<p>Background:</p><p>The Swedish fashion market today quickly becomes too small, even for the new companies, and they are quick to take the step abroad and launch their internationalisation process. With a focus on the four Swed-ish fashion companies Filippa K, Acne Jeans, Nudie Jeans and Whyred, we have analysed how these representatives of the industry have interna-tionalised themselves. The companies have chosen different ways to promote their brand and how to control the perceived image of the brand. As there is a lack of earlier in-depth studies into this particular question of the Swedish Fashion industry, we have set out to investigate how this is done.</p><p>Purpose:</p><p>The purpose of the thesis is to look at the internationalisation process of Swedish fashion companies, with a focus on the growth and the penetra-tion of the international markets in order to determine the key success factors for successful international expansion. We will also investigate to what extent branding, country of origin (COO) and psychic distance to geographical markets has an influence on the internationalisation process and its success.</p><p>Method:</p><p>We used a qualitative approach and conducted a case study consisting of four Swedish fashion companies. The data have been collected through interviews and secondary sources. The information has been put into dif-ferent models for internationalisation, branding and key success factors.</p><p>Conclusion:</p><p>We have interpreted the collected data together with the theories used, thereafter drawn the conclusions that the key Success factors that have taken these firms so far and have been important in the building of the successful brands/companies, are in fact to a large degree COO, rela-tions in the Swedish fashion Industry and the creation of superior prod-ucts. The companies have both similar and specific factors for their suc-cess on the international market.</p>

Despite significant research output in recent decades on international new ventures (INVs),little attention has been paid to understanding the processes and conditions under whichthe entrepreneur identifies and exploits an opportunity and subsequently creates valuewithin the firm. As a result, the dynamics involved in the role of the entrepreneur during theestablishment and internationalization of INVs remain in a black box. In order to understandthe context, interaction among players and other dynamics involved before, during, and afterthe establishment of the INV’s creation and development, a different approach is needed. Theaim of this dissertation is to describe and understand the role of entrepreneurs in the processof establishment and internationalization of international new ventures. Three longitudinal case studies were conducted between 1999 and 2008 with a total of 108interviews using snowball sampling. In addition, comprehensive secondary data have beencollected to enrich the empirical cases with thick descriptions, and to enhance content validityas well as the reliability of the research. This study offers a more nuanced picture of how entrepreneurs’ characteristics influencethe international development of their firms. For example, it appears that it was neitherthe previous foreign experience, the education, nor the previously developed internationalnetwork (as suggested by previous literature) that can be credited for the rapid and vastinternationalization of the case firms. Instead, it is suggested that an entrepreneur’schildhood and prior life story directly influences their behaviour in the INV. We proposethat different types of entrepreneurs are important factors to understanding firms’ differentinternationalization patterns. Depending on the backgrounds of the entrepreneurs, theydeveloped preferences, skills, and especially desires that would come to affect the totalbehaviour of their future organizations. This study also develops the notion of psychicdistance into three separate spaces - the physical, the mental and the social space. Forexample, the context and experience during childhood creates the foundations for theentrepreneurs’ mental and social space, which can separately, but also in relation toeach other, offer a more accurate and deeper understanding of the actions taken by theentrepreneurs in the INV. Furthermore, this study has shown that the role and characteristicsof the entrepreneur do change over time, which also determines the individual’s sensitivity toopportunities and the international behaviour of the company.

