nternational market entry strategies gained increasing importance due to globalisation. Companies became multinationals. Therefore, new challenges arose due to different market and customer requirements. One topic, which gained importance in B2B context, is customer value. Customer value can be defined as the perceived benefits a company delivers its customers in comparison to the perceived expenses. Nevertheless, no uniform definition exist. In addition to that, if there is a direct connection between B2B customer value and international market entry strategies have not been investigated yet. Therefore, this thesisprojectdeals with the influence of B2B customer value on international market entry strategies. To determine the link, following research question guides this thesis: How does B2B customer value influence international market entry strategies in Northern Europe?The research isnot only focused on Northern Europe but also on the data centre segment. The investigated countries are Norway, Ireland, UK and Finland. These countries are highly interesting for the commission partnerdue to market developments and mega trends. Furthermore, the commission partneris represented by local subsidiaries in the four countries of interest. In order to answer the research question, deep insights are generated via semi-structured interviews. Three customer groups are investigated: Data centre operator as well as owner, constructors including panel builder and system integrators as well as design consultants. The interviews are conducted either face-to-face or if necessary via telephone in the four countries of interest. The interviews include questions about B2B relationships, brand and marketing.If culture influences B2B customer value is investigated indirectly bythe questions on B2B relationship.Market intelligence questions are added in order to create a deeper understanding of the market.Furthermore, these insights also help to interpret the answers of customers. Due to the interviews, a picture of the B2B customer value in Northern Europe is created. Northern European customers value reliable suppliers who can offer quality products as well as solutions. In addition to that, the importance of global brands andmarketing of competences is determined. Due to combining the findings with the cultural dimensions of Hofstede, it is concluded that customer value differs between other countries.Hence, customer value influences international market strategies, as different customer value require distinct international market entry strategies.

Date May 31, 2011 Course Name: Masters Thesis in Marketing, 4FE02E, 15 hp, Spring 2011 LinnaeusUniversity,Växjö,Sweden Program Masters in Marketing Authors: Rubaiyat Raihan 840812 Shah Azeem 761210 Tutor: Engelbert Weiss Examiner: Sarah Philipson Title of the Paper: The specificities of market entry strategies into a developing country Problem Statement: “What are the specificities of market entry strategies into a developing country?” Purpose: To understand the market entry strategy of high tech product like energy efficiency light for the developing country taking into consideration the aspects discussed under problem discussion. Delimitation: In our thesis paper, we are only discussed about the energy saving industry and more specific the light manufactures. Also, our paper is discussed only about the market entry strategies and entry barrier, not to measure the effect of it. Methodology: The project is based on primary data retrieved in connection with the theoretical framework. A qualitative approach of research and questionnaire has been considered to reach the desirable result. Conclusion: After investigating the factors of energy efficiency light industry, we can conclude that it will be a good idea for a company to expand their business in developing country as the industry and the countries have a lot of potential to offer. An Investment entry mode (Joint Venture) has been suggested. Suggestion for Further Research: This research was focused on market entry strategy and entry barriers of energy efficiency light manufacturer, not the effect of entry barriers. Therefore, the next step should be to make in order to examine the effect of the barriers discussed in this research. Key Words: International market entry strategies, energy efficiency light industry, entry modes and entry barriers.

Entering a new market is one of the most important strategic decisions a company makes, and being an external player can make it possible to reveal opportunities not apparent to the industry players. The key is to not take industry structures for granted, but to think outside the box when formulating the entering strategy. This study rests on the assumption that there are factors in industries that are more path dependent than others, hence they are rigid and difficult to change. These factors could eventually prevent the industry from evolving even though new technology and processes are available. By first identifying factors strongly governed by path dependency and then delving deeper to understand the reason why they have not changed, this study argue that new business opportunities can evolve. The approach developed in this paper is particularly beneficial when the product or service is not yet developed and the company has many different resources, enabling a more diversified product portfolio, in which opportunities can be prioritized against the company resources. This enables matching a product or service to the industry rather than pushing it out on the market. In this report the path dependency approach is applied on the banana market, which has features governed by path dependency, and the entering company is a subsidiary to an established company and thereby has multiple resources as well as products and services. Since the subsidiary chose to proceed with the strategy formulated by using the path dependency approach the findings from the case study show that the approach can be useful when entering a new market. The report concludes that the concept of path dependency is ambiguous and subjective but could be useful when formulating an entry strategy into a new market. However, further research is needed to evaluate the application of the approach and the path dependency approach should primarily be seen as a complement to existing market entry strategies.

