Raffaella Tabacco

Exporters moving toward emerging markets: a resource-based approach

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand whether and how specific capabilities at the firm level can sustain firms during the process of international expansion in emerging markets (EMs). Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative study was carried out, and the authors analyzed data from a sample of 271 manufacturing firms. A logistic regression was used to check for differences in the endowment of resources and capabilities of firms solely focussing on advanced markets (AMs) or extending their international scope to EMs as well. Findings – Firms that expanded their business in EMs showed a significantly higher endowment of international experience and marketing capabilities compared with firms that focussed only on AMs. The authors found that the size of the firm is irrelevant: even small firms can reach EMs by leveraging an appropriate set of capabilities. Research limitations/implications – The study is cross-sectional and cannot provide a longitudinal view of the process of capability de...

Managing distribution networks in emerging markets. Evidence from the furniture sector

Purpose – This paper aims to examine how three firms set up distribution networks in China and India. The authors highlight the criticalities in this process and the modifications necessary to adapt the firms’ distribution networks to the local conditions of both markets. Firms entering emerging markets (EMs) must deal with specific business and environmental conditions that can jeopardise their ability to succeed. The establishment of a proper distribution network is among the most pressing priorities for entering firms. Design/methodology/approach – The case study approach was used to analyse three European firms in the furniture sector. Findings – The results show that several adaptations of already-tested solutions were necessary to cope with the specificities of both markets. Such adaptations differently involved the three layers that form the firms’ distribution network: actors, activities and resources. Theoretical and managerial implications are derived from the results. Research limitations/impli...

Luxury Firms in China: The Role of Design and Marketing Capabilities

As a growing emerging market (EM), China offers remarkable opportunities for luxury firms from advanced countries. Studies emphasize the global approach to luxury markets, but the uncertainty and cultural distance characterizing the Chinese market increase the risks for firms using standardized global strategies. This article investigates the internationalization strategies of luxury firms in China by exploring the role of design and marketing capabilities. A qualitative methodology is adopted to develop a case study of an Italian company. Design and marketing capabilities emerge as important factors for balancing the advantages of a global strategy while adapting to the unique characteristics of the Chinese market. This process requires dynamic capabilities to maintain coherence with a company’s global brand identity, which is an asset of luxury companies.

Organizzare e gestire la distribuzione nel mercato indiano dell'arredamento

How do firms organize their distribution network to succeed inemerging markets? And to what extent do they adapt already testedsolutions in the context of advanced markets when setting up distribution in emerging markets? We moved from these research questions to analyse the distribution strategies of three middle-sized Italian firms belonging to the furniture industry and that recently entered the Indian market. Rules of thumb and managerial suggestions are derived.

Savio Macchine Tessili e Stark: strategie di internazionalizzazione commerciale nei mercati emergenti

The strong potential of the emerging countries is often accompanied by difficulties due to the high psychic and institutional distance be- tween them and more developed countries. In recent years a growing number of works has analyzed the behavior of firms in these countries; but the focus is mainly on multinationals, while the empirical research on the experience of small and medium-sized enterprises is not yet well developed, especially within the Italian context. The paper aims at introducing the results of an explorative analysis concerning the distribution policies that two companies of mechanical industry have adopted to enter India and China. The paper will discuss the organizational and strategic impact of the decision to enter in those countries.