Background: SMEs represent 97% of Swedish companies that have an increase in the Swedish export by 16% in 2017. Furthermore, Sweden is eager to support its companies to lead the service revolution abroad. This expansion creates the need for overcoming international risks of inconstant psychic distance in terms of culture, economy and geography. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the psychic distance and its influence on internationalization. Method: The current study was based on qualitative research to fulfill the purpose, to answer its three research questions and to fit its time frame using semi-structured interviews of a multiple case study with Swedish SMEs within the service industry. The interviews took place with top managers who have broad knowledge and experiences related to this study. Conclusion: Psychic distance is changing in terms of culture, economy and geography as all SMEs have been exposed to its distances differently. A further outcome shows the relevance of business practices, theoretical methods, and models, although none of the interviewed SMEs have used any of these models. This result might show how those models could have solved various issues the interviewees faced. Cultural distance is a permanent distance that exists in all markets. However, economic distance constitutes a challenging factor to face economic costs and institutional differences but simultaneously gaining profits abroad could certify to meet this challenge. Geographic distance is mostly not considered an issue in the service industry. The psychic distance may decrease within the service industry due to international managerial skills and technology. Managerial Contribution: It is hoped that this study will assist SMEs to gain a clear idea about overcoming the psychic distance during internationalization, for instance, by learning from outcomes of the study from meta-analysis or by using relevant theories and models. / Bakgrund: Små och medelstora företag (SMF) representerar 97% av alla svenska företag. Den svenska exportsektorn har även sett en ökning med 16% under 2017. Sverige är dessutom väldigt angeläget om att stödja företagen genom att leda revolutionen inom servicesektorn utomlands. Denna expansion skapar behovet av att minimera de internationella riskerna associerade med psykiskt avstånd gällande kultur, ekonomi och geografi. Syfte: Syftet för denna studie är att undersöka det psykiska avståndet och dess påverkan på internationalisering. Metod: Denna studie använder sig av en kvalitativ metod för att uppfylla sitt syfte, svara på dess tre frågeställningarna och vara inom tidsramen för denna uppsats. En flerfalsstudie har genomförts genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med svenska SMF inom servicesektorn. Intervjuerna genomfördes med chefer som har breda kunskaper och erfarenheter relaterade till denna studie. Konklusion: Det psykiska avståndet gällande kultur, ekonomi och geografi förändras eftersom alla SMF har varit utsatta för dessa avstånden på olika sätt. Ett ytterligare resultat visar relevansen av affärsmetoder, teoretiska metoder och modeller, även om ingen av de intervjuade SMF har använt sig av dessa modeller. Resultatet visar hur dessa modeller kan ha löst olika problem som de intervjuade cheferna har stått inför. Det kulturella avståndet är ett permanent avstånd som existerar i alla marknader. Ekonomiskt avstånd däremot är en utmanade faktor eftersom man måste kombinera ekonomiska kostnader och institutionella skillnader, men genom att samtidigt göra vinst utomlands kan man överkomma denna utmaning. Geografiskt avstånd anses för det mesta inte som ett hinder inom servicesektorn. Det psykiska avståndet inom servicesektorn kan minskas med hjälp av internationella ledaregenskaper och teknologi. Praktiskt bidrag: Denna studie hoppas kunna hjälpa SMF med att få en tydlig uppfattning om hur man kan överkomma det psykiska avståndet under dess internationalisering, till exempel, genom att lära sig av resultaten från denna studiens metaanalys eller genom att använda sig av relevanta teorier och modeller.

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Submitted by Luiz Bueno Beznos (luizbeznos@gmail.com) on 2018-07-13T15:56:42Z No. of bitstreams: 1 LuizBBeznos_Foreignness.pdf: 688998 bytes, checksum: 1ee9fe6feb920942bf6288ccd99bc5de (MD5) / Rejected by Simone de Andrade Lopes Pires (simone.lopes@fgv.br), reason: Prezado Luiz, Recebemos eu trabalho aplicado na biblioteca digital mas será necessários alguns ajustes: Estou encaminhando por e-mail os ajudes necessários. Por favor, faça as alterações e submeta o trabalho novamente. Atenciosamente, Simone Pires SRA. on 2018-07-16T19:58:21Z (GMT) / Submitted by Luiz Bueno Beznos (luizbeznos@gmail.com) on 2018-07-17T16:43:47Z No. of bitstreams: 1 LuizBBeznos_Foreignness.pdf: 691106 bytes, checksum: b41d682cebc955aac847c2930d1a7828 