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Based on the existing interpretations of foreign and Ukrainian scientists, the concept of "export potential of the enterprise" is generalized on the example of Gorodnytske forestry Soe. The analysis of the most well-known methods of assessing the export potential of the enterprise, taking into account a number of indicators of its activities, including financial indicators, indicators of foreign economic activity of the enterprise and others. The methodology and expediency of its use for estimation of export potential of the forestry enterprise are substantiated. Marketing tools for capacity assessment (SWOT-analysis and SPACE-analysis) were used, on the basis of which the analysis of the export potential of Gorodnytske Forestry SOE was carried out. This analysis allows us to identify strengths and weaknesses of the enterprise, determine the availability of potential and develop scenarios for the development and improvement of the enterprise in the future. On the basis of the considered methods, assessment of export potential of Gorodnytske Forestry SOE is carried out. Based on the analysis of the results and given the importance of assessing the export potential to establish the export potential of the enterprise, ensuring the efficient use of its resources and reserves, strategies and real ways to develop the export activities of the enterprise are proposed. A practical measure to ensure the development of the export potential of Gorodnytske Forestry SOE proposed production and sale of wooden pallets abroad, as the company has a long positive experience in the production of these products, as well as sufficient production capacity to implement this proposal. The analysis of the European pallets market showed an increase in demand for these products from foreign consumers. The calculated indicators of the financial condition of the enterprise and the indicators that characterize the foreign economic activity of Gorodnytske Forestry SOE over the past three years have shown the possibility of developing export potential through the production and export of pallets. The strategies of export potential development proposed in the article will have a positive economic effect for the enterprise and will help strengthen the position of this enterprise in the foreign market of forest products. Approbation of the proposed method of assessing the export potential of the enterprise on the example of Gorodnytske Forestry SOE confirmed the possibility of its use for any enterprise, which can improve financial performance and increase its profitability and competitiveness.

Objective: Research into firm-level exporting, has been criticised for being excessively fragmented and inconsistent. The objective of this paper is to review extant research on export performance and propose a research framework which will go beyond the currently studied relationships and variables, and therefore formulate several recommendations for future research. Research Design & Methods: In doing so, the review adopts a broader view of export performance, which accounts for the possibility of a negative development of export ventures. Findings: The paper finds that institution-based, resource-based and industry-based views have been often used to address the determinants of export performance. While there are some complex interactions between host-country institutional factors, firm-level factors, and industry-level factors, these have been studied to a lesser extent. Also, the review highlights the need for a more nuanced and fine-grained understanding of export strategy, particularly embracing modern business models and devoting more attention to foreign market partners. Implications & Recommendations: Scholars should be more sensitive to previously neglected variables which can enhance the understanding of export performance and lead to more comprehensive empirical studies. Contribution & Value Added: The paper includes a conceptual framework proposing directions for future research, whereby a broader understanding of export performance is adopted, including also the possibility of export exits.

The evaluation of the Russian oil and gas companies’ competitiveness in the foreign market under the tough market conditions is of particular importance as it is crucial to retain company’s current position and market share. The article makes qualitative and quantitative evaluation of Russian companies in the global gas market. To analyze the competitiveness of the gas industry company in the foreign market, the authors used a dynamic method of evaluating competitiveness coupled with a SWOT analysis. The dynamic evaluation method offers an opportunity to identify the basic factors that influenced the level of competitiveness of the entity under study and, accordingly, determine the main reserves for increasing its competitiveness. Based on the study conducted, recommendations were made on the increase in competitiveness in the current situation of unstable demand and volatile energy prices. By analyzing the PJSC Gazprom level of competitiveness, as well as its external and internal environment, indicators were identified the regulation of which will lead to the progressive development of the organization and increase in its competitiveness. The practical relevance of the study lies in the possibility to use both the research outcome and the proposed methods in a development strategy for the gas industry company.Keywords: advantages, competitiveness management, SWOT-analysis, oil and gas companies.JEL Classifications: L10, F23, N70DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/ijeep.10275

One of the most important tasks of innovative development of a country and its regions is building an innovative vector of development essential for reaching a competitive level and economic growth. The authors have explored tasks and issues and tasks connected with quantitative explanation of still unresolved dependence of export-oriented countries’ economic growth on export volumes and prices in the foreign market. They used a three- way model of innovative development to study the productivity of resources in different areas of development.As a result of their research the authors introduced a different approach to the notion of innovative development. It allows researchers to view it as a system and integrity in three co-related directions: technique and technology, currency and finance, and society and politics. Thus, they have the opportunity to estimate how much each sector of national (regional) economy individually and all of them together contribute to the economic growth. This approach provides the opportunity to examine the basic holistically co-related directions which allow measuring the level of innovative development, estimating the economy’s innovativeness, determining and viewing differently the innovative paradigm. The authors used mathematical model to study and introduce productivities of major types of resources. They point out that effective functioning of economy (including financial) makes it possible to develop industries gradually and to smooth out economic development of the regions, to avoid structural shifts and disproportions in economy which finally results in the possibility of productive implementation of programs of the country’s innovative development.The authors have systematically studied the correlation between the productivity of resources and the achievement of systematic multiplier effect (there is no wide research found on this problem, the authors dealt with individual indicators of multiplier effect)

The choice of an entry mode is one of the most critical decisions for firms expanding abroad. There are a variety of foreign market entry modes such as exporting, licensing, and foreign direct investment. While many firms use only one single mode, others frequently employ multiple different combined modes for a foreign entry in a package. Mode combination can be an effective way to achieve better performance in foreign operations because of the different modes in a combination package complement each other. The topic of mode combination, however, has not yet been extensively studied theoretically and empirically. In this paper, we examine factors affecting firms’ choice between a single-mode and a combined mode by establishing hypotheses and testing them using questionnaire survey data on Korean manufacturing firms’ recent entry into Uzbekistan.

