A market and network based model for retailers’ foreign entry strategies

Foreign entry in retailing involves a large number of challenges. Many have to do with building network relationships to actors on different societal levels – involving governments and international bodies as well as business partners. Another critical part is to understand the host market well enough to adapt the retail proposition in a sufficient way. This paper especially considers a retailer’s networking and market orientation activities. Networking is discussed on several levels – including international activities and specific business alliances. We also argue that market orientation has to be studied especially for each host market and not only on a corporate level.