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Simone de Andrade Lopes Pires (simone.lopes@fgv.br) on 2018-07-20T18:21:35Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 LuizBBeznos_Foreignness.pdf: 691106 bytes, checksum: b41d682cebc955aac847c2930d1a7828 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Suzane Guimarães (suzane.guimaraes@fgv.br) on 2018-07-23T12:32:50Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 LuizBBeznos_Foreignness.pdf: 691106 bytes, checksum: b41d682cebc955aac847c2930d1a7828 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-23T12:32:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 LuizBBeznos_Foreignness.pdf: 691106 bytes, checksum: b41d682cebc955aac847c2930d1a7828 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-06-13 / International management literature arguments that foreign firms operate under Liability of Foreignness (LOF). Several previous studies looked at LOF in banks, with contradictory results. Our study however is focused exclusively in the business of Sales and Trading of investment banks. We hypothesize this holds true for this business of investment banks, as the disadvantages of foreignness will be greater than advantages such as access to global markets. We looked at profitability for 87 domestic and foreign investment banks in Brazil for 27 quarters, using Pooled OLS as our statistical model. We found that there is indeed liability of foreignness. Testing characteristics that might mitigate LOF, we found that the smaller psychic distance and large home country economy can have a positive effect in foreign banks profitability. Surprisingly, experience does not appear to have a mitigating effect on LOF. / A literatura de administração internacional argumenta que empresas estrangeiras operam sob Liability of Foreignness (LOF). Vários estudos prévios abordaram LOF em bancos, com resultados contraditórios. Nosso estudo, entretanto foca exclusivamente na linha de negócios de Sales and Trading de bancos de investimento. Nossa hipótese central é de que existe LOF nesta linha de negócio dos bancos de investimento, e que as desevantagens de ser estrangeiro serão maiores que as vantagens. Nós analisamos a lucratividade de 87 bancos locais e estrangeiros no Brasil por 27 trimestres, usando Painel Empilhado como metodologia estatística. Os resultados indicam que realmente há LOF. Testando características mitigadoras deste LOF, encontramos indicativos que menor distância psíquica e maior economia no país sede podem ter um efeito positivo na lucratividade de bancos de investimento estrangeiros. Surpreendentemente, experiência não parece ter um efeito mitigador sobre LOF.

Submitted by Flavia Szylit (flavia.szylit@gmail.com) on 2012-05-16T22:58:03Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Final_Flavia Szylit.pdf: 648767 bytes, checksum: 04138528ae2ab4cd6600a962bd61f98b (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Gisele Isaura Hannickel (gisele.hannickel@fgv.br) on 2012-05-17T12:21:57Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Final_Flavia Szylit.pdf: 648767 bytes, checksum: 04138528ae2ab4cd6600a962bd61f98b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2012-05-17T14:48:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Final_Flavia Szylit.pdf: 648767 bytes, checksum: 04138528ae2ab4cd6600a962bd61f98b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-04-17 / A análise da estratégia de internacionalização de empresas é importante para a literatura de marketing, ainda mais em um mercado global que sofre rápidas mudanças (BARTLETT; SUMANTRA, 1991; MARKETING SCIENCE INSTITUTE, 2010). Nesse contexto, o estudo de empresas varejistas é de especial interesse, já que as vendas internacionais das maiores empresas varejistas representam 23,4% do total (SAAD, 2012). Um dos fatores analisados como influente das decisões referentes a estratégia de internacionalização de empresas varejistas é a Distância Psíquica, formada pela Distância Cultural e pela Distância de Negócios. Porém, apesar de muitos estudos considerarem essa relação, não existe um consenso sobre os efeitos da Distância Psíquica sobre a estratégia de internacionalização (CAVUSGIL; DELIGONUL; YAPRAK, 2005). A fim de contribuir com essa discussão, este trabalho analisa a relação entre Distância Psíquica e escolha da estratégia de internacionalização de empresas varejistas por meio da revisão de literatura e de uma pesquisa empírica. Tal pesquisa foi feita por meio de um experimento fatorial 2x2 com manipulação por instrução, tendo como variáveis independentes Distância Cultural e Distância de Negócios, e variáveis dependentes agressividade da estratégia de entrada e adaptação da estratégia de marketing. Também foi testada e relação entre as variáveis dependentes e a influência da experiência internacional nas decisões. A amostra foi composta por 85 respondentes que estudam e/ou trabalham com mercados internacionais. O estudo