International audience; The objective of this article is to examine the relevant dimensions of distance for foreign market entry mode choice. Based on a sample of 203 interfirm linkages formed by French multinationals with partners across the world, we analyze the impact of four dimensions of distance on the choice between cooperative alliances and mergers-acquisitions. The findings indicate that administrative and economic distance have a significant influence on market entry mode choice, whereas the impact of cultural and geographic distance is not significant. They further highlight the important role of the host country's government effectiveness for market entry mode decisions.

Studying the volume of export-import of goods in Ukraine as a whole helps to understand the general situation on the foreign market, to analyze changes in the dynamics of geographical and commodity structures of trade, to identify the main partner countries and to compare data between them, and to identify the role of the regions of Ukraine in foreign trade and determine the share of each of them in the overall structure of export-import of goods. However, in order to study in detail the directions of exports and the needs of imported goods to meet the domestic needs of the population of Ukraine, it is advisable to analyze foreign trade of region, as it will allow to more accurately analyze the number of producers of exported products in a certain region and the list of goods that need to be imported to meet the needs of the population in the specific area. The article deals with the issues related to the activity of the subjects of foreign economic activity in Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine and their dynamics for 2015-2018. The number of foreign economic operators in the region by the number of employees in 2018 was determined to further analyze the situation of the region and the level of production of products that meet the standards for exporting them to the foreign market. Changes in the number of economic entities in the region over the specified period and the main product groups manufactured in the region and, accordingly, exported to Dnipropetrovsk region have been analyzed. The structure of participants of foreign economic activity in the region has been presented and the results of statistical analysis of dynamic changes have been offered with the help of the graphical method of data presentation. The results of the study can be applied in the analysis of socio-economic development of regions and regional development of Ukraine as a whole. The presented data on foreign trade statistics of goods by economic entities by the number of employees in the regional section make it possible to estimate the participation of certain regions in the international activity of Ukraine and to determine the prospects for further development of the regions of Ukraine. Keywords: foreign economic activity, goods, regions, Dnipropetrovsk region, economic entity, employees, export, import, size of enterprise.

Indonesian SMEs are less able to take advantage of foreign market opportunities than their large counterparts. This study analyses the internationalization of Indonesian SMEs, particularly the differences between exporting and non-exporting SMEs in terms of their network relationships. Primary data was obtained from survey questionnaires in Jawa, Madura and Bali regions, yielding usable responses from 271 exporting SMEs and 226 non-exporting SMEs. Our results suggest that exporters on average have twice as many frequencies of interaction with various external actors than those of their non-exporting counterparts. Exporting and non-exporting SMEs also differ in the way they interact and maintain relationships with external actors. The exporting SMEs utilize various types of interactions including regular and irregular, as well as formal and informal ones, with various external actors in the network. In contrast, non-exporting SMEs are more dependent on personal relations with key persons in various governmental and private institutions. The policy and managerial implications of the findings are discussed.

Quando a Gestão Estratégica de Custos (GEC) está alinhada com a estratégia da empresa as organizações tendem a apresentar um maior desempenho. A partir da relevância das questões relacionadas ao tema, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar a relação existente entre as práticas da Gestão Estratégica de Custos e a atuação no mercado externo com o desempenho econômico-financeiro nas empresas metalmecânicas, automotivas e eletroeletrônicas da Serra Gaúcha. Como procedimento metodológico, foi utilizada pesquisa exploratória, descritiva e quantitativa. O levantamento das informações foi realizado através de uma survey. A população foi composta por 367 empresas de pequeno, médio e grande porte. Obteve-se uma amostra de 87 empresas. Os dados foram analisados por meio da Análise Fatorial Exploratória e Modelagem de Equações Estruturais. Nas análises das hipóteses os resultados indicam a existência de relação significativa entre a utilização das práticas da GEC e o desempenho econômico-financeiro.

This paper focuses on the influences of minimum quality standards (MQS) on entry decisions for two firms located in different countries. More precisely, when each firm sells its product only in its domestic market, there is no restriction on its product’s quality. However, when choosing to enter its foreign market, the quality is required to be no less than a specified MQS. A multi-stage game is established to examine the effects of such MQS on firms’ strategic choices of entry into their respective foreign markets. It shows that strategic choices cause the emergence of heterogeneous equilibria in which both firms make different entry decisions and thus produce products with distinct qualities provided that the MQS lies in an intermediate range. If the MQS is relatively low, both firms are willing to enter their respective foreign markets so that they coexist in each market. A relatively high MQS induces each firm to stay only in its domestic market. Furthermore, firms never have more incentive to open a new foreign market compared to the socially efficient configuration. Compared to strong competition, weak competition causes that the equilibrium behavior privately by firms is too far from the allocation that is efficient for society.

