The Effect of Hybrid Financing Model on the Internationalization of MSMEs: The Role of Financial Capability Mediation and Digital Literacy Moderation (A Systematic Literature Review)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55927/fjmr.v5i3.26Keywords:
Digital Literacy, Financial Capability, Hybrid Financing Model, Mediation Moderation, SME InternationalizationAbstract
This study aims to examine the influence of the hybrid financing model on SME internationalization, incorporating the mediating role of financial capability and the moderating role of digital literacy. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol was employed, systematically selecting 30 Scopus-indexed articles from Q1 to Q3 quartiles published between 2021 and 2025 as the analytical basis. Analysis was conducted through a narrative synthesis approach applied to empirical findings drawn from diverse geographical contexts, including Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. The findings reveal that the hybrid financing model positively influences SME internationalization, financial capability mediates the relationship between the financing model and internationalization outcomes, and digital literacy significantly moderates the effectiveness of the hybrid financing model in building SME financial capability. These findings carry strategic implications for SME practitioners, policymakers, and financial institutions in designing more adaptive financing ecosystems oriented toward global market expansion. Future research is encouraged to empirically test this integrated model through primary data collection from more representative SME populations across diverse regional contexts.
References
Abdallah, W., Harraf, A., Ghura, H., & Abrar, M. (2025). Financial literacy and small and medium enterprises performance: the moderating role of financial access. Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, 23(4), 1345–1364. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFRA-06-2024-0337
Affandi, Y., Ridhwana, M. M., Trinugrohob, I., & Hermawana, D. (2024). Digital adoption, business performance, and financial literacy in ultra-micro, micro, and small enterprises in Indonesia. Research in International Business and Finance, 70(8), 881–885. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ribaf.2024.102376
Al-shami, S. A., Damayanti, R., Adil, H., Farhi, F., & Al Mamun, A. (2024). Financial and digital financial literacy through social media use towards financial inclusion among batik small enterprises in Indonesia. Heliyon, 10(15), e34902. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34902
Alam, A., Du, A. M., Rahman, M., Yazdifar, H., & Abbasi, K. (2022). SMEs respond to climate change: Evidence from developing countries. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 185(October), 122087. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.122087
Anwar, M., Li, S., Al-Omush, A., & Al-Nimer, M. (2023). SMEs' Internationalization: Mapping the Field through Finance, ITC, and Social Ties. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043162
Braimah, A., Mu, Y., Quaye, I., & Ibrahim, A. A. (2021). Working Capital Management and SMEs Profitability in Emerging Economies: The Ghanaian Case. SAGE Open, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244021989317
Calvo, N., Monje-Amor, A., & Villarreal, O. (2022). When your value proposition is to improve others' energy efficiency: Analyzing the internationalization dilemma of eco-innovations in SMEs. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 185(July 2021), 122069. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.122069
Charfeddine, L., Umlai, M. I., & El-Masri, M. (2024). Impact of financial literacy, perceived access to finance, ICT use, and digitization on credit constraints: evidence from Qatari MSME importers. Financial Innovation, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40854-023-00557-4
Daud, I., Nurjannah, D., Mohyi, A., Ambarwati, T., Cahyono, Y., Haryoko, A. D. E., Handoko, A. L., Putra, R. S., Wijoyo, H., Ari-Yanto, A., & Jihadi, M. (2022). The effect of digital marketing, digital finance and digital payment on finance performance of indonesian smes. International Journal of Data and Network Science, 6(1), 37–44. https://doi.org/10.5267/J.IJDNS.2021.10.006
Devender, K., Kafila, Goli, G., & Shravan, M. (2025). Bibliometric trends in SMEs financial literacy research from 2021 to 2024. Future Business Journal, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-025-00495-w
Dura, J. (2022). Determinants of Financial Literacy and Digital Literacy on Financial Performance in Driving Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery. Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia, 21(2), 47–68. https://doi.org/10.17477/jcea.2022.21.2.047
Elizabeth, E., Prabowo, H., Setiowati, R., & Bandur, A. (2025). Sustainable Tourism Strategies: Examining Green Service Innovation as a Mediator Between the Marketing Mix and Business Performance in Bali's Tour and Travel SMEs. Tourism and Hospitality, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp6030129
Frimpong, S. E., Agyapong, G., & Agyapong, D. (2022). Financial literacy, access to digital finance and performance of SMEs: Evidence From Central region of Ghana. Cogent Economics and Finance, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2022.2121356
Gaweł, A., Mroczek-Dąbrowska, K., & Pietrzykowski, M. (2023). Digitalization and Its Impact on the Internationalization Models of SMEs. FGF Studies in Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 19–40. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-11371-0_2
Hasan, M., Januddin, T., & Tahir, T. (2026). "I'm gen Z—Can I become a Technopreneur?" the mediating power of digital business and financial literacy in entrepreneurship education. Entrepreneurship Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41959-025-00168-3
Imjai, N., Meesook, K., Somwethee, P., Usman, B., & Aujirapongpan, S. (2025). Exploring the impact of digital financial literacy to effective financial planning and control: Perspectives on competitiveness of Thai micropreneurs. Social Sciences and Humanities Open, 11(January), 101307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101307
Khalil, A., Abdelli, M. E. A., & Mogaji, E. (2022). Do Digital Technologies Influence the Relationship between the COVID-19 Crisis and SMEs' Resilience in Developing Countries? Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 8(2), 100. https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc8020100