encontrou evidências de que a Distância de Negócios influencia tanto a agressividade da estratégia de entrada como a adaptação da estratégia de marketing, e que a Distância Cultural influencia a adaptação da estratégia de marketing. Além disso, foi encontrada uma correlação entre essas duas estratégias. Não foram encontradas relações entre a Distância Cultural e a agressividade da estratégia de entrada e nem da experiência internacional nas definições das estratégias de entrada e de marketing. Também não foi encontrada interação entre as Distâncias nessas mesmas definições. Assim, esse estudo gera algumas contribuições ao confirmar a existência da relação entre Distância Psíquica e estratégia de internacionalização. / The analysis of firms` internationalization strategy is important for the marketing literature, especially in a global market that undergoes rapid change (BARTLETT; SUMANTRA, 1991; MARKETING SCIENCE INSTITUTE, 2010). In this context, the study of retailers is of particular interest, since international sales of the largest retailers represents 23.4% of the total (SAAD, 2012). One of the factors analyzed as influential in retailers’ internationalization strategies decisions is the Psychic Distance, constituted by Cultural Distance and Business Distance. However, despite the fact that many studies consider this relationship, there is no consensus on the effects of Psychic Distance on the internationalization strategy (CAVUSGIL; DELIGONUL, YAPRAK; 2005). In order to contribute to this discussion, this paper analyzes the relationship between Psychic Distance and the choice of internalization strategy by retail companies through a literature review and an empirical research. This research has been done using a 2x2 factorial experiment with manipulation by instruction, having as independent variables Cultural Distance and Business Distance, and dependent variables aggressiveness of entry strategy and adaptation of marketing strategy. Also, the relationship between the two dependent variables and the influence of international experience on those was also tested. The sample consisted of 85 respondents who either studied and/or worked with international markets. The study found evidence that Business Distance influences both aggressiveness of entry strategy and adaptation of marketing strategy, and that Cultural Distance influences the adaptation of marketing strategy. In addition, a correlation was found between these two strategies. There was no relationship found between Cultural Distance and aggressiveness of entry strategy, nor between international experience and the definitions of entry and marketing strategies. There was also no interaction between the two distances in those settings. Thus, this study provides some insights to confirm the existence of the relationship between Psychic Distance and internationalization strategy.

There has been an increase in research on the internationalization of sharing economy firms. However most of this research has largely focused on mature markets. Very little attention has been given to the internationalization of sharing economy firms in emerging markets particularly those from Africa. The African continent is different from mature markets and the internationalization challenges of sharing economy firms are therefore dissimilar.  This study seeks to fill the existing knowledge gap by exploring the internationalization challenges faced by sharing economy firms from an emerging African market perspective. We also seek to understand the internationalization process of African sharing economy firms. Finally we seek to provide solutions on how African sharing economy firms can manage the challenges they face. This research was conducted using qualitative case studies of eight companies. Two have internationalized within and beyond Africa. Four have internationalized within Africa while two are yet to internationalize. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with founders and operations managers of the different sharing economy firms.  The empirical findings show that African sharecoms can internationalize in a unique internationalization sequence, which starts with gradual internationalization to a “foreign gateway market” followed by rapid internationalization to other foreign markets. The study identified funding as the greatest challenge faced by African sharing economy firms while low adoption rates and mindset were the dominant psychic distance obstacles. The study also revealed that in Africa, technology is solely not enough by itself and extra effort needs to be undertaken to ensure successful internationalization of sharing economy firms. The research concluded that regulatory challenges are industry-specific rather than targeting sharing economy firms. Further, networks were an important combining factor facilitating the internationalization process and overcoming some challenges.