Purpose By bringing together the IB and IE literatures, the purpose of this paper is to examine the internationalization process as an entrepreneurial process related to the development of international opportunities. It explicitly connects different types of knowledge (i.e. market and internationalization), international opportunities and the internationalization process comprising both new foreign market entry and sequential moves that happen after entry. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper that reviews the literature on knowledge, opportunities and the internationalization process. Moreover, the paper identifies the current gaps in the literature and builds new theory that sheds light into how these three concepts are related. The paper also presents a model and propositions that should guide future research. Findings The proposed model shows that market and internationalization knowledge combine to form the international knowledge stockpile of the firm, which moderates the relationship between the development of international opportunities and the internationalization process, comprising not only new foreign market entry but also sequential moves that happen after entry using either mode continuation or modal shift. Moreover, it shows that the development of opportunities only leads to modal shifts after a certain threshold is achieved. Research limitations/implications The propositions suggest that market and internationalization knowledge are positively related to international opportunities, which, in turn, are related to foreign market entry and sequential moves using mode continuation. International opportunities, however, are related to modal shifts only beyond a threshold. Moreover, the international knowledge stockpile of the firm moderates the relationship between international opportunities and the internationalization process. Because this is a conceptual paper, the propositions have not been tested and, therefore, lack empirical validation. Nonetheless, the model is a starting point to new research on internationalization distinguishing different types of knowledge as well as different sequential moves. Originality/value This study shows that the internationalization process is contingent on the different types of knowledge associated with it. It also introduces the idea of a threshold that shapes the internationalization process. The bulk of the research on internationalization suggests that such a process is gradual and incremental. This study offers a non-linear alternative.

We expand the conceptualization of psychic distance and use a multilevel framework by studying it as a founder’s psychic distance in the pre-entry phase of entering a specific foreign market, and the SMEs (firm) psychic distance in the post-entry phase of entering that specific foreign market. Based on qualitative research involving six SMEs’ with 18 internationalization events, we found that psychic distance at country and business levels causes difficulties for SMEs in the post-entry phase because of their lack of knowledge. Bridge-makers possessing knowledge about target markets help SMEs to overcome psychic distance challenges. Trust in the relationship with the bridge-maker is an important ingredient to gain knowledge that alleviates the SMEs’ psychic distance challenges. Finally, we go beyond country-business levels of psychic distance by showing that psychic distance also matters at bridge-maker level. This relates to their lack of knowledge about the target market and SMEs’ routines.

PurposeResearch has identified inverted U-shaped relationships between domestic competitive position, often cast in terms of home-country market share or relative profitability, and speed of entry into a foreign market. However, in some industries, firms may be especially attentive and responsive to competition between firms in their local-home market (i.e. sub-national). Hence, this study aims to explore the effect of local-home market competitive intensity on the relationship between a firm’s overall competitive position and speed of entry into a foreign market.Design/methodology/approachData from 114 large US corporate law firms from 1992 through 2008 were used for Cox proportional-hazards regression models to estimate the moderating effect of local-home market competitive intensity on the relationship between relative profitability at the national level and speed of entry (i.e. hazard rate) into China.FindingsLess-dominant firms from highly competitive local-home markets entered China more quickly than less-dominant firms from less-competitive local-home markets. In addition, first-movers from highly competitive local-home markets tended to have more advantageous competitive profiles, as reflected in profitability, than first-movers from less-competitive local-home markets.Originality/valueThis research explores an important contingency in the relationship between a firm’s competitive position at home and timing of entry into a foreign market. Additionally, the results suggest that first-movers from less-competitive local-home markets may face immediate competition from better-positioned first-movers from more competitive locations within the same home market when they enter new markets.

This paper constructs a duopoly model to study the optimal international cross-ownership and state-owned shares proportion when domestic state-owned enterprise competes with foreign-funded enterprise in home market or against local enterprise in foreign market under Cournot competition. The results indicate that whether to implement international cross-ownership or not and the proportion of state-owned depend on the implementing subject of cross-ownership, competitive environment, the efficiencies of state-owned and private capitals, and so on. The proportion of state-owned shares may influence the action of international cross-ownership in some cases. Complete nationalization is optimal choice under specified condition. These conclusions have certain significance for the formulation of privatization policies in various countries and the merger and reorganization of enterprises in the international scope.

Good managerial understanding of the mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and market orientation (MO) in dynamic foreign markets improves the international competitiveness of the entire firm. Drawing on the dynamic capability view, this study contributes to the international strategy and entrepreneurship literature by extending our understanding of the actionable components of the EO/MO of firms’ foreign units, that is, innovativeness and responsiveness. The study examines relationships between the actionable components and the performance of industrial firms’ wholly owned subsidiaries and cooperative arrangements in foreign markets. The results indicate that innovativeness and responsiveness are directly and positively associated with the performance of the foreign unit. Higher institutional barriers make innovativeness less effective, while full ownership strengthens the positive relationship with responsiveness. Contributions to the literature are discussed.

Foreign market entry is important in market development. We examine entry timing/mode, investment, advertising, location, and interactive effects. Early entrants enjoy a high market share. The type...

Companies implementing a strategy based on entering foreign markets have to make a decision on choosing an adequate international distribution channels. Well implemented international distribution system in export-oriented companies can help them improve their competitiveness and better position their products in foreign markets. It is for this reason that the subject of this research paper is to analyze the factors of international distribution from the aspect of international business strategy of SMEs. The research conducted covered various factors related to international distribution strategies such as the ability to deliver international goods quickly and continuously, the established adequate international distribution network, the ability to respond quickly to international partners orders and the effective management of international distributors or agents. The survey was conducted in 50 companies that export various types of products on the territory of the Republic of Serbia. The results of the regression analysis indicate that an adequate distribution network has an impact on sales volume and foreign market share, so that we can conclude that the proper selection of an appropriate distribution network can contribute to enhancing the export potential of the company.