ABSTRACT This master thesis examined the impact of digitalization on the speed of internationalization and explores the various foreign market entry options for a company that would like to expand from a developed market to an emerging market as part of its internationalization.  The case study analyzed in this paper is Arctic Space Technologies, a unique satellite operator company offering an all-in-one solution for sustainable satellite data handling and processing. The firm’s founders have a niche market (satellite operators) and have established business in Sweden and would like to enter an emerging market (South Africa). The firm can be classified under the high-tech industry and the study obtained valuable information that could be useful to other similar firms. The nature of technology for adoption is easily transferable for such firms regardless of geographical location. Digitalization is instrumental in facilitating earlier and faster internationalization through digitalized knowledge, network creation and decision-making processes (Coviello et al., 2017). The digitalization of new foreign market development helps such firms to efficiently identify new market opportunities in global markets and with this approach, they save resources while developing the most attractive markets (Neubert, 2018a). Qualitative research was applied through a company case study, where primary interviews and a survey were used to collect data. A case study was employed to further understand and practically apply adaptations a firm can make to increase its chances of success in a foreign market environment. The researcher also obtained information from desktop and literature review. The study findings suggested that business networking, business models, culture and geographical distance, market size are key factors that influence the choice of foreign market entry mode for a high-tech firm internationalization process from a developed market to an emerging market. In addition, the main challenges faced by born-global firm in entering an emerging market includes, lack of financial resources, management transitions and lack of proper market information for the internationalization process. The firm may need to identify information related to the market size, competitors, financial costs and entry barriers of the emerging market.  The study insight was that despite the born global firms’ nature of technology enabling faster adoption in terms of digitalization being instrumental in facilitating their internationalization process through the digitalized knowledge, network creation and decision-making processes, they still face the challenges of entry into unfamiliar emerging markets. The researcher identified the institutional voids faced, liability of foreignness and noted that it would be crucial for the firm to conduct a proper environmental analysis. This may include political and legal forces, economic forces, social-cultural forces and technological forces.  Arctic Space Technologies may need to create relevant business networks and the study identified that the ideal foreign market entry mode would be Joint venture/Partnership.  Since the South African government is keen on foreign investors/entrepreneurs entering into their market through partnership with a local business entity. The firm could establish a good network with South African National Space Agency (SANSA) and other space firms in the country. SANSA is keen on fostering international partnerships to enable unlock opportunities for the national space sector.   Further studies could investigate the time frames for high-tech firms internationalization processes. Further research is needed to analyze connections between software firms’ business models and selected entry modes by using a quantitative research method. The study could also be extended to other emerging countries in Africa and new business opportunities in the global markets for high-tech firms especially with the changing dynamics of international business in the wake of the current pandemic.

Syftet med denna uppsats ämnar att beskriva svenska modeföretags internationaliseringsprocess. Därför ska vi undersöka och analysera nätverkets betydelse, barriärers påverkan, val av etableringsstrategier och varumärkesbyggnad vid internationalisering. För att uppnå syftet med vår studie har nedanstående huvudproblem formulerats:   Hur går svenska modeföretag tillväga vid etablering och varumärkesbyggnad på den internationella marknaden?   Uppsatsens teoretiska utgångspunkt innefattar svenska modeföretags etablering på den internationella marknaden vilket berör internationaliseringsprocessen, nätverksperspektiv, barriärer, etableringsstrategier samt varumärkesbyggnad. Studien utgår från en kvalitativ forskningsmetod med en deduktiv ansats där fyra fallstudier har tillämpats. I empirin redogörs en jämförelse mellan fallföretagen, vilket leder fram till analysen där empirin ställs mot teorin. Uppsatsens slutsats visar att svenska modeföretags internationaliseringsprocess innebär att företag ställs inför olika utmaningar som val av marknad och att hitta samarbetspartners. Företag väljer etableringsstrategi för företagens verksamhet och bygger upp varumärket på den internationella marknaden. Avslutningsvis presenterar vi det gap vi funnit i teorin, teoretiska bidrag, praktiska rekommendationer samt framhäver förslag till vidare forskning. / The purpose of this paper is to describe the internationalization process of Swedish fashion companies’. Therefore, the network's importance, the barriers impact, choice of market entry mode and brand building in the internationalization will be examined and analyzed. In order to achieve the purpose of our study the following main question were formulated:   How do Swedish fashion companies’ proceed with expansion and brand building in the international market?   The theoretical base of the thesis includes Swedish fashion companies’ establishment in the international market which affects the internationalization process, the network perspective, barriers, market entry mode and brand building. The study is based on a qualitative research method with a deductive approach where four case studies have been applied. In the empirical data a comparison is presented between the four case studies, followed by analysis where the empirical data is compared against the theory. The study’s conclusion implies that Swedish fashion companies’ internationalization process implies that companies’ face different challenges such as the choice of market and finding partners and the choice of market entry mode for the business and brand building on the international market. Finally, we present the gap we found in the theory, theoretical contribution, practical recommendations and highlights suggestions for further research.