Cross-border acquisitions (CBAs) have extensively been used by Multilatinas as a preferred entry mode in foreign markets, quickly providing access to resources, competencies and local intelligence without the burden of starting up a greenfield investment and bearing its associated risk to face the liability of foreignness. Using fixed-effects, generalized least square (FEGLS) regressions applied on a panel data sample of 602 CBA deals announced during the 1989-2011 period by 182 Multilatinas competing in 74 industries and headquartered in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela, the impact of cultural and psychic distances (as perceived by investors) on the performance of these CBA deals (measured by acquirers\' shareholders\' short term announcement returns) was evaluated. Key emerging conclusions are that: a) the national cultural distance composite index, based on Hofstede\'s four dimensions seems to better predict investors\' reaction to CBA announcements in comparison with the other \"psychic\" distance concepts, such as the administrative and geographical distances between home and host countries; b) investors\' perceptions regarding the cultural dissimilarities between these countries are factored in their response as an anticipation of the expected difficulties that acquiring firms\' will have during the post-merger integration process, as predicted by the several theoretical streams that focus on the role of culture in M&A; c) due to the positive and significant moderating effect of the uncertainty avoidance dimension, investors seem also to perceive that acquirers from home countries characterized by high uncertainty avoidance scores will be able to better handle the challenges that they will face in the post-merger integration stage, to the extent that these firms, as recognized in the cross-cultural research literature, have been associated with a preference for organizational rules and procedures that increase the chances of a successful completion of the merger or acquisition deal; d) although its role is recognized in the cross-cultural literature, power distance levels have no significant moderating effect on the cultural distance-M&A performance relationship. The models are robust to varying lengths of event windows and to alternative measurements of cultural distance, such as those based on the framework developed by the GLOBE project (House, Hanges, Javidan, Dorfman, & Gupta, 2004) and on the country cultural cluster maps proposed by Ronen and Shenkar (2013). Limitations of this study are pointed out and future research directions are suggested in order to advance our knowledge and understanding of the antecedents of the performance of the cross-border acquisitions made by Multilatinas. / Aquisições internacionais têm sido extensivamente usadas por Multilatinas como um modo preferencial de entrada em mercados estrangeiros, permitindo um rápido acesso a recursos, competências e inteligência locais, sem as desvantagens tipicamente associadas a investimentos greenfield e os riscos inerentes ao passivo de ser estrangeiro (liability of foreignness). Utilizando modelos de regressão de efeitos fixos e estimadores de mínimos quadrados generalizados, aplicados a uma amostra de dados em painel referentes a 602 aquisições internacionais anunciadas durante o período de 1989-2011 por 182 Multilatinas competindo em 74 setores econômicos e sediadas na Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Colômbia, México, Peru e Venezuela, foram avaliados os impactos das distâncias culturais e psíquicas (tais como percebidas pelos investidores) sobre o desempenho destas aquisições (medido pelos retornos de curto prazo aos acionistas das empresas adquirentes). Da análise dos resultados emergem as seguintes conclusões: a) a distância cultural calculada com base nas quatro dimensões de Hofstede parece melhor prever a reação dos investidores aos anúncios das aquisições internacionais, em comparação com os outros conceitos de distância \"psíquica\", tais como as distâncias administrativa e geográfica entre os países de origem hospedeiro; b) a percepção dos investidores em relação às diferenças culturais entre estes países são aparentemente levadas em consideração, como uma antecipação das esperadas dificuldades que empresas adquirentes enfrentarão durante o processo de integração das empresas adquiridas, tal como previsto pelas várias correntes teóricas que focam o papel da cultura em transações de fusões e aquisições; c) devido ao efeito moderador positivo e estatisticamente significante da dimensão relacionada à aversão à incerteza (uncertainty avoidance), os investidores também parecem perceber que adquirentes localizados em países caracterizadas pela elevada pontuação nesta dimensão serão capazes de melhor lidar com os desafios que enfrentarão na fase de integração pós-aquisição, na medida em que estas empresas, conforme reconhecido pela literatura empírica, têm sido associadas a uma preferência por regras e processos organizacionais que permitam aumentar as chances de uma bem sucedida aquisição; d) embora o seu papel seja reconhecido na literatura pertinente, a dimensão tolerância ao poder (power distance) não apresenta efeito moderador significante sobre a relação distância cultural e desempenho das aquisições. Os modelos são robustos para diferentes durações das janelas de eventos, bem como a conceitos alternativos de distância cultural, tais como as baseadas no modelo proposto pelo projeto GLOBE (House et al., 2004) e pelos mapas de classificação cultural dos países desenvolvidos por Ronen e Shenkar (2013). Limitações desta tese são apontadas e direções futuras de pesquisa são sugeridas no sentido de avançar nosso conhecimento e entendimento dos fatores que efetivamente afetam o desempenho das aquisições internacionais realizadas pelas Multilatinas.