Export-manufacturing firms survive and ultimately succeed when they can accumulate, harvest, and utilize foreign knowledge to better marshal their capabilities to recognize opportunities. Prior studies are replete with a single solution by combining foreign market knowledge (FMK) and firm performance. Separately, opportunity recognition capabilities have been found efficacious to the performance. A shift from contingent theory to the configurational approach suggests that there are multiple solutions available to achieve intended outcomes. Based on the equifinality assumption, we configure FMK in conjunction with opportunity recognition capabilities to predict performance. In total, 382 export-manufacturing firms were investigated by employing fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and necessary condition analysis (NCA). Salient findings suggest that young firms achieve superior performance from foreign business and institutional knowledge by enhancing opportunity exploration capability; whereas, mature firms succeed from internationalization knowledge and nurturing opportunity exploitation capability. The study is one of which that contributes to the methodology by introducing fsQCA and NCA in the knowledge management literature.

The twofold purpose of this study is to investigate the types of entry nodes that family-managed SMEs select to enter foreign markets and to identify whether family-managed SMEs change their entry nodes after the first entrance to existing foreign markets. In doing so, this study employs a qualitative case study design of eight family-managed SMEs operating in the Greek apiculture sector. The findings contribute to the literature of family firm (FF) internationalisation by bringing into light two socioemotional wealth (SEW) dimensions that affect entry node development. In particular, the findings illustrate that the investigated firms embarked on different entry nodes by building indirect relationships (triads or tetrads) to enter the international arena. This was mainly due to family owners’ identification with the business. The results indicate that post first entry into existing foreign markets, the investigated family-managed SMEs aimed at maintaining relationships with their entry nodes instead of searching to find new international partners. This was mainly due to an emotional attachment of the family owners with their entry nodes. Still, the investigated firms changed the type of the international business relationships with their entry nodes by engaging in higher committed relationships in existing and/or new foreign markets.

Foreign market entry is a complex process fraught with potential pitfalls. In this chapter, we look at one aspect of international entry – the structure of foreign operations. Historically, firms used exporting to send products to foreign lands. Even today, exporting operations are the main method of international entry. Yet exporting offers different ways to structure an operation, including the use of market-based distributors, sharing the exporting operation with agents or joint venture partners, or internalizing the exporting tasks using home country–based personnel or the creation of foreign market–based wholly owned export subsidiaries. This chapter reviews the literature on this choice and the theories used to explain the choice, discusses how and when firms change export structures, and provides guidance for future research.

Currently, the role of small and medium-sized business in the regional economy is becoming increasingly important, especially in the context of the digitalization of the economy. Because SMEs are flexible, highly innovative and cost-effective, they can more easily enter into international relations and adapt to changing foreign market conditions. In this article cross-border cooperation of small and medium-sized enterprises of two countries is considered as a factor in increasing the efficiency of its performance. First of all, according to the results of the survey of SMEs, which was carried out within the INCROBB project implemented by the "South-East Finland - Russia" CBC program 2014-2020, the main opportunities, problems and barriers for sustainable cross-border cooperation of small and medium-sized enterprises were identified. Then the financial and economic indicators of about 10% of all SMEs of St. Petersburg were calculated and analyzed. After that a comparative evaluation of these financial and economic indicators with the similar indicators for SMEs of St. Petersburg with the positive experience of cross-border cooperation (those who took part in the questioning) was made. The comparative evaluation showed that the indicators of enterprises with positive experience of cross-border cooperation turned out to be at higher level than the indicators of the total aggregate of SMEs in this region. Thus, it was found out that sustainable cross-border cooperation has a positive effect on the efficiency of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Entering a new foreign market has always remained an urgent problem. The interrelation of the internal and external commodity market is an important condition for the successful development of the economy of any country. Foreign experience shows that various strategic approaches are used for this purpose. The basic basis of the strategic approach is the systematic coverage of the product market, which includes undifferentiated marketing, differentiated marketing and concentrated marketing. Below we will consider in more detail the above strategic approaches to coverage of the product market. In particular, it is considered when an enterprise refuses features and explores the entire market from the position of a single approach. Differentiated marketing tactics are not about identifying a single need, but a general one. These include the formation of a product and a marketing program that will be useful to a significant number of consumers. A distinctive feature of differentiated marketing is that the company operates in a number of market segments and forms a distinctive offer for them. This approach is based on offering different products to the market in order to increase sales and penetrate deeper into the development of product market segments. Finally, concentrated marketing provides an opportunity for businesses to discover an additional opportunity that is more attractive from a resource constraint perspective. It is manifested by the concentration of efforts on a small share of a large commodity market.

