The impact of strategic choice on the international-ization of the firm

Timothy Adrian Robert CLARK, Singapore Management University
G. MALLORY

Abstract

Companies either seeking to expand into foreign markets or to alter their existing institutional arrangements have a choice between three forms of foreign market servicing: exporting, foreign licensing and foreign direct investment (FDI)1 (Buckley 1991; Buckley and Casson 1976; Root 1987; Terpstra 1987). The ‘stages theory of internationalisation’ proposes that these options are chosen in a linear sequence in that firms initially export, then establish a sales subsidiary and only when they have built up knowledge and experience do they invest directly.