Cross-border acquisitions (CBAs) have extensively been used by Multilatinas as a preferred entry mode in foreign markets, quickly providing access to resources, competencies and local intelligence without the burden of starting up a greenfield investment and bearing its associated risk to face the liability of foreignness. Using fixed-effects, generalized least square (FEGLS) regressions applied on a panel data sample of 602 CBA deals announced during the 1989-2011 period by 182 Multilatinas competing in 74 industries and headquartered in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela, the impact of cultural and psychic distances (as perceived by investors) on the performance of these CBA deals (measured by acquirers\' shareholders\' short term announcement returns) was evaluated. Key emerging conclusions are that: a) the national cultural distance composite index, based on Hofstede\'s four dimensions seems to better predict investors\' reaction to CBA announcements in comparison with the other \"psychic\" distance concepts, such as the administrative and geographical distances between home and host countries; b) investors\' perceptions regarding the cultural dissimilarities between these countries are factored in their response as an anticipation of the expected difficulties that acquiring firms\' will have during the post-merger integration process, as predicted by the several theoretical streams that focus on the role of culture in M&A; c) due to the positive and significant moderating effect of the uncertainty avoidance dimension, investors seem also to perceive that acquirers from home countries characterized by high uncertainty avoidance scores will be able to better handle the challenges that they will face in the post-merger integration stage, to the extent that these firms, as recognized in the cross-cultural research literature, have been associated with a preference for organizational rules and procedures that increase the chances of a successful completion of the merger or acquisition deal; d) although its role is recognized in the cross-cultural literature, power distance levels have no significant moderating effect on the cultural distance-M&A performance relationship. The models are robust to varying lengths of event windows and to alternative measurements of cultural distance, such as those based on the framework developed by the GLOBE project (House, Hanges, Javidan, Dorfman, & Gupta, 2004) and on the country cultural cluster maps proposed by Ronen and Shenkar (2013). Limitations of this study are pointed out and future research directions are suggested in order to advance our knowledge and understanding of the antecedents of the performance of the cross-border acquisitions made by Multilatinas. / Aquisições internacionais têm sido extensivamente usadas por Multilatinas como um modo preferencial de entrada em mercados estrangeiros, permitindo um rápido acesso a recursos, competências e inteligência locais, sem as desvantagens tipicamente associadas a investimentos greenfield e os riscos inerentes ao passivo de ser estrangeiro (liability of foreignness). Utilizando modelos de regressão de efeitos fixos e estimadores de mínimos quadrados generalizados, aplicados a uma amostra de dados em painel referentes a 602 aquisições internacionais anunciadas durante o período de 1989-2011 por 182 Multilatinas competindo em 74 setores econômicos e sediadas na Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Colômbia, México, Peru e Venezuela, foram avaliados os impactos das distâncias culturais e psíquicas (tais como percebidas pelos investidores) sobre o desempenho destas aquisições (medido pelos retornos de curto prazo aos acionistas das empresas adquirentes). Da análise dos resultados emergem as seguintes conclusões: a) a distância cultural calculada com base nas quatro dimensões de Hofstede parece melhor prever a reação dos investidores aos anúncios das aquisições internacionais, em comparação com os outros conceitos de distância \"psíquica\", tais como as distâncias administrativa e geográfica entre os países de origem hospedeiro; b) a percepção dos investidores em relação às diferenças culturais entre estes países são aparentemente levadas em consideração, como uma antecipação das esperadas dificuldades que empresas adquirentes enfrentarão durante o processo de integração das empresas adquiridas, tal como previsto pelas