The main objective of this study was to establish the influence of firm characteristics on the relationship between foreign market entry strategies and the financial performance of multinational firms in Kenya. The study was hinged on Resource-Based View as a theoretical foundation. The literature revealed that numerous studies had been conducted on the influencing factors of firm characteristics such as Size and Age on the financial performance of multinational firms. However, these studies did not put into consideration of other possible factors such as firm characteristics and indicators such as liquidity and leverage. More so, the studies did not consider firm characteristics as a possible influencer of the direct relationship between choice of entry strategies and financial performance of multinational firms. The study utilized a cross-sectional study design which adopted both analytical and descriptive type of studies. Secondary data was used to obtain the desired information from the multinational firms’ annual reports for the financial years 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014. The study focused on only the publicly listed multinational firms in the Nairobi Security Exchange. Data were obtained from all the 62 listed firms. The study used Sales Growth, ROA, ROE, and ROCE to measure financial performance. Age, Liquidity, and Leverage were used as indicators of firm characteristics with leverage and liquidity further measured as Debt-Equity ratio and Current Assets Ratio respectively. Foreign market entry strategies were measured using Franchising, wholly-owned subsidiaries, Acquisition, and Joint Ventures. The results of the study showed that an interaction between firm characteristics and foreign market entry strategy significantly affected the direct relationship between foreign market entry strategies and the financial performance of multinational firms. The study concludes that firm characteristics have a positive effect on the financial performance of multinational firms through the influence of their choice of entry into foreign markets. It is recommended that multinational firms with desires to expand globally should use their global footprint to maximize on their international operations through leverage activities. In addition, policies governing the liquidity of companies to be revised in order to increase financial performance if previously they affected it. For the study was only limited to the publicly listed multinational institutions, future researchers should consider studying all the multinational firms operating in Kenya. The study provided a contextual understanding of the Resource-Based View. This theory tried to bring in views on choosing the right entry strategy into foreign markets based on the familiarity or unfamiliarity of a foreign market setting given the resources available to a firm. Findings also provided key ingredients for policymakers to embark on an integrated policy formulation in the full understanding of the interplay of a firm’s unique characteristics as far as multinational firms are concerned. And in practice, global business management should be in a better position to identify the right entry strategies into new markets that would yield them great financial profits.

This article aims to explore the factors influencing MSMEs – Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises production process improvement using variables of VRIO (Value Rarity, Inimitability, and Organization) resources and capabilities, foreign market knowledge, and internationalization. This research is conducted in 150 exporting-MSMEs samples in Central Java, Indonesia. The main analysis applied in this research is multiple regressions. The result shows that VRIO resources and capability, foreign market knowledge, and internationalization, significantly influenced production process improvement. It emphasizes that degree of internationalization only weakly influencing process improvement. The more important factors are internal factors like knowledge, resources, and capability. The result obtained can be used as the basis to develop the strategy of capability improvement for MSMEs in designing internationalization strategy. The strategy will closely relate to MSMEs’ process improvement to compete in international market. This research provides two contributions. First, the internationalization of handicraft MSMEs does not strongly define MSMEs production process improvement. Second, process improvement can be accelerated by gaining market knowledge and exploiting valuable, rare, inimitable, and organized resources and capabilities.

We focus on the following question: how are knowledge, network relationships and decision-making logic interrelated throughout the internationalization process – foreign market entries, exits and re-entries? We contribute to the internationalization literature, network approach and effectuation theory that have not examined these interrelationships during internationalization – especially de- and re-internationalization – in detail yet. Thereby,we provide a more complete view of internationalization. Based on a single punctuated longitudinal case study,we show that lack of knowledge results in mostly effectual (opportunity-driven) decision-making: finding customers via weak ties, trade fairs and unsolicited export orders and experiencing numerous market exits and re-entries due to “experimenting”. Knowledge acquisition leads to more causal (systematic, plan-driven) decision-making and stronger ties, but serendipitous (“by chance”) entries can still occur, and exiting and re-entering foreign markets may continue. We suggest that managers should network and acquire knowledge actively, use both decision-making logics and accept uncertainty as normal during internationalization. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

The helicopter industry, both domestic and foreign, in modern conditions is called upon to provide solvent demand from customers-operators. The authors determine the main trends in changing the characteristics of helicopter technology. Moreover, the paper analyzes how the clients of helicopter companies can influence not only the helicopter technical parameters but also the technological level of the helicopter production. In the foreign market for helicopter technology, this trend is most pronounced, as the research clearly demonstrates. More than that, the paper focuses on the current trends in helicopter pricing. It is shown that leading manufacturers actively apply the life cycle concept in the formation of the cost of helicopters.

The paper investigates the impact of the host country’s environmental uncertainty on the choice of entry mode and also discusses the moderating role of technological heterogeneity in this relationship. Based on the resource-based view and institutional theory framework, we first analyze the investment motivation of emerging industries in emerging markets and evaluate the environmental uncertainty from two dimensions, including the institutional environment (country level) and industry environment (market level). Then, the theoretical predictions are empirically tested using 173 overseas investment events in China’s high-end equipment sector from 2010-2018. Our findings suggest that when the uncertainty of the industry environment is low, no matter how uncertain is the institutional environment, most firms tend to choose a cooperative strategy. Once the industry environment indicators become turbulent, a high degree of institutional environment uncertainty causes firms to evade trade barriers by choosing a new plant. Alternatively, choosing a relatively conservative mode, such as export. Meanwhile, technological capability weakens the influence of environmental uncertainty on entry mode.

