Smaller Manufacturing Enterprises In An International Context A Longitudinal Exploration

This book provides an overview of approaches to internationalization as experienced by smaller manufacturing enterprises over a relatively long period of time — the 35-year period from 1974 to 2009. The original research on which this study is based dates back to the mid-1970s, when academic interest in export studies, market entry modes, and internationalization approaches, among others, have their origins. With practical examples of companies from both inside and outside the USA, readers will be able to understand how smaller manufacturing enterprises approach the world of international commerce, how they prepare themselves for it, and what really draws them into the world of international commerce./a

Global Mindsets seeks to tackle a topic that is relatively new in research and practice, and is considered by many to be critical for firms seeking to conduct global business. It argues that multiple mindsets exist (across and within organizations), that they operate in a global context, and that they are dynamic and undergo change and action. Part of the mindset(s) may depend upon place, situation and context where individuals and organizations operate. The book examines the notion of "mindset" is situational and dynamic, especially in a global setting, why it is important for future scholars and managers and how it could be conceptualized. The book includes conceptual chapters that push the current boundaries of research on the topic and empirical chapters that demonstrate how different organizations in different countries apply mindset perspectives in their management practices. It seeks to help academics, consultants, and researchers understand what has been said and studied about global mindsets in action and gain insights into possible directions and challenges that the field may face in the future.

This book focuses on strategies for developing consumer markets in Africa using concepts and techniques from marketing, entrepreneurship, and project management. The authors argue that entrepreneurial activity in Africa is rapid, but limited, and requires a structured approach to drive success. Beginning with an introductory chapter that frames the socio-economic and technological developments in Africa, readers are introduced to the conceptual model that provides this structured approach in four logical parts: The creative stage Entrepreneurial and enterprise activities Understanding consumer behavior and market segments A project management-based framework. This multidisciplinary approach is supplemented with many examples and cases from a variety of sectors including health care, wind and solar power, and mobile technology. Through these, readers are able to understand how the model is implemented in reality to drive innovative economic and social development. Marketing Management in Africa will prove a valuable companion to any student of marketing or entrepreneurship with a particular interest in Africa.

This book is the first to cover marketing management issues in geographically remote industrial clusters (GRICs). The phenomena of GRICs have increased in importance, especially in the Nordic countries, due to changes in industry structures as well as political ambitions. The practice of marketing and marketing management is not singular to industry clusters in Nordic countries. Remote areas in parts of the United States, South and Central America, and South East Asia exhibit similar tendencies. The problems faced by many entrepreneurial managers managing start-up or even existing enterprises are complex and require an in-depth understanding not only of the problems themselves, but also of the contextual framework in which these problems need to be solved. This book contains original cases that cover issues like cluster formation, information gathering, marketing strategies and operations, and information-technology. Examples come from industries like textile & furniture, automobile, agro-machinery, food, wine, software, and management consulting.

Around the world, small manufacturing enterprises in market-based economies are facing daily challenges posed by emerging green imperatives and opportunities. These issues impact future decisions, allocation of resources, and encourage managers to refocus their strategies.This book investigates how smaller manufacturing enterprises commit to green marketing strategies, mapping all major parts of the design process throughout the entire value-creating channel. It draws together a comprehensive framework to understand, from the perspective of marketing management, what managerial considerations are important in committing to green initiatives.Presenting an active debate and policies on environmental sustainability for small and medium sizes manufacturing companies, it focuses on aspects of innovative marketing practices in response to the need for businesses to incorporate strategies that generate a smaller carbon footprint.Aimed at an international audience, Mapping Managerial Implications of Green Strategy is an invaluable resource for managers looking for green solutions, and doctoral and graduate students looking for research topics.

Interest in generally expanding the understanding of small and medium-sized enterprises, especially understanding their strategies and operations to enter international markets, is growing rapidly among researchers and academics globally. Government officials, regional and economic specialists, and international trade advisers are directly involved in assisting small and medium-sized enterprises in developing their international marketing expertise. Motivating SMEs to Cooperate and Internationalize consists of research studies, cases, and experiences obtained by researchers and academics from managers of small and medium-sized enterprises in Northern Europe as they worked closely with managers on issues and problems leading to internationalization of enterprises. This book will map not only the attempts of small and medium-sized enterprises in Northern Europe to enter foreign markets, but also to understand how researchers and academics can help small and medium-sized Northern European enterprisers achieve their objectives. This compilation of approaches, perspectives, and experiences will serve as a resource tool for researchers and academics active in international management training programs worldwide and help illustrate how to close the gap between publishing results of their findings and efforts to disseminate their findings among managers of small and medium-sized enterprises in their domains. This book is the first attempt to integrate results of research studies and practices as an illustration of how knowledge of small and medium-sized enterprises has evolved since the 1980s with the contributions of individual researchers and academics in Northern Europe. It will be of relevance to academics and researchers interested in working closely with small and medium-sized enterprises to meet their goals in entering international markets.

This book contributes to the available literature on small business management by providing a comparison of the internationalization process of family and non-family businesses in Denmark. With practical examples of the decision making processes and challenges of internationalization of these companies, readers will be able to understand how both family and non-family firms from smaller countries approach their internationalization, how they prepare themselves for it, and what really draws them into the world of international business. This book is suitable for undergraduates and graduate students studying courses dealing with family-owned firms and their internationalization issues. Trainers conducting workshops or seminars on family-owned and non-family-owned firms will also benefit immensely from reading it. ContentsIntroduction to Internationalization of Smaller Firms; Dominant Characteristics of Family and Non-family Small Businesses; Internationalization Process of Small Businesses; Overview of Research Cases: Family-Owned Firms Perspective; Overview of Research Cases: Non-family-Owned Firms Perspective; Comparison of Family-Owned and Non-family Owned Firms; Conclusions; Future Research.