Syftet med denna studie är att skapa en ökad förståelse för hur svenska industriföretag kan arbeta på en utländsk marknad för att ta sig runt det psykiska avståndet. Detta har gjorts genom att titta på hur ABB, Sandvik, Scania och Volvo Cars arbetar i Malaysia med nätverk och olika åtgärder för att hantera skillnader mellan länderna. Den reviderade Uppsalamodellens definition av nätverk och CAGE-ramverkets definition av psykiska avstånd används för att studera företagensoch medias narrativ. En kvalitativ metod används där en innehållsanalys av sekundärkällor har kodats för att ta ut information som varit relevant för denna studie. De fyra företagen har använt sig av nätverk för att kunna bedriva en fungerande verksamhet och två av företagen har vidtagit åtgärder för att minska det psykiska avståndet. Erkännanden: Vi skulle vilja tacka vår handledare Lena Zander och seminariegruppen för diskussionerna och den konstruktiva feedback de bidragit med under uppsatsskrivandet. / The purpose of this study is to create a better understanding of how Swedish industrial companies can work in a foreign market to overcome the psychic distance. This has been done by looking at how ABB, Sandvik, Scania and Volvo Cars work in Malaysia with networks and different measures to manage differences between the countries. The definition of networks used in the revised Uppsala model and the definition used in the CAGE-distance framework of psychic distance are applied to study corporate and media narratives. A qualitative method is used where a content analysis of secondary sources has been coded to extract information relevant to this study. The four companies have used networks to operate and two of the companies have taken steps to reduce psychic distance. Acknowledgements: We would like to thank our supervisor Lena Zander and the seminar group for the discussions and constructive feedback they have provided during the essay process.

There has been prior research on the internationalization process of retail firms. However, most of the research has investigated the developed countries' markets. There has been little research on the internationalization process of retail firms, especially in the emerging Asian markets. The emerging Asian markets are different from developed markets. Therefore, internationalization challenges and hindrances are dissimilar in this region than in developed countries' markets. Previously, there have been numerous researches on IKEA and other Swedish retail firms on the internationalization process. However, most of the research study has been done on its movement to developed markets. There has been little research done on IKEA's internationalization into emerging Asian markets. There are different challenges faced by firms, when entering into the emerging Asian market and during the business in these markets. However, the emerging Asian markets are different from other continents, especially the Western and developed markets. This research study aims to fill the existing knowledge gap by exploring the challenges that IKEA faces in emerging Asian markets. In addition to this, by the research, we seek to develop our understanding of the challenges faced by Swedish retail firms while entering emerging Asian markets. Furthermore, by exploring the challenges that retail firms face in the emerging Asian markets, we also aim to provide possible solutions on how IKEA and other retail firms can resolve or tackle the issues they face in emerging Asian markets.