Обґрунтовано необхідність підвищення рівня конкурентоспроможності продукції, яке досягається за умови використання наявних конкурентних переваг, виробництва високоякісної продукції, що забезпечить вимоги споживача і ведення економічно обґрунтованої цінової політики. Досліджено показники, що характеризують рівень конкурентоспроможності продукції, основну увагу зосереджено на економічних показниках, що вказують на рівень конкурентоспроможності продукції. Проведено аналіз експорту та імпорту зерновий культур, який свідчить про постійне зростання експорту зерна і стрімке скорочення його імпорту. Досліджено фактори, що впливали на зміну рівня конкурентоспроможності зерна, зокрема зосереджена увага на економічних факторах. Визначено основну групу факторів конкурентоспроможності зернових культур, а саме техніко-економічні, комерційні та нормативно-правові. Для оцінки конкурентоспроможності вітчизняних зернових розраховано індекси відносних торгівельних переваг для окремих видів зернових. Визначені лідери серед продуктів рослинного походження у структурі зовнішньої торгівлі. Установлено, що вищу цінову конкурентоспроможність має продукція, яку продають на ринку і за своєю ціною вона є нижчою, ніж мінімальна ціна конкурентів, і забезпечує одержання прибутку при цьому. Оскільки зернові культури є стандартизованою продукцією, а ринок характеризується великою кількістю продавців і покупців, то ринок зерна можна визначити як ринок чистої конкуренції, оскільки конкуренція є досить інтенсивною, бо пропозиція перевищує попит і продавці змагаються за вибір покупця їхньої продукції. Наголошено на врахуванні еколого-економічної складової конкурентоспроможності продукції рослинництва з огляду на формування довгострокової стратегії агропродовольчого розвитку. Сформовано основні шляхи зростання конкурентоспроможності видів продукції, галузей і підприємств в умовах ринкового середовища та європейський вектор розвитку економіки.

Little research addresses the likely enabling character of the discovery and creation of opportunities during the internationalization of small firms or how international opportunities are found and constructed during the process of foreign market entry (FME). This article therefore studies how opportunities become connected during small firms’ FME. By incorporating the concept of duality, this article conceives of the discovery and creation of opportunity as mutually enabling rather than opposed. From this duality perspective, opportunity discovery and creation facilitate each other during internationalization processes. This case study involves five high-tech Australian firms and 30 FMEs. The findings show that knowledge, networks, and capabilities enable opportunities in the FME context. International opportunities are connected and nested in different levels of generality and specificity. The FME opportunities may be based on opportunity embeddedness, because each opportunity has implications for other opportunities. The findings lead to a model and propositions to explain the relationships between opportunity discovery and creation in FME.

The paper analyses how multinational enterprises (MNEs) manage their interactions with host governments during the market entry process. A qualitative multiple case study collected data through in-depth interviews with multiple participants in six New Zealand MNEs. The analysis identifies two distinct political schemas which represent MNE managers’ assumptions and heuristics regarding how to approach interactions with foreign governments, systematic and episodic, which lead to the enactment of distinct patterns of political activities, each supported by certain political resources and capabilities. We then identify several sources of the variations in these two political schemas at the managerial, firm, industry, and country levels of analysis. Our study deepens understanding of the micro-processes of corporate political activity (CPA) and the processes and activities through which political resources and capabilities are developed, deployed and leveraged by MNE actors in managing their interactions with host governments during the market entry process. In doing so, we highlight the role of international experience in influencing the process of political capability development, and also the role of managerial actions in shaping this evolutionary process.

Lean global startups need to internationalize early and fast. The digitalization of new foreign market development helps them to more efficiently identify new market opportunities in global markets. With this approach, they are saving resources while developing the most attractive markets. This article examines how lean global startups develop new foreign markets more rapidly due to digitalization. Thus, the aim is to understand the impact of digitalization on speed of internationalization of lean global startups. The study addresses a gap in the scholarly literature and a practical need to evaluate new foreign markets and business opportunities more quickly and more regularly and to understand what helps lean global startups react more quickly to opportunities and threats with respect to changing market attractiveness. Furthermore, it outlines why and how digitalization is important throughout the internationalization process. The re- search followed a multiple case-study design using different sources of evidence, including 73 interviews with senior managers of lean global startups. The findings reveal that digitalization allows lean global startups to increase decision-making efficiency and to optimize strategies and processes for evaluating international markets. The findings suggest that lean global startups can benefit from the use of digital technologies by applying a more efficient foreign market development process with regular reviews and a reduced workflow, by faster mediation between local market realities and strategic goals, by analyzing all foreign markets instead of just a sample of them, and by optimizing decision-making processes including the ability to make long-term, strategic decisions due to better market information.

In this article, we analyze the influence of customer relationships in driving interdependences between the firm's international trajectories. We built a qualitative, backward-looking embedded case study of the internationalization process of a born-global firm from an emerging country. Based on an extensive data collection, we found that customer relationships drove the firm abroad, as well as affected its subsequent moves, both taking place in overlapping networks that spanned more than one foreign market. That is, customer relationships through interdependences between the firm's international trajectories enabled it to simultaneously footprint and evolve in five different foreign markets in less than a decade. This points out to a new conceptualization of the internationalization process of the firm as comprising a multitude of interdependent international trajectories. Resumo Neste artigo, foi analisada a influência dos relacionamentos com clientes em promover interdependências entre as trajetórias internacionais da firma. Construiu-se um estudo de caso incorporado de natureza qualitativa e perspectiva longitudinal de um processo de internacionalização de uma firma nascida global oriunda de uma economia emergente. Baseados em uma extensa coleta de dados, descobriu-se que os relacionamentos com os clientes impulsionaram a firma para operar em mercados estrangeiros, bem como influenciaram os movimentos subsequentes da firma nesses mercados, sendo que ambos os processos aconteceram em redes sobrepostas que abrangeram mais de um mercado estrangeiro. Isso significa que, por meio da interdependência entre as trajetórias internacionais da firma, os relacionamentos com os clientes permitiram a firma iniciar e evoluir em suas operações internacionais em cinco mercados estrangeiros diferentes em menos de uma década. Tal achado sugere uma nova concepção acerca do processo de internacionalização da firma como sendo composto por inúmeras trajetórias internacionais interdependentes.

