Developing a Method for the Internationalisation of Small to Medium Enterprises in Finland
Walker, Ian (2015)
Walker, Ian
Oulun ammattikorkeakoulu
2015
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201505117441
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201505117441
Tiivistelmä
This thesis explores the problems seen by many small companies who look to internationalise their operations. There are a number of theories and research methods that are considered throughout the thesis which focus on how continu- ous, reflective learning and iterative processes can be used to improve the chances of a small company with limited resources in their quest to become more international.
With the current economic problems facing the Finnish economy, many compa- nies in Oulu are facing the problem of a shrinking domestic market place, and a lack of skills or experience to successfully take their products to the in- ternational market. Often the companies rely on the products to sell themselves without investing in a sales and marketing strategy. This thesis uses Action Re- search to develop a methodology for helping these companies. It explores the Uppsala model for internationalisation and Systems Thinking to create a methodology that focuses on continuous learning through the formation of itera- tive feedback loops. This enables the companies to be better prepared and more knowledgable of what needs to be done, before they go abroad. The ideas are put in to practice with an Oulu based software services company by trying to help them to make their offering more attractive abroad to a new cus- tomer.
The thesis concludes with the project not achieving its desired results, but the developed methodology was shown to be viable and worthy of further develop- ment. More research is needed to prove the ideas in the real world and to ob- tain more positive outcomes.
With the current economic problems facing the Finnish economy, many compa- nies in Oulu are facing the problem of a shrinking domestic market place, and a lack of skills or experience to successfully take their products to the in- ternational market. Often the companies rely on the products to sell themselves without investing in a sales and marketing strategy. This thesis uses Action Re- search to develop a methodology for helping these companies. It explores the Uppsala model for internationalisation and Systems Thinking to create a methodology that focuses on continuous learning through the formation of itera- tive feedback loops. This enables the companies to be better prepared and more knowledgable of what needs to be done, before they go abroad. The ideas are put in to practice with an Oulu based software services company by trying to help them to make their offering more attractive abroad to a new cus- tomer.
The thesis concludes with the project not achieving its desired results, but the developed methodology was shown to be viable and worthy of further develop- ment. More research is needed to prove the ideas in the real world and to ob- tain more positive outcomes.