Kim, J., & Jin, W. (2024). Impact of digital capabilities on entrepreneurial performance in SMEs. Journal of Innovation and Knowledge, 9(4), 100609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jik.2024.100609
Kumar, M., Almuraqab, N., Moonesar, I. A., Braendle, U. C., & Rao, A. (2024). How critical is SME financial literacy and digital financial access for financial and economic development in the expanded BRICS block? Frontiers in Big Data, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fdata.2024.1448571
Kurniasari, F., Abd Hamid, N., & Lestari, E. D. (2025). Unraveling the impact of financial literacy, financial technology adoption, and access to finance on small medium enterprises business performance and sustainability: a serial mediation model. Cogent Business and Management, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2025.2487837
Kurniasari, F., Lestari, E. D., & Tannady, H. (2023). Pursuing Long-Term Business Performance: Investigating the Effects of Financial and Technological Factors on Digital Adoption to Leverage SME Performance and Business Sustainability—Evidence from Indonesian SMEs in the Traditional Market. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(16). https://doi.org/10.3390/su151612668
Li, W., Liu, Z., Xia, S., Yan, J., Xiong, Y., Sakka, G., & Yu Li, R. (2022). How can emerging-market SMEs domestically benefit from their performance in developed countries? Empirical evidence from China. Journal of Business Research, 142, 200–210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.12.058
Li, W., & Pang, W. (2023). Digital inclusive finance, financial mismatch and the innovation capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises: Evidence from Chinese listed companies. Heliyon, 9, e13792. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13792
Lontchi, C. B., Yang, B., & Shuaib, K. M. (2023). Effect of Financial Technology on SMEs Performance in Cameroon amid COVID-19 Recovery: The Mediating Effect of Financial Literacy. Sustainability (Switzerland), 15(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032171
Mohamad, A., Mohd Rizal, A., Kamarudin, S., & Sahimi, M. (2022). Exploring the Co-Creation of Small and Medium Enterprises, and Service Providers Enabled by Digital Interactive Platforms for Internationalization: A Case Study in Malaysia. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(23). https://doi.org/10.3390/su142316119
Nahar, S., & Alam, M. (2026). Technology-Enabled Cross-Border Entrepreneurship: The Role of Digital Platforms in SME Expansion Through the Lens of Institutional Theory. Thunderbird International Business Review, n/a(n/a). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/tie.70093
O. R. Togun, Ranti Ogunrinade, Ola T Olalekan, & T. D. Jooda. (2023). Financial Inclusion and SMEs' Performance: Mediating Effect of Financial Literacy. Journal of Business and Environmental Management, 1(1), 23–33. https://doi.org/10.59075/jbem.v1i1.148
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., ... Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. Research Methods And Reporting, 372. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Panicker, V. S., Upadhyayula, R. S., & Sivakumar, S. (2022). Internationalization of hybrid state-owned enterprises from emerging markets: Institutional investors as enablers. Journal of Business Research, 151, 409–422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.07.018
Pereira, V., Nandakumar, M. K., Sahasranamam, S., Bamel, U., Malik, A., & Temouri, Y. (2022). An exploratory study into emerging market SMEs' involvement in the circular Economy: Evidence from India's indigenous Ayurveda industry. Journal of Business Research, 142(0), 188–199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.12.053
Qalati, S. A., Ostic, D., Sulaiman, M. A. B. A., Gopang, A. A., & Khan, A. (2022). Social Media and SMEs' Performance in Developing Countries: Effects of Technological-Organizational-Environmental Factors on the Adoption of Social Media. SAGE Open, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221094594
Rosyidiana, R. N., & Narsa, I. M. (2024). Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) during the post-pandemic economic recovery period: digitalization, literation, innovation, and its impact on financial performance. Cogent Business and Management, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2342488
Seraj, A. H. A., Fazal, S. A., & Alshebami, A. S. (2022). Entrepreneurial Competency, Financial Literacy, and Sustainable Performance—Examining the Mediating Role of Entrepreneurial Resilience among Saudi Entrepreneurs. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(17). https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710689
Shahadat, M. M. H., Nekmahmud, M., Ebrahimi, P., & Fekete-Farkas, M. (2023). Digital Technology Adoption in SMEs: What Technological, Environmental and Organizational Factors Influence SMEs' ICT Adoption in Emerging Countries? Global Business Review. https://doi.org/10.1177/09721509221137199
Snyder, H. (2023). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039
Thanh, T. Le, Huan, N. Q., & Hong, T. T. T. (2021). Effects of corporate social responsibility on SMEs' performance in emerging market. Cogent Business and Management, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2021.1878978
Tranfield, D., Denyer, D., & Smart, P. (2013). Towards a Methodology for Developing Evidence-Informed Management Knowledge by Means of Systematic Review. Journal of International Management, 19(4), 390–406. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intman.2013.03.011
Uthaileang, W., & Kiattisin, S. (2023). Developing the capability of digital financial literacy in developing countries: A Case of online loan for small entrepreneurs. Heliyon, 9(12), e21961. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21961
Yanto, H., Kiswanto, Baroroh, N., Hajawiyah, A., & Rahim, N. M. (2022). Entrepreneurial Skills, Financial Literacy, Digital Literacy, MSMEs. Asian Economic and Financial Review, 12(7), 504–517. https://doi.org/10.55493/5002.v12i7.4535
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ginanjar Indra Kusuma Nugraha, Sudarmiatin Sudarmiatin, Heri Pratikto

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.





