Researchers who take a network perspective argue that insidership in foreign market networks is a necessary condition for internationalization. In this study, we argue that insidership in home market networks also matters. The effect of home network insidership on outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) depends on both individual and joint effects of structural and relational network attributes. Our study based on a survey of 194 Chinese firms shows that firms in a central network position are more likely to engage in OFDI than those in a brokerage position. Furthermore, we find the interaction between firms’ centrality and their connections to foreign-invested enterprises to be significantly and positively associated with OFDI, whereas a significantly negative effect is evidenced when a firm is connected more to domestic firms.

Foreign market re-entry has increasingly attracted academic interest. However, different streams of research have developed largely independently of each other, which has hindered theory development and practical advancement in the field. By reviewing 45 relevant articles in international business and related disciplines between 1996 and 2020, this study provides a systematic review and analysis of the literature on re-entry. In addition, a framework is developed to direct future research efforts. Following the logic of ‘Antecedents-Phenomenon-Consequences’ and focusing on the time dimension, this study enables better understanding of the re-entry phenomenon and provides recommendations for future research in this area.

The Global Financial Crisis (GFC) provides a unique setting to study innovativeness and customer orientation in forest sector firms. Considerable research has focused generally on innovativeness in forest sector firms, but little attention has been given to the actions of firms to the chaotic market environment during the GFC. Our objective is to clarify how a customer orientation and the practice of developing new markets during a market downturn results in enhanced knowledge-based resources, manifested as increased innovativeness. Our longitudinal design includes data representing 2012 and 2015 from 89, US-based forest sector firms. Responding firms are more focused on process than product innovativeness. During the GFC, responding firms concentrated more on foreign market development than on domestic market development. Firms with a stronger customer orientation in response to the GFC realized higher innovativeness post-GFC. Also, firms actively developing new foreign markets in response to the GFC realized higher process innovativeness. Our results support a stronger customer focus for forest sector firms as it translates to increased innovativeness and potentially improved product development. In addition, allocating resources to foreign market development during financial downturns can be a strategy to build innovativeness.

This study identifies a gap in research concerning how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can benefit from pursuing locally (rather than globally) oriented internationalization strategies. Becoming overly dependent on one single foreign market could potentially reduce the inflow and diversity of new knowledge that can serve as input for new product development. This study discusses how this risk can be minimized. In this endeavour we create a theoretical model that investigates how the local sales concentration and relationship-specific commitment of SMEs relates to new product development. To do this we draw on the behavioural internationalization process framework. The theoretical model is tested on an effective sample of 188 Swedish SMEs. The results show that relationship-specific commitment mediates the effect of local sales concentration on new product development. The implication is that investments which enable collaboration in important business relationships are crucial requisites for keeping firms innovative and in pace with market fluctuations. The findings thus contribute to international business literature by showing that a local market scope of operations combined with a relationship orientation are beneficial for new product development in international SMEs.

Firms’ foreign market entry mode choice attracts considerable research attention. However, the performance implications of this choice remain inconclusive, particularly in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The present paper draws on the resource-based view (RBV) and develops a theoretical model specifically tailored to the context of SMEs in order to study the relationship between entry mode choice and foreign venture performance. Testing hypotheses on 133 German SMEs, we show that international experience as a resource and product adaptation as a capability improve the performance of non-equity entry modes by mitigating liabilities of smallness inherent to SMEs. We furthermore find empirical support for the joint moderating effect of international experience and product adaptation on the focal relation. Our findings contribute to the SME foreign market entry mode literature and have implications for practitioners and future research.

The papers aims to analyse the key drivers for internationalisation in furniture industry by taking into consideration the cross-border activities of selected furniture manufacturers in Poland and Germany in comparison. The results show some similarities in internationalisation strategy design of selected furniture manufacturers in both countries. Export tends to be the predominant foreign market entry mode, and major motives to internationalise tend to have a reactive nature. There are some differences with regard to manufacturing location decisions, whereby the general assumption is confirmed that certain manufacturers are in a more advantageous position by concentrating their production at home.

Objective : The objective of the article are threefold. First, to examine the significance of knowledge based resources for internationalization of small and medium sized enterprises. Second, to verify the strategic intent as a factor enhancing SMEs’ ability to accumulate the knowledge about foreign markets. Third, to examine whether and how strategic intent and time-to-internationalization moderate the relationship between foreign market knowledge and SMEs’ international performance. Research Design & Methods : The study was conducted on a sample of 89 Polish firms operating in a low-tech but fairly internationalized sector. In line with a theoretical background, hypotheses are developed and tested with linear regression models. Findings: The findings reveal that foreign market knowledge (FMK) is positively associated with international performance (IP), and both, strategic intent and firm’s age at internationalization are moderators of FMK-IP relationship. Implications & Recommendations: Firms’ ability to clearly formulate the strategic intent brings important consequences for ability to accumulate knowledge. Strategic intent enhances the development of the stock of foreign market knowledge, which in turn enables firms to achieve better performance in international markets. Contribution & Value Added: The article seeks to contribute to the ongoing discussion on factors supporting the accumulation of foreign market knowledge by focusing on the role of strategic intent and time to internationalization in this respect.

