Retail Internationalization

The doctoral thesis investigates various strategies in the area of going and being international of retail firms which is of undisputable relevance due to the fairly narrow research status and the increasing internationalization of retail activities. Issues are investigated concerning the choice of retail market entry modes, i.e., the form of institutional arrangements that retailers use when entering foreign markets, the retail format transfer, i.e., the management of internal processes and the external marketing program elements and the coordination of retail activities, i.e., the implementation of the marketing program by the organizational structure. Regarding this, three important research questions are addressed:1) How do choose retailers their market entry mode in the area of conflict between full and shared-controlled modes and how is this decision influenced by the internal and external environment? 2) How can international retailers transfer their retail format successfully to foreign countries by standardizing or adapting the internal and external elements of their retail format? 3) How can retailers successfully coordinate the implementation of their retail marketing program to culturally diversified markets? These questions are investigated on the basis of established theories applied from the international management literature such as institutional theory, the resource-based view and the profit maximization theory. On the basis of comprehensive primary and secondary datasets, important implications are drawn for research and practice. ​

As potentially the largest retail market, China has attracted a great number of foreign retail operations. Based on case study research, this book provides valuable insights international retailers need for success in China. The newly developed theoretical model helps to extend the body of knowledge on firm internationalization.

The increasing internationalization of retail companies can emerge in the international retail brand management, a research gap. In the course of development that retailers will realize as a brand that always emergent research needs. This study shows how internationally operating trading company deal with these challenges, special services at the international level. These advantages are inter alia from differences in culturally influenced patterns of perception. A consideration of these differences implies a customized branding, which promises to enhance the efficiency of brand effects.

Retail internationalisation refers to the establishment of retailers into foreign sales markets and is an important success factor for many retail chains. Logistics has been acknowledged as an important prerequisite and key component of retail internationalisation, enabling physical distribution to new foreign markets as well as ensuring customer satisfaction in terms of on-time delivery and product availability. Despite the recognition of logistics, logistics managers struggle to adapt their logistics organisation and operations in order to efficiently and effectively support retail internationalisation due to the complexity of operating in multiple markets. Previous research seldom mentions how logistics supports retail internationalisation, especially when retail chains are at the beginning of their retail-internationalisation journey. By exploring the supporting role of logistics during the early stage of retail internationalisation, retailers can better understand how logistics organisation and operations can be organised in order to successfully expand into foreign sales markets. Therefore, the purpose of this licentiate thesis is to: Explore the supporting role of logistics during the early stage of retail internationalisation. This licentiate thesis is based on an abductive, multiple-case-study approach that combines empirical data with literature in an iterative process in order to explore the supporting role of logistics during the early stage of retail internationalisation. The selected case companies were three large-sized Swedish retail chains that have recently established themselves into nearby foreign sales markets. The findings of this licentiate thesis suggest that logistics plays both a reactive and a proactive supporting role during the early stage of retail internationalisation. The reactive supporting role refers to logistics that adapts to predetermined conditions set by the retail company’s top management team. As a reactive supporter, the logistics organisation is typically involved at an operational level and scales up its logistics operations in order to supply multiple markets. Beyond its reactive role, logistics can also play a proactive supporting role. This refers to its involvement at a strategic level within the retail company where it can influence the conditions of retail internationalisation. When logistics is involved more proactively, its operations can become better aligned with the other company operations involved in retail internationalisation. Furthermore, proactive logistics support enables more efficient and effective logistics that can better cope with increased complexity as well as more effectively keeping track of logistics costs. In addition to these findings, the importance of top management has been identified as a key aspect of proactive logistics support. More specifically, logistics competence within the top management team enables logistics to be prioritised at a strategic level and to be better integrated during retail internationalisation, including during individual establishments into new markets. The findings also suggest that the importance of logistics increases over time during retail internationalisation. The more markets the retailer enters, the more important efficient logistics becomes in order to deal with both complexity and logistics costs. By involving proactive logistics from the start of retail internationalisation, retail chains can more efficiently and effectively establish into and operate within foreign sales markets, which in turn supports a sustainable retail internationalisation. One of the main academic contributions of this licentiate thesis has been to study logistics in the specific context of retail internationalisation, which has previously not been researched in any great detail. In addition, logistics has often been studied as a static aspect, but in this thesis it is studied from a dynamic perspective in order to understand how its supporting role changes over time during the early stage of retail internationalisation. Another important contribution is that the role of logistics has been studied from both a strategic and an operational level, as previous research has mostly focused on the strategic level of logistics related to retail internationalisation. In terms of practical contributions, this licentiate thesis clarifies the logistics characteristics and supply-chain capabilities that support the early stage of retail internationalisation. This licentiate thesis can also help practitioners to better prepare their logistics organisation and logistics operations for a future retail internationalisation, as well as helping them to avoid making logistical mistakes during the early stage of retail internationalisation.

The large retail enterprise which does not think on an international basis faces marginalization by competitors building international operations. Here, management researchers in the areas of international retailing offer an insight into the mechanisms of the internationalization of retailing.

The large retail enterprise which does not think on an international basis faces marginalization by competitors building international operations. Here, management researchers in the areas of international retailing offer an insight into the mechanisms of the internationalization of retailing.

European retailers have successfully internationalised their activities in Europe but have been less successful in North America. American retailers have been successful in their home market but less so in Europe. The major European and American retailers are now entering Asia and competing directly with each other in a substantive way fort he first time. These Western retailers, using modern managerial methods, are entering markets typified by more traditional managerial approaches. Western managerial cultures and values are interfacing with Asian ones. The results of these moves are new stresses for Asian retail structures that bring a new dynamism to Asian retailing. The contributions in this book explore the conflicts and benefits that arise as retailing in Asia becomes internationalised. The contributions are provided by experts in retail research from across Asia and for the first time in depth analyses are provided of the ways that Western retailers are provoking change in Asia. The book results form a seminar held at the University of Marketing and Distribution Sciences, Kobe, in November 2001 under the auspices of Society for Asian Research in Distribution. Scholars from across the region presented research results of their analyses of the New Commerce now appearing in Asia.

The aim of EUROPEAN RETAIL RESEARCH is to publish interesting manuscripts of high quality and innovativeness with a focus on retail researchers, retail lecturers, retail students and retail executives. As it has always been, retail executives are part of the target group and the knowledge transfer between retail research and retail management remains a part of the publication’s concept.