The diploma thesis is devoted to market entry strategies, afterwards it is focused on entry to swedish market of selected company.The first chapter theoretically describes market entry strategies. The second chapter is focused on swedish market, as a target market of chosen company. The main part of this chapter pursues description and analysis of swedish entrepreneurial environment. Therefore two reports are used: Doing Business Report and Global Competitivness Report. The third chapter describes market entry of selected company, the fourth part evaluetes its rate of success. The aim of this thesis is to analyze reasons and market entry strategies, evaluate swedish market from the perspective of the Czech company entering the swedish market and at the end to assess the rate of success of the market entry.

Scholars in the international business field have presented various findings on international entry mode strategies, yet few were conducted on the Middle East. However, a recent study has presented a new form of entry mode used among multinational corporations (MNCs) in the Middle East where foreign companies tend to form partnership with individuals (local sponsor) rather than corporations when entering the market. The entry mode is presented as “sponsorship” entry mode, which is a new form of entry used by MNCs. It allows MNCs to enter the market in a similar way of joint venture, however, instead of finding a partner to penetrate the market MNCs are required to find a local sponsor. The thesis purpose is to examine the case of United Arab Emirates (UAE) as one of the most attractive countries for foreign investors in the Middle East. In addition, the thesis will provide a deeper understanding of the “Sponsorship” entry mode and the different criteria needed to select a local sponsor. To get a deeper understanding of the subject, a qualitative approach has been followed. Additionally, the data was collected through semi-structured interviews with senior managers and CEOs, which were based on the literature review to get rich findings. The literature review presents several theories and models that helped to analyse the data collected from the interviewees. Moreover, a conceptualize framework was added in the literature review chapter to summarise and illustrate a primary framework that provides an idea on the “sponsorship” entry mode.  By analysing the data that were collected, the outcome of the research reviled various forms of local sponsors that could be chosen based on the criteria needed to guarantee a successful entry. The findings have also provided insightful examples of different challenges that could be faced when establishing a sponsorship through a local sponsor and the different strategies used to cope with such challenges. The outcome of this study has provided a deeper understanding of the “sponsorship” entry mode and the different selection criteria needed to select a local sponsor. Finally, the thesis concluded the study by providing answers to the research questions and summarizing the answers into the revised conceptual framework.

Tato diplomová práce se zabývá návrhem a analýzou strategie vstupu společnosti RENOCAR, a.s. na slovenský trh. Práce obsahuje přehled související literatury s důrazem na publikace, které se zabývají problematikou internacionalizace firem a vstupem společností na zahraniční trh. Analytická část zkoumá momentální situaci na trhu s automobily v České a Slovenské republice a stručně představuje toto průmyslové odvětví z evropského pohledu. Pomocí základních finančních ukazatelů pak hodnotí současný stav ve společnosti RENOCAR, a.s. Na základě výsledků získaných z výše uvedených analýz, autor ve třetí části práce navrhuje a kriticky analyzuje strategii expanze společnosti.