várias correntes teóricas que focam o papel da cultura em transações de fusões e aquisições; c) devido ao efeito moderador positivo e estatisticamente significante da dimensão relacionada à aversão à incerteza (uncertainty avoidance), os investidores também parecem perceber que adquirentes localizados em países caracterizadas pela elevada pontuação nesta dimensão serão capazes de melhor lidar com os desafios que enfrentarão na fase de integração pós-aquisição, na medida em que estas empresas, conforme reconhecido pela literatura empírica, têm sido associadas a uma preferência por regras e processos organizacionais que permitam aumentar as chances de uma bem sucedida aquisição; d) embora o seu papel seja reconhecido na literatura pertinente, a dimensão tolerância ao poder (power distance) não apresenta efeito moderador significante sobre a relação distância cultural e desempenho das aquisições. Os modelos são robustos para diferentes durações das janelas de eventos, bem como a conceitos alternativos de distância cultural, tais como as baseadas no modelo proposto pelo projeto GLOBE (House et al., 2004) e pelos mapas de classificação cultural dos países desenvolvidos por Ronen e Shenkar (2013). Limitações desta tese são apontadas e direções futuras de pesquisa são sugeridas no sentido de avançar nosso conhecimento e entendimento dos fatores que efetivamente afetam o desempenho das aquisições internacionais realizadas pelas Multilatinas.

Purpose: This study aims to provide a better understanding of the importance of mastering foreign languages in building international business relationships as well as whether English should be considered an interlingua in international negotiations. Theoretical framework: This study ́s theoretical framework consists of the disciplines Business-to-Business (B2B) marketing and psychic distance. In B2B marketing a sustainable business relationship is built on the customer experience which in turn rests the four pillars of trust, integrity, communication, and interdependence. Psychic distance includes the subdisciplines cultural distance, inter-organizational distance, and linguistic distance. Method: This study employs a qualitive research with an abductive approach. The empirical material was collected through semi-structured interviews. The respondents consisted of four employees at Business Sweden, who are working in different markets, and two Swedish export companies in the manufacturing industry. Conclusion: The study shows that the choice of language mainly affects communication and trust between the parties. The perceived integrity is affected more by the parties' socio- pragmatic skills than their linguistic skills. Mutual dependence affects the parties' attitudes towards language choice rather than vice versa. The study also shows that despite the English status as Lingua Franca, misunderstandings can still arise that are based on the communicators' cultural background. / Syfte: Denna studie syftar till att ge ökad förståelse för betydelsen av behärskningen av främmande språk vid skapandet av internationella affärsrelationer samt den funktion som engelskan fyller vid internationella förhandlingar. Teori: Uppsatsens teoretiska referensram utgörs av begreppen Business-to-Business (B2B) marknadsföring och psykiskt avstånd. En hållbar affärsrelation i B2B marknadsföring bygger på kundupplevelsen eller företagens uppfattning av varandra. Denna kundupplevelse bygger i sin tur på fyra grundpelare: förtroende, integritet, kommunikation och ömsesidigt beroende. I psykiskt avstånd ingår kulturellt avstånd, interorganisatoriskt avstånd och språkligt avstånd. Metod: Denna studie är baserad på en kvalitativ med en abduktiv ansats. Det empiriska materialet samlades in via semistrukturerade intervjuer. Respondenterna utgjordes av fyra anställda på Business Sweden, som är placerade på olika marknader, samt två svenska exportbolag inom tillverkningsindustrin. Slutsats: Studien visar på att språkvalet främst påverkar kommunikationen och förtroendet mellan parterna. Den upplevda integriteten påverkas mer av parternas sociopragmatiska kompetenser än deras språkliga kompetenser. Ömsesidigt beroende påverkar parternas attityder gentemot språkvalet snarare än vice versa. Studien visar även på att trots engelskans status som Lingua Franca kan det fortfarande uppstå missförstånd som grundar sig i kommunikatörernas kulturella bakgrund.