The Internationalisation 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.

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. ​

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.

"International Retailing reflects contemporary research and current practice, focusing on what is happening in the field, who is making it happen, why it is happening in the way it is, and how it is happening. Structured around four parts, this textbook guides students through the internationalization process, considering international markets, and how retail companies operate within them. It concludes by exploring future trends and challenges of the international retail marketplace." "The text is packed with a wealth of international examples and familiar case studies, clearly showing how the theory translated into practice."--BOOK JACKET.

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 authors demonstrate the broad and complex topics of retail management in 15 lessons. Each lesson includes a thematic overview of key issues and a comprehensive case study. International best practice companies are used to highlight managerial implications and the key discussion points.

Large and medium sized retailers have increased their international operations substantially over the last 25 years. This is evident in: the number of countries to which these retailers expand; the growing international sales of retailers; and the heightening of the level of commitment of retailers to their international activity – a trend that is likely to continue over the next decade as general globalization in the service industries increases. The managerial implications of the moves to become global are considerable. Different retailers are pursuing different approaches, to varying degrees of success and are no longer simply multi-national, but are also multi-continental. Consequently, existing concepts and theories of international business fit uneasily in explanations of international retailing, so new corporate strategies need to be explored. Featuring in-depth studies of seven retailers, by international scholars from Japan, the UK and Sweden, Global Strategies in Retailing explores recent developments in strategy that are related to international retailing and in particular, the emergence of a Global Portfolio Strategy. As such, this book will be important reading for all international business and retailing students and academics researching in these areas.