The hospitality industry has experienced significant changes in its competitive environment over the past 30 years, driven by the growth of alternative accommodations, the widespread use of the internet for searching and booking accommodations, and the adoption of asset-light business models. In this new competitive landscape, hospitality firms struggle to gain a competitive advantage, particularly as they lack rare and inimitable resources, which are considered crucial for achieving competitive advantage according to resource-based view literature. This dissertation explores three sets of strategies that enable hotel firms to attain a competitive edge despite their resources being non-rare and easily imitated by competitors. The first essay examines the potential for hotel firms to benefit from competitors' resources by co-locating with them. Although this strategy has been widely studied in organizational research, recent developments in the competitive market, such as internet adoption and the growth of short-term leases, have not been considered. Evidence suggests that internet adoption decreases the likelihood of low-level hotels entering markets with high-level hotels and negatively moderates the positive effect of branded hotels on independent hotels' performance, as well as nullifying the effect of low-level hotels on high-level hotels' performance. Additionally, short-term leases impact hotels' decisions and performance, as hotels tend to avoid co-locating with short-term leases with similar price points, and short-term leases can appropriate positive agglomeration externalities created by high-level hotels. The second essay investigates whether hotels can outperform competitors by gaining an advantage in resource appropriation through entering the market with a dual-branded hotel. Results indicate that a competitive advantage is achieved when at least one brand in the composition possesses better resources than competitors. Lastly, the third essay concentrates on the potential for hotels to leverage tacit knowledge transmission to increase the difficulty for competitors to imitate them. Findings reveal that the closer a hotel or short-term lease is to the nearest accommodation managed by the same hotel management company or host, the higher the chances of achieving a competitive advantage. Moreover, short-term leases can base their competitive advantage on idiosyncratic knowledge transferred from the platform, and they can compete in size with incumbent hotels if they have a high concentration of ownership in the market. / Doctor of Philosophy / The lodging industry has undergone numerous changes in the past 30 years, with the widespread adoption of the internet, the growth of the short-term lease market, and the implementation of asset-light strategies significantly impacting how hotels compete locally. This dissertation examines various market-entry strategies that can enable hotel firms to achieve a competitive advantage in local markets. The first essay explores the advantages of co-locating with competitors. Results indicate that previously identified benefits, such as reduced search costs for customers leading to higher performance for clustered competitors, have been diminished or nullified by the extensive use of the internet for searching and booking hotels. Independent hotels may still gain agglomeration advantages by co-locating with branded hotels, but the benefits are substantially reduced due to internet usage. Furthermore, the presence of different levels of short-term leases in the market affects hotels' entry patterns, which tend to diverge from short-term leases. Additionally, low-level short-term leases tend to capture agglomeration benefits created by high-level hotels, resulting in decreased performance for low-level hotels. The second essay investigates the optimal strategy for entering the market with a dual-branded hotel. Results show that, overall, adopting a vertically diversified strategy (i.e., where one of the two brands in the composition is of a higher class compared to the other) is preferable, with the higher class above the market's average class and the lower class below it. Conversely, the least effective strategy is to adopt a vertically diversified approach where both brands are below the market's average class. The third essay examines knowledge sharing among hotels and short-term leases managed by the same hotel management company or short-term lease host. Findings suggest that accommodations should be located near other properties managed by the same entity to facilitate operating knowledge transmission through face-to-face interactions, coordination among units, and the easy transfer of key personnel. Additionally, the study found that hotels should carefully consider entering a market with a high concentration of short-term lease ownership, as a higher concentration of short-term leases owned by the same host leads to lower hotels' RevPAR in the market.

Many companies from around the world enter the global market. The firms have to specialize in order to sustain their competitiveness. Many Taiwanese companies are export-oriented. The major export markets are Japan, the US and Europe for those Taiwan companies. But these markets are mature and the growth rate is low unlike Russian market. That is why many Taiwan companies entered or plan to enter Russian market. Due to the fact that Russia is a potentially big market and geographically far from Taiwan-ROC, and a fast developing economy, establishing business in Russia is certainly interesting. According to the Bureau of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Economic Affairs Taiwan- ROC, mutual trade in 2009 posted US$2,9 billion, Bureau of Foreign Trade (2010). While many companies show great interest in entering the Russian market, there still seems to be some kind of hesitation due to the special nature of the Russian market. In this thesis I will focus on an emerging Russian market and its appeal to foreign companies, namely Taiwanese company such as Asus which made its path into Russian market. Target is to describe Asus initial entry strategies. Problem Statement There are many external factors affecting entry strategies picked up by firms around the world. Legal, political, cultural and institutional factors are just some of the many factors that should be dealt with when operating business on a foreign turf. Many people want to know more on Russian market business experiences, it is hard to find any particular works/papers which can describe a current situation and lead them to commercial success. Russian Federation is a very complex region with its own traditions and business culture. What particular Foreign Operation Methods should a company choose? Indeed choosing right FOM represents a critical component of international business activity. Once described as a ”frontier issue” in international business, researchers as well as practitioners now regard it as fundamental to any discussions about international business strategies and the performance by companies in the international arena. Purpose Despite the fact that in Russian Federation the cost of opening a business is higher than in most other countries and many other destabilizing factors, Asus has found its path to success. How was it possible? What are the lessons one can learn from that experience? The purpose of the thesis is to find out the success factors of Asus as well as study its entry strategy. The research purposes of this paper are as follows: 1. To review the related literature of Entry Strategies 2. To study Russian market 3. To analyze Asus initial entry strategies and analyze its Russian business