Foreign investor strategy development in the central and eastern European context (original) (raw)
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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review of the literature addressing internationalisation of firms from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Design/methodology/approach This paper presents an inter-disciplinary systematic review of literature about the internationalisation of firms from CEE. Findings Three different clusters of research were identified. In the “Internationalisation Processes” cluster, containing many comparative studies, the focus is on specific approaches adopted by local firms in the process of internationalisation. One of the leitmotivs is the dichotomy between hostile home-country factors that create the need for internationalisation and market-seeking motives that guide the search for international expansion. The “Internationalisation Variables” cluster aims to explain the reasons of success or failure of internationalisation processes and strategies; this cluster focuses on possible facilitating or hindering aspects experienced by CEE ...
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Editorial - Internationalization of Central and Eastern European firms: trends and strategies
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2013
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Advances in International Marketing, 2000
As economic transformation swept the world in the last two decades, interest in providing theoretical explanations to economic emergence grew simultaneously. While scholars focused mostly on national development strategies such as import substitution and export promotion, little effort has so far been made to better understand firm behavior, particularly motives and strategies at the micro level. This chapter focuses on understanding the motives and marketing strategies of foreign firms operating in the emerging markets of Central and Eastern Europe. On the basis of data gathered from fieldwork in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, and Slovenia as part of a major two-year project, the chapter offers insights into why f'Lrms might invest in these economies, how they might interact with host governments, what strategic priorities they might follow, how they might approach markets and why, and what competitive battles they might engage in to succeed in these markets. The chapter concludes with suggestions for future research.
2000
Of all kinds of market entry, foreign direct investment (FDI) enables Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) most to accomplish foreign market proximity. The great importance of the so called "market seeking FDI" type for Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs) is shown by several empirical studies. Market seeking FDI can be differentiated into those activities primarily aiming to realise psychic market proximity and those activities mainly undertaken to realise physical market proximity. This differentiation is crucial, because-due to changes taking place in CEE-the number of FDI activities primarily done for reasons of psychic market proximity could decrease: a steady rapprochement of CEECs since 1989 and the accession to the EU in May 2004 strongly support a process of cultural convergence between CEECs and Western European Countries and an increasing cultural homogeneity between CEECs themselves. These tendencies give (a) MNEs already operating in CEECs for reasons of psychic market proximity potentials to restructure their current activities in the region and (b) MNEs striving for establishing a presence in CEECs the possibility to choose an entry mode other than a FDI.
2013
This paper focuses on the international development of SLAT, an independent SME which develops, produces and markets solutions of secured alimentations. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, the company has 67 employees. The SME has mainly developed in international markets through export activities: it realizes 15% of its total sales abroad and its products are marketed in 37 countries. The company has recently decided to implement a sales subsidiary in Germany to strengthen its presence in international markets. In this process, the company was accompanied by ERAI (Entreprise Rhône-Alpes International), a French agency which helps companies from the Rhône-Alpes region to expand into foreign markets. The authors of this paper explain the role played by ERAI in the establishment of the foreign subsidiary and the influence of a successful accompaniment experience on the internationalization process.