An investigation into the initial barriers to internationalization:Evidence from small UK retailers
Karise Hutchinson and Emma Fleck
School of Business, Retail and Financial Services, University of Ulster,
Coleraine, UK, and
Lester Lloyd-Reason
代写英国硕士论文Centre for International Business Research and Development,
Ashcroft International Business School, Anglia Ruskin University,
Cambridge, UK
AbstractPurpose – This paper is the result of empirical research funded by The British Academy. The overallpurpose of the study is to investigate the initial barriers to internationalization experienced and
perceived by small retailers based in the UK and the role of governmentsupport in addressing suchobstacles.Design/
methodology/approach – A qualitative, multiple case research design is adopted. Thisinvolves semi-structured in-depth interviews with the senior manager/decision-maker in six retail
SMEs based in the UK and the analysis of company documentation and information from a range of
secondary sources.
Findings – The findings from the case study data highlight internal and external barriers to
internationalization relating to management: lack of vision, fear of losing control, lack of knowledge;
the company: transfer of retail concept overseas, lack of resources, lack of consolidation in domestic
market; and the external environment: legislation, currency, cultural differences and
logistics. The
findings also highlight an overall negative experience and perception of government support in
assisting smaller retailers to overcome these barriers and aid expansion outside the UK.
Originality/value – The findings of this study provide important insight into the perceived and
actual barriers encountered by retail SMEs. On one hand, the focus on SMEs provides fresh evidence
to the retail internationalization literature, which has focused primarily on the barriers faced by large
multinational retailers. On the other hand, the context of this study, yields new insight into research
conducted in the field of SME internationalization, which has to date ignored smaller firms in the retail
industry. The findings of this study also allow for recommendations to be made to both
owner-managers and government organizations.
Keywords Trade barriers, International business, Retailers, Small to medium-sized enterprises,
Public administration, United Kingdom
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
It was stated some time ago that “retailing across borders is far from easy” (Williams,
1992, p. 9) and this observation was echoed in a report to the DTI in 2002 which
recommended that government should examine and argue for the opening of markets
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1462-6004.htm
The authors would like to acknowledge “The British Academy” who assisted in funding this
research project.
JSBED
16,4
544
Journal of Small Business and
Enterprise Development
Vol. 16 No. 4, 2009
pp. 544-568
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
1462-6004
DOI 10.1108/14626000911000910
to British retailers, attempting to reduce barriers to entry. While the barriers to
internationalization have received some attention in the retail literature, empirical
research has primarily focused on large retailer activities and the obstacles
encountered in the on-going process of expansion (Salmon and T
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