretical frameworks chosen, then the relations between IS, SME and export, and finally the methodological approach adopted and the case studies carried out to discover the characteristics of the IS in the SME exporters in Lebanon.Case analysis has shown that Lebanese SME exporters do not have a developed IS and manage to export and maintain their market share abroad. The results show that there is a continuum between simple IS and developed IS. The decision of type of IS is taken by the owner's and reasons of decision are summarized by the export strategy, export mode and the strategy IS. The factors influencing the IS of Lebanese SME exporters fall into two categories: Internal environment and external environment. The factors relating to the internal environment of the company are summed up by the perception of usefulness of the IS by the leader as well as his relational dynamism, the resources and competences with the export and finally the available infrastructure. External factors come back to the socio-political and economic conditions of the country.