A suitable organizational structure is necessary for companies to effectively manage foreign activities. Firms can choose from among several modes of foreign market entry, including exporting, contractual agreements, joint venturing, acquiring an existing company, and establishing a wholly owned greenfield investment from scratch. However, the majority of literature on foreign market entry mode choices has focused on large multinational enterprises. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with limited financial and personnel resources are likely to base their foreign market entry mode choice on the resources available. Building on a literature review, this study analyzes the determinants of SMEs’ foreign market entry mode. The findings suggest that innovation, product characteristics, advertising intensity, export intensity, and industry have positive effects on the high-level resource commitment choice in foreign markets. JEL classification: F23, M16, Keywords: Small and medium enterprises, Foreign market entry mode, Internalization

Research background: The research, which is the subject of the paper, is based on the global expansion of the use of electronic access control systems using biometric data for user verification. Due to the globalization of products from foreign markets to Slovakia, there is a competition between suppliers. The disadvantage is that organizations that are considering procuring an electronic access control system focus their attention only on its price. Globalization and global use have neglected the skills gap between European, American, and Asian markets. Purpose of the article: The paper will aim to point out, through a case study, the financial and functional differences of electronic access control systems. In the case study, a comparison of three different systems with the possibility of procurement on the European, American, and Asian markets will be performed on the building - administrative building. Methods: The article will mainly use methods such as the global method and the optimization model of the financial plan. As well as a case study, the cooperation of achieved results and analysis of possibilities of foreign markets. Findings & Value added: The results achieved by the paper will be globally usable in the conditions of European countries. These will be the conclusions of a case study that will point to the appropriateness of choosing an electronic access control system using biometric features in a standard office building. We can also consider the creation of a project budget usable for organizations as one of the added values.

International market withdrawals by firms continue to persist regardless of geography, industry, firm experience, and national origin. The extant literature argues that a host of factors, such as firm characteristics, organizational capabilities, host country environment, international business risks, strategy and strategic choices are among the likely reasons for firms to prematurely exit the markets they have entered. Drawing from the contingency theory, we contend that underlying most market exit events is the misalignment of firm strategy with the foreign market risk environment. This happens when managers fail to optimize strategy formulation and implementation in view of the foreign market risk environment. Based on an in-depth examination of 62 cases of foreign market exits via pattern coding using NVivo 12, we delineate common patterns accounting for market withdrawals. We then formulate propositions with respect to how misalignment between strategy and risk environment interferes with foreign market exits in accordance with the contingency theory. We conclude with a discussion of theoretical implications, managerial recommendations, and suggestions for future research and limitations.

Choosing the best way of operating in foreign markets is one of the most important decisions in business internationalization. The main aim of this study is to ascertain whether the choice of entry mode, made according to the impact of various factors, leads to improved export performance. Certain factors influence export performance in different ways, some of which are firm-related, while others lie beyond the firm’s control. It is, therefore, important to know what these factors are and what impact they have in order to be able to choose the optimal foreign market entry mode, as this decision will have a direct effect on performance.

This paper builds on the recent literature on firm heterogeneity in international trade and foreign direct investment (FDI), and aims to empirically examine how firm productivity affects a firm’s foreign market entry strategy beyond the simple binary choice between exporting and FDI. Utilizing the panel data of Taiwanese manufacturing firms during 2002–2012, we further classify FDI methods by whole ownership or a joint venture to investigate a firm’s foreign expansion decision. By performing Kolmogorov–Smirnov (KS) tests, we find that if a firm is more productive, it is more likely to choose FDI rather than exporting. However, productivity of firms choosing whole ownership is not so different from choosing a joint venture. Furthermore, a more productive firm is more likely to conduct both whole ownership of the foreign subsidiary and a joint venture formation in the case of FDI.

This study investigates the relevance of interorganizational networks for the international performance of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in relation to the foreign market entry mode (FM...

Building on the network and institutional environment perspectives, this study examines the foreign market entry strategies of 851 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) based in Taiwan, a newly industrialized economy. From the network perspective, our findings show that SMEs prefer to enter new markets in two distinct ways: (1) through wholly-owned subsidiaries when they are following their customers into a host country, or when the operations in a host country have more internal network linkages; and (2) through joint ventures when they have stronger supplier relationships. From the institutional environment perspective, SMEs set up wholly-owned subsidiaries when they perceive differences in the macro-economic and industrial-policy environment in a host country; however, they will choose to enter into joint ventures if they perceive a significant degree of socio-cultural difference in a host country. As SMEs decide on entry strategies, they must carefully consider not only the different types of network resource, but also the influence of institutional factors in host countries.

Purpose – This study applies Oviatt and McDougall’s (2005) model of forces influencing the speed of internationalisation to small, export oriented enterprises. The purpose of this paper is to explore the significance of the forces enabling, motivating, mediating and moderating internationalisation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the manner in which these forces manifest themselves in the market. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research approach utilising eight case studies within Norway and Ireland was adopted in order to facilitate theory building required for this study. Findings – The findings demonstrate that four forces in particular are found to be strongly significant to the speed of internationalisation among the case SMEs: the enabling force of technology, the mediating force of entrepreneurial actor perceptions/owner-managers’ global vision and the moderating forces of foreign market knowledge and tie strength in networks. Practical implications – The empirical evidence has several implications for managers and policy regarding influencing the speed of internationalisation process. The enabling force (technology) has implications for government in their support of the SME macro environment. The motivating force (competition) has implications for government, in understanding what motivates entrepreneurs to enter international markets. The two moderating forces (foreign market knowledge and network tie strength) have implications for managers and can be leveraged through product innovation, increased focus on intellectual property rights for better protection against copycats, and through active and deliberate international networking. Originality/value – The paper suggests adjustments to Oviatt and McDougall’s (2005) model, permitting researchers to gain an in-depth understanding of the complex reality of SME internationalisation.